Presence of adult companion goats favors the rumen microbial and functional development in artificially reared kids

In intensive dairy production systems, newborn ruminants very rarely stay with their dams or any adult animals at least until they are weaned. Under these circumstances, an optimal microbial GIT colonization in the young kids may be jeopardized.The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of an indirect inoculation of adult rumen microbiota to goat kids with the sole presence of adult animals in the same pen where the kids were reared during the milk feeding period. 32 newborn goats were were separated from their dams after parturition and allocated in two separate experimental groups: one isolated from any other animals (CTL) and the other one in presence of two adult companions (CMP). Body weight was monitored weekly and rumen content and blood samples were taken at 5, 7 and 9 weeks of age to measure rumen fermentation parameters, rumen bacteria, archaea, protozoa and fungi abundance and some blood metabolites concentration. Furthermore, microbial rDNA from the rumen content at 7 weeks of age was sequenced to assess rumen microbial diversity and the relative abundance of the different taxa.