Changes in the bacterial community colonizing extracted and non-extracted tannin-rich plants in the rumen of dromedary camels

Abstract

Leguminous trees and saltbushes provide potential alternatives to conventional feeds to overcome feed deficiency in arid and semi-arid countries. However, these plants are rich in antinutritional factors that have adverse effects on rumen microbiota and the host- animal. Some rumen microbiota detoxifies plants’ secondary metabolites; thus, understanding plant-microbe interaction in the rumen could improve the plants’ utilization. This study investigated the bacterial colonization and degradation of non-extracted and extracted tanniniferous plants: Atriplex halimus, Acacia saligna, and Leucaena leucocephala, in the rumen of three fistulated camels at 6 and 12 hours. The results showed that these plants have high nutritional value and tannins contents. The rumen degradation and microbial diversity of plant-attached bacteria varied according to plant type and phenols’ extraction. Atriplex and leucaena showed higher microbial diversity at 6 and 12h, respectively. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the main bacterial phyla, and the main genera were Prevotella, RC9_gut_group, Butyrivibrio that overrepresented in non-extracted plants (P<0.05). Fibrobacteres and Anaerovibrio showed sensitivity to plant toxins and Ruminococcus attached to plants with lower tannins. Several bacterial genera in the camel rumen have the potential to resist antinutritional factors in fodder plants, which could be used to improve the performance of grazing animals.