Effect of Fructooligosaccharide on the Rumen Fungi Flora of Dairy Cows by ITS High-throughput Sequencing Technology

PurposeTo study the effect of fructooligosaccharides on the rumen fungal flora of dairy cows by using ITS high-throughput sequencing analysis technology.

MethodA two-stage cross design was adopted to select 4 lactating cows with similar lactation stages, the same number of foetus and good health. Two groups were randomly divided into two groups. The control group was fed with basic diets, and the experimental group was supplemented with fructooligosaccharide at a dosage of 60 g/(cow·d).

ResultThe test conditions, fruit sugar added in the diet did not significantly affect the rumen fungi diversity (P>0.05), but there were differences of the relative abundance of the dominant fungi between the two groups, and Zygomycota existed only in the control group, the Neocallimastigomycota relative abundance group increased by 628.28% than the control group, but there was no significant difference (P=0.21). The relative abundance of Candida and Phanerochaete in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P=0.001, P=0.003). The relative abundance of Chaetomidium in the experimental group was significantly increased (P=0.037). The relative abundance of Piromyces in the experimental group was increased by 1 205.71% compared with that in the control group, but the difference was not significant (P=0.135). The relative abundance of Zopfiella and Debaryomyces in the experimental group was 99.08% and 64.14% lower than that in the control group, respectively, but the differences were not significant (P=0.523, P=0.671).

ConclusionThe addition of fructooligosaccharide in the diet had no significant effect on the diversity of the fungal flora in the rumen of cows, and the proportion of dominant bacteria changed, which enhanced the ability of the fungal flora in the rumen to degrade the fibers.