Changes in rumen fermentation and bacterial community in lactating dairy cows with subacute rumen acidosis following rumen content transplantation

After 6 days of rumen content transplantation, nearly all rumen fermentation parameters returned to normal levels in cows with subacute ruminal acidosis.

• Rumen content transplantation from conventional diet cows to high-grain diet cows is associated with recovery of fermentation parameters in the donor-recipient group.
• Cows receiving their own rumen contents did not recover the concentrations of acetate, valerate, and total volatile fatty acids.
• Both donor-recipient and self-recipient cows showed rapid rebuilding of rumen bacterial communities within 4 days post-transplantation.
• The donor-recipient group exhibited greater bacterial community diversity compared to the self-recipient group.
• Changes in specific bacterial genera were observed, with improved proportions of unclassified Ruminococcaceae and Saccharofermentans in donor-recipient cows.
• Rumen content transplantation affected only certain bacterial taxa with weak interactions, leaving the core microbiome largely intact.

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