Unlocking the potential of willow condensed tannins: effects on rumen fermentation, microbiome, and metabolome for sustainable ruminant nutrition
Abstract Background Sustainable livestock production is essential for meeting the growing global protein demand while minimising environmental impacts. Exploring alternative forages that enhance nutrient utilisation and reduce reliance on imported feeds is a potential strategy. Condensed tannins (CT...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Animal Microbiome |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-025-00444-6 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849389433264013312 |
|---|---|
| author | Joshua P. Thompson Omar Cristobal-Carballo Tianhai Yan Katie Lawther Nicholas J. Dimonaco Wayne E. Zeller Zhenbin Zhang Sharon Huws Laudina Safo Andrew D. Southam Christian Ludwig Gavin R. Lloyd Sokratis Stergiadis Katerina Theodoridou |
| author_facet | Joshua P. Thompson Omar Cristobal-Carballo Tianhai Yan Katie Lawther Nicholas J. Dimonaco Wayne E. Zeller Zhenbin Zhang Sharon Huws Laudina Safo Andrew D. Southam Christian Ludwig Gavin R. Lloyd Sokratis Stergiadis Katerina Theodoridou |
| author_sort | Joshua P. Thompson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Sustainable livestock production is essential for meeting the growing global protein demand while minimising environmental impacts. Exploring alternative forages that enhance nutrient utilisation and reduce reliance on imported feeds is a potential strategy. Condensed tannins (CTs) can bind to proteins in the rumen, protecting them from ruminal degradation resulting in decreased ammoniacal N and enhanced nitrogen uptake in the hindgut. This pioneering research is the first to explore the potential of willow (Salix) as an alternative feed for ruminant nutrition. The study involved feeding ewe hoggets a control grass silage (SIL) or a SIL mix containing a 20% dry matter (DM) dietary inclusion of leaves from two willow varieties to investigate the impact the willow CTs have on rumen fermentation, microbial populations, and metabolomic profiles. Willow treatments: Beagle (BG) and Terra Nova (TN) had an overall CT inclusion (CTI) of 1.1 and 0.1% DM with the control diet containing no CTs in a three-treatment x three-period Latin square design. Results Although total dry matter and fibre intake were higher in BG and TN, there was no significant difference in ruminal CH4 production between the treatments. However, fermentation was affected, with BG and TN showing lower acetate production and reduced total volatile fatty acid production compared to SIL. CTs may have impaired fibre digestion, as SIL had higher Fibrobacter abundance than BG. Heatmap visualisation indicated higher carbohydrate metabolite concentrations in SIL, with reduced metabolism observed in TN and BG. Ruminal ammonia did not differ significantly among treatments, despite higher nitrogen intake in BG and TN treatments. Proteolytic bacteria levels were similar across treatments, but TN and BG had higher ruminal metabolites associated with protein metabolism upon visualisation through heatmap analysis. TN showed higher abundance of Prevotella and Fibrobacter than BG, which had 10 times higher CT content and a greater prodelphinidin proportion. Conclusion Feeding CT-containing willow enhanced feed intake, altered rumen microbiome composition and suggested visual changes in the analysis of protein metabolism, offering potential benefits for animal performance. While a reduction in CH4 was not observed, this study highlights the potential of willow to alter ruminant nutrition while supporting sustainable agricultural practices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-98c906032cca4cff9f6da4e554f23f34 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2524-4671 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Microbiome |
| spelling | doaj-art-98c906032cca4cff9f6da4e554f23f342025-08-20T03:41:57ZengBMCAnimal Microbiome2524-46712025-07-017112410.1186/s42523-025-00444-6Unlocking the potential of willow condensed tannins: effects on rumen fermentation, microbiome, and metabolome for sustainable ruminant nutritionJoshua P. Thompson0Omar Cristobal-Carballo1Tianhai Yan2Katie Lawther3Nicholas J. Dimonaco4Wayne E. Zeller5Zhenbin Zhang6Sharon Huws7Laudina Safo8Andrew D. Southam9Christian Ludwig10Gavin R. Lloyd11Sokratis Stergiadis12Katerina Theodoridou13Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University BelfastSustainable Livestock Systems Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences InstituteSustainable Livestock Systems Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences InstituteInstitute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University BelfastInstitute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University BelfastUSDA-ARS, US Dairy Forage Research CenterInstitute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University BelfastInstitute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University BelfastPhenome Centre Birmingham, School of Biosciences, University of BirminghamPhenome Centre Birmingham, School of Biosciences, University of BirminghamPhenome Centre Birmingham, School of Biosciences, University of BirminghamPhenome Centre Birmingham, School of Biosciences, University of BirminghamSchool of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of ReadingInstitute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University BelfastAbstract Background Sustainable livestock production is essential for meeting the growing global protein demand while minimising environmental impacts. Exploring alternative forages that enhance nutrient utilisation and reduce reliance on imported feeds is a potential strategy. Condensed tannins (CTs) can bind to proteins in the rumen, protecting them from ruminal degradation resulting in decreased ammoniacal N and enhanced nitrogen uptake in the hindgut. This pioneering research is the first to explore the potential of willow (Salix) as an alternative feed for ruminant nutrition. The study involved feeding ewe hoggets a control grass silage (SIL) or a SIL mix containing a 20% dry matter (DM) dietary inclusion of leaves from two willow varieties to investigate the impact the willow CTs have on rumen fermentation, microbial populations, and metabolomic profiles. Willow treatments: Beagle (BG) and Terra Nova (TN) had an overall CT inclusion (CTI) of 1.1 and 0.1% DM with the control diet containing no CTs in a three-treatment x three-period Latin square design. Results Although total dry matter and fibre intake were higher in BG and TN, there was no significant difference in ruminal CH4 production between the treatments. However, fermentation was affected, with BG and TN showing lower acetate production and reduced total volatile fatty acid production compared to SIL. CTs may have impaired fibre digestion, as SIL had higher Fibrobacter abundance than BG. Heatmap visualisation indicated higher carbohydrate metabolite concentrations in SIL, with reduced metabolism observed in TN and BG. Ruminal ammonia did not differ significantly among treatments, despite higher nitrogen intake in BG and TN treatments. Proteolytic bacteria levels were similar across treatments, but TN and BG had higher ruminal metabolites associated with protein metabolism upon visualisation through heatmap analysis. TN showed higher abundance of Prevotella and Fibrobacter than BG, which had 10 times higher CT content and a greater prodelphinidin proportion. Conclusion Feeding CT-containing willow enhanced feed intake, altered rumen microbiome composition and suggested visual changes in the analysis of protein metabolism, offering potential benefits for animal performance. While a reduction in CH4 was not observed, this study highlights the potential of willow to alter ruminant nutrition while supporting sustainable agricultural practices.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-025-00444-6MethaneWillowFermentationTanninsRuminantAmmonia |
| spellingShingle | Joshua P. Thompson Omar Cristobal-Carballo Tianhai Yan Katie Lawther Nicholas J. Dimonaco Wayne E. Zeller Zhenbin Zhang Sharon Huws Laudina Safo Andrew D. Southam Christian Ludwig Gavin R. Lloyd Sokratis Stergiadis Katerina Theodoridou Unlocking the potential of willow condensed tannins: effects on rumen fermentation, microbiome, and metabolome for sustainable ruminant nutrition Animal Microbiome Methane Willow Fermentation Tannins Ruminant Ammonia |
| title | Unlocking the potential of willow condensed tannins: effects on rumen fermentation, microbiome, and metabolome for sustainable ruminant nutrition |
| title_full | Unlocking the potential of willow condensed tannins: effects on rumen fermentation, microbiome, and metabolome for sustainable ruminant nutrition |
| title_fullStr | Unlocking the potential of willow condensed tannins: effects on rumen fermentation, microbiome, and metabolome for sustainable ruminant nutrition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unlocking the potential of willow condensed tannins: effects on rumen fermentation, microbiome, and metabolome for sustainable ruminant nutrition |
| title_short | Unlocking the potential of willow condensed tannins: effects on rumen fermentation, microbiome, and metabolome for sustainable ruminant nutrition |
| title_sort | unlocking the potential of willow condensed tannins effects on rumen fermentation microbiome and metabolome for sustainable ruminant nutrition |
| topic | Methane Willow Fermentation Tannins Ruminant Ammonia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-025-00444-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT joshuapthompson unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT omarcristobalcarballo unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT tianhaiyan unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT katielawther unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT nicholasjdimonaco unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT wayneezeller unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT zhenbinzhang unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT sharonhuws unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT laudinasafo unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT andrewdsoutham unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT christianludwig unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT gavinrlloyd unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT sokratisstergiadis unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition AT katerinatheodoridou unlockingthepotentialofwillowcondensedtanninseffectsonrumenfermentationmicrobiomeandmetabolomeforsustainableruminantnutrition |