The Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded $650,000 under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grants program (AFRI, CFDA No. 10.310) to North Dakota State University for a project titled "Diverse and Dynamic Microbial Communities in Cattle." The four-year project, running from June 2022 to May 2026, will evaluate the impact of altering maternal microbiota in beef cattle via high forage or high concentrate diets on offspring microbiome development, energy balance, methane emissions, and feedlot performance. Specifically, the university will characterize changes in the maternal gut, nasopharyngeal, and vaginal microbiota in response to pregnancy. It will also investigate prenatal microbial colonization and the role of methanogenic archaea, microorganisms that produce methane gas. Finally, the project will assess how altering the maternal microbiota through different feeding regimens influences offspring microbiome development, energy use, methane emissions, and productivity at feedlots. The research aims to provide strategies to improve feed efficiency and disease resilience in calves by leveraging the maternal microbiome and fetal-maternal microbial interactions.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $650.0k | 3/18/22 |