Gastrointestinal microbiome of lambs fed Moringa oleifera

Abstract

A stable and diverse microbiome within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) contributes to animal health and productivity, with feed composition playing a crucial role. The health benefits of consuming moringa are well established in humans, and preliminary studies have also been conducted in some ruminants; however, a detailed analysis of its effects on microbial populations throughout the GIT is lacking. In this pilot study, comparative microbiome profiles were generated from one lamb fed a 17% moringa-supplemented diet and one lamb fed a control diet (0% moringa), with three samples collected from each gastrointestinal tract (GIT) region for microbial analysis. Overall, microbial diversity in the GIT decreased in the moringa-fed lamb than in the control lamb. Differences in the composition and structure of bacterial, ciliate, and anaerobic fungal communities were observed between the dietary groups, with the most pronounced differences in the forestomach (FS), while bacterial community differences were also observed in the small intestine (SI) and large intestine (LI). A total of 87 bacterial genera in FS and 12 in LI differed in proportion between the two dietary groups. Although microbial diversity and composition were altered across individual GIT segments, these differences were not statistically significant in all organs and organism groups studied. Several predicted glycosidases (EC 3.2.1.X), including beta-glucuronidase, alpha-amylase, and beta-galactosidase, were more abundant in the rumen solid fraction of the moringa-fed lamb. This preliminary study identified differences in bacterial taxa, CAZymes, ciliates, and anaerobic fungi whose reported functions have been associated with gut homeostasis, feed digestion, and animal health. These observations generate hypotheses regarding the potential of Moringa oleifera as a functional feed supplement. However, these functional roles were inferred from published evidence and therefore, further large-scale studies with functional validation are required.