GM and Non-GM Rumen Microbes in Enhancing Animal Productivity

Abstract

Rumen microbes has been extensively used for manipulating the rumen ecology. Genetically modified or non genetic modified are both the type of application for enhancing the ruminal fermentation and improving the performance of ruminants. Construction of genetic modified rumen microbes has been succeeded with adding the various kinds of traits, such as improving fiber digestion, detoxification or reducing methane production in the rumen. This modification strategy mainly targeted into the predominant ruminal bacteria including Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Streptococcus bovis and Prevotella ruminicola. However, directly introducing the GM microbes to the rumen ecology is very limited. Recombinant Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens which was transformed with fluoroacetate dehalogenase gene can protect the host animal from plant toxin poisoning. Since the usage of GM microbes has restricted in most countries for its potential risks, many research have been focused on another approach with Non-GM microbes. There are many researches for checking the effect of diverse Non-GM rumen microbes for enhancing the CLA production, mitigation of methane emission, and the possibility as probiotics through in vitro and in vivo. The results show that this alternative use of Non-GM rumen microbes can be an intense candidate for improving the animal productivity through manipulation of rumen ecology. We discussed about how the GM and Non-GM rumen microbes have been used during the last decade and its potential aspects to contribute to the animal productivity.