IMPACT OF ALTERING MATERNAL MICROBIOTA VIA HIGH FORAGE OR HIGH CONCENTRATE DIETS ON OFFSPRING MICROBIOME DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY BALANCE, METHANE EMISSIONS AND FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE

Our long-term goalis to develop maternal microbiome-targeted approaches to improve offspring health and productivity and thereby enhance the efficiency of beef production.Theshort-term goalof this project is to evaluate the impact of altering maternal microbiota via high forage or high concentrate diets on offspring microbiome development, energy balance, methane emissions, and feedlot performance.To achieve this goal, the following three specificAimswill be assessed:Characterize the maternal gut, nasopharyngeal and vaginal microbiota in response to pregnancy.Investigate prenatal microbial colonization (in uteromicrobial transfer) with a focus on methanogenic archaea.Evaluate the influence of altering maternal microbiota via feeding high forage or high concentrate diets on offspring microbiomedevelopment, energy balance, methane emissions, and feedlot performance.