Isolation and Characterization of Ruminal Yeast Strain with Probiotic Potential and Its Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrients Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation and Microbiota of Hu Sheep

Yeast strains are widely used in ruminant production. However, knowledge about the effects of rumen native yeasts on ruminants is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain a rumen native yeast isolate and investigate its effects on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation and microbiota in Hu sheep. Yeasts were isolated by picking up colonies from agar plates, and identified by sequencing the ITS sequences. One isolate belonging to Pichia kudriavzevii had the highest optical density among these isolates obtained. This isolate was prepared to perform an animal feeding trial. A randomized block design was used for the animal trial. Sixteen Hu sheep were randomly assigned to the control (CON, fed basal diet, n = 8) and treatment group (LPK, fed basal diet plus P. kudriavzevii, CFU = 8 x 10(9) head/d, n = 8). Sheep were housed individually and treated for 4 weeks. Compared to CON, LPK increased final body weight, nutrient digestibility and rumen acetate concentration and acetate-to-propionate ratio in sheep. The results of Illumina MiSeq PE 300 sequencing showed that LPK increased the relative abundance of lipolytic bacteria (Anaerovibrio spp. and Pseudomonas spp.) and probiotic bacteria (Faecalibacterium spp. and Bifidobacterium spp.). For rumen eukaryotes, LPK increased the genera associated with fiber degradation, including protozoan Polyplastron and fungus Pichia. Our results discovered that rumen native yeast isolate P. kudriavzevii might promote the digestion of fibers and lipids by modulating specific microbial populations with enhancing acetate-type fermentation.