Insights into the bovine rumen sources
We explored the dynamics of early rumen microbial colonization processes and its effect later in life. Our investigation into the temporal aspects of microbial invasion, originating from diverse sources such as mother saliva, skin, and birth canal, utilizes high-resolution analysis to identify the rumen microbiome sources. We unveil an environmental filtering event, leading to the dominance of birth canal-invading microbes. Consisting of 575 key species, these founder microbes persist and dominate the adult rumen for up to 830 days after birth. Founder microbes contribute to ecosystem stability through functional redundancy and exhibit essential functional versatility vital for the host's life, including amino acid and vitamin synthesis. They are found in birth canals and dominant rumen environments across different studies and geographies, despite variations in diet and animal breeds. Notably, founder microbes exhibit dominance in gnotobiotic lambs, constituting 95 percent of abundance and implying their indispensable role in sustaining the host's life.