Reproductive Microbiomes in Domestic Livestock: Insights Utilizing 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Community Sequencing.
Authors: Poole Rebecca K, Soffa Dallas R, McAnally Brooke E, Smith Molly S, Hickman-Brown Kyle J, Stockland Erin L
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Whilst human reproductive health is strongly associated with Lactobacillus dominance, the reproductive microbiomes of livestock species—cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and horses—appear fundamentally different, warranting dedicated investigation. This 2023 review synthesises findings from 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies to map the bacterial communities present in both male and female reproductive tracts across these five species, revealing substantial variations in microbiota composition and abundance compared to human models. Rather than Lactobacillus-dominated communities, livestock reproductive tissues host more diverse bacterial populations with species-specific patterns; understanding these natural communities is crucial for distinguishing true dysbiosis from normal physiological variation when investigating subfertility. The authors argue that characterising these microbiomes provides a foundation for identifying which microbial shifts genuinely impair fertility versus those that are merely incidental, potentially leading to targeted management interventions—such as targeted antimicrobial therapy, probiotic supplementation, or environment modifications—that could improve reproductive efficiency in breeding programmes. For practitioners managing reproduction, this review underscores that human-derived microbiome concepts cannot be directly transposed to livestock, and that species-specific microbial baselines are essential before any microbiota-based fertility strategy can be meaningfully evaluated or implemented.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Understanding that livestock reproductive microbiomes differ fundamentally from humans may inform development of species-specific interventions to enhance fertility
- •Microbiome profiling using 16S rRNA sequencing could become a diagnostic tool to assess reproductive health status in breeding animals
- •Management strategies targeting reproductive microbiota composition may offer new approaches to improve reproductive efficiency in herds
Key Findings
- •Lactobacillus is the dominant bacterial genus in human reproductive tissues but is not as abundant in domestic livestock reproductive microbiomes
- •16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing has expanded understanding of reproductive microbiome composition and its role in fertility across livestock species
- •Reproductive microbiota composition differs significantly between dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, small ruminants, and horses
- •Characterizing reproductive microbiota is essential for developing management and therapeutic strategies to improve livestock reproductive efficiency