Large-scale analysis of sheep rumen metagenome profiles captured by reduced representation sequencing reveals individual profiles are influenced by the environment and genetics of the host

Table 1 Number of rumen samples and sheep by group

Group	Diet^a	Age^b	Time off Feed^c	Feeding	Number of Samples	Number of Sheep
GLS	Grass	Lamb	Short	ad libitum	1074	1074
GAS	Grass	Adult	Short	ad libitum	1080	1080
GLL	Grass	Lamb	Long	ad libitum	186	93
GAL	Grass	Adult	Long	ad libitum	94	94
LLS	Pellets (L)	Lamb	Short	ad libitum	985	985
LLL	Pellets (L)	Lamb	Long	2 × MEM^d	376	188
MAS	Pellets (M)	Adult	Short	ad libitum	176	176
AUS	Australian	Adult	Short	1.5–1.6 × MEM^d	508	508
Total					4479	1708^e

^aGrass: ryegrass-based pasture. Pellets (L): lucerne pellets. Pellets (M): maintenance pellets. Australian: Chaffed lucerne and cereal hay
^bAnimal considered an Adult at ~ 15 months of age
^cDuration between access to feed and rumen sampling: Short = 2–4 h; collected in the South Island of New Zealand or in Australia. Long = 15–16 h; collected in the North Island of New Zealand
^dMEM: Metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance
^eSome individuals had rumen samples collected as part of multiple Groups, although all Australian sheep only had one rumen sample

ISSN: 1471-2164