Animal Bioscience最新文献

Objective: This study aims to analyze the dynamic expression profile and functional mechanisms of circular RNA (circRNA) in the liver of young goats during the developmental process from birth to the early weaning stage.

Methods: The study performed transcriptome sequencing on liver tissues from Laiwu Black goats at five key developmental time points after birth (1 day, and 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks).

Results: A total of 178 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified at the five developmental stages. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the source genes of these circRNAs are involved in key pathways such as immune response, lipid metabolism, and cell signaling. Persistently upregulated circRNAs (cluster 9) are related to tryptophan metabolism and may regulate the inflammatory response and energy homeostasis under weaning stress in young goats; while persistently downregulated circRNAs (cluster 0) may promote the transition of liver metabolism from glucose to fatty acid oxidation by relieving inhibition on pathways like AMPK and insulin signaling pathway. Based on the ceRNA mechanism, the study constructed a regulatory network consisting of 20 circRNAs, 15 miRNAs, and 21 mRNAs, among which chi-miR-532-3p/CYP8B1/circ101504503815046736, chi-miR-542-5p/ACACB/circ10_21217626_21219471, and miR-542-5p/ACACB/circ10-21217626-21219471 were identified as potential key ceRNA axes. Furthermore, this study confirmed the targeting regulatory relationship between chi-miR-532-3p, CYP8B1 and circ10-21217626-21219471 through dual luciferase reporter gene experiments.

Conclusion: This study reveals the dynamic expression profile of circRNA during goat liver development, suggesting that it may regulate metabolic and immune pathways through the ceRNA mechanism, providing a new perspective on post-transcriptional regulation of liver development in ruminants.

Objective: Post-ruminal supplementation of glucose may contribute to subsequent milk production and health by increasing secretion of gut hormones and reducing intestinal-derived inflammation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of bypass sugar (BpS) supplementation to dairy cows during the transition period on milk production and metabolic status after calving.

Methods: Fifteen Holstein cows were randomly assigned into three groups considering parity and previous milk production. The three groups corresponded to the following three treatments: a BpS group supplemented with BpS, a Gly group supplemented with dietary glycerol, and a control group with no supplementation in the basal diet from 21 days pre-partum to 5 days post-partum. Cows were sampled from 21 days pre-partum to 28 days post-partum, and milk yield and blood and health statuses were determined.

Results: Milk yield was higher in the BpS group than that in the other groups. The rumen fill score was highest in the BpS group from the dry period to post-partum compared with that in the other groups. Post-partum blood glucose concentrations were higher in the BpS group than in the control group. The prevalence of hyperketonemia and blood concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids, β-hydroxylbutyrate, glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) and haptoglobin were not different among the groups. In the BpS group, blood aspartate aminotransferase concentration was lower than that in the Gly group. γ-glutamyl transpeptidase was lower than that in the control group.

Conclusion: From these results, feeding BpS and Gly did not affect GLP-2 secretion and alleviate inflammation after calving, but BpS increased milk production and improved liver function.

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effects of supplemental 3-phytase, 6-phytase, or both on total tract digestibility of phosphorus (P) and calcium in corn-soybean meal-based diets fed to growing pigs.

Methods: Twelve barrows with initial body weight of 63.1±3.0 kg were allotted to a triplicated 4×3 incomplete Latin square design with 4 diets and 3 periods to obtain 9 observations per diet. The experimental diets comprised 1) a control diet based on 73.3% corn and 23.0% soybean meal without inorganic P source or supplemental phytase, 2) the control diet supplemented with 1,000 phytase unit (FTU)/kg of 3-phytase, 3) the control diet supplemented with 1,000 FTU/kg of 6-phytase, and 4) the control diet supplemented with both 3-phytase at 500 FTU/kg and 6-phytase at 500 FTU/kg.

Results: Supplemental phytase reduced (p<0.05) the daily P output from pigs regardless of the phytase source or the combination of the 2 phytase sources. The pigs fed the diet supplemented with 6-phytase or both 3-phytase and 6-phytase had less daily P output compared with those fed the diet supplemented with only 3-phytase (p<0.05). The total tract digestibility of P in pigs fed the diet supplemented with both 3-phytase and 6-phytase was greater (p<0.05) than those fed the control diet or the diet supplemented with only 3-phytase. The apparent total tract digestibility of calcium in pigs fed the diet supplemented with 6-phytase or both 3-phytase and 6-phytase was greater compared with the control group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Taken together, supplemental phytase increased P digestibility in corn-soybean meal-based diets fed to growing pigs regardless of the phytase sources and the effects of supplemental phytase on the P and calcium digestibility were most pronounced in the mixture of 3-phytase and 6-phytase.

Objective: This study investigated the effect of fermented SBM (FSBM) prepared through solid-state fermentation using Bacillus subtilis (BS) and Aspergillus oryzae (AO) to replace SBM in broiler chickens' diets on production, digestibility, and cecal microbial profile.

Methods: In total, 160 sex-mixed day-old chicks of Cobb 500 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four groups, four pens (replicates; 10 birds each pen), and were raised for 35 days under tropical conditions. The treatments were control (basal diet; CON) or SBM replaced by FSBM produced using AO (AO group), BS (BS group), and their combination (AO+BS group).

Results: Birds fed AO+BS diet resulted in higher (p=0.003) BW while BS diet tended (p=0.063) to have higher final BW than CON or AO. Similarly, birds fed FSBM prepared under either BS or AO+BS had higher feed intake (p<0.01) than the CON group. No difference was found on feed conversion ratio (FCR). Relative organ weights including heart, liver, abdominal fat, and total inner organs were lower (p<0.01) on birds fed AO+BS diet than CON, but relative carcass weight was unaffected (p>0.05). Treatments with BS or AO+BS increased dry matter (DM) (p=0.032), organic matter (OM) (p=0.016), and crude protein (CP) (p=0.044) digestibility, while AO did not affect DM and CP digestibility. Broilers fed AO+BS diet showed greater abundance of Firmicutes phylum and Bacteroides genus than CON group. Several microbial taxa biomarkers were identified via LEfSE analysis, including higher abundance of Enterococcus and Bacillus in AO+BS group but lower abundance of Erysipelatoclostridium, Odoribacter, Ruminococcaceae bacterium, Staphylococcus, and Clostridium methylpentosum group in CON group.

Conclusion: B. subtilis and A. oryzae could synergistically enhance the nutritional quality of SBM, positively alter cecal microbiota, and improve the production performance of broiler chickens.

Objective: The study aimed to assess how the additive from co-fermented edible plants and probiotics (AEPP) impacted growth performance, disease resistance, plasma and rumen metabolites, and bacterial communities in the rumen and feces of pre-weaned calves.

Methods: Twenty female Holstein calves (7 ± 0.50 d, 41.65 ± 6.20 kg) were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: the Control group or the Treatment group (30 g/head/day AEPP supplementation). Measurements of growth performance, blood, and fecal samples were regularly conducted. On day 30 of the trial, rumen fluid and fecal samples were collected for multi-omics analysis.

Results: Dietary supplementation with AEPP enhanced calf growth and improved disease resistance, as evidenced by a reduced incidence of respiratory disease and diarrhea, and a decreased frequency of antibiotic therapy (P < 0.05). The Treatment group exhibited enrichment of rumen microorganisms Prevotella, Ruminococcus, and Xylanibacter (LDA > 2, P < 0.05), along with increased activity in beneficial metabolites such as indoleacetic acid, which activated Starch and sucrose metabolism and Tryptophan metabolism pathway. This significantly improved average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency, immunoglobulin G (IgG), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, as well as significantly reduced levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (P < 0.05), promoting calf growth and health. The elevated abundance of fecal microorganisms, Subdoligranulum and Bifidobacterium, in the Treatment group altered fecal pH, short-chain fatty acids, and butyrate proportions (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Feeding AEPP improved growth performance, disease resistance, and antioxidant function. It altered the bacterial communities and metabolic profiles in the rumen and feces of preweaning dairy calves, providing a data reference for the use of AEPP in young ruminant production.

Objective: Mammary development and lactation are vital for piglet survival, but gene expression profiles from gestation to early involution in sows remain unclear. This study profiles key transcriptomic changes to reveal molecular features.

Methods: Mammary gland tissue samples were collected from hybrid half-sibling sows (Danish Landrace × Yorkshire) at five physiological stages: mid-gestation (MG), late gestation (LG), early lactation (EL), peak lactation (PL), and early involution (day 2 after weaning, W2). Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on 30 samples (n=6 per stage). Differential expression analysis and clustering were conducted to identify expression patterns. Functional enrichment, pathway analysis, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were used to identify stage-specific regulatory networks and hub genes involved in mammary gland development, metabolism, immune response, and structural remodeling.

Results: Transcriptome profiling yielded over 61,000 expressed transcripts, with 27,244 shared across all stages. A total of 12,239 transcripts were differentially expressed, with the greatest transcriptomic shift occurring between PL and W2 (4,829 DETs). DETs were grouped into five expression clusters, each showing stage-specific enrichment in biological processes. W2-associated transcripts were enriched in pathways related to cell junction integrity and apoptosis, while MG and LG stages were associated with proliferation and metabolic pathways. EL and PL stages showed enrichment in immune and lipid metabolism pathways. WGCNA identified nine gene modules, with modules linked to gestational growth (brown, blue), lactation (green, turquoise), and involution (yellow, turquoise). Key regulatory genes such as EGF, AKT1, SRC, GATA3, STAT6, TNFSF11, and NFKB1 were identified as central hubs within six major functional networks.

Conclusion: This study constructed a time-resolved transcriptomic atlas of porcine mammary gland development, lactation, and involution, revealing gene expression dynamics, candidate pathways, and molecular signatures associated with structural and functional changes in the mammary gland, and providing potential targets and a theoretical basis for improving sow lactation performance and regulating mammary function.

Distillers' grains (DG), including wet (WDG), dried (DDG), and dried with solubles (DDGS), represent valuable coproducts for beef cattle feeding due to their high digestible energy, rumen-undegradable protein, and functional fiber content. This review integrates current knowledge on the nutritional, productive, environmental, and economic implications of DG use in feedlot systems across temperate and tropical regions. At moderate inclusion levels (15-30% of dietary dry matter), DG consistently enhance feed efficiency and reduce feeding costs without compromising growth performance or carcass traits. Their low starch concentration contributes to more stable ruminal fermentation and a lower risk of subacute acidosis compared with high-grain diets. Nevertheless, excessive ether extract and sulfur concentrations may depress fiber digestibility and increase the incidence of metabolic disorders such as polioencephalomalacia when diets are improperly formulated. Environmentally, DG improve resource efficiency by recycling ethanol coproducts and reducing reliance on conventional feed grains; however, their high nitrogen and phosphorus contents can elevate nutrient excretion and potential environmental load if not properly managed. Economically, DG enhance profitability for feedlots located near ethanol plants, though market volatility and transportation costs remain key constraints. Recent advances in coproduct processing and fractionation have mitigated several nutritional limitations, broadening the applicability of DG in precision feeding programs. Future progress will rely on refining nutrient characterization, optimizing phase-specific inclusion, and integrating DG within sustainable beef production frameworks. When strategically incorporated, DG serve as efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible ingredients for modern beef production systems.

Objective: This study aimed to estimate non-genetic factors, variance components, and genetic parameters (heritability, genetic/phenotypic correlations) for birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), average daily gain (ADG), and Kleiber ratio (KR) traits of Dorper sheep under localized Chinese conditions.

Methods: Data from 2,022 Dorper sheep lambs (2019-2021) in Inner Mongolia Sano Sheep Breeding Co., Ltd. were analyzed. Traits included BW, WW (adjusted to 90 days), ADG, and KR. GLM (R 4.3.1) assessed non-genetic factors (recipient dam age, sex, birth year, month, herd). Six animal models were compared using ASReml's AIREML to determine the optimal model for genetic parameter estimation, with bivariate models analyzing genetic/phenotypic correlations.

Results: Recipient dam age, sex, birth year, month, and herd significantly affected all traits (P<0.05). Model 2 (direct additive genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects) was optimal. Heritability was low (BW: 0.0215; WW: 0.0287; ADG: 0.0391; KR: 0.0504). BW genetically correlated negatively with WW, ADG, and KR; WW showed strong positive genetic correlations with ADG (0.9952) and KR (0.9984), and high phenotypic correlations with them (0.9829 and 0.8819).

Conclusion: Low heritability limit direct selection for pre-weaning traits. Prioritizing WW enhances indirect genetic gains for ADG and KR, aiding the optimization of Dorper sheep breeding strategies under Chinese intensive systems.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the effects of varying blend ratios of dietary α-glycerol monolaurate (GML) and glyceryl tributyrate (TB) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune function in weaned piglets.

Methods: A total of 120 weaned piglets (Duroc × [ Landrace × Yorkshire], initial body weight 6.87 ± 0.15 kg, 28 days old) were assigned randomly to three treatments with five replicate pens per treatment for the 28-day experiment. The treatments consisted of a basal diet supplemented with 0.1% GML/TB blend at the following ratios:1) HM (higher GML; GML/TB=7:3); 2) BR (balanced ratio; GML/TB=1:1); 3) LM (lower GML; GML/TB=3:7).

Results: Dietary BR supplementation increased apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of crude protein and gross energy (GE, p<0.05) on day 14, and ATTD of GE on day 28 compared with other groups. Compared with LM group, piglets fed BR diet had higher (p<0.05) concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and lower (p<0.05) level of diamine oxidase on day 14, had higher (p<0.05) concentration of IL-1β and lower (p<0.05) concentration of IL-6 on day 28 in serum. Dietary BR supplementation increased (p<0.05) the ALT content, decreased (p<0.05) the IL-6 content on day 14 and AST and IL-1β contents on day 28, decreased (p<0.05) the IL-10 contents on day 28 in serum compared with HM group. Furthermore, dietary BR supplementation increased (p<0.05) the activities of glutathione peroxidase in duodenum, total antioxidant capacity in jejunum, and catalase in ileum. Compared with LM group, piglets fed another two diets had lower (p<0.05) level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

Conclusion: In conclusion, dietary supplementation with a 0.1% GML/TB blend (1:1) improves nutrient digestibility, enhances intestinal antioxidant capacity, modulates inflammatory responses, and supports overall health in weaned piglets.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between colonic microbiota and estrous cycle transition in rabbits by integrating 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomic analyses, and to identify key microbial taxa and metabolites involved in estrus regulation.

Methods: Female New Zealand white rabbits were divided into diestrus and early estrus groups based on vulvar mucosa color and serum estradiol (E2) concentration. Colonic microbiota dynamics were assessed via 16S rRNA sequencing, while metabolomes of colonic contents were profiled using UHPLC-MS/MS. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed by orally administration of colonic contents from diestrus or early estrus rabbits to mice with disrupted estrous cycles, to evaluate the regulatory effects of microbiota. Exogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was administered to both mice and rabbits to assess its role in estrus onset and cyclicity restoration.

Results: Colonic microbial composition differed significantly between diestrus and early estrus rabbits. The genera Anaerostipes and Ruminiclostridium were enriched in early estrus, while the genera Oscillospirales UCG_010 and UCG_005 were more abundant in diestrus. FMT from early estrus donors restored cyclicity in mice with disrupted cycles, whereas diestrus FMT did not. Metabolomics identified IAA as a key elevated metabolite in early estrus, and this metabolite accelerated estrus onset and restored cyclicity in both mice and rabbits.

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that gut microbiota restructuring regulates the estrous transition of rabbits, providing a basis for developing microbiota-targeted strategies to enhance reproductive efficiency in rabbit production and optimize animal reproductive management.