Nutritional Interventions in Young Ruminants

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 9372

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Profesor Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
Interests: rumen fermentation; gut microbial colonization; ruminant nutrition; microbial community analysis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Profesor Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
Interests: methane emissions; feed additives; nutrition physiology; gut health; early-life nutritional interventions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, a substantial research effort has been focused on the development of nutritional interventions to modulate the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota and increase their productivity in adult animals. Recent research suggests that the mature GI microbiota are highly redundant and resilient to changes, making it difficult to persistently modify them in the adult animal.

On the contrary, much less research has been dedicated to exploring the GI microbiota in young animals. Early life, especially before and during weaning, is a critical period during which the developmental plasticity can be profoundly affected, with long-term consequences. This also applies to the development of the GI microbiota and its function. Modifying the microbial groups that first colonize the developing gut in the young animal has the potential to change our thoughts on how digestive processes could be manipulated; however, a complete understanding of the GI microbiome–host interactions is still lacking.

This research topic aims to provide a key breakthrough to help us understand the factors that shape the GI microbiome in the young ruminant, its implications on animal digestive physiology and health, and to test whether nutritional interventions in early life can boost animals’ productivity and adaptability to nutritional challenges later in life.

Innovative papers from different research areas including nutrition, microbiology, physiology and immunology are invited to this Special Issue, with the aim of bringing together the latest findings in the nutrition of young ruminants. 

Dr. Alejandro Belanche
Dr. David R. Yanez-Ruiz
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • prebiotics and probiotics
  • feed additives and plant extracts
  • alternatives to antimicrobials
  • feeding management
  • gut microbial stability
  • ruminant production and health

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 2284 KiB  
Article
Rumen Development of Artificially-Reared Lambs Exposed to Three Different Rearing Regimens
by Hitihamy M. G. P. Herath, Sarah J. Pain, Paul R. Kenyon, Hugh T. Blair and Patrick C. H. Morel
Animals 2021, 11(12), 3606; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11123606 - 20 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3803
Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of three different rearing regimens on rumen development in lambs reared artificially. Romney ram lambs were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: commercial milk replacer fed to 57 d of age and [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of three different rearing regimens on rumen development in lambs reared artificially. Romney ram lambs were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: commercial milk replacer fed to 57 d of age and high fibre concentrate pellets (HFP57); commercial milk replacer, high fibre concentrate pellets, and early weaning from milk replacer at 42 d of age (HFP42); high protein milk replacer from 2–16 d of age followed by commercial milk replacer, low fibre concentrate pellets, and early weaning from milk replacer at 42 d of age (LFP42). Lambs were slaughtered at 57 d of age. Volatile fatty acid content in rumen fluid at slaughter was analysed and rumen tissue samples were collected for histological examination. The rumen n-butyric content was greater (p < 0.05) in both LFP42 and HFP42 treatment lambs compared to HFP57 lambs. The n-valeric content was greater (p < 0.05) in LFP42 lambs compared to both HFP57 and HFP42 treatment lambs. Thickness of the rumen dorsal wall determined by ultrasound scanning at 49 d was greater (p < 0.05) in both HFP42 and LFP42 lambs compared to HFP57 lambs. There was an interaction (p < 0.05) between treatment and site of rumen tissue sampling on papillae width, density, and rumen muscular layer thickness. Collectively, early weaning and the provision of a low fibre pellet leads to improved rumen function and physical development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Interventions in Young Ruminants)
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20 pages, 685 KiB  
Article
Growth and Body Composition of Artificially-Reared Lambs Exposed to Three Different Rearing Regimens
by Hitihamy M. G. P. Herath, Sarah J. Pain, Paul R. Kenyon, Hugh T. Blair and Patrick C. H. Morel
Animals 2021, 11(12), 3370; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11123370 - 24 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2516
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the influence of pellet fibre level, milk replacer composition and age at weaning on growth and body composition of lambs reared artificially. Romney ram lambs were randomly allocated to one of three rearing treatments; HFP57: commercial milk [...] Read more.
This study was designed to investigate the influence of pellet fibre level, milk replacer composition and age at weaning on growth and body composition of lambs reared artificially. Romney ram lambs were randomly allocated to one of three rearing treatments; HFP57: commercial milk replacer to 57 days of age, and high fibre concentrate pellets; HFP42: commercial milk replacer with early weaning at 42 days of age, and high fibre concentrate pellets; LFP42: high protein milk replacer from 2–16 days of age followed by commercial milk replacer with early weaning at 42 days of age, and low fibre concentrate pellets. Lambs were slaughtered at 57 days of age. Overall average daily liveweight gain of lambs did not differ (p > 0.05) between treatments. Dressing out percentage, carcass weight, empty small intestine and omental fat were higher (p < 0.05) in HFP57 than in both HFP42 and LFP42 lambs. HFP42 and LFP42 lambs had heavier (p < 0.05) empty rumen weights. Whole body protein content was higher (p < 0.05) in HFP42 lambs compared to both HFP57 and LFP42 lambs. Fat content and daily fat deposition were greater (p < 0.05) in HFP57 lambs than HFP42 and LFP42 lambs. Weaning lambs at 42 days of age with provision of either low or high fibre concentrate pellets, resulted in similar growth rates, reduced whole body fat deposition and was a more cost-effective rearing regimen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Interventions in Young Ruminants)
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13 pages, 9320 KiB  
Article
Bacillus amyloliquefaciens-9 as an Alternative Approach to Cure Diarrhea in Saanen Kids
by Wenying Zhang, Huijie Xin, Nannan Jiang, Zhengbing Lv, Jianhong Shu and Hengbo Shi
Animals 2021, 11(3), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030592 - 24 Feb 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1888
Abstract
Bacillus amyloliquefaciens-9 (GBacillus-9), derived from the intestinal tract of the white-spotted bamboo shark, secretes a variety of antimicrobial compounds that inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. In this study, the role of GBacillus-9 in the prevention and treatment of Saanen kids with diarrhea [...] Read more.
Bacillus amyloliquefaciens-9 (GBacillus-9), derived from the intestinal tract of the white-spotted bamboo shark, secretes a variety of antimicrobial compounds that inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. In this study, the role of GBacillus-9 in the prevention and treatment of Saanen kids with diarrhea was assessed. Six healthy kids (HL) and six kids with diarrhea (DL) were selected. All kids were fed with 0.3% (w/v) GBacillus-9 (spray power) in raw milk for two weeks. The proportion of kids with diarrhea decreased gradually as the trial progressed, and 100% DL kids were cured at day 15. GBacillus-9 increased the serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G, interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-6 concentration (p < 0.05). The amplicon sequencing analysis of the fecal bacterial community revealed that the fecal microbiota was remarkably different between the HL and the DL groups at day 0. After two weeks of feeding with GBacillus-9, no significant difference in fecal microbiota was observed between HL and DL groups at the phylum level. GBacillus-9 restored the intestinal microbial disorder associated with serum immunoglobulin and interleukin concentration. Correlation analysis showed that GBacillus-9 altered globulin and interleukin concentration and that immunoglobulin was associated with Firmicutes. Collectively, our results revealed that GBacillus-9 improved the gut health of kids by improving microbial homeostasis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Interventions in Young Ruminants)
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