Differential immunological responses in lamb rumen and colon to alfalfa hay and wheat straw in a concentrate-rich diet: insights into microbe-host interactions.

ABSTRACT: The impact of a concentrate-rich (CR) diet on the gut microbiome and epithelium homeostasis is well documented. However, it has not been systematically studied whether and how host-microbial interaction contributes to the immune homeostasis in the rumen and colon of lambs fed alfalfa hay and wheat straw, alone or combined, in a CR diet. In all, 63 lambs (initial body weight, 16.69 ± 1.50 kg) were randomly allotted to three dietary groups, each consisting of three pens with seven lambs per pen. Over 14 weeks, the lambs were fed diets as follows: 60% concentrate supplemented with either 40% wheat straw (WG), 20% alfalfa hay combined with 20% wheat straw (MG), or 40% alfalfa hay (AG). The present findings showed that lambs in the AG group had greater (P < 0.05) IgG and lower (P

SUBMITTER: Gebeyew K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11494937 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature