Distinct Effects of GnRH Immunocastration Versus Surgical Castration on Gut Microbiota.

ABSTRACT: Surgical castration, a common practice in animal husbandry, raises animal welfare concerns and adversely affects growth performance. Active immunization against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) provides a non-surgical alternative. Both methods ultimately suppress sex hormone production, but their comparative effects on the gut microbiota, a crucial regulator of host health and metabolism, remain unclear. Here, 60 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly allocated into three groups-control (n = 20; 10 female and 10 male), surgical castration (n = 20; 10 female and 10 male), and GnRH immunocastration groups (n = 20; 10 female and 10 male)-at 4-5 weeks of age to comparatively investigate the impacts of surgical versus GnRH immunocastration on the gut microbiota. Our st

SUBMITTER: Kong F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12730046 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature