Effects of different weaning times on the stress response and the intestinal microbiota composition of female forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) and their fawns.

ABSTRACT: The effects of mother-infant separation (i.e., weaning) on the physiology, psychology and nutrition of mammalian infants have attracted much attention. Forest musk deer (FMD) is a first-class protected species in China and listed endangered in the IUCN Red List. The captive breeding population is not only an important source for restocking of wild resources, but also a necessary way to supply the market with legal musk. So far, there is no scientific basis for the appropriate separation time of FMD females and their infants. Therefore, we used metagenome sequencing and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to study changes in the fecal cortisol concentration, as well as the intestinal microbiome composition and function of females and fawns at three different separation times, i.e., after 80

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9584425 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature