Background: Hu sheep, renowned for their prolificacy and economic value, have been introduced to Xinjiang for intensive farming operations. However, their suboptimal adaptation to local harsh environments limits growth efficiency and health management. In contrast, Duolang sheep, an indigenous Xi...

This study compared three cotton-stalk processing strategies—grinding (FS), steam explosion (PH), and microbial fermentation (FJ)—and evaluated whether the barrier-preserving phenotype observed with fermented cotton stalks is associated with coordinated changes in the microbiota–metabolite milieu...