biostudies-literatureYuan CNational Natural Science Foundation of China1098651https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9874328biostudies-literatureUnknown9<h4>Introduction</h4>Abrupt weaning is a major stressful event, contributing to intestinal abnormalities and immune system dysfunction in weaned kids. Inulin is a prebiotic fiber with many positive functions, including promoting intestinal fermentation and enhancing host immunity in monogastric animals. However, the effects of a high-inulin, energy-rich diet on ruminal fermentation characteristics, methane emission, growth performance, and immune systems of weaned kids have not been investigated.<h4>Methods</h4>A fully automated <i>in vitro</i> fermentation system was used to investigate ruminal fermentation characteristics and methane emission of a mixed substrate of inulin and fat powder (1.31: 1) in comparison with maize grain-based starter concentrate. During a 1-week adaptation and 4-week trial phase, 18 weaned kids (8.97 ± 0.19 kg) were randomly assigned to two groups, one with a conventional diet (83% maize grain; CON) and the other with a low-carbon, high-inulin diet (41.5% maize grain, 14.4% fat powder, 18.9% inulin; INU).<h4>Results</h4>In the <i>in vitro</i> rumen fermentation experiment, the total gas production was not different (<i>p</i> > 0.05); however, a lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) methane production was observed for INU as compared to CON. The average daily gain and the ratio of feed intake and growth performance of kids fed with INU were higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) than those fed with CON. Serum concentrations of alanine transaminase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and cholesterol (CHOL) were higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in kids fed with the INU diet as compared CON. Dietary inulin significantly increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) the secretion of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM) and inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-10) in ileum tissue. Although no differences (<i>p</i> > 0.05) were observed in mRNA expression of tight junction markers, the INU diet tended to increase (<i>p</i> = 0.09) gene expression of ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1 (<i>P70S6K</i>) in the mammalian target of rapamycin (<i>mTOR</i>) pathway of <i>longissimus dorsi</i> muscle.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Our findings highlighted that a low-carbon high-inulin energy-rich diet could be used as a promising strategy to improve gut immunity and growth performance of weaned kids under abrupt weaning stress and reduce methane production.Frontiers in veterinary scienceA low-carbon high inulin diet improves intestinal mucosal barrier function and immunity against infectious diseases in goats.PMC987432831702141Yang XYuan CLiu YGebeyew KWang SZhou CTan ZTang SKhan NAfalseA low-carbon high inulin diet improves intestinal mucosal barrier function and immunity against infectious diseases in goats.<h4>Introduction</h4>Abrupt weaning is a major stressful event, contributing to intestinal abnormalities and immune system dysfunction in weaned kids. Inulin is a prebiotic fiber with many positive functions, including promoting intestinal fermentation and enhancing host immunity in monogastric animals. However, the effects of a high-inulin, energy-rich diet on ruminal fermentation characteristics, methane emission, growth performance, and immune systems of weaned kids have not been investigated.<h4>Methods</h4>A fully automated <i>in vitro</i> fermentation system was used to investigate ruminal fermentation characteristics and methane emission of a mixed substrate of inulin and fat powder (1.31: 1) in comparison with maize grain-based starter concentrate. During a 1-week adaptation and 4-week trial phase, 18 weaned kids (8.97 ± 0.19 kg) were randomly assigned to two groups, one with a conventional diet (83% maize grain; CON) and the other with a low-carbon, high-inulin diet (41.5% maize grain, 14.4% fat powder, 18.9% inulin; INU).<h4>Results</h4>In the <i>in vitro</i> rumen fermentation experiment, the total gas production was not different (<i>p</i> > 0.05); however, a lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) methane production was observed for INU as compared to CON. The average daily gain and the ratio of feed intake and growth performance of kids fed with INU were higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) than those fed with CON. Serum concentrations of alanine transaminase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and cholesterol (CHOL) were higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in kids fed with the INU diet as compared CON. Dietary inulin significantly increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) the secretion of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM) and inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-10) in ileum tissue. Although no differences (<i>p</i> > 0.05) were observed in mRNA expression of tight junction markers, the INU diet tended to increase (<i>p</i> = 0.09) gene expression of ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1 (<i>P70S6K</i>) in the mammalian target of rapamycin (<i>mTOR</i>) pathway of <i>longissimus dorsi</i> muscle.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Our findings highlighted that a low-carbon high-inulin energy-rich diet could be used as a promising strategy to improve gut immunity and growth performance of weaned kids under abrupt weaning stress and reduce methane production.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222025-04-22T02:29:08.995Z2025-04-05T20:21:02.187ZS-EPMC98743283671385710.3389/fvets.2022.1098651