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Updated: Jul 10, 2025
Intranasal Immunization and Milk Collection in Studies of Maternal Immunization in New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus
Published on: July 31, 2021
Astragalus additive in feed improved serum immune function, rumen fermentation and the microbiota structure of
Pengyang Shao1, Yuzhu Sha1, Xiu Liu1
1College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
Aim:
The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanism of Astragalus activity on the immune function, rumen microbiota structure, and rumen fermentation of early-weaned lambs.
Methods And Results:
Thirty healthy early-weaned lambs with similar body weights (17.42 ± 2.02 kg) were selected for the feeding experiment. The control group (KB) was fed a basal diet, and the Astragalus group (HQ) was fed 0.3% Astragalus additive on the basis of a basic diet. The formal trial period was 60 days. The results showed that the concentrations of blood immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) in the HQ group were significantly higher than those in the KB group (P < 0.05). Compared with the KB group, the concentrations of acetic acid, butyric acid, and total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the HQ group were higher (P < 0.01). The expression levels of the rumen epithelial-related genes MCT1, MCT4, NHE2, and ZO1 in the Astragalus group were significantly higher than those in the KB group (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA analysis showed that at the phylum level, Bacteroidetes in the HQ group significantly increased (P < 0.01); at the genus level, Prevotella (P < 0.01) and Succiniclasticum (P < 0.01) in the HQ group were found at significantly higher abundances than those in the KB group, and the results of microbiota gene and function prediction showed that "energy metabolism," "glycan biosynthesis and metabolic" pathways were significantly enriched in the HQ group (P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
As a feed additive, Astragalus can improve the immunity of early-weaned lambs, the structure of the rumen microbiota of lambs, and the fermentation capacity of the rumen.
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