A Comparison Between High- and Low-Performing Lambs and Their Impact on the Meat Quality and Development Level Using...

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Genomics
• Microbiology
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Understanding factors influencing lamb growth and meat quality is crucial for optimizing production.
• Integrated multi-omics approaches offer a comprehensive view of complex biological systems.
• Rumen microbial communities play a significant role in host metabolism and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically compare high- and low-performing lambs using multi-omics analysis.
• To elucidate the divergent effects of performance on meat quality and growth development.
• To identify key microbial, metabolic, and genetic factors associated with superior lamb performance.

Main Methods:

• Integrated multi-omics analysis including rumen microbial communities, muscle transcriptomes, and liver metabolic profiles.
• Comparison of lambs with the highest (HADG) and lowest (LADG) average daily gains.
• Statistical correlation analysis between multi-omics data and host phenotypes.

Main Results:

• High-performing lambs (HADG) showed increased body weight, muscle fiber diameter, and improved amino acid and fatty acid composition.
• Enhanced rumen enzyme activity and efficient fermentation were observed in HADG lambs, with increased Prevotella levels.
• Significant correlations were found between rumen markers (Schwartzia, Streptococcus), muscle transcriptome modules (turquoise, yellow), liver metabolites, and host phenotype.

Conclusions:

• Interactions among rumen microbes, muscle, and liver regulate rumen fermentation, muscle transcriptional activity, and metabolic profiles.
• Candidate genes (e.g., PCK1, SPP1, FGF7) are identified for muscle growth and development in lambs.
• This study provides a theoretical basis for enhancing the production potential of Hu lambs.