Rumen-Protected Glucose Supplementation Enhances Yak Calf Growth Through Gut Microbiota-Metabolic Interactions

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Nutritional Physiology
• Microbiome Research

Background:

• Perinatal yak dams face negative energy balance, impacting dam and calf health.
• RPG supplementation is a nutritional strategy, but its transgenerational effects on calves are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the transgenerational benefits of low-dose RPG supplementation in yak dams on offspring calf development.
• To elucidate the underlying mechanisms involving milk composition, growth, immunity, and gut microbiota.

Main Methods:

• Yak dams were supplemented with low-dose RPG (150 g d⁻¹).
• Milk composition, calf growth, somatotropic axis hormones (GH, IGF-1), antioxidant status (SOD, CAT, T-AOC), and immune markers (IL-6, TNF-α) were analyzed.
• Multi-omics analyses (microbiome and metabolomics) were performed.

Main Results:

• L-RPG improved milk protein, fat, lactose, and energy content, and increased calf weight gain by 21.74%.
• Calves showed enhanced antioxidant capacity and improved immune regulation.
• Microbiome analysis revealed enrichment of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Akkermansia muciniphila) and optimized hindgut function.
• Metabolomic analysis identified key upregulated metabolites and significant microbiota-metabolite interactions.

Conclusions:

• Maternal RPG supplementation at 150 g d⁻¹ enhances milk quality and promotes calf growth through improved metabolism and gut health.
• This study establishes a maternal nutrition-microbiota-metabolism framework for understanding RPG's benefits in yak production.
• Findings offer practical insights for improving dam and calf health management in yak husbandry.