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Recapitulating Suckling-to-Weaning Transition In Vitro using Fetal Intestinal Organoids
Published on: November 15, 2019
Dietary L-Citrulline Supplementation Promotes Rumen Development and Modulates the Microbiota-Metabolome Axis in
Zhen Tang1, Shuoyi Zhang1, Peiyao Xu1
1Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Nutrition for Meat & Milk, College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|June 12, 2026
Summary
Dietary L-citrulline supplementation in suckling lambs enhanced starter intake and promoted rumen development. This functional additive shifted rumen fermentation towards propionate production and positively impacted the gut microbiota-metabolome axis.
Area of Science:
- Ruminant nutrition and physiology
- Gastrointestinal microbiology
- Metabolomics
Background:
- The suckling phase is crucial for rumen development, but targeted amino acid interventions are limited.
- L-citrulline (L-cit) offers potential as a functional additive due to its metabolic pathway and resistance to ruminal degradation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of dietary L-citrulline on rumen development and metabolic function in suckling Hu lambs.
- To assess L-citrulline's impact on growth, starter intake, rumen morphometry, volatile fatty acid profiles, microbial community, and metabolome.
Main Methods:
- Hu lambs were fed a control diet or a diet supplemented with L-citrulline (2 g·lamb⁻¹·d⁻¹) for 45 days.
- Measurements included growth performance, starter intake, rumen morphometry, volatile fatty acid (VFA) analysis, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and untargeted metabolomics.
Main Results:
- L-citrulline significantly increased starter intake and promoted rumen epithelial development (weight, volume, papillary characteristics).
- Total VFAs, propionate, and butyrate increased, with a notable shift towards higher propionate molar proportion and a lower acetate-to-propionate ratio.
- Microbial richness increased, with enrichment of propionate-generating and fiber-degrading bacteria; metabolomics revealed alterations in linoleic acid and purine metabolism.
Conclusions:
- Dietary L-citrulline at 2 g·lamb⁻¹·d⁻¹ enhances starter intake and rumen epithelial development in suckling lambs.
- L-citrulline promotes a favorable shift in rumen fermentation towards propionate and positively modulates the microbiota-metabolome axis.
- L-citrulline shows promise as a functional additive for early-life ruminant nutrition, though further functional validation is needed.
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