Veterinary Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Telomere Tales: Exploring the Impact of Stress, Sociality, and Exercise on Dogs' Cellular Aging.","authors":"Luisa Mascarenhas Ladeia Dutra, Flaviane S Souza, Angelica Silva Vasconcellos, Robert J Young, Ivana Gabriela Schork","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050491","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050491","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Animal welfare is influenced by the cumulative life experiences of an individual. Among these, exposure to chronic stressors has a significant impact on both physical and mental health, contributing to premature aging-a process linked to telomere shortening. Conversely, positive experiences have been shown to mitigate, delay, and sometimes reverse telomere attrition. This suggests that telomere length could be a reliable indicator for assessing animal welfare. This study explored the association between telomere length and characteristics such as life history, environment, and health in domestic dogs. Buccal swabs collected DNA samples from 250 dogs, and telomere length was quantified via qPCR. Our findings revealed that environmental factors significantly influenced telomere length. Dogs housed in kennels or subjected to low physical activity levels exhibited shorter telomeres. Similarly, dogs living in groups of more than five dogs had shorter telomeres, and male dogs were found to have longer telomeres than females. Overall, these results highlight the importance of environmental conditions in influencing telomere length in dogs and the potential to use this biological indicator to evaluate animal welfare.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12115685/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differential Expression of LHR and FSHR in Canine Mammary Tumors: Correlation with Malignancy and Spay Status.","authors":"Yujue Li, Siying Wang, Jiaxuan Gao, Xuerou Tu, Shihui Yu, Yang Liu, Zhaoxia Zhang, Yuan Cui, Yougang Zhong","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050496","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050496","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Canine mammary tumors (CMTs) constitute one of the most prevalent malignancies in female canines, whereas the functional involvement of gonadotropin receptors-luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR)-in these neoplasms remains uncharacterized. This study investigated LHR and FSHR expression in 79 CMTs and 14 normal mammary tissues collected from 59 female dogs (ethical approval AW82903202-2-3), using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative real-time PCR, specifically examining their association with tumor malignancy and spay status. Relative to normal mammary tissue, CMTs exhibited statistically significant downregulation of both LHR and FSHR transcripts and corresponding proteins (<i>p</i> < 0.01), with expression progressively decreasing as tumor malignancy increased, and with grade 3 tumors showing almost undetectable levels. Notably, spayed dogs displayed higher LHR levels in tumors (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas intact dogs showed higher FSHR levels than spayed dogs. These findings suggest that the expression of LHR and FSHR in CMTs may correlate with tumor malignancy and be influenced by the spay status. Our findings provide the first evidence of gonadotropin receptor dysregulation in CMTs, offering novel insights into their molecular mechanisms and potential applications in hormone-related diagnostic or therapeutic strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12116059/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Selection and Training of Shelter Dogs for Involvement in Canine-Assisted Interventions: What Are the Ethical Issues?","authors":"Laura Contalbrigo, Elizabeth A Walsh, Lieve L Meers, Daniele Benedetti, Marta De Santis, Emma Bassan, Simona Normando","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050497","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050497","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Managing relinquished/stray dogs is a significant socio-economic and ethical challenge necessitating structured policies to ensure animal welfare and integration into society. Critical to successful rehoming is careful assessment of a dog's temperament/behavior and appropriate matching of a dog to an owner. Shelter dogs' involvement in canine-assisted interventions (CAIs) provides a potential avenue for rehoming through appropriate dog educational programs. CAIs consist of structured interactions between dog and clients targeted at specific groups with physical/psychological/emotional impairments in various settings. However, there is a lack of standardized protocols for assessing shelter dogs' suitability for CAI, raising ethical concerns regarding selection/training practices. This study explores the ethical dimensions of rehoming shelter dogs for CAI, employing a philosophical framework considering the responsibilities of humans/veterinarians toward companion animals and how societal perceptions of human-animal relationships impact decision-making in this context. An ethical matrix is applied to evaluate the implications of rehoming decisions on canine and human interests. Our findings highlight the need for a balanced, responsible approach that respects the individuality of dogs while promoting their potential roles in human society. Ethical guidelines for the selection and training of shelter dogs for CAI could enhance their welfare, improve adoption rates, and reinforce the value of the human-animal bond.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12116016/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Activity of Different Types of Cactus Forage on Testicular Function and Morphology of Sheep Subjected to Environmental Heat Stress.","authors":"Giselle Woolley Cardoso da Silva, Fernanda Carolina Ribeiro Dias, Marli do Carmo Cupertino, Alluanan Adelson do Nascimento Silva, Ângela Maria Vieira Batista, Emanuel Felipe de Oliveira Filho, Francisco Fernando Ramos de Carvalho, Ana Lúcia Figueiredo Porto, Valdemiro Amaro da Silva Júnior","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050492","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050492","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study, we aim to analyze whether supplementation with cactus has the potential to minimize the testicular damage caused by heat stress, assess which of the three cactuses would have the best potential, and suggest a possible pathway (oxidative or hormonal) for the action of cactus on the testicular parameter alterations caused by heat stress. Thirty-two male lambs, of the Santa Inês type, not castrated, approximately six months old, and averaging 21.0 ± 2.0 kg body weight, were divided into four groups, as follows: G1, which was fed an elephant grass hay diet (control); G2, with a diet with partial replacement using small cactus forage (<i>Opuntia cochenillifera</i>) (SMALL); G3, which was fed Mexican elephant ear (<i>Opuntia stricta</i> Haw) (MEE); and G4, which was fed IPA Sertania (<i>Nopalea cochenillifera</i> Salm Dyck) (IPA) for 63 days. After slaughter, blood and testicles were removed. The right testicles were fixed for histological analyses, and the left testicles were stored in the freezer for oxidative stress analyses. Serum testosterone, T3, and T4 levels were analyzed. The body weight of animals treated with cactus forage was higher than in the control group. However, the gonadosomatic index did not differ among experimental groups. Heat stress triggered the degradation of testis tissue in all experimental groups. The testicular degeneration process was characterized by tubular atrophy, reduction in germ epithelium height, germ cell vacuolization and necrosis, Sertoli cell vacuolization, germ cell scaling of the tubular fire, and increased intertubular space. The three different cactus forages used in this study had different weaknesses regarding their antioxidant defenses, hormonal levels, and histopathology. However, it is important to highlight that the IPA group had lower qualitative changes in the intertubular areas than the other experimental groups. The testosterone level increased in MEE (<i>Opuntia stricta</i>) and IPA groups, while T3 and T4 increased in <i>SMALL</i> (<i>Opuntia cochenillifera</i>) and IPA groups. The malondialdehyde, an important marker of lipid peroxidation, was reduced only in the IPA group. The testosterone level increased in MEE and IPA groups, while T3 and T4 increased in SMALL and IPA groups. In conclusion, heat stress triggers several histopathologies in testis tissue, and IPA cactus (<i>Nopalea cochenillifera</i>) was the most appropriate supplementation for reducing the damages, compared with an elephant grass hay diet or small cactus forage and Mexican elephant ear supplementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12115706/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Subclinical Hypocalcemia Across Lactation Stages Reflects Potential Metabolic Vulnerability in Korean Holstein Cows.","authors":"Hector M Espiritu, Md Shohel Al Faruk, Hee-Woon Lee, Jaylord M Pioquinto, Sang-Suk Lee, Yong-Il Cho","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050495","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050495","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Subclinical hypocalcemia (SCH) is traditionally associated with the transition period. However, emerging evidence suggests it may persist or recur throughout lactation. This study investigated the prevalence, metabolic profile, and risk factors for SCH in lactating dairy cows in South Korea. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 859 cows from 49 commercial dairy farms. SCH was defined as serum calcium ≤ 8.2 mg/dL. The individual-level prevalence was 9.4%, while 69.4% of herds had at least one affected cow, indicating widespread herd-level occurrence. SCH was significantly associated with parity, with cows in their fourth lactation or higher showing the highest prevalence. Although SCH prevalence did not differ significantly across lactation stages, early lactation cows had significantly lower mean serum calcium concentrations than those in later stages. Milk yield and composition did not differ significantly between groups. However, SCH cows showed notable metabolic differences, including higher serum phosphorus and lower albumin, total protein, and cholesterol levels, indicating potential energy and liver function challenges. Hematological values remained within physiological limits. These findings demonstrate that SCH can persist beyond the transition period, especially in older, high-producing cows, and may remain undetected by routine health checks. Broader monitoring and nutritional support are recommended to enhance metabolic resilience in at-risk animals.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12115950/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Circulating ACTH and Cortisol Investigations in Standardbred Racehorses Under Training and Racing Sessions.","authors":"Cristina Cravana, Pietro Medica, Esterina Fazio, Katiuska Satué, Giacoma Brancato, Deborah La Fauci, Giuseppe Bruschetta","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050493","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050493","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a neuroendocrine system involved in the coping response to stressful challenges during exercise stimuli. Exercise represents a significant disruptor of homeostasis, inducing an ACTH-cortisol co-secretion, based on different characteristics of exercise in sport horses. Based on this statement, the aim of this study is to evaluate the circulating adrenocorticotropin and cortisol changes in Standardbred trotters, after training and racing sessions, considering the different age and sex. In particular, the aim is to determine to what extent the level of ACTH and cortisol increases during maximum effort in competition conditions (racing), and to compare two exercise conditions of different intensity, training and racing sessions, and effects on ACTH and cortisol responses. Ten Standardbreds, three females and seven males, clinically healthy, were enrolled and subjected to two exercise conditions: a non-competitive session (training) and then a competitive event (racing). Four of them were 2-year-olds and a further six were 3-year-olds. Training and racing effects on both ACTH (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and cortisol (<i>p</i> < 0.01) values were obtained. Compared to the training session, horses showed greater ACTH concentrations at rest (<i>p</i> < 0.001), at 5 (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and 30 min (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and lower cortisol concentrations only at rest (<i>p</i> < 0.01) after racing; 2- and 3-year-old horses showed the greater ACTH concentrations at 5 and 30 min (<i>p</i> < 0.01) post-racing; males showed the greater ACTH concentrations at 5 min and 30 min (<i>p</i> < 0.01) post-racing. The different stimuli of the two contexts, and differences in exercise intensity, such as training and competitive event, may have affected the direction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response, both as an ability to adapt to physical stress of different intensity and as a preparatory activity for coping with stimuli. In conclusion, training and racing events induced a different HPA axis response in which both emotional experience and physical maturity could induce a significant adaptive response. As ACTH and cortisol concentrations in adult equids are extremely heterogeneous, further investigation is required to explore how different variables can influence the hormonal dynamics and their role as expressions of adaptive strategies to stress in horses.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12116121/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Monovalent Copper Oxide in Broiler Nutrition: Effects on Performance, Intestinal Lesions, and Oocyst Shedding During Mild <i>Eimeria</i> Challenge.","authors":"Nasima Akter, Thi Hiep Dao, Alip Kumar, David Cadogan, Tamsyn M Crowley, Amy F Moss","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050494","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050494","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Coccidiosis is a major economic threat in poultry, and with anticoccidials being phased out, cost-effective alternatives like copper (Cu) supplementation are of interest. This study investigated whether in-feed monovalent Cu (100 ppm) could mitigate the effects of a mild <i>Eimeria</i> challenge in broilers. A total of 216 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to three treatments (six replicates, 12 birds/replicate): unchallenged control (NC), challenged control (PC), and challenged + Cu-supplemented. Birds were fed starter (days 1-10), grower (days 10-21), and finisher (days 21-35) diets. On day 14, all birds except the NC group were orally challenged with 5000 oocysts each of <i>Eimeria acervulina</i> and <i>E. maxima</i>. Feces were collected (days 17-28) for oocyst count, and growth performance, lesion scores (day 21), carcass traits and bone morphology (day 35), gut morphology (days 21 and 35), gizzard weight (days 21 and 35), and cecal bacterial load (days 21 and 35) were evaluated. The mild challenge was confirmed by the observed differences in lesion scores on day 21 (<i>p</i> < 0.05), fecal oocyst counts from days 17-28 (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and overall mortality (<i>p</i> > 0.05) between challenged and unchallenged groups. Copper supplementation tended to improve FCR during the grower phase (1.403 vs. 1.469; <i>p</i> = 0.057) and significantly reduced oocyst excretion on days 23-25 (<i>p</i> < 0.001) compared to the PC treatment. Although performance benefits were limited, Cu reduced oocyst shedding, indicating potential anticoccidial effects. However, further studies are needed to confirm the consistency of this effect across different doses of Cu in poultry production.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12115536/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Comparative Anatomy of the Metatarsal Foot Pad in Eight Species of Birds of Prey and Owls with Regard to the Development of Pododermatitis.","authors":"Rebekka Schwehn, Elisabeth Engelke, Christian Seiler, Dominik Fischer, Hermann Seifert, Christiane Pfarrer, Michael Fehr, Marko Legler","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050498","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050498","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pododermatitis (bumblefoot) occurs commonly in birds of prey and owls and shows species-specific differences in its prevalence, especially between falcons and hawks. The development of the disease is particularly associated with circulatory disorders of the feet. To compare the blood vessel supply of the foot sole, especially the metatarsal foot pad, macroscopic dissections including intravascular injection of latex, contrast µCT scans with barium sulphate, corrosion casts (epoxy resin), and histological examinations of the skin were performed in eight avian species. The main supplying artery of the metatarsal pad, the pulvinar artery, originated from the medial digital artery of the first toe. This main pulvinar artery showed a rather vertical course towards the sole surface, subsequently encircling the metatarsal pad like a basket in falcons and owls, whereas a rather horizontal straight course was observed in northern goshawks and common buzzards. Organized fat tissue was present in the subcutis as the basis for the metatarsal pad only in falcons and owls. The dermis of the metatarsal pad showed a well-developed papillary layer and prominent dermal and subdermal vascular networks in all species examined. The observed differences were discussed regarding both the species-specific prevalence and the etiology of bumblefoot.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12115593/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Autophagic Degradation of GPX4 Mediates Ferroptosis During Sheep Sperm Cryopreservation.","authors":"Boyuan Li, Erhan Hai, Yukun Song, Jiaxin Zhang","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050490","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050490","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ferroptosis is implicated in cryodamage to sheep sperm, potentially due to glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) degradation during freezing; however, the pathway underlying GPX4 degradation remains unclear. In this study, a comparison of cryoprotective effects between the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) and the ubiquitination inhibitor MG132 revealed that 5 μM CQ treatment significantly enhanced the motility (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and sperm plasma membrane integrity rate (<i>p</i> < 0.01) of frozen-thawed sperm; no protective effects were observed in any MG132 treatment group. Mechanistic analysis indicated that CQ treatment substantially restored GPX4 protein expression (<i>p</i> < 0.01), and concurrently reduced lipid peroxidation (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and free iron ion accumulation (<i>p</i> < 0.01), in frozen-thawed sperm. These findings suggest that GPX4 degradation during cryopreservation occurs via the autophagy pathway. This study established a ferroptosis-GPX4-autophagy axis during sheep sperm cryopreservation and identified autophagy-mediated GPX4 loss as a potential target for enhancing sperm cryoprotection.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12115632/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Bacillus subtilis</i> Fed to Sows Promotes Intestinal Development and Regulates Mucosal Immunity in Offspring.","authors":"Peng Liu, Jinjiao Zuo, Hui Lu, Bin Zhang, Caihong Wu","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12050489","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12050489","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Diarrhea in piglets causes intestinal inflammation and epithelial damage. Weaned piglets fed with <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> (B.S) have enhanced intestinal mucosal immunity and reduces diarrhea in piglets. However, the immune system of newborn piglets is immature, and B.S cannot effectively activate the intestinal mucosal reaction when given directly. This research explored the impact of the maternal supplementation of B.S-Dia during the final 35 days of gestation on piglet intestinal development and mucosal immunity. The results demonstrated that B.S-Dia administration significantly increased the body weight, jejunal villus height, and crypt depth in the piglets. In addition, B.S-Dia also significantly increased the proliferative activity of intestinal epithelial cells, as evidenced by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining and the elevated mRNA expression of the proliferation-related gene (<i>c-Myc</i>). Furthermore, B.S-Dia supplementation also reinforced the intestinal mucosal barrier by increasing goblet cell numbers and upregulating the mRNA expression of antimicrobial peptides, such as <i>Muc2</i> and <i>Lyz-1</i>. Finally, elevated levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ, along with an increased abundance of CD3⁺ T cells, revealed that the intestinal mucosal immunity of piglets was improved after B.S-Dia administration. Our study indicates that feeding B.S-Dia to sow spromotes intestinal development and improves intestinal mucosal immunity in piglets.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12116194/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}