Animals最新文献

{"title":"Comparative Effects of Different Dietary Acidifiers on Growth Performance and Intestinal Health in Weaned Piglets.","authors":"Zhiyuan Zhou, Yongtao Lai, Wen Ren, Anping Li, Bing Yu, Jun He, Hui Yan, Ping Zheng, Yueqi Xuan, Jie Yu","doi":"10.3390/ani16193103","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193103","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluated the effects of conventional benzoic acid (BA), a benzoic acid formulation containing 97% benzoic acid and 3% Permeabilizing Complex™ (NBA), and a compound acidifier containing formic, acetic, propionic, and citric acids (CA) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, serum parameters, and fecal microbiota in weaned piglets. A total of 128 piglets were assigned to four dietary treatments for 42 d: a basal diet without supplemental acidifier (CON), 0.5% BA, 0.3% NBA, or 0.3% CA. The acidifier products were evaluated at their respective manufacturer-recommended inclusion rates; therefore, the study represents a practical comparison of acidification strategies rather than an equal-benzoic-acid-dose comparison. BA increased final body weight (BW) compared with CON and increased average daily gain (ADG) during days 15-42 and 1-42 compared with CON and CA, while also increasing average daily feed intake (ADFI) compared with all other treatments (<i>p</i> < 0.05). NBA also increased ADG compared with CON (<i>p</i> < 0.05), with a numerical response intermediate between CON and BA. CA increased the apparent total tract digestibility of crude protein, ash, and gross energy compared with CON, BA, and NBA (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and increased dry matter digestibility compared with BA and NBA but not CON; however, these improvements were not accompanied by greater final BW or ADG. NBA increased serum IgM, whereas CA increased IgM and total antioxidant capacity but decreased IgG relative to CON (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Intestinal morphological responses were segment-specific. NBA increased duodenal villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and reduced ileal crypt depth while increasing the ileal ratio, but also increased jejunal crypt depth and reduced the jejunal ratio (<i>p</i> < 0.05). NBA and CA reduced fecal microbial richness, while dietary treatment significantly affected fecal microbial community membership. In conclusion, conventional BA produced the clearest feed intake and growth response, whereas NBA increased ADG relative to CON and produced segment-specific effects on intestinal morphology, and CA primarily increased apparent nutrient digestibility.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663564/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190592","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":"Relationship Between Live Body Weight and Linear Body Measurements in Goats: A Meta-Analysis Using a Multilevel Random-Effects Model.","authors":"Thobela Louis Tyasi, Gaetan Kabera","doi":"10.3390/ani16193107","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193107","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study determined the relationship between live body weight (BW) and linear body measurements, including heart girth (HG), body length (BL) and withers height (WH) using a meta-analytic method. This meta-analysis synthesized the evidence from studies conducted in goats to examine the relationship between BW and HG, BL, and WH. Five electronic databases (Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed, OpenAlex, and Scopus) were systematically searched for studies published between 2005 and 2025. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tool was used to assess the risk of bias, and a multilevel random-effects model was used for analysis due to many studies containing multiple effect sizes. A total of 45 studies were included, with the sample size ranging from 30 to 1072 goats. The multilevel random-effects model revealed a pooled correlation coefficients of 0.83 between BW and HG (95% CI: 0.79-0.87), 0.79 between BW and BL (95% CI: 0.74-0.83), and 0.72 between BW and WH (95% CI: 0.64-0.78). The results also revealed a pooled regression coefficients of 0.65 (95% CI: 0.55-0.74), 0.40 (95% CI: 0.04-0.76), and 0.06 (95% CI: -0.02-0.14) for HG, BL and WH, respectively. This meta-analysis provides evidence of strong positive significant associations between body weight and heart girth, body length, and withers height in goats. The findings highlight the potential of these linear body measurements as practical indicators of body weight, particularly in production systems where weighing equipment is not available.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663463/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190805","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":"Clinical Efficacy of Varying Dosages of Intravenous Phenylbutazone in a Reversible Model of Equine Foot Lameness.","authors":"Jonathan H Foreman","doi":"10.3390/ani16193096","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193096","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this experiment was to compare the clinical efficacy of various dosages of phenylbutazone (PBZ) with a negative control. The hypothesis was that higher PBZ doses would result in improved efficacy in a dose-dependent manner. Eight horses were shod with adjustable heart bar shoes on one front foot. Grade 4.0/5.0 lameness was induced every 2 to 4 weeks by tightening a set screw against the heart bar. Heart rate (HR) and lameness score (LS) were monitored at rest; every 20 min after lameness induction for 5 h; and hourly for another 8 h. One hour after lameness induction, treatment was administered IV in a randomized blinded manner and included negative control (isotonic saline: SAL) or PBZ at 2.2 (LOW), 4.4 (MOD), or 8.8 (HIGH) mg/kg body weight. Jugular blood samples were obtained at experiment hours 0, 1:05, 3, 5, 9, and 13, and were evaluated for plasma PBZ concentration. Results were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance and Student-Newman-Keul's test with the level of significance set at <i>p</i> < 0.05. MOD and HIGH dose PBZ reduced HR from 3.0 h through 12.0 h and LS from 1.67 h through 12.0 h post-administration (<i>p</i> < 0.05); there was no difference in response between MOD and HIGH dose PBZ. Compared to SAL, LOW dose PBZ reduced HR from 3.67 h through 5.0 h and LS from 3.67 h through 4.0 h after administration (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The conclusions were that LOW dose PBZ was clinically effective for only a brief period compared to SAL, and HIGH dose was not more effective than MOD dose PBZ.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663496/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190670","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":"From In Vitro Screening to In Vivo Evaluation of Essential-Oil-Based Formulation Against Avian Pathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i>.","authors":"Milenko Rikić, Zoran Ružić, Marko Pajić, Dalibor Todorović, Slobodan Knežević, Nebojša Kladar, Zorana Kovačević","doi":"10.3390/ani16193099","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193099","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antimicrobial resistance in avian pathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> (APEC) poses a significant challenge to poultry production, highlighting the need for effective alternatives to conventional antimicrobials. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of selected essential oils (EOs) against multidrug-resistant APEC isolates and assess the in vivo effects of an oregano-thyme EO-based formulation in experimentally infected broilers. Six EOs were screened in vitro using the broth microdilution method, and oregano and thyme EOs, showing the strongest activity (MIC 0.003% and 0.003-0.007%, respectively), were further evaluated in two combinations. The more active combination was formulated for administration via drinking water and tested in 420 Ross 308 broilers experimentally challenged with APEC. Birds were allocated to untreated control, infected untreated, EO-treated, enrofloxacin-treated, and enrofloxacin + reduced-dose EO formulation groups. Mortality did not differ significantly among groups. A binomial GLMM identified significant differences in faecal consistency among experimental groups (likelihood-ratio χ² = 32.90, df = 4, <i>p</i> < 0.001), while no significant differences were observed in body weight, feed intake, or overall FCR. Significant differences were detected in AST, glucose, total bilirubin, and calcium concentrations. Overall, the EO-based formulation demonstrated antibacterial activity in vitro and was associated with changes in intestinal status following APEC challenge, while no consistent improvement in productive performance was observed. These findings support further investigation of EO-based formulations as potential non-antibiotic approaches for managing APEC-associated intestinal disturbances in broiler chickens.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663412/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190841","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":"A Longitudinal Observation Study to Investigate the Associations Between Individual Qualitative Behavioural Assessment Scores and Milk Production in Housed Dairy Cows in the UK.","authors":"Emily F Craven, Jorge A Vázquez-Diosdado, Jasmeet Kaler, Alison Russell, Martin J Green, Jake S Thompson","doi":"10.3390/ani16193095","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193095","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Qualitative Behavioural Assessment (QBA) has been used at both the herd and individual levels as an indirect measure to assess changes in the emotional state in dairy cattle but has not been used in individual cattle to explore associations between emotional state and milk production over a lactation. The study assessed 114 individual cows over a 13-month period utilising QBA and milk production data on a single farm. QBA scores were analysed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). A decrease in Principal Component 1 (PC1) was associated with an increase in scores for positive behavioural terms such as happy, relaxed, calm and content. An increase in Principal Component 2 (PC2) was associated with an increased score for terms such as active, playful and inquisitive. Analysis with mixed models showed that milk yield was significantly negatively associated with PC1 for first-lactation cows (estimate = -0.24, <i>p</i> = 0.016) whilst accounting for days in milk (DIM) and temporal dependence. Variations in daily milk yields, assessed using the log-transformed variance of deviations from individual lactation curves (LnVar), were significantly positively associated with PC1 (percentage change in variability = 3.63, <i>p</i> = 0.004). These results indicate that increased milk yield and reduced daily yield variation were associated with more positive behavioural QBA terms. Exploratory work using clustering of PCA scores from the first 30 DIM was associated with 100-day milk yield, with cows in the more positive clusters (cluster 2 for PC1 and cluster 2 for PC2) producing the greater yield volumes (PC1 cluster 2: estimate 529.4, <i>p</i> = 0.02; PC2 cluster 2: estimate 1158.5, <i>p</i> < 0.001). These findings suggest that cows with more positive emotion scores are associated with increased milk production and provides evidence for further exploration in this research area.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663446/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190595","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":"Complete Mitogenomes of the Critically Endangered Hainan Gibbon (<i>Nomascus hainanus</i>) Reveal Very Low Mitochondrial Diversity and Two Major Maternal Clades.","authors":"Zhonghao Yu, Ren Xiahou, Meng Nie, Xiaoyi Cai, Dingfeng Duan, Yanjiao Zhou, Yuan Chen, Wenxing Long, Chenghong Liao","doi":"10.3390/ani16193091","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193091","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Hainan gibbon (<i>Nomascus hainanus</i>) is one of the most threatened primates, yet its mitochondrial haplotype diversity and genealogy remain poorly understood. This study investigated mitochondrial haplotype structure, genealogical history, and selective constraints on mitochondrial protein-coding genes using complete mitochondrial genomes. We generated mitogenomic data from 13 wild individuals representing five of seven extant social groups, including the recently formed F and G groups, which were established through natural dispersal and had not previously been genetically characterized. Complete mitogenomes were obtained using a combination of Illumina and Sanger sequencing, followed by population genetic analyses, phylogenetic reconstruction, molecular dating, and mitochondrial selection tests. All mitogenomes were 16,481 bp in length and exhibited very low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.000498), with four haplotypes forming two major maternal clades. Groups B, C, and E contained haplotypes from both major maternal clades, whereas F and G each showed a single sampled haplotype, a pattern consistent with maternal founder effects in these recently formed groups. The two major maternal clades had an estimated time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of ~27 ka (95% highest posterior density (HPD): 11.9-45.7 ka), placing their most recent common ancestor in the Late Pleistocene. Interspecific selection analyses were consistent with predominantly purifying selection across mitochondrial protein-coding genes, with no significant evidence of episodic positive selection or altered selection intensity. These findings complement previous nuclear genomic and partial mitochondrial DNA studies by providing a population-level view of complete-mitogenome haplotype distribution across five sampled social groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663578/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190600","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":"Influence of Breed on Tracheal Diameter and Endotracheal Tube Size Selection in Dogs: A Retrospective Analysis.","authors":"Jieun Kim, In Lee, Won-Gyun Son, Inhyung Lee, Hyunseok Kim","doi":"10.3390/ani16193089","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193089","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Selecting the correct endotracheal tube (ETT) size is critical for safe anesthesia in dogs. Current ETT size recommendations are largely based on body weight (BW), although some breeds, particularly brachycephalic dogs, may receive smaller ETTs than predicted from BW alone. This two-part retrospective study was performed to evaluate the effect of breed on ETT selection. In Part 1, computed tomography (CT)-measured tracheal diameters (TD) were compared among five small dog breeds weighing 4-5 kg and having a body condition score of 5/9. In Part 2, an expanded clinical cohort of 512 dogs from eight breeds was used to compare clinically selected ETT sizes with BW-based predictions. Statistical models assessed whether breed influenced clinically used ETT sizes after accounting for body mass using the cube root of BW. CT measurements revealed that TD differed significantly among breeds within a similar body-weight range. In the Part 2 clinical cohort, clinically selected ETT size was significantly associated with breed, the cube root of BW, and their interaction. Shih Tzus, French Bulldogs, Pekingese, and Boston Terriers had clinically selected ETT sizes smaller than BW-based predicted sizes, with a median discrepancy of approximately 0.5 mm in Shih Tzus and approximately 1.0 mm in French Bulldogs, Pekingese, and Boston Terriers. These findings suggest that the magnitude of discrepancy from BW-based predictions varies among brachycephalic breeds, indicating that breed may warrant consideration when estimating ETT size.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663563/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190916","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":"Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) Sulfone Regulates Sperm Motility, Mitochondrial Activity, and Nitric Oxide Production in Boar Semen.","authors":"Seunghyung Lee, Sang-Hee Lee","doi":"10.3390/ani16193093","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193093","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BPS is a substitute for bisphenol A, an endocrine disruptor. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of BPS on sperm viability and motility, acrosomal membrane damage, mitochondrial activity, and NO production in boar semen. 0, 40.0, 80.0, and 100.0 μM BPS were treated in the boar semen. In the results, sperm viability did not change across any treatments. However, sperm motility was significantly decreased in the 100.0 μM BPS-treated groups (78.56%, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and progressive motility of sperm (60.24%, <i>p</i> < 0.05). Acrosomal membrane damage was not changed in the BPS-treated groups, but mitochondrial activity (58.85%, <i>p</i> < 0.05) of sperm was decreased in the 100.0 μM BPS-treated groups. The NO in the 100.0 μM BPS-treated sperm groups was increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Based on the results, we suggest that BPS elevates NO production, and the increased NO damages mitochondrial activity. Thus, BPS may directly regulate sperm motility, such as through oxidative stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663567/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190689","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":"Views on Antlers Then and Now: Past and Present Concepts of Their Development and Histogenesis.","authors":"Uwe Kierdorf, Horst Kierdorf","doi":"10.3390/ani16193092","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193092","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antlers are regularly replaced bony appendages that are grown, cast and regenerated from permanent outgrowths (pedicles) of the frontal bones of male deer (and female reindeer/caribou, <i>Rangifer tarandus</i>). Their enormous growth rate, periodic epimorphic regeneration, tight association with the reproductive cycle in species from temperate and arctic regions, and low susceptibility to carcinogenesis make antlers highly interesting study subjects for different scientific disciplines, including bone biology, regenerative medicine and cancer research. The exceptional properties of antlers have fascinated scholars since the time of Aristotle, and in the past, many prominent scientists expressed their views on these \"improbable appendages\". This contribution reviews some historical concepts related to the development and histogenesis of antlers and contrasts them with our currently held views on these issues. In doing so, we attempt to provide today's antler scientists with a sense of the long research tradition in the field and to demonstrate how our current ideas on the mechanisms underlying the development and regeneration of antlers have evolved.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663431/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190942","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":"Effects of Colostrum-Period Fecal Microbiota Transplantation on Growth Performance, Immune Function and Gut Microbiota in Pre-Weaned Calves.","authors":"Jingkun Zhang, Yaning Sun, Xintong Li, Duo You, Zhanhe Zhang, Ming Xu, Donglin Wu","doi":"10.3390/ani16193088","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani16193088","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neonatal calf diarrhea caused by intestinal microbial dysbiosis severely restricts rearing efficiency, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) emerges as a promising antibiotic-free strategy for regulating gut homeostasis. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, the effects of colostrum-period FMT and the functional differences between colonic and colostrum delivery routes remain poorly characterized in pre-weaned dairy calves. We hypothesized that colostrum-period FMT would accelerate gut microbiota maturation, improve immune status and reduce diarrhea incidence in pre-weaned calves, with delivery-route-dependent effects. This study aimed to investigate how two colostrum-phase FMT delivery routes shape growth performance, serum immune profiles and gut microbiota in neonatal Holstein calves. Sixty newborn calves were randomly assigned to three groups (<i>n</i> = 20 per group): control (no FMT), colon-FMT (colonic perfusion), and colostrum-FMT (FMT mixed with colostrum). Donor feces were homogenized with sterile saline at a 1:9 ratio for FMT suspension preparation, and the trial lasted 56 days. For growth performance, the colon-FMT calves exhibited significantly higher average daily gain from D29 to D56 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In terms of intestinal health, the colostrum-FMT group exhibited lower diarrhea incidence during D15-28 (<i>p</i> < 0.05) but markedly higher diarrhea rates during D29-56 (<i>p</i> < 0.01). For serum immunity, colon-FMT calves had elevated serum IgG at D14 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). At D56, the concentrations of IL-2 (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and IL-4 (<i>p</i> = 0.05) were significantly lower in the colostrum-FMT group than the colon-FMT group; no intergroup differences were detected for other serum cytokines and immunoglobulins. 16S rRNA gene sequencing of D28 fecal samples revealed that the colon-FMT group possessed a significantly higher relative abundance of <i>Lactobacillus</i> compared with the other two treatments (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Collectively, colonic FMT is associated with remodeling intestinal microbiota by enriching beneficial <i>Lactobacillus</i>, improved late-stage growth and sustained long-term intestinal health in pre-weaned calves, whereas colostrum-mediated FMT only provides transient protection against early diarrhea.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"16 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663452/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190639","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}