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Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the effects of inoculants on the microbial community and mycotoxins contamination of corn silage during aerobic exposure. Whole-crop corn infected with or without mycotoxigenic fungi were ensiled with Lentilactobacillus buchneri (LB, 1.0 × 106 cfu/g fresh weight (FW)), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP, 1.0 × 106 cfu/g FW), or LBLP at 1.0 × 106 cfu/g FW each. The concentration of acetic acid (AcA) (P

Background/Objectives: The Xizang sheep is a unique breed of sheep in the highland regions of China that has gradually developed physiological characteristics adapted to the plate environment through long-term natural selection and artificial breeding. However, little is known about the molecular basis of metabolic adaptation to seasons in Xizang sheep. Methods: In this study, liver tissues from Xizang sheep in summer (SL) and autumn (AL) were selected for transcriptome sequencing to explore the metabolic adaptability of Xizang sheep to seasons. Results: The results showed that a total of 12,046 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, with 1123 genes significantly upregulated and 951 genes significantly downregulated in autumn. The top five pathways enriched for DEGs were Metabolic pathways, Phagosome, Valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation, Propanoate metabolism, and Fatty acid metabolism, which are involved in immune regulation, fat oxidation, and synthesis. The reduction in lipid synthesis, fatty acid oxidation, and fat breakdown metabolism promotes gluconeogenesis by inhibiting the Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) and Phosphoinositide 3-kinase- Protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathways. Conclusions: This process helps to maintain the whole-body energy homeostasis of Xizang sheep, facilitating their adaptation to the seasonal changes in the extreme high-altitude environment. These findings provide foundational data for studying the molecular mechanisms of metabolic adaptation to seasons in ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Castration is a routine procedure in sheep farming, and immunocastration is beginning to be used in animal production as an alternative to surgical castration. Currently, there are few studies on the intra-rumen environment after immunocastration in sheep. Therefore, in this study, male Xizang sheep were selected for surgical castration and GnRH immunocastration treatment, the intact control group and immunocastrated group were selected in combination with body weight data, and microbiology and metabolomics techniques were used to analyze the effects of GnRH immunocastration on the rumen internal environment of male Xizang sheep. The results showed that GnRH immunocastration had a more obvious effect on body weight gain while achieving the effect of de-population; immunocastration increased the ratio of rumen thick-walled bacterial phylum to anamorphic bacterial phylum, which improved the digestive utilization of forage feed in male Xizang sheep. Secondly, GnRH immunocastration can maintain the balance of the rumen internal environment and the health of rumen epithelial cells by improving the levels of certain metabolites in the rumen. Castration is a prevalent and indispensable practice in sheep husbandry, aiding in enhancing meat quality, mitigating aggressive behavior, and managing unwanted reproduction. Nevertheless, the conventional surgical castration procedure poses several challenges, including heightened stress and pain, detrimental impacts on animal welfare, and diminished economic efficacy in farming operations. Consequently, immunocastration methods, serving as substitutes for surgical castration, are progressively finding application in livestock. The rumen, an essential and distinctive digestive and absorptive organ in ruminants, has been associated with enhanced meat quality and productive performance following castration in previous research studies, albeit fewer investigations have explored the potential impacts of GnRH immunization on the rumen's internal milieu in sheep post-de-escalation. Hence, the present study delved into evaluating the impact of GnRH immunocastration on the rumen microbiome and metabolomics in male Xizang sheep. This was achieved through the establishment of a GnRH immunocastration animal model and the collection of rumen fluid for microbiological and comprehensive metabolomics investigations. The outcomes of this investigation unveiled that the impact of GnRH immunocastration on body weight gain was more pronounced during the achievement of the castration objective. In addition, the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidota ratio in the immune male (IM) group exceeded that of the control group (EM), suggesting that GnRH immunodeficiency may enhance the digestion and absorption of feed in male Xizang sheep. At the taxonomic level, the elevated presence of Prevotella and Quinella bacteria in the IM group compared to the EM group indicated that castration influenced a segment of the rumen microbiota in male Xizang sheep, thereby bolstering the digestive and metabolic efficacy of the rumen concerning nutrient utilization, particularly in the breakdown and absorption of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, ultimately expediting the fattening process and weight gain in male Xizang sheep following castration. Moreover, analysis of ruminal fluid metabolomics revealed that GnRH immunization had notable impacts on certain metabolites in the ruminal fluid of male Xizang sheep, with metabolites like 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid and 3-hydroxyindole acetic acid showing significant downregulation in the IM group compared to the EM group, while niacin and tyramine exhibited significant upregulation. These findings indicate a profound influence of GnRH immunization on the maintenance of ruminal equilibrium and ruminal health (including the health of ruminal epithelial cells). This study validates that GnRH immunocastration not only achieves the objectives of castration but also enhances ruminal health in male Xizang sheep, thus laying a foundational theoretical basis for the application and dissemination of GnRH immunocastration technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionEnsiling whole-crop oat (Avena sativa L.) has attracted a growing interest in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The study aimed to investigate the microbial community and chemical composition of fresh and ensiling oat harvested from six different elevations of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.MethodThe oat (A. sativa L. cv. Qingyin No. 1) was planted in six different sites across Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (BM, Bomi County; BY, Bayi County; DZ, Dazi County; BR, Biru County; SC, Suo County; SN, Seni County), where the elevations were in the range of 2,800–4,500 m above sea level (a. s. l.). Oat was harvested at the milk stage and ensiled for 90 days.ResultsThe highest crude protein (CP) and lowest water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) were observed in fresh oat of SN and BM, respectively, however, no distinct gradient trend in WSC and CP concentrations along the elevation gradient. The lowest LAB counts in fresh oat from the highest elevational regions of SN. After 90 days of ensiling, the pH in all oat silages was lower than 4.2, and silages from SC and SN showed a lower pH and butyric acid concentration, and higher lactic acid (LA) concentration than silages of other regions. The oat silage from BR showed the lowest LA concentration and the highest pH. The bimodal distributions of fungal and bacterial richness in fresh oat along the elevation gradient were observed, while the elevation gradients did not affect the fungal Shannon index in fresh oat. Dioszegia, Cladosporium, and Vishniacozyma were the prevalent fungal genus in fresh oat, while Wickerhamomyces, Candida, and Saccharomyces dominated the fungal communities of silages. Wickerhamomyces and Candida were the dominant genera in oat silages from BM and SC, respectively. Erwinia, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas, Leuconostoc, and Exiguobacterium dominated the bacterial community of fresh oat, while Lactobacillus and Kosakonia were the dominant bacterial genus in oat silages. Pantoea was the most dominant bacterial genus in fresh oat from low-elevational regions (BM, BY, and DZ). Oat from SN exhibited the best fermentation quality although fresh oat of SN hosted the lowest LAB counts, indicating that high-efficient LAB might be present in fresh oat sampled from high altitudes.

Ruminants are one of the world's economically important species, and their reproductive health is critical to the economic development of the livestock industry. In recent years, research on the relationship between microbiota and reproductive health has received much attention. Microbiota disruption affects the developmental health of the testes and epididymis, the male reproductive organs of the host, which in turn is related to sperm quality. Maintaining a stable microbiota protects the host from pathogens and increases breeding performance, which in turn promotes the economic development of animal husbandry. In addition, the effects and mechanisms of microbiota on reproduction were further explored. These findings support new approaches to improving and managing reproductive health in ruminants through the microbiota and facilitate further systematic exploration of microbiota‐mediated reproductive impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castration is a prevalent and indispensable practice in sheep husbandry, aiding in enhancing meat quality, mitigating aggressive behavior, and managing unwanted reproduction. Nevertheless, the conventional surgical castration procedure poses several challenges, including heightened stress and pain, detrimental impacts on animal welfare, and diminished economic efficacy in farming operations. Consequently, immunocastration methods, serving as substitutes for surgical castration, are progressively finding application in livestock. The rumen, an essential and distinctive digestive and absorptive organ in ruminants, has been associated with enhanced meat quality and productive performance following castration in previous research studies, albeit fewer investigations have explored the potential impacts of GnRH immunization on the rumen's internal milieu in sheep post-de-escalation. Hence, the present study delved into evaluating the impact of GnRH immunocastration on the rumen microbiome and metabolomics in male Xizang sheep. This was achieved through the establishment of a GnRH immunocastration animal model and the collection of rumen fluid for microbiological and comprehensive metabolomics investigations. The outcomes of this investigation unveiled that the impact of GnRH immunocastration on body weight gain was more pronounced during the achievement of the castration objective. In addition, the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidota ratio in the immune male (IM) group exceeded that of the control group (EM), suggesting that GnRH immunodeficiency may enhance the digestion and absorption of feed in male Xizang sheep. At the taxonomic level, the elevated presence of Prevotella and Quinella bacteria in the IM group compared to the EM group indicated that castration influenced a segment of the rumen microbiota in male Xizang sheep, thereby bolstering the digestive and metabolic efficacy of the rumen concerning nutrient utilization, particularly in the breakdown and absorption of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, ultimately expediting the fattening process and weight gain in male Xizang sheep following castration. Moreover, analysis of ruminal fluid metabolomics revealed that GnRH immunization had notable impacts on certain metabolites in the ruminal fluid of male Xizang sheep, with metabolites like 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid and 3-hydroxyindole acetic acid showing significant downregulation in the IM group compared to the EM group, while niacin and tyramine exhibited significant upregulation. These findings indicate a profound influence of GnRH immunization on the maintenance of ruminal equilibrium and ruminal health (including the health of ruminal epithelial cells). This study validates that GnRH immunocastration not only achieves the objectives of castration but also enhances ruminal health in male Xizang sheep, thus laying a foundational theoretical basis for the application and dissemination of GnRH immunocastration technology., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.