Potential role of key rumen microbes in regulating host health and growth performance in Hu sheep

作者：Ximei Xie, Huan Yang, Xingang Zhao, Teng Li, Yuze Yang, Hailing Luo · 发表于：Animal Microbiome · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s42523-025-00412-0 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology、Animal health and immunology、Reproductive Physiology in Livestock

BACKGROUND: Average daily gain (ADG) is an important component affecting the profitability of sheep. However, research on the relationship between rumen microbes and sheep growth phenotype is still very lacking. Therefore, in this study, 16 Hu sheep were selected from a cohort of 318 sheep assigned to the same feeding and management conditions, and divided into high growth rate (HADG, n = 8) group and low growth rate (LADG, n = 8) group according to the extreme ADG value. Then, the differences in rumen microbes, rumen fermentation and animal immune parameters were further compared between groups to explore the potential role of rumen key microbes in regulating the health and growth performance of Hu sheep hosts. RESULTS: The results showed that specific pathogenic bacteria associated with ADG, including Anaerotruncus, Sediminibacterium and Glaesserella, exhibited significant correlations with interleukin-6 (IL-6) and immunoglobulin G (IgG). These interactions disrupt immune homeostasis in the host, leading to a metabolic prioritization of energy resources toward immune responses, thereby impairing growth and development. Succinivibrio_dextrinosolvens was enriched in HADG sheep and exhibited a significant positive correlation with propionate levels. This promoted propionate production in the rumen, enhancing the metabolic activity of carbohydrate, amino acid and energy metabolism, ultimately contributing to higher ADG in sheep. Importantly, random forest analysis results showe...