Solid-state microbial fermentation (SSMF) has been established as an effective bioprocessing strategy to augment the nutritional value of plant-derived feed substrates while reducing anti-nutritional factors (ANFs). However, there have been limited studies on the effects of microbial solid-state fermentation on the nutritional value and potential functional components in cottonseed hulls. This study investigated the nutritional enhancement of cottonseed hulls through anaerobic solid-state fermentation mediated by Candida utilis CU-3, while exploring the functional potential of the fermented feed by analyzing fungal community dynamics and metabolite profiling. The laboratory-preserved free gossypol-degrading strain Candida utilis CU-3 was inoculated into unsterilized, crushed, and screened cottonseed hulls for solid-state fermentation at room temperature for 10 days. The results demonstrated that, compared to the control group, the experimental group achieved a 61.90% increase in free gossypol degradation rate, a 27.78% improvement in crude protein content, and a 5.07% reduction in crude fiber, while crude fat showed no significant difference. During the fermentation process, microbial diversity decreased, and Candida utilis CU-3 became the dominant species. Untargeted metabolomics data revealed that cottonseed hulls inoculated with Candida utilis CU-3 produced functional bioactive compounds during fermentation, including chrysin, myricetin (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities), and ginsenoside Rh2 (anticancer, antibacterial, and neuroprotective properties). This study demonstrates that inoculating Candida utilis CU-3 into cottonseed hulls enhances their health-promoting potential through the biosynthesis of diverse functional metabolites, providing a theoretical foundation for improving the nutritional profile of cottonseed hull-fermented feed.

Intestinal microorganisms are essential for maintaining homeostasis, health, and development, playing a critical role in nutrient digestion, growth, and exercise performance in pigeons. In young pigeons, the gut microbiota is primarily acquired through pigeon milk, meaning the microbial composition of parent pigeons directly influences microbial colonization in squabs. However, research on the correlation between the gut microbial diversity of parent pigeons and their offspring remains scarce. This study investigates the fecal microbiota and metabolites of 10 pairs of parent pigeons and 20 squabs raised under a 2 + 2 system. Fecal samples were collected at 15 days of age, and differences in the microbiota and metabolites between the two groups were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing and LC-MS/MS. The results showed the following: (1) Squabs exhibited significantly lower α diversity, with a reduction in their Chao1 index and observed OTUs compared to the parent pigeons. (2) Firmicutes dominated the fecal microbiota in both groups, but parent pigeon feces showed a notably higher abundance of Proteobacteria. At the family level, 10 distinct families were identified, with 9 at the genus level and 4 at the species level. (3) A LEfSe analysis identified 16 significantly different bacterial species in the parent pigeons and 7 in the squabs. Functional gene abundance was highest in the metabolism, genetic information processing, and environmental information processing pathways. (4) An LC-MS/MS analysis in cationic mode identified 218 metabolites, with 139 upregulated and 79 downregulated in the squabs relative to the parents. These metabolites were primarily concentrated in five functional categories and enriched in 33 pathways, 2 of which showed significant differences. In conclusion, significant differences in both the α and β diversity of fecal microbiota were observed between squabs and parent pigeons, with similar bacterial species but marked differences in abundance. Metabolite analysis revealed greater richness in the parent pigeon feces. These findings suggest that future gut modulation using beneficial bacteria, such as probiotics, could potentially enhance host health based on microbial and metabolite compositions.

This study aims to explore the impact of adding sodium acetate and sodium butyrate on the composition, blood biochemical parameters, and volatile flavor compounds of lactating mares’ milk. By assessing the influence of these additives on milk flavor enhancement, the findings provide scientific evidence for optimizing flavor characteristics and offer new strategies for improving the sensory attributes of mare milk products. Eighteen lactating Yili mares were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group, a sodium acetate group (85 mg/kg·BM⁻¹), and a sodium butyrate group (85 mg/kg·BM⁻¹). The experiment lasted 90 days, with milk yield recorded on days 0, 30, 60, and 90. Milk samples were collected on day 60 (peak lactation) for compositional analysis, and GC-IMS was employed to identify and quantify volatile compounds. Additionally, blood samples were drawn from the jugular vein before morning feeding on day 60 using heparinized tubes to assess key biochemical markers, including glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and urea. The results revealed the following findings: (1) Milk yield and composition: The addition of sodium acetate and sodium butyrate had no significant effect on milk yield. However, both treatment groups exhibited significantly or extremely significantly higher milk fat content compared to the control group, whereas milk protein and lactose levels remained largely unchanged. (2) Blood biochemical indicators: The sodium butyrate group showed an extremely significant increase in urea levels compared to the sodium acetate and control groups. Glucose levels in the sodium acetate group were also significantly higher than in the control group. Moreover, triglyceride levels were markedly elevated in the sodium butyrate group compared to the sodium acetate group, while total bilirubin concentrations were significantly higher in the sodium acetate group than in the control group. (3) Volatile compounds: The addition of these additives led to a significant increase in the diversity and concentration of volatile compounds in mare milk. Notably, esters, aldehydes, and ketones showed substantial enrichment in both treatment groups. The relative abundance of esters such as butyl acetate, L-lactic acid ethyl ester, 1-pentene-3-ol, pentanol, and 3-pentanone increased, alongside a significant rise in aldehydes and ketones, including 2-heptenal and 3-pentanone. In conclusion, sodium acetate and sodium butyrate enhance milk flavor by modulating milk composition and metabolic parameters, providing a scientific foundation for improving the quality of mare milk products.

Probiotics improve the quality of silage during the planting and fermentation processes. This study was designed to investigate the accumulation of nutritional components in the fresh corn variety Jingkenuo 2000 waxy maize under different fertilization conditions and its effectiveness as silage feed. The nutrient accumulation trends of dry matter (DM), starch, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE) in the stems, leaves, grains, and whole plant of Jingkenuo 2000 waxy maize were evaluated during different growth cycles. The relative feed value (RFV) was also assessed, with the results showing that the whole plant of Jingkenuo 2000 waxy maize at the wax stage was most suitable for use as silage. The experiment conducted in the present study was carried out in a completely random block design with two additives and three fertilizer application conditions: no-additive + conventional fertilization treatment (CKCK); no-additive + conventional fertilization + drip irrigation of bacterial solution treatment (CKJJ); no-additive + conventional fertilization + microbial organic fertilizer treatment (CKYJ); additive + conventional fertilization treatment (FJCK); additive + conventional fertilization + drip irrigation of bacterial solution treatment (FJJJ); and additive + conventional fertilization + microbial organic fertilizer treatment (YJFJ). Additionally, the nutrient composition, fermentation quality, and bacterial community structure of the silage fermentation treatments were analyzed. The results indicate that there was significant interaction between the additive and fertilization treatments, with them significantly influencing the parameters CP, EE, NDF, ADF, and RFV (p < 0.01). In particular, the treatment combining additives, conventional fertilization, and drip irrigation of bacterial solution exhibited the highest CP, EE, and starch (p < 0.01) among all the tested treatments, while also displaying the lowest NDF and ADF contents (p < 0.01). Furthermore, this treatment reduced the pH value (p < 0.01), decreased bacterial diversity, and fostered the growth of Lactobacillus. Overall, the findings presented herein demonstrate that, through precise nutritional accumulation monitoring and scientific biological pretreatment methods, Jingkenuo 2000 waxy maize has the potential to become a high-quality silage feed.

This study aims to investigate the effects of cysteamine zinc supplementation on milk production, composition, amino acid profile, and metabolites in mares. Building on prior experimental findings, a dose of 7 mg/kg body weight of CS-Zn was selected for the experimental group, which was compared with a control group. Milk samples were collected at various time points, and milk yield was recorded each time. Routine analysis of milk components, as well as the determination of milk metabolites and amino acids, were performed. The results indicated that, compared to the control group, the experimental group exhibited increases in milk yield and the content of milk fat, lactose, and non-fat solids (p < 0.05), with an extremely significant increase in milk protein (p < 0.01). Conversely, the levels of L-glutamine and L-proline in milk were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). Metabolomic analysis revealed that differentially expressed metabolites were enriched in pathways such as ABC transporters, D-aminoadipate metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, and protein digestion and absorption. Notably, milk metabolites including cAMp, biotin, and taurine showed a tendency to be upregulated, while oxoglutaric acid, methionine, and diacetyloxyxanthone were downregulated. Based on evidence from the literature other species, it is speculated that CS-Zn supplementation may be associated with alterations in endocrine and amino acid metabolism pathways, potentially influencing lactation performance in mares. However, because no hormones were directly measured in this study, such a mechanism remains speculative and requires direct experimental validation.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of cysteamine zinc (CS-Zn) supplementation on blood biochemical indices, blood hormones, fecal fermentation, fecal microbial diversity, and blood metabolites in lactating mares. Blood samples were collected via jugular venipuncture, and fecal samples were collected via rectal sampling before morning tethering on days 30, 60, and 90 of the trial. Fecal samples were analyzed for volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and microbial diversity, while changes in blood biochemical indices, blood hormones, and blood non-targeted metabolomics were also analyzed. The results showed that compared with the control group, the test group exhibited significant increases in total protein, globulin, urea, and glucose in the blood (p < 0.05); growth hormone (GH) levels significantly increased, while somatostatin levels significantly decreased (p < 0.05); and concentrations of all VFAs in feces significantly increased (p < 0.05). Simultaneously, CS-Zn supplementation significantly reduced the relative abundance of Family_XIII_UCG-001, Monoglobus, and UCG-007 at the genus level. Metabolomics analysis revealed that differentially expressed metabolites were enriched in pathways such as neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, and dopaminergic synapse, with significant upregulation of L-tyrosine and dopamine in the blood. These findings indicate that CS-Zn supplementation, on the one hand, can enhance pathways such as glucose metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, and bile secretion by depleting somatostatin and increasing growth hormone levels, and on the other hand, it can improve energy metabolism in mares by altering intestinal microbiota structure and enhancing fiber fermentation efficiency.