Introduction: L-arginine is an α-amino acid and a semi-essential nutrient of significant biological interest. It plays a role in influencing various aspects of animal meat traits, gut microbiota composition, and physiological metabolism.Methods: This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of L-arginine supplementation on gut microbiota composition and the metabolism of the longissimus dorsi muscle in fattening pigs. Eighteen Yorkshire commercial pigs were divided into two groups: a control group that received no supplements and a treatment group that was given 1% L-arginine for 52 days. The diversity and composition of microorganisms in the feces of the control (NC) and L-arginine (Arg) groups were analyzed by sequencing the 16S rRNA V3 -V4 region of the bacterial genome.Results: The findings indicated that L-arginine supplementation increased both the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota, particularly affecting the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed significant changes in several metabolism-related pathways, including amino acid, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism. Metabolomic analysis identified 85 differential metabolites between the arginine and control groups, with phospholipids ranking among the top 20. Additionally, functional predictions indicated an increased abundance in the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway. Correlation analysis linked changes in gut microbiota to phospholipid levels, which subsequently influenced post-slaughter meat color and drip loss.Discussion: These results suggest that L-arginine supplementation positively impacts gut microbiota composition and the metabolic profile of the longissimus dorsi muscle in fattening pigs, with potential implications for meat quality.

The testis serves as the primary site for spermatogenesis in mammals and is a crucial organ for the secretion of male hormones. Heat stress (HS) can have adverse effects on the seminiferous tubules, sperm quality, and sperm fertilization capability within the testis. Despite numerous previous studies describing various time points after heat stress in mice, a systematic and comprehensive dataset on heat stress and recovery in mice has been lacking. This study aimed to explore the gene expression changes in the recovery of multiple seminiferous epithelial cycles and spermatogenic cycles in mouse testicles after heat stress. We obtained high-throughput bulk RNA-seq data from testicular tissue of 4 NC mice and 32 HS mice (divided into 9 groups: NC, 30 min, 2 h, 6 h, 24 h, 3d, 8d, 24d, 47d, and 95d) and illustrated the dynamic changes in differential genes. This data set provides valuable insights into the detailed dynamic changes of one or more spermatogenic cycles after heat stress in mouse testicles, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved.

Epigenetic factors, including non-coding RNA regulation, play a vital role in the development of obesity and have been well researched. Transfer RNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA) is a class of non-coding RNA proven to be involved in various aspects of mammalian biology. Here we take pigs as a model for obesity research and use tsRNA-seq to investigate the difference in tsRNA expression in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of obese and lean pigs to elucidate the role of tsRNA in obesity development. A total of 482 tsRNAs were identified in pig adipose tissue, of which 123 were significantly differentially accumulated tsRNAs compared with the control group. The tRF-5c was the main type of these tsRNAs. The largest number of tsRNAs produced was the Gly-carrying tRNA, which produced 81 tsRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that differential tsRNAs indirectly participated in MAPK, AMPK, insulin resistance, the TNF signaling pathway, adipocytokine signaling pathway, and other signaling pathways by interacting with target genes. These are involved in bioenergetic metabolic regulatory processes, suggesting that tsRNAs may influence these pathways to mediate the regulation of energy metabolism in porcine adipocytes to promote lipid deposition, thus contributing to obesity. Our findings suggest a potential function of tsRNA in regulating obesity development.

Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is a critical indicator of production efficiency in livestock husbandry. Improving FCR is essential for optimizing resource utilization and enhancing productivity. Traditional methods for FCR optimization rely on experience and long-term data collection, which are time-consuming and inefficient. This study explores the feasibility of predicting long-term FCR using short-term FCR data based on machine learning techniques. We employed nineteen machine learning algorithms, including Linear Regression, support vector machines (SVMs), and Gradient Boosting, using historical datasets to train and validate the models. The results show that the Gradient Boosting model demonstrated superior performance, achieving a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.72 and a correlation of 0.85 between predicted and actual values when the testing interval exceeded 40 kg. Therefore, we recommend a minimum feeding measurement interval of 40 kg. Furthermore, when the testing interval was set to 40 kg and further refined to the range of 50–90 kg, the model achieved an R² of 0.81 and a correlation of 0.90 for FCR prediction in the 30–105 kg range. Among the 19 machine learning algorithms tested, Gradient Boosting, LightGBM, and CatBoost showed superior performance, with Gradient Boosting achieving the best results. Considering practical production requirements, the 50–90 kg feeding stage proved to be the most ideal for FCR testing. This study provides a more effective method for predicting feed efficiency and offers robust data support for precision livestock farming.

Pork is a major global source of animal protein, and improving both its production efficiency and meat quality is a central goal in modern animal agriculture and food systems. This study investigated post-inflection-point growth patterns in two genetically distinct pig breeds—the lean-type Yorkshire pig (YP) and the fatty-type Qingyu pig (QYP)—with the aim of elucidating breed-specific characteristics that influence pork quality and yield. Comprehensive evaluations of carcass traits, meat quality attributes, nutritional composition, and gene expression profiles were conducted. After the growth inflection point, carcass traits exhibited greater variability than meat quality traits in both breeds, though with distinct patterns. YPs displayed superior muscle development, with the longissimus muscle area (LMA) increasing rapidly before plateauing at ~130 kg, whereas QYPs maintained more gradual but sustained muscle growth. In contrast, intramuscular fat (IMF)—a key determinant of meat flavor and texture—accumulated faster in YPs post inflection but plateaued earlier in QYPs. Correlation and clustering analyses revealed more synchronized regulation of meat quality traits in QYPs, while YPs showed greater trait variability. Gene expression patterns aligned with these phenotypic trends, highlighting distinct regulatory mechanisms for muscle and fat development in each breed. In addition, based on the growth curves, we calculated the peak age at which the growth rate declined in lean-type and fat-type pigs, which was approximately 200 days for YPs and around 270 days for QYPs. This suggests that these ages may represent the optimal slaughter times for the respective breeds, balancing both economic efficiency and meat quality. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing pork quality through precision management and offer theoretical guidance for developing breed-specific feeding strategies, slaughter timing, and value-added pork production tailored to consumer preferences in the modern food market.

Ferroptosis is a new mode of cell death, which is characterized by inducing the accumulation of lipid peroxides dependent on iron ions and reactive oxygen species. It has been found that ferroptosis can lead to follicle atresia by promoting granulosa cell death and increasing its reactive oxygen species content, but the specific mechanism has not been elucidated. Through transcriptome sequencing, we found that ferroptosis markers and related genes were upregulated in porcine atretic follicles. PTGS2 was found to be differentially expressed between atretic and healthy follicles. By inhibiting NF-κB nuclear translocation, inhibition of the PTGS2 gene expression reduced the degree of ferroptosis in granulosa cells and rescued granulosa cell death and oxidative stress caused by ferroptosis. Therefore, we propose that the NF-κB/PTGS2 axis plays a key role in ferroptosis-induced granulosa cell death, leading to follicular atresia. Melatonin, a neurohormone secreted by the pineal gland of the upper thalamus, is involved in the regulation of various metabolic, immune, reproductive, and other processes. In the ferroptosis treatment group, melatonin treatment alleviated the degree of ferroptosis (downregulation of ferroptosis marker genes and markers) and decreased the expression of PTGS2. In summary, we have demonstrated that melatonin inhibits ferroptosis via the NF-κB/PTGS2 axis in granulosa cells.