Metabolism, Physiology, and Microbiota of Young Animals
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Nutrition".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 7 June 2026 | Viewed by 24
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The early-life stage of animals represents a critical period in which metabolism, physiology, and microbiota interact to shape long-term health, productivity, and welfare. This Special Issue, Metabolism, Physiology, and Microbiota of Young Animals, focuses on advancing our understanding of young animals across model animals, livestock, and companion animals, including calves, piglets, lambs, kids, foals, puppies, kittens, etc.
Cell metabolism constitutes the molecular framework underlying physiological functions and serves as a critical determinant of phenotype. Emerging evidence indicates that microbiota residing in the gut, skin, oral cavity, respiratory tract, vagina, urinary tract, ocular surface, and other areas engage in continuous interactions with the host, thereby modulating metabolic pathways and shaping physiological outcomes.
Although research has often focused on adult animals and production traits, the critical role of young animals remains underexplored. This Special Issue, Metabolism, Physiology, and Microbiota of Young Animals, aims to address this gap by examining how early-life conditions shape growth, resilience, and long-term health across species. We also welcome studies that compare young and adult animals to highlight developmental differences.
We seek contributions on nutrition, host–microbe interactions, immune development, stress physiology, metabolic alteration, and overall health of juvenile animals, offspring, and neonates. The goal of this Special Issue is to integrate fundamental mechanisms with applied perspectives, from feeding and nutrition strategies to animal welfare practices.
This Special Issue will provide a reference for understanding the Metabolism, Physiology, and Microbiota of Young Animals in relation to health, productivity, and well-being. Our purpose is to provide a timely and comprehensive reference for researchers, veterinarians, and producers interested in nutrition, microbiota, physiology, and health of young animals under diverse farming and husbandry conditions.
We warmly invite your contributions.
Dr. Qianming Jiang
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- piglet
- lamb
- kid
- foal
- puppy
- kitten
- calf
- juvenile
- offspring
- neonates
- pups
- feed
- nutrition
- microbiota
- animal welfare
- host–microbe interactions
- immune
- stress
- health
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
