Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Metabolites Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Metabolites in Ruminant Health

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024 | Viewed by 10441

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Diming Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

MoE Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Institute of Dairy Science, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: nutrition and health of dairy cows

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metabolites are products/intermediates of biological systems. The vital role of metabolites has been highlighted due to their multitude of biological functions, such as energy generation, signaling conduction, epigenetic alteration and cofactor activity. In ruminants, metabolite-based research has been widely conducted, and their value in homeostasis evaluation, disease diagnosis, nutritional regulation and animal food functionality has been partly revealed.

This Special Issue of Metabolites, “Metabolites in Ruminant Health”, will be dedicated to dealing with the role of metabolites concerned with homeostasis of various of ruminants, including cattle, sheep and goats. This Special Issue is intended to publish results focused on the diagnosis or regulatory roles of various metabolites in ruminant health and sustainable production, with different biological tools and novel analysis concepts.

Dr. Diming Wang
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. Metabolites is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2700 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

ruminants
health
metabolites

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.
e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

13 pages, 1838 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Alteration of Fecal Microbiota, Fecal Metabolites, and Serum Metabolites in Dairy Cows with Pre-Retained Placenta

by Tao Zhou, Zhenlong Du, Zhengzhong Luo, Xiaoping Li, Dan Wu, Yixin Huang, Kang Yong, Xueping Yao, Liuhong Shen, Shumin Yu, Zuoting Yan and Suizhong Cao

Metabolites 2024, 14(7), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14070386 - 15 Jul 2024

Viewed by 805

Abstract

Retained placenta (RP) affects lactation and fertility in dairy cows and causes economic losses to the dairy industry. Therefore, screening for early warning of this disease is important. This study used multi omics techniques to reveal the metabolic differences of dairy cows before RP onset and to find potential warning markers. Fecal samples and serum samples of 90 healthy Holstein cows were collected 7 days pre-calving; 10 healthy and 10 RP cows were enrolled according to normal expulsion of fetal membranes after calving. Fecal samples were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics analysis, while plasma was analyzed using targeted metabolomics. Pathogenic bacteria levels increased in the intestines of cows with RP compared to those in healthy cows. Lipid metabolites constituted the largest proportion of differential metabolites between feces and plasma. Six potential warning markers for RP in cows were identified, including two fecal microbiomics markers (Oscillospiraceae UCG-005 and Escherichia-Shigella), one fecal untargeted metabolomics marker (N-acetylmuramic acid), and three plasma targeted metabolomics markers (glycylcholic acid-3 sulfate, 7-ketolithocholic acid, and 12-ketolithocholic acid). These biomarkers can predict RP occurrence in the early perinatal period. These results lay a theoretical foundation for early nutritional intervention and pathogenesis research in dairy cows. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolites in Ruminant Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 2665 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Varying Dietary Calcium Contents on the Gut Metabolomics of Yunnan Semi-Fine Wool Sheep (Ovis aries)

by Muhammad Khan, Xiaoqi Zhao, Xiaojun Ni, Sikandar Ali, Baiji Danzeng, Hongyuan Yang, Maida Mushtaq, Jiachong Liang, Bai Xue and Guobo Quan

Metabolites 2024, 14(7), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14070381 - 10 Jul 2024

Viewed by 851

Abstract

Yunnan semi-fine wool (YSFW) is a recently developed dual-purpose (meat and wool) sheep breed mainly found in Yunnan Province, China. Moreover, dietary calcium is essential for animal health and productivity. The current experiment aimed to investigate the impact of dietary calcium on sheep gut metabolite profile. For this, thirty YSFW rams (male, age = 10 months, and body weight = 40.37 ± 0.49 kg) were randomized into three groups (n = 10 rams/group), followed by a completely randomized design, and the groups were allotted to one of three dietary calcium levels (Q_1 = 0.50%, Q_3 = 0.73%, and Q_5 = 0.98% on a dry basis). The rams were fed ad libitum by feeding twice a day (at 08:00 and 17:00 h/day) throughout the experimental period (44 day). On the 21st day of the experiment, fecal samples were collected from 27 rams (9/group) and untargeted metabolite profiling was performed by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography. The PCA plot showed that the Q_5 group metabolites were clustered more tightly than for Q_1 and Q_3, respectively. The tightly clustering molecules were mainly alkaloids and their derivatives, benzenoids, lignans and related compounds, lipids, nucleotides, organic acids, and nitrogenous-based derivatives. According to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, these molecules potentially contribute to metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, proteinaceous compounds, and the metabolism of the protein derivatives, particularly amino acids. The PLS-DA plots revealed a significant difference between the Q_1, Q_3, and Q_5 groups, suggesting that Q_5 had a clear separation across the groups. Based on the metabolomic analysis, feeding different levels of dietary calcium significantly changed the metabolomic profile of YSFW rams, which primarily entails metabolic pathways such as energy, protein, and lipid metabolism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolites in Ruminant Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 4163 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Metabolomics and Biochemical Analyses of Serum and Milk Revealed Parity-Related Metabolic Differences in Sanhe Dairy Cattle

by Zixin Liu, Aoyu Jiang, Xiaokang Lv, Dingkun Fan, Qingqing Chen, Yicheng Wu, Chuanshe Zhou and Zhiliang Tan

Metabolites 2024, 14(4), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14040227 - 16 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1113

Abstract

The production performance of dairy cattle is closely related to their metabolic state. This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the production performance and metabolic features of Sanhe dairy cattle across different parities, with a specific focus on evaluating variations in milk traits and metabolites in both milk and serum. Sanhe dairy cattle from parities 1 to 4 (S1, n = 10; S2, n = 9; S3, n = 10; and S4, n = 10) at mid-lactation were maintained under the same feeding and management conditions. The milk traits, hydrolyzed milk amino acid levels, serum biochemical parameters, and serum free amino acid levels of the Sanhe dairy cattle were determined. Multiparous Sanhe dairy cattle (S2, S3, and S4) had a greater milk protein content, lower milk lactose content, and lower solids-not-fat content than primiparous Sanhe dairy cattle (S1). Moreover, S1 had a higher ratio of essential to total amino acids (EAAs/TAAs) in both the serum and milk. The serum biochemical results showed the lower glucose and total protein levels in S1 cattle were associated with milk quality. Furthermore, ultra-high-resolution high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem MS analysis (UPLC-MS/MS) identified 86 and 105 differential metabolites in the serum and milk, respectively, and these were mainly involved in amino acid, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism. S1 and S2/S3/S4 had significantly different metabolic patterns in the serum and milk, and more vitamin B-related metabolites were significantly higher identified in S1 than in multiparous cattle. Among 36 shared differential metabolites in the serum and milk, 10 and 7 metabolites were significantly and strongly correlated with differential physiological indices, respectively. The differential metabolites identified were enriched in key metabolic pathways, illustrating the metabolic characteristics of the serum and milk from Sanhe dairy cattle of different parities. L-phenylalanine, dehydroepiandrosterone, and linoleic acid in the milk and N-acetylornithine in the serum could be used as potential marker metabolites to distinguish between Sanhe dairy cattle with parities of 1–4. In addition, a metabolic map of the serum and milk from the three aspects of carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids was created for the further analysis and exploration of their relationships. These results reveal significant variations in milk traits and metabolites across different parities of Sanhe dairy cattle, highlighting the influence of parity on the metabolic profiles and production performance. Tailored nutritional strategies based on parity-specific metabolic profiles are recommended to optimize milk production and quality in Sanhe cattle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolites in Ruminant Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 283 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Longitudinal Data to Assess Relationships among Plasma Folate, Vitamin B₁₂, Non-esterified Fatty Acid, and β-Hydroxybutyrate Concentrations of Holstein Cows during the Transition Period

by Mélissa Duplessis, Younes Chorfi and Christiane L. Girard

Metabolites 2023, 13(4), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13040547 - 11 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1276

Abstract

It is well established that the plasma metabolite profile changes during metabolic dysfunction, such as elevated non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) release when body reserve mobilization is excessive in early lactation cows. Relationships between changes in plasma concentrations of metabolites caused by a metabolic impairment and the status of vitamins, such as folates and vitamin B₁₂, have barely been studied in cattle. This study was undertaken to assess relationships between peripartum plasma concentrations of folates, vitamin B₁₂, NEFA, and beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Longitudinal data of 48 multiparous Holstein cows from 5 studies were taken from days −14 to 21 relative to calving. Blood samples were taken weekly before calving and either twice or thrice per week postpartum, and plasma was analyzed for folate, vitamin B₁₂, NEFA, and BHB concentrations. Postpartum plasma NEFA and BHB concentrations were negatively related to plasma folate concentration at days −14 and −7 relative to parturition, whereas the opposite relationship was noted for the plasma vitamin B₁₂:folate ratio. The plasma folate and NEFA areas under the curve from the whole studied period were negatively associated, and the opposite was observed with the association between the plasma vitamin B₁₂:folate ratio and NEFA as well as the BHB areas under the curve. The results suggest that there is an increased use of folate for metabolic functions during elevated concentrations of plasma NEFA and BHB. Future research should focus on finding an optimal plasma vitamin B₁₂:folate ratio to favor cow health during the challenging period of parturition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolites in Ruminant Health)

14 pages, 3292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Methionine Hydroxy Analog on Hu Sheep Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, and Rumen Microbial Community In Vitro

by Shujie Li, Hanfang Zeng, Changjian Wang and Zhaoyu Han

Metabolites 2023, 13(2), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13020169 - 23 Jan 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1796

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of a methionine hydroxy analog (MHA) on in vitro gas production, rumen fermentation parameters, and rumen microbiota. Two different MHA, 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid isopropyl ester (HMBi) and the calcium salt of the hydroxy analog of methionine (MHA-Ca), were selected for in vitro experiments. The treatments were the Control group (0% of MHA), HMBi group (2%HMBi), and MHA-Ca group (2%MHA-Ca). Dry matter digestibility was measured after 12 h and 24 h of fermentation, and fermentation parameters and microbial composition were analyzed after 24 h. HMBi and MHA-Ca showed increased (p = 0.001) cumulative gas production in 3 h. The total volatile fatty acids, microbial protein (MCP) concentration, acetate, and acetate to propionate ratio in the HMBi and MHA-Ca groups were significantly higher than those in the Control group (p = 0.006, p = 0.002, p = 0.001, p = 0.004), and the NH₃-N concentrations in the HMBi and MHA-Ca groups were significantly lower than those in the Control group (p = 0.004). The 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the HMBi group had a higher (p = 0.039, p = 0.001, p = 0.027) relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Synergistetes and a lower relative abundance of Proteobacteria (p = 0.001) than the Control group. At the genus level, Prevotella abundance was higher (p = 0.001), while Ruminobacter abundance was lower (p = 0.001), in the HMBi and MHA-Ca groups than in the Control group. Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that the relative abundance of Prevotella_1, Streptococcus, and Desulfovibrio was positively correlated with dry matter digestibility, MCP, and fermentation parameters. MHA, thus, significantly increased gas production and altered the rumen fermentation parameters and microbiota composition of sheep. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolites in Ruminant Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 6935 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals That NEFA and β-Hydroxybutyrate Induce Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Response in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells

by Chengmin Li, Junpeng Huang, Xiangxing Chen, Yexiao Yan, Lian Li and Weiguo Zhao

Metabolites 2022, 12(11), 1060; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12111060 - 2 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1815

Abstract

Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) are the metabolites of fat mobilization initiated by negative energy balance (NEB) during the perinatal period in dairy cows, which have an adverse effect on cell physiology of various bovine cell types. The aim of this study was to explore the biological roles of NEFA and BHBA on provoking oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). RNA sequencing analysis showed that there are 1343, 48, and 1725 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in BMECs treated with NEFA, BHBA and their combination. GO functional analysis revealed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in “response to oxidative stress” and “inflammatory response”. Further study demonstrated that NEFA and BHBA elevated the malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and reduced the total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity to cause oxidative stress. In addition, expression of inflammatory markers (NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) were increased after NEFA and BHBA stimulation. Mechanistically, our data showed that NEFA and BHBA activated the MAPK signaling pathway. Collectively, our results indicate that NEFA and BHBA induce oxidative stress and inflammatory response probably via the MAPK signaling pathway in BMECs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolites in Ruminant Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1685 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physiological and Proteomic Responses of Dairy Buffalo to Heat Stress Induced by Different Altitudes

by Qin Lan, Zhiyong Cao, Xiujuan Yang and Zhaobing Gu

Metabolites 2022, 12(10), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12100909 - 27 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1589

Abstract

Buffalo are mainly distributed in low-altitude (LA), medium-altitude (MA), and high-altitude (HA) regions characterised by different thermal and oxygen environments in Yunnan province, China. Due to black skin, sparse hair, and the low density of skin sweat glands, buffalo are more sensitive to heat stress. Here, we used data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics to reveal a broad spectrum of proteins that play roles in adaptation to the heat stress of buffalo raised at low altitude or hypoxia at high altitude. LA buffalo showed higher body temperatures than MA- and HA buffalo, and HA buffalo had higher levels of GSH and SOD and lower levels of ROS compared to LA and MA buffalo. In 33 samples, 8476 peptides corresponding to 666 high-confidence proteins were detected. The levels of circulating complement proteins in the immune pathways were lower in LA and MA buffalo than in HA buffalo. There were higher levels of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein in LA buffalo than in MA and HA buffalo. Relative to MA buffalo, levels of blood oxygen delivery proteins were higher in LA and HA buffalo. A higher abundance of apolipoproteins was detected in LA and MA buffalo than in HA buffalo. In summary, buffalo adopted similar adaptation strategies to oxidative stress induced by heat stress or hypoxia, including immunological enhancement, high efficiency of blood oxygen delivery, and the inhibition of lipid oxidation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolites in Ruminant Health)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Metabolites in Ruminant Health

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI