Lay Summary This study explored how the livers of young goats adapt when they switch from their mother’s milk to solid feed. This dietary change requires major metabolic adjustments, but how the liver manages this shift at the molecular level is not well understood. We analyzed liver tissue from goat kids at several key growth stages—from birth through weaning—and studied changes in gene activity and regulatory networks involved in metabolism and immunity. We found that during the milk-feeding stage, genes related to fat production are very active, helping the kids grow quickly. After weaning, when solid food is introduced, the liver relies less on making its own fat. We also discovered important genetic networks that help control how the liver handles dietary change and supports the immune system during this transition. Some of these networks involve non-coding RNAs that influence how genes are turned on or off. These findings improve our understanding of the molecular basis of liver development and metabolic adaptation in young ruminants.
Li et al. (Mon,) studied this question.