Maternal supplementation with rumen-protected arginine reshapes the ileal microbiome and enhances neonatal lamb growth

Key Points

• The aim is to assess how maternal supplementation with rumen-protected arginine affects lamb growth and the ileal microbiome.
• Administered rumen-protected arginine to maternal ewes during lactation
• Measured colostrum levels of IGF-1 and lactoferrin
• Analyzed the ileal microbiome composition and hepatic metabolism
• Increased levels of colostrum IGF-1 and lactoferrin
• Enrichment of ileal Bacteroidota and Prevotella species
• Enhanced early growth rates in neonatal lambs without reducing milk protein production