He Xuanzhen, Xiao Tingting, Fang Jing, Zhang Peng, Luo Shenghui, Han Sufang, Wu Yuansheng, Li Lizhen, Cao Zhihao, Ji Yuhan, Dong Guixin, Deng Baichuan
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Chimelong Group Co., Guangzhou 511430, China.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Apr 4;15(7):1053. doi: 10.3390/ani15071053.
In order to optimize diets for Bengal tiger cubs and improve their health condition and survival rates, we conducted microbiota and metabolomics analyses on fecal samples from Bengal tiger cubs fed goat and dog milk replacer formulae. The results showed that there were significant differences in fecal microorganisms and metabolites between the two groups. At the phylum level, the major components of the microbial composition in the feces of cubs were Firmicutes, Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota and Fusobacteriota. In addition, the abundance of gut microbiota varied significantly between the two groups of tiger cubs. The fecal microbiota of the tiger cubs fed dog milk replacer powder exhibited an increase in probiotic bacteria ( and ) ( < 0.05), and the microbial community tended to be more balanced. Metabolomics data further elucidated that feeding different milk formulae significantly affected the fecal metabolites and metabolic pathways in the Bengal tiger cubs. In the dog milk replacer powder group, 76 metabolites were up-regulated ( < 0.05), and 278 metabolites were down-regulated ( < 0.05), particularly affecting the metabolism of vitamin D3, vitamin B5, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine and oleic acid. At the same time, 19 metabolic pathways were affected ( < 0.05), including the amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism and nucleotide metabolism pathways. In conclusion, this study confirms that milk formula composition affects the gut microbiota and metabolism of Bengal tiger cubs. These findings may provide new insights into how different milk powder formulae and dietary strategies influence the regulation of gut microbiota and overall health in Bengal tiger cubs.
为了优化孟加拉虎幼崽的饮食，改善它们的健康状况和存活率，我们对喂食山羊奶和狗奶粉配方的孟加拉虎幼崽的粪便样本进行了微生物群和代谢组学分析。结果表明，两组之间的粪便微生物和代谢物存在显著差异。在门水平上，幼崽粪便中微生物组成的主要成分是厚壁菌门、放线菌门、变形菌门、拟杆菌门和梭杆菌门。此外，两组虎幼崽的肠道微生物群丰度差异显著。喂食狗奶粉的虎幼崽粪便微生物群中益生菌（和）增加（<0.05），微生物群落趋于更加平衡。代谢组学数据进一步阐明，喂食不同的奶配方显著影响孟加拉虎幼崽的粪便代谢物和代谢途径。在狗奶粉组中，76种代谢物上调（<0.05），278种代谢物下调（<0.05），尤其影响维生素D3、维生素B5、异亮氨酸、缬氨酸、苯丙氨酸和油酸的代谢。同时，19条代谢途径受到影响（<0.05），包括氨基酸代谢、脂质代谢和核苷酸代谢途径。总之，本研究证实奶配方组成会影响孟加拉虎幼崽的肠道微生物群和代谢。这些发现可能为不同奶粉配方和饮食策略如何影响孟加拉虎幼崽肠道微生物群的调节和整体健康提供新的见解。
