Effects of Dietary Protein and Fat Levels on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Indexes, and Rectal Fecal Microbiota of Sika Deer (<i>Cervus nippon</i>) Fawns in Early Wintering Period
This study examined the effects of dietary crude protein (CP: 18%, 15%) and crude fat (EE: 8%, 4%) levels, and their interactions, on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum indices, and rectal fecal microbiota in sika deer fawns during early wintering. A two-month 2 × 2 factorial experime...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/7/908 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850188386900377600 |
|---|---|
| author | Zuer Gao Jiaxin Tian Qiaoru Zhang Haoran Sun Qingkui Jiang Tietao Zhang |
| author_facet | Zuer Gao Jiaxin Tian Qiaoru Zhang Haoran Sun Qingkui Jiang Tietao Zhang |
| author_sort | Zuer Gao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examined the effects of dietary crude protein (CP: 18%, 15%) and crude fat (EE: 8%, 4%) levels, and their interactions, on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum indices, and rectal fecal microbiota in sika deer fawns during early wintering. A two-month 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted using 32 healthy five-month-old male fawns randomly assigned to four groups: P18E8 (18% CP, 8% EE), P18E4 (18% CP, 4% EE), P15E8 (15% CP, 8% EE), and P15E4 (15% CP, 4% EE). The P18E4 group showed the highest total weight gain and average daily gain (<i>p</i> < 0.05), along with greater apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, calcium, and fiber fractions (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Serum urea content was significantly lower in this group, indicating improved nitrogen utilization (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Dominant fecal microbiota at the phylum level across all groups included Firmicutes_A and Bacteroidota, with the P18E4 group showing a unique genus composition within <i>Bacteroidota</i>, known for enhancing fiber digestion. In summary, a diet with 18% CP and 4% EE optimized growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and gut microbiota composition, providing a strategy for improving the health and productivity of sika deer fawns during overwintering. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-90d677b90022482bb9486609c9bb153a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-90d677b90022482bb9486609c9bb153a2025-08-20T02:15:54ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-03-0115790810.3390/ani15070908Effects of Dietary Protein and Fat Levels on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Indexes, and Rectal Fecal Microbiota of Sika Deer (<i>Cervus nippon</i>) Fawns in Early Wintering PeriodZuer Gao0Jiaxin Tian1Qiaoru Zhang2Haoran Sun3Qingkui Jiang4Tietao Zhang5Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Changchun 130112, ChinaInstitute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Changchun 130112, ChinaInstitute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Changchun 130112, ChinaInstitute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Changchun 130112, ChinaPublic Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USAInstitute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Changchun 130112, ChinaThis study examined the effects of dietary crude protein (CP: 18%, 15%) and crude fat (EE: 8%, 4%) levels, and their interactions, on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum indices, and rectal fecal microbiota in sika deer fawns during early wintering. A two-month 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted using 32 healthy five-month-old male fawns randomly assigned to four groups: P18E8 (18% CP, 8% EE), P18E4 (18% CP, 4% EE), P15E8 (15% CP, 8% EE), and P15E4 (15% CP, 4% EE). The P18E4 group showed the highest total weight gain and average daily gain (<i>p</i> < 0.05), along with greater apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, calcium, and fiber fractions (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Serum urea content was significantly lower in this group, indicating improved nitrogen utilization (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Dominant fecal microbiota at the phylum level across all groups included Firmicutes_A and Bacteroidota, with the P18E4 group showing a unique genus composition within <i>Bacteroidota</i>, known for enhancing fiber digestion. In summary, a diet with 18% CP and 4% EE optimized growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and gut microbiota composition, providing a strategy for improving the health and productivity of sika deer fawns during overwintering.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/7/908young sika deerprotein levelfat levelgrowth performancenutrient absorptionserum biomarkers |
| spellingShingle | Zuer Gao Jiaxin Tian Qiaoru Zhang Haoran Sun Qingkui Jiang Tietao Zhang Effects of Dietary Protein and Fat Levels on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Indexes, and Rectal Fecal Microbiota of Sika Deer (<i>Cervus nippon</i>) Fawns in Early Wintering Period Animals young sika deer protein level fat level growth performance nutrient absorption serum biomarkers |
| title | Effects of Dietary Protein and Fat Levels on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Indexes, and Rectal Fecal Microbiota of Sika Deer (<i>Cervus nippon</i>) Fawns in Early Wintering Period |
| title_full | Effects of Dietary Protein and Fat Levels on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Indexes, and Rectal Fecal Microbiota of Sika Deer (<i>Cervus nippon</i>) Fawns in Early Wintering Period |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Dietary Protein and Fat Levels on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Indexes, and Rectal Fecal Microbiota of Sika Deer (<i>Cervus nippon</i>) Fawns in Early Wintering Period |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Dietary Protein and Fat Levels on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Indexes, and Rectal Fecal Microbiota of Sika Deer (<i>Cervus nippon</i>) Fawns in Early Wintering Period |
| title_short | Effects of Dietary Protein and Fat Levels on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Indexes, and Rectal Fecal Microbiota of Sika Deer (<i>Cervus nippon</i>) Fawns in Early Wintering Period |
| title_sort | effects of dietary protein and fat levels on growth performance nutrient digestibility serum indexes and rectal fecal microbiota of sika deer i cervus nippon i fawns in early wintering period |
| topic | young sika deer protein level fat level growth performance nutrient absorption serum biomarkers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/7/908 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zuergao effectsofdietaryproteinandfatlevelsongrowthperformancenutrientdigestibilityserumindexesandrectalfecalmicrobiotaofsikadeericervusnipponifawnsinearlywinteringperiod AT jiaxintian effectsofdietaryproteinandfatlevelsongrowthperformancenutrientdigestibilityserumindexesandrectalfecalmicrobiotaofsikadeericervusnipponifawnsinearlywinteringperiod AT qiaoruzhang effectsofdietaryproteinandfatlevelsongrowthperformancenutrientdigestibilityserumindexesandrectalfecalmicrobiotaofsikadeericervusnipponifawnsinearlywinteringperiod AT haoransun effectsofdietaryproteinandfatlevelsongrowthperformancenutrientdigestibilityserumindexesandrectalfecalmicrobiotaofsikadeericervusnipponifawnsinearlywinteringperiod AT qingkuijiang effectsofdietaryproteinandfatlevelsongrowthperformancenutrientdigestibilityserumindexesandrectalfecalmicrobiotaofsikadeericervusnipponifawnsinearlywinteringperiod AT tietaozhang effectsofdietaryproteinandfatlevelsongrowthperformancenutrientdigestibilityserumindexesandrectalfecalmicrobiotaofsikadeericervusnipponifawnsinearlywinteringperiod |