Host metabolome and faecal microbiome shows potential interactions impacted by age and weaning times in calves

Abstract

The present study reported that weaning at 17 weeks of age was beneficial due to higher growth rate of late-weaned calves during days 42-98 and a quick adaptability of microbiota to weaning-related dietary changes during day 112, suggesting an age-dependent maturation of the gastrointestinal tract. However, the respective plasma samples of late-weaned calves contained several metabolites with differential concentrations to the early-weaned group, suggesting a less abrupt but more-persistent effect of dietary changes on host metabolome compared to the microbiome.