Microbial flora of the ileum of fine-wool Merino lambs

Maternal nutritional status during gestation and lactation constitutes a critical determinant of offspring growth performance in sheep. Strategic supplementation with rumen-protected arginine (RP-Arg) during key reproductive phases elicits maternal metabolic adaptations that support fetal developmental homeostasis. However, the persistent impacts of such modifications on postnatal lamb growth and immune competence remain elusive. A comparative approach integrating 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics profiling was employed to delineate the differential effects of maternal dietary regimens - control (CON), supplementary forage (SF), and rumen-protected arginine (ARG) - on offspring intestinal microbiota restructuring and hepatic metabolic reprogramming. This study elucidates a novel maternal-neonatal crosstalk mechanism whereby strategic RP-Arg augmentation of supplementary forage (SF) regimens during ovine reproductive phases potentiates offspring developmental advantages through a dual-axis modulation: (1) lactogenic reprogramming (LF, IGF-1) enhancing intestinal barrier integrity, and (2) hepatic metabolic dynamics redirecting amino acid flux towards anabolism, ultimately orchestrating synergistic improvements in growth trajectory and immune ontogeny in grazing systems.