Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41964093›Full record

ArticleAnimal microbiome2026

Phytosterols improve feed efficiency in yaks by enriching rumen Succiniclasticum.

Qi Wang, Chen Duan, Hongjian Dai, Donghai Lv, Zunji Shi, Najuma Joshi, Martin Gierus, Weiyun Zhu, Lizhuang Hao, Yanfen Cheng

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Animal microbiome, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Qi WangLaboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Chen DuanLaboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Hongjian DaiLaboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Donghai LvLaboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Zunji ShiState Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Najuma JoshiDepartment of Animal Life and Environmental Science, Hankyong National University, Anseong-si, 456-749, South Korea.
Martin GierusDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Livestock Products and Nutrition Physiology, BOKU University, Vienna, 1190, Austria.
Weiyun ZhuLaboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Lizhuang HaoKey Laboratory of Plateau Grazing Animal Nutrition and Feed Science of Qinghai Province, Qinghai University, Xining, 810016, China. lizhuanghao1122@foxmail.com.
Yanfen ChengLaboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. yanfencheng@njau.edu.cn.

Funding

Leading talent of "Kunlun Talents High-level Innovation and Entrepreneurial Talents" in Qinghai Province QHKLYC-GDCXCY-2024-071National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFD1302103Qinghai Provincial Natural Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars 2024-ZJ-905Qinghai University Graduate Supervisor Innovation Team 2025, L.Z.H.Qinghai University Research Ability Enhancement Project 2025KTST04
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundYaks are important livestock species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), but their productivity is constrained by the harsh alpine environment and the seasonal scarcity of forage resources. Improving feed efficiency has become the key to the sustainable development of Plateau Yak breeding industry. Phytosterols have shown a good application prospect in ruminant feed efficiency improvement, but the impact on yaks is not clear. This study explored the effects of dietary phytosterols supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, rumen microbial community structure and metabolic function of yaks fed in a barn.

resultsTwenty-eight 1.5-year-old male yaks (137.10 ± 8.70 kg) were randomly divided into two groups after 28 days of pre feeding period: the control group (Con, n = 14) was fed with basic diet, and the experimental group (PS, n = 14) was added with 200 mg/kg phytosterols in concentrate. The formal test period was 60 days. Compared with Con group, PS group significantly increased average daily gain (P = 0.001), apparent digestibility of crude protein (P = 0.036) and neutral detergent fiber (P = 0.006), and reduced feed conversion rate (P = 0.002). The rumen fermentation mode of PS group changed, the proportion of propionate increased significantly (P = 0.001), while the proportion of acetate (P = 0.006), acetate to propionate ratio (P = 0.001) and lactate (P = 0.035) concentration decreased significantly. Phytosterols significantly changed the structure of rumen microbial community and significantly increased the copy number of rumen bacteria (P < 0.05). Metatranscriptomic analysis showed that PS group significantly increased the relative abundance of key bacteria, including Succiniclasticum, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Butyrivibrio, and Alistipes (P < 0.05). Microbial co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the number of edges, average degree and modular index of microbial community structure network in PS group increased. Rumen function analysis showed that glycolysis / gluconeogenesis and propionate metabolism were significantly enhanced in PS group (P < 0.05), and the expression of key enzymes such as hexokinase and fumarate hydratase were significantly enhanced (P < 0.05). Metabolomic analysis revealed that phosphoenolpyruvic acid, fumarate and methylmalonyl-CoA were significantly accumulated in the rumen of PS group (P < 0.05). Pathway analysis showed that the pathway impact value of propionate metabolism and glycolysis / gluconeogenesis was greater than 0.1.

conclusionsPhytosterols (200 mg/kg of concentrate) can effectively improve the feed efficiency of yaks by regulating the structure and function of rumen microorganisms and altering the fermentation patterns.

Indexed as

Feed efficiencyPhytosterolsRumen fermentationRumen microbiomeYak

Identifiers

PMID41964093
PMCPMC13185410

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.