animal-nutrition
Animal nutrition is the scientific study of dietary nutrient requirements for animals, encompassing the roles of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals in supporting animal health and productivity. In plant science, this field is closely linked because plants form the foundation of most animal diets, driving research into how plant composition, bioavailability of nutrients, and secondary metabolites influence animal health outcomes. Understanding animal nutritional needs in turn shapes plant breeding and agronomic goals, guiding efforts to optimize crop quality for feed and forage applications.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-04-02
Researchers mapped the gut bacteria of wild boars across four countries and found that diet and lifestyle — not species — determine the makeup of the pig gut microbiome. They also discovered 538 previously unknown microbial species capable of breaking down plant fibers, offering potential tools to improve fiber digestion in farmed pigs.
Researchers assembled 3,288 high-quality microbial genomes representing 968 distinct species, of which 538 (55%) were previously unknown to science.
Gut microbiome composition was determined by diet and lifestyle rather than host species, splitting into two community types: C1 (81% wild/foraging animals) and C2 (93% captive/fed domestic pigs).
Wild boars (C1) showed lower microbial diversity despite their varied plant-rich diet, suggesting that unpredictable food availability favors fewer highly adaptable bacterial species over a rich community.