Animal health depends on a beneficial host-microbe interaction. The intestine harbors a greater number of and more diverse microorganisms than any other organ while bearing the largest reservoir of immune cells in the body. As digestive physiology is considered important, the associations with nutrients taken up with diets are complex. It has long been recognized that the nutritional status of animals can influence functions of the digestive system (i.e. the intestine and accessory organs such as the liver). Not only the proportion of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the diet is important, but the character and quality of these macronutrients are essential in determining the outcome of animal metabolic health. To describe the nature of the interplay between nutrition and digestive physiology, an integrated perspective is required, as well as the application of rigorous methods and deep analysis. During the past decades, the field of gut microbiota has advanced significantly along with the development of next-generation sequencing. Today, this technology and many other molecular tools, including RNA-Seq, metabolomics, proteomics analyses, etc., are readily available for farm animal studies and veterinary science. Thus, allowing us to gain a better understanding of the bioactive components present in food and feed, and the mechanisms of action towards desired physiological responses and diseases prevention.

The goal of this Research Topic is to collect contributions of high scientific quality that focus on the integration of diets and digestive physiology on outcomes related to animal metabolic health. In particular, to discuss the latest advances in the field of digestive physiology, to describe unique macronutrients, their functions, and signaling pathways at the molecular level, to demonstrate the application of new methods such as omics in animal nutrition and their digestive system, to develop new dietary strategies for maintaining gut health that is both ecological and economical, and finally to compare and transfer knowledge between experimental animals, livestock and human being, with the overall aim to improve host fitness.

This Research Topic welcomes the submission of manuscripts either describing original research or reviews presenting evolving concepts with special emphasis on the digestive system, how diets with a specific macronutrient content can shape its function and metabolic health. A range of issues are of interest, including, but is not limited to:

• Effects, both positive and negative, of single macronutrients on gut health in various animal species;

• Identification of unique physiological effects and new biomarkers of the digestive system that expand our knowledge;

• Specific nutrients act as stimulators or suppressors of the gut immune responses;

• Specific nutrients act as regulators of gut microbiota;

• Dietary regimens designed for prevention of metabolic diseases and their ramifications;

• Dietary regimens designed as antibiotic alternatives to improve animal health and latest advances;

• Motivations for and prevalence of use of dietary supplements in the animal industry.

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Frontiers in Veterinary Science

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