Simple SummaryThe rumen, as a unique digestive organ of ruminants, is vitally important to their growth and production, while the rumen of young ruminants is not fully developed. Previous studies have proven that early solid diet supplementation can significantly promote the development of rumen and improve their growth performance. However, the changes in the expressed proteome and related metabolism in rumen epithelium in response to a supplemented solid diet remains unclear. In this study, we confirmed that a solid diet significantly promoted the growth performance, rumen fermentation, and rumen epithelial development of goat kids. According to proteomic analysis, we further identified the proteins and pathways related to cell growth and volatile acid metabolism which were significantly changed via solid diet supplementation. This study can support the optimal breeding strategy to improve the performance and the growth potential of young ruminants.AbstractIt is well known that solid diet supplementation in early life can significantly promote rumen development and metabolic function in young ruminants. However, the changes in the expressed proteome and related metabolism in rumen epithelium in response to a supplemented solid diet remain unclear. In this study, rumen epithelial tissue from goats in three diet regimes including milk replacer only (MRO), milk replacer supplemented concentrate (MRC), and milk replacer supplemented concentrate plus alfalfa pellets (MCA) were collected for measurement of the expression of epithelial proteins using proteomic technology (six per group). The results showed that solid diet significantly improved the growth performance of goats, enhanced the ability of rumen fermentation, and promoted the development of epithelial papilla (p< 0.05). Proteome analysis revealed the distinct difference in the expressed protein in the MRC and MCA group compared with the MRO group (42 upregulated proteins and 79 downregulated proteins in MRC; 38 upregulated proteins and 73 downregulated proteins in MCA). Functional analysis showed that solid diet supplementation activated a variety of molecular functions in the epithelium, including protein binding, ATP binding, structural constituent of muscle, etc., in the MRC and MCA groups. Meanwhile, the expression of proteins related to fatty acid metabolism, the PPAR signaling pathway, valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation, and butanoate metabolism were upregulated, being stimulated by solid feed. In contrast, the proteins associated with carbohydrate digestion and absorption and glycosaminoglycan degradation were downregulated. In addition, the protein expression of enzymes involved in ketone body synthesis in the rumen was generally activated, which was caused by solid feed. In summary, solid feed promoted the development of rumen epithelium by changing the expression of proteins related to fatty acid metabolism, energy synthesis, and signal transduction. The ketone body synthesis pathway might be the most important activated pathway, and provides energy for rumen development.