000167947 001__ 167947 000167947 005__ 20260122172506.0 000167947 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1002/jsfa.70359 000167947 0248_ $$2sideral$$a147338 000167947 037__ $$aART-2025-147338 000167947 041__ $$aeng 000167947 100__ $$aMuñoz-Grein, Jennifer$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000167947 245__ $$aIn vitro screening of essential oil blends, probiotics and prebiotics to optimize post‐weaning in artificially reared ruminants: effects on rumen fermentation and gut health indicators in Caco‐2 cells 000167947 260__ $$c2025 000167947 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted 000167947 5203_ $$aBACKGROUND: Weaning represents a significant digestive challenge for dairy ruminants due to their underdeveloped rumenmicrobiota resulting from early separation from their dams shortly after birth. This study aimed to optimize the weaning pro-cess by evaluating six commercial feed additives, including four blends of essential oils (BEOs), a probiotic (live yeast) and a pre-biotic (pectin). The effects on rumen fermentation were evaluated using batch cultures with rumen inocula collected at thepost-weaning period from artificially reared lambs, whereas the effects on gut health indicators were assessed using Caco-2 cellmonolayers.RESULTS: Most tested additives showed minor benefits on rumen fermentation, even at higher doses (600 mg L−1 ). A BEO con-taining turmeric, thymol and yeast cell wall promoted a shift towards propionic fermentation, whereas supplementation withpectin decreased NH3 -N concentrations. Conversely, all four BEOs positively influenced intestinal health, resulting in improvedCaco-2 cell viability and lower levels of pro-inflammatory interleukin-6.CONCLUSION: Modulating rumen fermentation during the post-weaning in artificially reared lambs is challenging due to theirimmature rumen microbiota, absence of protozoa, and low rumen pH. Nevertheless, this in vitro study suggests that certainBEOs may enhance intestinal health by improving cell viability and reducing inflammation. Further in vivo studies are neededto confirm these findings. 000167947 536__ $$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/AEI/MICNN/PID2021-123206OB-I00$$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/RYC2019-027764-I/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 000167947 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess$$aAll rights reserved$$uhttp://www.europeana.eu/rights/rr-f/ 000167947 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion 000167947 700__ $$0(orcid)0009-0005-9117-8617$$aLópez, Rut$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000167947 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0001-8056-5236$$aSolanas, Estela$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000167947 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-0712-1185$$aFondevila, Manuel$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000167947 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0001-5880-6021$$aBelanche, Alejandro$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000167947 7102_ $$11003$$2027$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Anatom.Histolog.Humanas$$cArea Anatom.Embriol.Humana 000167947 7102_ $$12008$$2700$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Produc.Animal Cienc.Ali.$$cÁrea Producción Animal 000167947 773__ $$g(2025), [12 pp.]$$pJ. Sci. Food Agric.$$tJournal of the science of food and agriculture$$x0022-5142 000167947 8564_ $$s381120$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/167947/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yPostprint$$zinfo:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2026-12-04 000167947 8564_ $$s1603251$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/167947/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yPostprint$$zinfo:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2026-12-04 000167947 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:167947$$particulos$$pdriver 000167947 951__ $$a2026-01-22-16:07:34 000167947 980__ $$aARTICLE