Targeting gut microbiota in bone health of livestock and poultry: roles of short-chain fatty acids

The regulation and maintenance of bone metabolic homeostasis plays a pivotal role in animal skeletal health. Several skeletal diseases have been confirmed to be closely related to ecological dysbiosis and structural changes in the gut microbiota. Gut microbiota and its metabolites, mainly short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), affect almost all organs, including the skeleton. SCFAs positively affect bone healing by acting directly on cells involved in fracture healing or by shaping appropriate anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory responses. Moreover, recent studies have shown that SCFAs play a biological role in regulating bone metabolism in four areas: immune function, calcium absorption, osteogenesis and osteolysis, thus havingpotential benefits in maintaining bone health in livestock and poultry. This review focuses on the role of SCFAs in the regulation of bone metabolism by gut microbiota and provides a theoretical basis for studies related to bone health in livestock and poultry.