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Early consumption of starter feed promotes rumen development in lambs. We examined rumen development in lambs fed starter feed for 5 weeks using histological and biochemical analyses and by performing high-throughput sequencing in rumen tissues. Additionally, rumen contents of starter feed-fed lambs were compared to those of breast milk-fed controls. Our physiological and biochemical findings revealed that early starter consumption facilitated rumen development, changed the pattern of ruminal fermentation, and increased the amylase and carboxymethylcellulase activities of rumen micro-organisms. RNA-seq analysis revealed 225 differentially expressed genes between the rumens of breast milk- and starter feed-fed lambs. These DEGs were involved in many metabolic pathways, particularly lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and included HMGCL and HMGCS2. Sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA genes revealed that ruminal bacterial communities were more diverse in breast milk-than in starter feed-fed lambs, and each group had a distinct microbiota. We conclude that early starter feeding is beneficial to rumen development and physiological function in lambs. The underlying mechanism may involve the stimulation of ruminal ketogenesis and butanoate metabolism via HMGCL and HMGCS2 combined with changes in the fermentation type induced by ruminal microbiota. Overall, this study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of rumen development in sheep.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore consumers’ intention to purchase genetically modified (GM) food from the perspective of risk information. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model was proposed in which intention to purchase GM food is stimulated by the combination and complex effects of knowledge, risk perception, information need, information seeking and attitude. A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted in Jinan, Shandong Province. A total of 757 valid samples (55.6 percent of women vs men) were involved to conduct structural equation model analysis. Findings Results demonstrated that attitude is the most important predictor of intention to purchase GM food. Attitude, in turn, is predicted by risk perception and information seeking. Risk perception is a significant determinant of information need and information seeking. Moreover, information need influences information seeking. Finally, knowledge plays a critical role in risk perception and intention. Overall, the explained variance of the model is 66 percent. Originality/value The study provides new insights explaining intention to purchase GM food by constructing a conceptual model from the perspective of risk information. In this model, knowledge, risk perception, information need and information seeking are all based on information related to GM food, resulting in attitude and intention to purchase.

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