{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,15]],"date-time":"2026-01-15T20:51:06Z","timestamp":1768510266806,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,11]],"date-time":"2026-01-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768089600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Program","award":["Grant No. 32361143788"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Grant No. 32361143788"]}]},{"name":"the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation General Project","award":["Grant No. 2024GXNSFAA010387"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Grant No. 2024GXNSFAA010387"]}]},{"name":"the Guangxi Dairy Buffalo Innovation Team of National Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System","award":["Grant No. nycytxgxcxtd-2021-21-03"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Grant No. nycytxgxcxtd-2021-21-03"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Rosemary extract (RE), rich in carnosic and rosmarinic acid, which have antibacterial\/antioxidant\/anti-inflammatory effects, is a potential natural feed supplement for heat-stressed dairy buffaloes. This study systematically evaluated dietary RE effects on dairy buffaloes during hot weather. Twenty Mediterranean dairy buffaloes were randomly allocated into two groups for a 35-day trial: the control (CON) group receiving a basal diet, and the RE group receiving the same basal diet supplemented with 20 g\/d of RE. Results showed RE tended to reduce buffalo body surface temperature; increased milk production, 4% fat-corrected milk, milk protein, lactose, and solids-not-fat; and optimized milk fatty acid profiles. In regard to blood, the RE group exhibited higher catalase activity, total antioxidant capacity, and concentrations of immunoglobulin A and M, together with lower concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1\u03b2 and tumor necrosis factor-\u03b1. Additionally, RE markedly elevated concentrations of total volatile fatty acid, acetate, propionate, and butyrate; improved microbial \u03b1-diversity indices (Sobs and Ace); and increased the abundances of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Butyrivibrio spp., as well as the enrichment of multiple genera belonging to the family Lachnospiraceae. In conclusion, supplementing the diet of heat-stressed dairy buffaloes with 20 g\/d of RE improves milk production and composition-related performance by optimizing the rumen ecosystem and enhancing systemic health status, with these effects observed as short-term responses under the conditions of the present study.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani16020216","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]],"date-time":"2026-01-12T07:30:34Z","timestamp":1768203034000},"page":"216","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Supplementation of Rosemary Extract Improves Lactation Performance and Rumen Function in Dairy Buffaloes Under Hot Weather"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1111-4607","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yinghui","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Guangxi Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Reproduction and Breeding, Guangxi Buffalo Research Institute, Nanning 530001, China"},{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China"},{"name":"Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chenglong","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China"},{"name":"Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hanxing","family":"Yao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China"},{"name":"Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Pingting","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China"},{"name":"Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5085-9647","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mengwei","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Guangxi Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Reproduction and Breeding, Guangxi Buffalo Research Institute, Nanning 530001, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xingguo","family":"Huang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China"},{"name":"Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3000-1253","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chengjian","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Guangxi Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Reproduction and Breeding, Guangxi Buffalo Research Institute, Nanning 530001, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2131","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(03)73803-X","article-title":"Effects of heat-stress on production in dairy cattle","volume":"86","author":"West","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. 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