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Health and productivity of ruminants directly depend on the state of rumen and digestion in intestinal tract. Normal microflora protects the body from pathogenic microbes, stimulates the immune system, participates in metabolic reactions and plays an important role in energy metabolism. Disturbance of species composition of microflora in rumen under effect of various factors leads to a state of dysbiosis, disorders of products digestibility, changes in enzymatic processes and other disorders. Biologically active substances of an adaptogenic nature can show immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activity. Adaptogen lithium ascorbate has stress-protective, neurotrophic, neuroprotective, antioxidant, immunomodulatory properties. In this paper, using molecular genetic methods, the effect of lithium ascorbate on composition of rumen microbiota of sheep was studied for the first time. Composition of microbiota was determined by NGS sequencing method. In total, 37 phylums, 76 classes, 98 orders, 225 families and 894 species of microorganisms were identified. It has been determined that introduction of lithium ascorbate at a dose of 10 mg/kg of body weight into the main diet of sheep contributed to increase in proportion of cellulolytic bacteria from 73.6±1.6% to 75.4±0.9% and over 40% decrease in total number of infusoria in rumen content. Cellulolytic activity of rumen fluid in sheep of the experimental group increased by 38% compared to the animals of the control group. The number of pathogenic bacteria decreased from 2.7% in sheep of the control group to 1.6% in animals of the experimental group, while the content of beneficial bacilli increased from 0.3% to 0.5%, respectively. Content of undesirable and conditionally pathogenic microflora decreased in the sheep of experimental group. The obtained data confirm positive effect of adaptogen lithium ascorbate, introduced into diet at a dosage of 10 mg/kg of body weight, on qualitative and quantitative composition of microbiota in sheep rumen. Therefore, lithium ascorbate, a broad-spectrum adaptogen, can be recommended as a feed additive to the main diet of sheep to improve rumen digestion and increase productivity.

The paper is the fundamental beginning of research series aimed at understanding the processes associated with high performance in higher animals. The research aim is to study correlation of dicarboxylic acid cycle with tricarboxylic acid cycle with establishment of activity and dislocation of enzymes, confirming the hypothesis of availability and active metabolic participation of peroxisome in highly productive animals. Research was conducted on the basis of the VNIIFBiP animal vivarium in 2019 with a group of piglets of the Irish Landrace breed (n = 10). After slaughter at the age of 210 days, the nuclear (with large tissue particles), mitochondrial and postmitochondrial fractions of the liver were studied with assessment of succinate dehydrogenase and activity of other dehydrogenes of the Krebs cycle. It was found that peroxisomes act as universal agents of communication and cooperation, and microtelets are able to generate various chemical signals that carry information, to control and arrange a number of mechanisms in the metabolic processes in the body. Despite the fact that the Krebs cycle dehydrogenases are considered mitochondrial enzymes, the experiment showed an increase in activity of priruvate dehydrogenase (P > 0.1), isocitrate dehydrogenase (0.1 > P > 0.05) and malate dehydrogenase (0.1 > P > 0.05), which, when comparing the mitochondrial and postmitochondrial fractions, indicates a higher activity of peroxisomal fractions. The peroxisome localization place is the postmitochondrial fraction, and the lower layer contains larger peroxisomes to a greater extent, while the upper layer contains smaller ones. It was found that indicator enzymes of glyoxylate cycle isocitratliase and malate synthase exhibit catalytic activity in the peroxisomal fraction of liver of highly productive pigs. The obtained data on functioning of key glyoxylate cycle enzymes and their intracellular compartmentalization in highly productive pigs allow learning more about the specifics of metabolism and its regulation processes. Application of this knowledge in practice opens up prospects for rationalizing the production of livestock products of increased quantity, improved quality with less feed, labor and financial resources spent.