Inoculation with rumen fluid in early life accelerates the rumen microbial development and favours the weaning process in goats.

This study demonstrated that inoculation of young ruminants with fresh rumen fluid from adult animals accelerated the rumen microbial colonization which was associated with an earlier rumen functional development. This strategy facilitated a smoother transition from milk to solid feed favoring the animal performance during post-weaning and minimizing stress.