Gut Microbiota of Ruminants and Monogastric Livestock: An Overview

The diversity and composition of the gut microbiota are widely recognized as funda-mental factors influencing the well-being and productivity of domestic animals. Ad-vancements in sequencing technologies have revolutionized studies in this research field, allowing for deeper insights into the composition and functionality of microbiota in livestock. Ruminants and monogastric animals exhibit distinct digestive systems and microbiota characteristics: ruminants rely on fermentation, while monogastrics use enzymatic digestion, and monogastric animals have simpler stomach structures, except for horses and rabbits, where both processes coexist. Understanding the gut mi-crobiota’s impact and composition in both animal types is essential for optimizing production efficiency and promoting animal health. Following this perspective, the present manuscript review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the gut mi-crobiota in ruminants (such as cattle, sheep, and goats) and monogastric animals (in-cluding horses, pigs, rabbits, and chickens).