Tibetan herbal formulations, rooted in traditional medicine, offer natural interventions to enhance livestock health. This study investigated the effects of three Tibetan herbal compound formulations on the gut microbiota of weaned female yaks, which frequently experience health challenges at high altitude. A total of 48 yaks were assigned to four groups (n=12), receiving either one of three herbal-supplemented diets (WYA, WYB, WYC) or unsupplemented fodder (WYD, control) for 30 days. Serum antioxidant parameters including total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using commercial assay kits, and statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA. Yaks fed diets supplemented with Tibetan herbal formulations exhibited higher T-AOC, SOD, GSH-Px activities and lower MDA levels as compared to the control group (WYD). High-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing revealed significant shifts in microbial diversity and composition. Beta diversity analyses indicated distinct microbial structures in treated groups, with enriched genera such as Akkermansia, Clostridium, and Ruminococcus in WYA and WYB, potentially enhancing gut barrier function and nutrient metabolism. Differential species analysis (Venn diagrams, heatmaps, t-tests, LDA) further confirmed group-specific taxonomic variation at phylum and genus levels. The improvement in antioxidant capacity corresponded with reduced MDA concentration in supplemented groups. These findings demonstrate that Tibetan herbal formulations dynamically modulate gut microbiota, offering a scientific basis for their use in improving yak health, resilience, and sustainable husbandry practices in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

To Cite This Article: Cidan Y, Cisang Z, Tian J, Zhang X, Safdar M, Pubu P, Zhu Y and Basang W, 2025. Tibetan herbal formulations enhanced the antioxidant capacity of weaned female yaks by modulating the gut microbiota. Pak Vet J, 45(4): 1686-1697. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2025.xxx