Effects of different milk powders on the growth and intestinal flora in weaned rats: Comparison of special formula milk powder with ordinary milk powder

Abstract The objective of this investigation was to examine the effects of distinct dosages of infant formula and diverse formula constituents on the growth and development of weaned rats. Fifty specific pathogen‐free (SPF) male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats aged 3 weeks were divided into the basic diet group, 20% ordinary milk powder group, 20% special formula milk powder group, 30% ordinary milk powder group, and 30% special formula milk powder group randomly. After 28 days of feeding, compared with the basic diet group, the body mass and brain/body weight of rats in the 30% ordinary and special formula milk powder groups were decreased. At the Genus level, Bacteroides in the group supplemented with 20% special formula milk powder was significantly lower than that in the basic diet group, and Parabacteroide s was significantly lower than that in the 20% ordinary milk powder group. Lactobacillus was significantly higher than those in the basic diet group and the 20% ordinary milk powder group, and Blautia was significantly higher than those in the basic diet group and the 20% and 30% ordinary milk powder groups, and UBA1819 was significantly higher than those in the other groups. The abundance of Parasutterella in the basic diet group was significantly higher than those in the groups supplemented with 20% ordinary milk powder, 20% special formula milk powder, and 30% ordinary milk powder. This study found that different doses and different formula components of infant milk powder could affect body mass and intestinal flora in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats, and the addition of low‐dose (20%) special formula infant milk powder can increase the beneficial bacteria in the intestinal flora of rats and may reduce the pathogenic bacteria.