Abstract

(1) Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the modulatory effects of thiamine on BHBA metabolism, milk yield, and the rumen microbial ecosystem. (2) Methods: A total of 24 SCK dairy cows with similar body conditions were selected and randomly allocated to SCK (SCK) or SCK with thiamine supplement (SCKT) treatment. Twelve healthy dairy cows served as the control (CON) treatment. Milk yield, milk quality, ruminal fermentability parameters, rumen and fecal microbial communities were further measured. (3) Results: Thiamine significantly decreased BHBA content, milk CFUs, and somatic cells, while significantly increasing milk yield, milk fat, acetate, and the A/P ratio (p< 0.05). Thiamine-treated cows exhibited significantly increased ruminal and fecalProteobacteriabut significantly decreased ruminalFirmicutes(p< 0.05) as well as fecalSpirochaetesandCyanobacteria(p< 0.05), compared with SCK cows. Functional analysis showed that differential rumen bacteria exhibited high energy metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, while the metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides were the primary functional pathways of differential fecal microbiota. (4) Conclusions: Thiamine supplementation in SCK cows effectively alleviated subclinical ketosis by reducing BHBA content, enhancing ruminal fermentability, and proliferating rumen microbial communities, leading to improved milk yield in the early-lactation period.