China Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (8): 3810-3819.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2025.08.029

• Preventive Veterinary Medicine • Previous Articles    

Analysis of the Differences in Fecal Microbiota Between Diarrheic and Healthy Captive Forest Musk Deer

ZHANG Jie1, ZHENG Xueli2, JIANG Yanfen3, WANG Hongyong4, QIAO Meiping5, TANG Qingshan4, BU Shuhai1   

  1. 1. College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China;
    2. College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China;
    3. College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China;
    4. Shaanxi Zhenping Fengchun Forest Musk Deer Breeding Co., Ltd., Zhenping 725600, China;
    5. Qingchuan Jiuyao Musk Deer Industry Development Co., Ltd., Guangyuan 628100, China
  • Received:2024-10-30 Published:2025-08-02

Abstract: 【Objective】 This study aimed to comparatively analyze the differences in the composition and diversity of fecal flora between diarrheal and healthy forest musk deer under captive conditions,and identify the biomarker flora with significant differences,so as to provide a reference for the prevention and treatment of diarrhea in forest musk deer. 【Method】 Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform was used to sequence the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene in the total DNA of fecal flora of diarrhea (group D,n=10) and healthy (group H,n=10) forest musk deer,and the differences between groups D and H in the composition,diversity,biomarker flora and functions of the flora were analyzed. 【Result】 Alpha diversity analysis results showed that ACE and Chao1 indices of fecal microfiota of forest musk deer in group D were significantly higher than those of group H (P<0.05),while the Simpson and Shannon indices were lower than those of group H,with a significant difference in the Simpson index between the two groups (P<0.05).The results of Beta diversity showed that there was a significant difference in the community structure of flora between groups D and H (R2=0.55,P=0.001).The results showed that at phylum level,Firmicutes was the dominant phylum in both groups.The differential phyla included Bacteroidota,Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota.At genus level,Ruminococcaceae_UCG_005 emerged as the common dominant genus in both groups,while the differential genera included Acinetobacter,Bacteroides and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group.Group D contained 23 marker microbiota such as Olsenella,and group H had 15 marker microbiota such as Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group.Based on PICRUSt2 function prediction,it was found that compared with group H,group D was significantly increased in membrane transport,amino acid transport and metabolism,endocrine and metabolic diseases (P<0.05),and significantly decreased in the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites,cell growth and death,defense mechanisms (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Diarrhea could significantly change the composition,diversity and functional abundance of the intestinal flora of forest musk deer.The abundance of Acinetobacter,Olsenella and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group in the gut were characteristic markers of the intestinal health of forest musk deer.

Key words: forest musk deer; diarrhea; fecal microbita; diversity

CLC Number: