Abstract
Probiotics are intended to provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora. The health problems of forest musk deer (FMD, Moschus berezovskii), a threatened species currently under conservation, restrict the development of captive musk deer. This study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the effects of forest musk deer compound probiotics (FMDPs) on weight, immunity performance and fecal microbiota in FMD by measuring average daily weight gain (ADG) and immune-related factors and by using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate differences in the fecal microbiota among the control group (4 samples), treatment group A (4 samples) and treatment group B (4 samples). The results showed that the ADG of treatment groups A and B was significantly higher than that of the control group (p = 0.032, p = 0.018). The increase in IgA and IgG levels in treatment group B was significantly higher than that in the control group (p = 0.02, p = 0.011). At the phylum and genus levels, the difference in bacterial community structure was significant between treatment group B and the control group. Both the alpha diversity and beta diversity results showed significant differences in the microbiota of FMD before and after FMDP feeding. In summary, the results indicated that FMDPs could promote the growth of growing FMD, improve immunity and balance the role of intestinal microbes.
Highlights
Probiotics are intended to provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora
On day 30 and day 60, there were no significant differences in the average daily feed intake of the control group and treatment groups
A study on the effects of complex probiotics (B. licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis) on the weight of calves showed that addition of probiotics to the diet increased the average daily weight gain (ADG) and body mass index of calves aged 0–8 weeks[23]
Summary
Probiotics are intended to provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora. Some inhibitors have been identified, including organic acids[5] This type of acidic substance can reduce the surrounding pH and effectively inhibit the growth and reproduction of various pathogenic bacteria but has no influence on the surrounding probiotics and can eventually establish a microecological environment dominated by probiotics in the intestinal tract[6]. This mechanism has been confirmed by Marwati and Cahyaningrum who performed the bacteriocin activity test on the natural supernatant of Lactobacillus SCG 1223 and found the bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus SCG 1223 could inhibit the activity of L. monocytogenes, S. thypimurium and E. coli.[7].
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