# Oral Administration of Lactobacillus amylovorus Alleviates Diarrhea by Restoring Gut Microbiota and SCFAs in Neonatal Goats

## TL;DR

Feeding neonatal goats a specific probiotic bacteria helps reduce diarrhea by improving gut health and restoring important gut chemicals.

## Contribution

This study is the first to show that Lactobacillus amylovorus restores SCFAs in neonatal goats with diarrhea.

## Key findings

- Probiotic-treated goats fully recovered from diarrhea within two weeks.
- Lactobacillus amylovorus restored SCFA levels like butyrate, acetate, and propionate in treated goats.
- The probiotic partially restored gut microbial diversity in diarrheic goats.

## Abstract

In newborn goats, diarrheic kid syndrome is a complex illness marked by systemic dysfunction and abnormalities in metabolism. Our study shows a clear connection between dysbiosis and abnormal blood biochemistry, providing new insights into the involvement of gut and gastric dysbiosis in diarrhea etiology. These findings demonstrate the significant influence of Lactobacillus amylovorus treatment on the gut microbial composition and point to its potential for regulating gut health.

Diarrhea in kids is a significant health and economic concern for small-scale ruminant farms. This study aims to investigate the properties of Lactobacillus amylovorus as a treatment for kids with diarrhea and its effect on the composition of the gut microbiota. A total of 20 neonatal goats (approximately 2 months old) were divided into three groups: healthy control (HC, n = 4), diarrhea (D, n = 8), and diarrhea treated with probiotic (DT, n = 8). We tracked gut microbial profiles, fecal consistency, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and clinical symptoms. Probiotic-treated kids recovered fully from diarrhea within two weeks, while their untreated counterparts showed signs of clinical deterioration and gradual emaciation. Kids with diarrhea had lower microbial richness, according to alpha diversity analysis, and this was only partially restored after probiotic treatment. The kids with diarrhea had the lowest Shannon, ACE, Simpson, Dominance, Pielou-e, and Chao1 indices compared to the HC group, while the administration of Lactobacillus amylovorus significantly (p < 0.05) restored their normal enrichment in the DT group compared to the D group. The healthy group had a higher abundance of Verrucomicrobiota, while Firmicutes and Bacteroidota predominated in all groups. Bacteroides and Akkermansia predominated in the healthy and treated groups. At the genus level, analysis showed elevated levels of Escherichia-Shigella and UCG-005 in kids with diarrhea. In addition, the concentration of each SCFA in the D group was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than in the HC group. This study provides novel evidence that Lactobacillus amylovorus administration not only alleviates diarrhea but also uniquely restores the production of key SCFAs—including butyrate, acetate, and propionate—in neonatal goats, a finding not previously reported in this species. The concurrent recovery of microbial diversity and SCFA profiles highlights the dual mechanistic potential of Lactobacillus amylovorus as a gut microbiota modulator and metabolic therapeutic in young ruminants. These results lend credence to its potential as a probiotic treatment for small ruminant enteric diseases.