Objective: To compare volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration and microbiota in faeces between healthy and diarrhoeal piglets.
Methods: Fecal samples from healthy and diarrhoeal piglets were collected. VFA concentration was determined by GC analysis. Total bacterial DNA was extracted and used for molecular analysis of microbiota.
Results: As compared to healthy piglets, the concentration of acetate in feces of diarrhoeal piglets tended to increase, while branched chain fatty acid (BCFA) decreased significantly (p < 0.05), total VFA (TVFA), propionate and butyrate tended to decrease. The ratio of acetate to TVFA in faeces of diarrhoeal piglets was significantly higher than that in healthy piglets (p < 0.05), while the ratio of propionate and BFVA to TVFA decreased significantly after diarrhoea (p < 0.05). DGGE analysis of total bacterial community and Clostridium cluster IV group showed no significant changes in both bacterial community were found in faeces of piglets after diarrhoea. Similarity analysis of DGGE profiles revealed that faecal samples of diarrhoeal piglets tended to gather in the same cluster. Real-time PCR results showed that as compared to healthy piglets, the 16S rRNA gene copies of total bacteria and Clostridium cluster IV decreased significantly in faeces of piglets after Diarrhea (p < 0.05), while there was no significant change in the numbers of E coli and Lactobacilli.
Conclusion: VFA composition in faeces of diarrhoeal piglets changed accompanying with the shift of microbiota as compared to healthy piglets.