The ileal microbiome and mucosal immune profiles in response to dietary supplementation of ultra-grinded Astragalus membranaceus in weaned goats

Weaning goats are susceptible to diarrhea and have weakened immune functions due to physiological, dietary and environmental stresses. ( ), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, has been shown to improve growth performance and immunity in weaned ruminants. However, the influence mechanism of on intestinal microbiota and mucosal immunity in weaned goats is still unknown. This study investigated the effects of ultra-grinded (UGAM) on the immune function and microbial community in the ileum of weaned goats. Eighteen healthy weaned Xiangdong black goats (BW, 5.30 ± 1.388 kg) were used in a study of completely randomized block design with 28 days long. The animals were randomly assigned to either a basal diet supplemented with 10 g/d of milk replacer (CON, = 9) or the CON diet supplemented with 10 g/head UGAM (UGAM, = 9). Supplementation of UGAM increased (