Gut microbiome analysis in giant panda newborns during the dietary changing from colostrum to mature milk

Breast milk is irreplaceable for captive giant panda growth, while few studies have been conducted to evaluate the potential impacts of breast milk at different stages of lactation on the development of the gut microbiome in newborns. This study observed substantial differences in gut microbial composition of giant panda newborns as they transitioned from colostrum to mature milk. Higher abundances of bacteria belonging to the phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, and Acidobacteria were observed in the gut of adult pandas. In contrast, genus Escherichia, Klebsiella, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Campylobacter, Acinetobacter, Lactobacillus, and Aggregatibater, emerged in higher abundance of cubs’ samples than in their parental samples. Notably, successive changes in the gut microbiome structure were evident as the pandas transitioned from colostrum to mature milk. Specifically, colostrum milk increased the abundance of Bacteroides, Ruminococcus and Lactobacillus in cubs. Cubs eaten mature milk had increased microbial diversity and Enterobacteriaceae, Erythrobacteraceae and Micromonosporaceae.