The Dietary Inclusion of Corn and Peas Affects the Fecal Bacterial Diversity and Composition of Sarda Goats

This study investigated the effects of dietary inclusion of corn and peas on the fecal microbiota composition and functional potential in Sarda goats. Twelve female goats were allocated to two groups, a group grazing on a natural pasture (GP) and a group grazing on the same pasture with a diet enriched with corn and peas (GC), both grain supplements at 100 g/day. Fecal samples were collected, freeze-dried and subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V4–V5 region, followed by bioinformatic and statistical analyses. Alpha diversity metrics indicated a significant reduction in microbial richness and phylogenetic diversity in the GC group, and beta diversity analysis revealed distinct community clustering. Taxonomic profiling showed Firmicutes and Bacteroidota as the dominant phyla, with a significantly altered Firmicutes/Bacteroidota (F/B) ratio in the GC group. LEfSe analysis identified 31 differentially abundant taxa between the groups. Functional profiling revealed 28 KEGG Level 3 pathways enriched in both groups. Pathways related to cell growth and motility were more abundant in the GP group, while the GC was enriched in amino acid metabolism and membrane-associated processes. These findings suggest that dietary supplementation with plant-based concentrates modulates both the taxonomic structure and functional potential of the fecal microbiota in goats.