Representativeness of Fecal Microbiota Is Limited to Cecum and Colon in Domestic Yak

Gut microbiota are important for the health and adaptability of the domestic yak. Fecal microbiota are one of the most popular groups of microorganisms used to estimate the domestic yaks’ status, given the ease of obtaining fecal samples. However, because gut microbiota differ between gut sections, the representativeness of feces in microbiota is unclear in yak. To fill this gap, we compared the gut microbial diversities and functions of microbiota in the feces and seven other intestinal parts of domestic yaks based on 16S rRNA, including the rumen, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, colon, and rectum. The gut microbiota of eight intestinal parts showed significant differences at the beta-diversity level. However, there were no significant differences in the diversity and functions of microbiota between the feces and cecum and the feces and colon because of the digestive process. According to source-tracking analysis, most fecal microbiota originate from the cecum and colon. We speculated that the representativeness of fecal microbiota is limited to cecum and colon in domestic yak. Our study is the foundation of the use of fecal microbiota for animal husbandry research.