Longitudinal analysis of Australian weaner lamb faecal microbiomes during a colitis outbreak

Colitis can have significant impact on weaner lambs, leading to long-term health problems. In Australia, summer-onset weaner colitis is often associated with Campylobacter species, but direct causality has not been established. To further understand potential multifactorial causes of ovine weaner colitis, we performed a pilot longitudinal 16S metagenomics study in a single merino flock located in south-eastern Australia. This property has consistently experienced summer-onset colitis outbreaks in weaner lambs for an extended period.