Figure 3

Variations in species richness among pig fecal samples. Comparison of the number of observed species (species richness) among piglets from different litters were performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test was used to perform post hoc comparisons. Litters were represented in sequential numbers 0–5. L0 included uninoculated control piglets. Litters 1–5 included all M. hyopneumonaie experimentally inoculated piglets (Black: L0, orange: L1, blue: L2, red: L3, maroon: L4, yellow: L5). Piglets from L3 and L5 showed the least LS, whereas those from L2 and L4 showed the highest LS. Figures depict differences in species richness at weeks 3 (A), 8 (B), and 12 (C). The average distribution of number of species was measured using the entire amplicon sequence variant dataset. The lines inside boxes represent the mean and superscripts with different letters are significantly different from each other (p <  0.05).