Conclusions
Limited studies of the effects of lactulose on the swine gut microbial composition and diversity have been conducted.The present study showed that lactulose increased the faecal bacterial diversity and richness in weaned pigs. In addition, it increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria, particularly lactobacilli and clostridia. In conclusion, lactulose can be used as a prebiotic to increase numbers of beneficial bacterial species and control the growth of undesired microbes in the gut. Further analysis of the interaction between lactulose and intestinal bacteria using comprehensive omics studies may increase our understanding of the specific mechanism underlying the effect of this prebiotic in the gut of pigs.