Epidemiological and Metabolic Characteristics of Clostridium perfringens Type B Isolates from Dairy Goat Kids with Diarrhea in Inner Mongolia

Diarrhea in neonatal dairy goat kids is a major disease affecting the dairy goat industry, yet the predominant bacterial pathogens in Inner Mongolia remain unclear. This study investigated the main bacterial pathogens and characterized the toxin genotypes, antimicrobial resistance, and metabolic features of Clostridium perfringens. A total of 1169 fecal samples from diarrheic kids (<15 days old) were analyzed. C. perfringens showed the highest positive rate (56.06%), followed by Escherichia coli (46.71%) and Salmonella spp. (24.54%), and was positively correlated with bloody diarrhea (r = 0.31). Among 73 isolates, type B (67.1%) was predominant. Most isolates were highly susceptible to tetracycline, cefoxitin, penicillin, and metronidazole, while resistance to ampicillin was relatively high. Metabolomic analysis revealed that type B strains exhibited enhanced metabolic activity compared with type C strains. In conclusion, type B C. perfringens is the predominant pathogen and shows metabolic advantages, providing a basis for targeted control strategies.