_Article_  
**Early Intervention Using Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Combined with Probiotics Influence the Growth Performance, Diarrhea, and Intestinal Barrier Function of Piglets**  
**[PERSON] 1**(c), [PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 1,  
**[PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 1,2,3,** and [PERSON] 1,2,3,**  
1 Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (Q.X.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (X.W.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (Y.P.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (L.W.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (Y.G.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (C.C.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (L.H.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (L.Z.)  
2 The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China  
3 Hubei Agricultural Sciences and Technology Innovation Center, Wuhan 430070, China  
* Correspondence: [PERSON]DDRESS] (J.P.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (H.W.)  
Received: 17 December 2019; Accepted: 7 January 2020; Published: 13 January 2020  
**Featured Application: The early intervention with fecal microbiota combining _Clostridium butylricum_ and _Saccharomyces bulardii_ (FMT+C+S) could improve the growth performance and reduce the diarrhea rate by improving intestinal barrier function and production of short-chain fatty acids in piglets. This study provides a new theoretical support for regulating gut microbiota and immune function in piglets and even in human neonates.**  
**Abstract:** Early intervention with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) improves the growth performance and intestinal barrier function of piglets. Accelerating intestinal oxygen concentration is beneficial for symbiotic bacterial colonization. _Saccharomyces bulardii_ (SB) is an aerobic fungus, which may contribute to the colonization of anaerobic symbiotic bacteria by competing for oxygen. _Clostridium butylricum_ (CB) improves intestinal barrier function and performance, via regulating the gut microbiota composition of piglets. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of early intervention with FMT combining CB and SB on growth performance, diarrhea, and intestinal barrier function in piglets. A total of 77 litters of neonatal piglets assigned to one of six treatments, which treated with antibiotics (AB), placebo (CON), and FMT (FMT), FMT-added CB (FMT+C), FMT-added SB (FMT+S), and FMT-added CB and SB (FMT+C+S), respectively. FMT+C+S treated piglets had higher body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) both in weaning and finial period, and it significantly increased the levels of fecal mucin-2 (MUC2), fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and relative abundance of fecal _Lactobacillus_ spp., and _Bifidobacterium_ genus. Moreover, early intervention with FMT+C+S reduced the diarrhea rate during the experiment. FMT+C+S also decreased the level of plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactate (D-LA), and relative abundance of fecal _E. coli_ during the suckling period. In summary, early intervention with FMT combining CB and SB improved the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, fecal SCFAs concentration, and fecal _Lactobacillus_ and _Bifidobacterium_ of piglets.  
**Keywords:** early intervention; growth performance; intestinal barrier function; diarrhea; piglets