A mixture of quebracho and chestnut tannins drives butyrate-producing bacteria populations shift in the gut microbiota of weaned piglets

Abstract

Weaning is a critical period for piglets, in which unbalanced gut microbiota and/or pathogen colonisation can contribute to diseases that interfere with animal performance. Tannins are natural compounds that could be used as functional ingredients to improve gut health in pig farming thanks to their antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiarrhoeal properties. In this study, a mixture of quebracho and chestnut tannins (1.25%) was evaluated for its efficacy in reducing the negative weaning effects on piglet growth. Microbiota composition was assessed by Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted from stools at the end of the trial. Sequence analysis revealed an increase in the genera Shuttleworthia, Pseudobutyrivibrio, Peptococcus, Anaerostipes, and Solobacterium in the tannin-supplemented group. Conversely, this dietary intervention reduced the abundance of the genera Syntrophococcus, Atopobium, Mitsuokella, Sharpea, and Prevotella. The populations of butyrate-producing bacteria were modulated by tannin, and higher butyrate concentrations in stools were detected in the tannin-fed pigs. Co-occurrence analysis revealed that the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to the families Veillonellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Coriobacteriaceae occupied the central part of the network in both the control and the tannin-fed animals. Instead, in the tannin group, the OTUs belonging to the families Acidaminococcaceae, Alcaligenaceae, and Spirochaetaceae characterised its network, whereas Family XIII Incertae Sedis occupied a more central position than in the control group. Conversely, the presence of Desulfovibrionaceae characterised the network of the control group, and this family was not present in the network of the tannin group. Moreover, the prediction of metabolic pathways revealed that the gut microbiome of the tannin group possessed an enhanced potential for carbohydrate transport and metabolism, as well as a lower abundance of pathways related to cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis and inorganic ion transport. In conclusion, the tested tannins seem to modulate the gut microbiota, favouring groups of butyrate-producing bacteria.

Effect of a Co-Feed Liquid Whey-Integrated Diet on Crossbred Pigs’ Fecal Microbiota

“…The analysis of the fecal microbiota profile revealed 938 OTUs identified at the genus level among all of the samples. From a taxonomic point of view, our results on phyla, families, and genera composition (Figure 2) are generally comparable with those reported in other studies [20,[26][27][28]. The alpha diversity analysis of the bacterial community suggested that the co-feed treatment affected some indices, with the Shannon and Simpson values being statistically significant between the feeding conditions (Figure 1B,C).…”

Amylopectin Partially Substituted by Cellulose in the Hindgut Was Beneficial to Short-Chain Fatty Acid Production and Probiotic Colonization

“…In addition, the relative abundance of Olsenella , Romboutsia , Sharpea , and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 also increased due to amylopectin infusion. Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 , Olsenella , and Sharpea could provide energy for intestinal cells and protect the gut barrier and are seen as butyrate-producing bacteria ( 36 – 38 ). Romboutsia is believed to play an important role in gut microbiota dysbiosis and cardiac dysfunction; it has also been positively correlated with indole derivatives, which are harmful metabolites of protein fermentation ( 39 ).…”

Efficacy of high-intensity interval and continuous endurance trainings on cecal microbiota metabolites and inflammatory factors in diabetic rats induced by high-fat diet

“…Among SCFAs effective in metabolic syndrome, butyric and propionic acids are selected and measured by the HPLC method. Considering that Akkermansia and Butyrivibrio are known as two of the bacteria that produce the above metabolites [ 47 , 51 ], the results of this section can be used indirectly in the cross-validation of the previous part, "Effect of exercise on intestinal microbial content". In addition, these results can help us find the impact of diabetes and exercise interventions on the concentration of SCFAs in the intestinal tissue.…”