Cecal Microbiota Development and Physiological Responses of Broilers Following Early Life Microbial Inoculation Using Different Delivery Methods and Microbial Sources

Intensive broiler production practices impair the transmission of commensal microbes from hens to offspring, resulting in a lower abundance of non-spore-forming strict anaerobic bacteria. We evaluated the effects of colonization by a defined community (DC) of bacteria including and excluding Megamonas hypermegale in chicks challenged with Salmonella. Inoculation with DC resulted in higher phylogenetic diversity and the dominance of Bacteroidetes species in the cecal microbiota, with a decrease in the relative abundance of Salmonella and Escherichia/Shigella, as well as a lower Enterobacteriaceae load. Substantial shifts in microbiota composition were coupled with subtle changes in metabolites and host responses, including changes in interferon-γ, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, propionate, valerate, and isovalerate concentrations in the ceca. We identified bacterial species that were able to establish and persist after a single exposure, many of which were members of Bacteroidetes. Although co-culture with M. hypermegale reduced Salmonella counts by 99.3% in vitro, in vivo inoculation of M. hypermegale increased splenic Salmonella counts in inoculated chicks. The use of DC containing bacteria isolates harvested from the cecal contents of mature chickens can recapitulate the changes in volatile fatty acid concentrations observed in birds colonized with complex communities, and the presence of M. hypermegale specifically enhances the production of propionate. Our findings suggest that the use of DC can be explored as a strategy to control disease occurrence in broiler production; however, further research is warranted to properly understand the role of individual species in the broiler cecal community aiding the formulation of appropriate DCs.

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Gut microbiota intervention alleviates pulmonary inflammation in broilers exposed to fine particulate matter from broiler house

Liu,

Li,

Shen

et al. 2024

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The gut microbiota of poultry is influenced by a variety of factors, including feed, drinking water, airborne dust, and footpads, among others. Gut microbiota can affect the immune reaction and inflammation in the lungs. To investigate the effect of gut microbiota variation on lung inflammation induced by PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter) in broilers, 36 Arbor Acres (AA) broilers were randomly assigned to three groups: control group (CON), PM 2.5 exposure group (PM), and PM 2.5 exposure plus oral antibiotics group (PMA). We used non-absorbable antibiotics (ABX: neomycin and amikacin) to modify the microbiota composition in the PMA group. The intervention was conducted from the 18th to the 28th day of age. Broilers in the PM and PMA groups were exposed to PM by a systemic exposure method from 21 to 28 days old, and the concentration of PM 2.5 was controlled at 2 mg/m 3 . At 28 days old, the lung injury score, relative mRNA expression of inflammatory factors, T-cell differentiation, and dendritic cell function were significantly increased in the PM group compared to the CON group, and those of the PMA group were significantly decreased compared to the PM group. There were significant differences in both α and β diversity of cecal microbiota among these three groups. Numerous bacterial genera showed significant differences in relative abundance among the three groups. In conclusion, gut microbiota could affect PM 2.5 -induced lung inflammation in broilers by adjusting the capacity of antigen-presenting cells to activate T-cell differentiation. IMPORTANCE Gut microbes can influence the development of lung inflammation, and fine particulate matter collected from broiler houses can lead to lung inflammation in broilers. In this study, we explored the effect of gut microbes modified by intestinal non-absorbable antibiotics on particulate matter-induced lung inflammation. The results showed that modification in the composition of gut microbiota could alleviate lung inflammation by attenuating the ability of dendritic cells to stimulate T-cell differentiation, which provides a new way to protect lung health in poultry farms.

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Cecal Microbiota Development and Physiological Responses of Broilers Following Early Life Microbial Inoculation Using Different Delivery Methods and Microbial Sources

Cited by 7 publications

References 104 publications

Contact with adult hens affects the composition of skin and respiratory tract microbiota in newly hatched chicks

Contact with adult hens affects the composition of skin and respiratory tract microbiota in newly hatched chicks

Impact of a defined bacterial community including and excludingMegamonas hypermegaleon broiler cecal microbiota and resistance toSalmonellainfection

Gut microbiota intervention alleviates pulmonary inflammation in broilers exposed to fine particulate matter from broiler house

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