Effects of postbiotic supplementation on growth performance, ruminal fermentation and microbial profile, blood metabolite and GHR, IGF-1 and MCT-1 gene expression in post-weaning lambs

Abstract

Background Postbiotics have been established as potential feed additive to be used in monogastric such as poultry and swine to enhance health and growth performance. However, information on the postbiotics as feed additive in ruminants is very limited. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of supplementation of postbiotics in newly-weaned lambs on growth performance, digestibility, rumen fermentation characteristics and microbial population, blood metabolite and expression of genes related to growth and volatile fatty acid transport across the rumen epithelium. Results Postbiotic supplementation increased weight gain, feed intake, nutrient intake and nutrient digestibility of the lambs. No effect on ruminal pH and total VFA, whereas butyrate and ruminal ammonia-N concentration were improved. The lambs fed with postbiotics had higher blood total protein, urea nitrogen and glucose. However, no difference was observed in blood triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Postbiotics increased the population of fibre degrading bacteria but decreased total protozoa and methanogens in rumen. Postbiotics increased the mRNA expression of hepatic IGF-1 and ruminal MCT-1. Conclusions The inclusion of postbiotics from L. plantarum RG14 in newly-weaned lambs improved growth performance, nutrient intake and nutrient digestibility reflected from better rumen fermentation and microbial parameters, blood metabolites and upregulation of growth and nutrient intake genes in the post-weaning lambs.

Dietary Postbiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Improves Serum and Ruminal Antioxidant Activity and Upregulates Hepatic Antioxidant Enzymes and Ruminal Barrier Function in Post-Weaning Lambs

“…Supplementation of lambs with probiotic B. licheniformis enhanced antioxidant capacity by elevating the SOD and GPX enzymes, as well as promoted immune function, which beneficially facilitates ruminal fermentation and microbial diversity [20]. This was also proven in our previous studies that postbiotics inclusion in the post-weaning Dorper lambs enhanced immune status and gut health and led to better nutrient utilization and growth performance [11,12].…”

“…The feeding trial was conducted at the Ruminant Unit, Department of Animal Science Research Farm, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Detailed information on management and feeding of post-weaning lambs have been reported in our companion papers [11,12]. Briefly, twelve male lambs (17.3 ± 0.58 kg, 16 weeks old) were randomly divided to the control group (no postbiotic inclusion) and postbiotic group (0.9% (v/w) postbiotic RG14 inclusion).…”

“…In broilers exposed to heat stress, postbiotics inclusion was shown to alleviate the heat stress effects by the greater growth performance, immune status and gut health [9]. Postbiotics use in ruminants was shown to improve the in vitro rumen fermentation and fiber degrading microbial population [10] and enhance growth performance, nutrient utilization, immune status and gut health in post-weaning lambs [11,12].…”

The effects of supplementation of yeast (<i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>) and postbiotic from <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> on the health and growth performance of young Jersey heifer calves

“…Additionally, the effects of postbiotics from Lactobacillus spp. in young ruminants were presented only in very few studies (Izuddin et al, 2019).…”

Influence of probiotics “Immunobacterin-D” on biocenoses and development of the gastrointestinal tract of calves

“…Пробіотики здатні змінювати рН рубця і виробляти антибіотичні речовини для того, щоб запобігти розмноженню патогенної мікрофлори та прикріпленню її до епітелію. Так, деякі види Lactobacillus мають сильну пригнічуючу активність на L. monocytogenes, S. thypimurium та E. coli (Izuddin et al, 2019;Izuddin et al, 2020). Дослідниками були виділені органічні кислоти -як метаболіти видів.…”