Abstract
The gastrointestinal microbiota plays a pivotal role in maintaining animal health, immunity and reproductive performances. However, literature about the relationship between microbiota and reproductive performance is limited. The aim of the present study was to determine differences in the intestinal microbiota of broiler breeders with different egg laying rate. A total of 200 AA+ parent broiler breeders (41-week-old) were separated into two groups according to their different egg laying rate [average egg laying rate group (AR: 78.57 ± 0.20%) and high egg laying rate group (HR: 90.79 ± 0.43%). Feed conversion ratio (FCR), ovary cell apoptosis rate (ApoCR) and relative abdominal fat weight were lower (p = 0.01), while the hatchability rate of qualified egg was higher (p = 0.04) in HR group than that in AR group. Phascolarctobacterium abundance were lower (p = 0.012) in ileum of HR birds. Romboutsia (genus) in ileum was negatively related to the feed efficiency (r = −0.58, p < 0.05), Firmicutes (phylum) and Lactobacillus (genus) abundances in cecum were positively related to the egg laying rate (ELR) (r = 0.35 and 0.48, p < 0.05), feed efficiency (r = 0.42 and 0.43, p < 0.05), while Spirochaetes (phylum) and Sphaerochaeta (genus) abundances in cecum were negatively related to the ELR (r = −0.43 and −0.70, p < 0.05), feed efficiency (r = 0.54 and 0.48, p < 0.05), and positively related to ApoCR (r = 0.46 and 0.47, p < 0.05). Our results suggested that microbiota, such as Firmicutes (phylum) and Lactobacillus (genus) have positive relationship, while Spirochaetes (phylum) and Romboutsia (genus) abundances exert negative relationship with broiler breeders' reproductive performances.
Highlights
Poultry meat is one of the most important sources of protein for human nutrition [1]
After the Pre-Test (Supplementary Materials and Method), a total of 41-week-old 200 AA+ parent breeders from the same flock and the same house were divided into two separate groups, according to their egg laying rate (ELR; AR: 78.57 ± 0.20% vs. HR: 90.79 ± 0.43%) (Supplementary Materials and Method)
It has shown that Romboutsia abundance in ileum was negatively related to the feed efficiency (r = −0.58, p < 0.05), Firmicutes and Lactobacillus abundances in cecum were positively related to the ELR (r = 0.35 and 0.48, p < 0.05), feed efficiency (r = 0.42 and 0.43, p < 0.05), while Spirochaetes and Sphaerochaeta abundances in cecum were negatively related to the ELR (r = −0.43 and −0.70, p < 0.05), feed efficiency (r = 0.54 and 0.48, p < 0.05), and positively related to ApoCR (r = 0.46 and 0.47, p < 0.05)
Summary
Poultry meat is one of the most important sources of protein (meat and eggs) for human nutrition [1]. The gastrointestinal (GIT) microbiota contributes to the regulation of fat deposition which in poultry seems to be independent of host genetics [9]. These observations are not surprising considering that microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids have been implicated in the modulation of energy metabolism [10]. In addition to the well-known links between the GIT microbiota and the neuroendocrine function of the gut [13, 14], it has been shown that dysbiosis of the GIT microbiota can result in the activation of the immune system which in turn raise serum insulin levels and androgen production disrupting ovarian function [15]. Whether the GIT microbiota is involved in the regulation of ovarian activity in poultry is still not known
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