Abstract
Antibiotic resistance poses a grave threat to One-Health. By replacing antibiotics with non-antibiotic additives (are alternatives to antibiotics, ATAs) like phytogenic feed additives and organic acids in poultry feed. ATAs are a potential alternative as these decline the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria and strengthen gut function in broiler chickens. In this study, we use 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of the V3-V4 region to evaluate phytogenic feed additives and organic acids on the cecal microbial diversity of broiler chickens. Two hundred & forty broiler chicks were divided into five treatments comprising: a controlled basal diet (CON), antibiotic group (AB), phytogenic feed additives (PHY), organic acids (ORG), and a combination of PHY + ORG (COM). A distinctive microbial community structure was observed amongst different treatments with increased microbial diversity in AB, ORG, and COM (p < 0.05). The synergistic effects of PHY and ORG increased bacterial population of phyla: Firmicutes, Bacteroides, and Proteobacteria in the cecum. The presence of species, Akkermansia muciniphila (involved in mucin degradation) and Bacillus safensis (a probiotic bacterium) were noticed in COM and PHY, respectively. Clustering analysis revealed a higher relative abundance of similar microbial community composition between AB and ORG groups. Treatments with PHY and ORG modified the relative abundance and presence/absence of specific microbiota in the chicken cecum. Hence, cecal microbiota modulation through diet is a promising strategy to reduce cross-contamination of zoonotic poultry pathogens, led to healthy and economical broiler meat.
Highlights
Establishing the provision of safe food to ensure the standard requirements of food safety is a major public health concern globally
On the basis of above reported background, the current study aims to evaluate role of phytogenic feed additives and organic acids as dietary alternatives to antibiotics on cecum microbiota using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing in broiler chicken
The chicks were randomly assigned to dietary treatments (3 replicate pens; 16 birds/pen) which are 1) controlled basal diet (CON): a typical and commercial basal broiler diet without any supplementation 2) antibiotic group (AB): basal diet supplemented with sub-therapeutic dose of enramycin (125 g/tonne diet) 3) PHY: basal diet supplemented with 2 kg phytogenic feed additives/tonne 4) ORG: basal diet supplemented with 2 kg organic acids /tonne (citric acid 5%, formic acid 26.5%, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) 13.1%, lactic acid 16% & mono-di & triglycerides 3.5%) and 5) combination of PHY + ORG (COM): basal diet supplemented with 2 kg organic acids + phytogenic feed additives/tonne (1 kg each)
Summary
Establishing the provision of safe food to ensure the standard requirements of food safety is a major public health concern globally. Enormous increase in human population, urbanization and income levels contribute to the rise in demand of protein, livestock, chicken is the prime source of animal protein [1, 2]. To address market demand in shortest possible time frame, intense farming practices applied by the producers depends on the incorporation of antibiotics in feed to increase growth performance and prevent infectious diseases. With the emergence of antibiotic resistant organisms and associated genes [4], the European Union has withdrawn approval of antibiotics from poultry [5]. The search for economical, sustainable, safe and lessfood competing non-antibiotic feed additives (alternatives to antibiotics, ATAs) in poultry are progressively escalating [6]
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