Composition of the Fecal Microbiota of Piglets at Various Growth Stages.

Yang Yang,Min Du,Zhibian Duan,Pengfei Gao,Chunbo Cai,Chang Lu,Guoqing Cao,Juan Liu,Bugao Li,Xiaohong Guo,Yan Zhao,Yadan Liu,Yulong Guo,Haizhen Wang

doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.661671

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota play an important role in promoting growth in piglets. However, studies on microbiota composition at various growth stages are lacking. We measured body weights of Jinfen White and Mashen piglets every 7 days and collected their fecal samples by rectal swabbing at nine time points during suckling (1–28 days) and nursery (35–70 days) stages to gain insight into microbiota variability during piglet growth. The fecal microbiota were characterized via 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze the effects of microbial diversity on piglet growth and development preliminarily. The results showed that although the two breeds of piglets have similar body weights at birth, weaned Jinfen White piglets demonstrated a significantly greater body weight and daily weight gain than weaned Mashen piglets (P < 0.01). A total of 1,976 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to 27 phyla and 489 genera were uncovered, in which the highest numbers of OTUs belong to the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, and Prevotellaceae NK3B31 groups accounting for 12.4, 8.8, and 5.8% of OTUs, respectively, showed relatively high abundance at the genus level. Nine sampling time points were divided into three growth stages, namely, immediate postfarrowing (1 day old), suckling (7, 14, and 21 days old), and nursery (28, 35, 49, 63, and 70 days old), on the basis of the results of microbial diversity, principal coordinate, and co-occurrence network analyses. In addition, it identified 54 discriminative features in the microbiota between two breeds of piglets by LEfSe analysis, in which 17 genera enriched the microbiota community of Jinfen White piglets. Finally, abundances of 29 genera showed significant positive correlations with body weights and daily weight gain of piglets. Conversely, abundances of 12 genera demonstrated significant negative correlations with body weights of piglets. The results of our study will provide a theoretical basis for succession patterns in fecal microbiota of piglets and suggest the need for meticulous management of piglets in pig production.

Highlights

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the main reservoir for microbial communities containing abundant (1013-1014) microorganisms [1]
Average daily weight gains at each time point were calculated on the basis of differences in body weights between adjacent points to analyze differences in piglet growth rates between the two breeds (Figure 1B)
The growth rate of Jinfen White piglets decreased significantly at the end of the suckling stage; otherwise, no significant difference exists in daily weight gain between the two breeds during this period

Summary

Introduction

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the main reservoir for microbial communities containing abundant (1013-1014) microorganisms [1]. The GI microbiota is predominantly composed of anaerobic bacteria and contains fungi, archaea, and viruses [2]. Microorganisms living in GI tracts of animals contribute to a complex microecosystem that can exert a profound impact on the animal’s GI health and development [3]. This mutualistic relationship has developed between microorganisms and animals over hundreds of millions of years. Health or onset of disease in animals is associated with microbial community composition and GI tract structure. Increasing evidence indicates that obesity and diabetes, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, are influenced by GI microbiota; the microbiota may serve as a novel drug target for treatment [4, 5]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion