Abstract
This study investigated the effects of a Laetiporus sulphureus-fermented wheat bran (LS) supplementation on the microbiota and digesta characteristics of broiler chickens. Two hundred and forty male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly allocated into three groups fed with a corn-soybean-based diet (control), and the control diet being replaced with 5% wheat bran (WB) and 5% LS, respectively. Each group had four replicates and 20 birds per pen. Metagenomics analysis results of the ileum microbiota showed that, at the family level, the 5% LS groups had over 40% higher Lactobacillaceae compared to the control group in a mean difference comparison. Heat maps showed that, at the phylum level, the population of Firmicutes was higher and Proteobacteria was lower in the ileum of 5% LS compared to the control group. Results of the stack column plots of the top ten OTUs at the family level showed that a 5% LS and 5% WB supplementation altered the broiler microbiota distribution by increasing the relative abundance of Lactobacillaceae. Cecal microbiota analysis showed that the 5% LS-supplemented group had approximately 5% and 3% higher Veillonellaceae and Lactobacillaceae, respectively. Stack column plots of the top ten OTUs indicated that the distribution of cecal bacteria in each group was not markedly different. Both the ileum and cecum digesta in the 5% LS supplementation group had a slight and not significant elevation on the total VFA, while the pH values and ammonia nitrogen were significantly lowered compared to the control and 5% WB groups (p < 0.05). In addition, the 5% LS supplementation group had a significantly higher lactic acid concentration in both the ileum and cecum compared to the control and 5% WB groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a 5% LS supplementation could potentially enhance the feed conversion ratio and European Broiler Index (EBI) of broilers by elevating the family Lactobacillaceae and suppressing the phylum Proteobacteria's population, thus creating changed intestinal environments that may potentially favor the growth and health of the broilers.
Highlights
Intestinal microbiota is a pivotal composition in broilers as it plays a crucial role in modulating physical functions, such as nutrition, immunity, and metabolism
Results showed that the 5% Laetiporus sulphureus-fermented wheat bran (LS) had a significantly higher FCR and European Broiler Index (EBI) compared to the 5% Wheat bran (WB) and control groups (p < 0.05)
Ctrl: control group, WB5: broilers supplemented with 5% wheat bran, LS5: broilers supplemented with 5% Laetiporus sulphureus wheat bran
Summary
Intestinal microbiota is a pivotal composition in broilers as it plays a crucial role in modulating physical functions, such as nutrition, immunity, and metabolism. Soluble NSPs act as anti-nutritive substances in the body, which facilitate the fermentation rate in the intestine and act as source of energy for anaerobic microbes [8,9] They help to propagate harmful pathogen like Clostridium perfringens, which causes various diseases in poultry [8,9]. WB was reported to have anti-nutritional effects that could inhibit digestibility, causing pathogen proliferation in the gastrointestinal tract and inducing gut inflammation due to the high content of NSPs [10]. Considering that changes in the GIT microbiota could lead to the transformation of the intestinal environment, for instance, an increase in the Lactobacillus population might acidify the GIT by producing lactic acid and inhibiting the colonization of pathogenic bacteria [21], it is necessary to examine several indexes in intestinal digesta, such as the pH value, lactic acid content, ammonia nitrogen, and total volatile fatty acid (VFA). This study used the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique to determine the microbiota dynamics in the intestine, with increased coverage and accuracy, along with the indexes in the intestine for elucidating the effects of LS on manipulating the intestinal microbiota composition and intestinal environments in broilers
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