Abstract
Improvements in growth performance and health are key goals in broiler chicken production. Inclusion of prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) in broiler feed enhanced the growth rate and feed conversion of chickens relative to those obtained with a calorie-matched control diet. Comparison of the cecal microbiota identified key differences in abundances of Lactobacillus spp. Increased levels of Lactobacillus johnsonii in GOS-fed juvenile birds at the expense of Lactobacillus crispatus were linked to improved performance (growth rate and market weight). Investigation of the innate immune responses highlighted increases of ileal and cecal interleukin-17A (IL-17A) gene expression counterposed to a decrease in IL-10. Quantification of the autochthonous Lactobacillus spp. revealed a correlation between bird performance and L. johnsonii abundance. Shifts in the cecal populations of key Lactobacillus spp. of juvenile birds primed intestinal innate immunity without harmful pathogen challenge.IMPORTANCE Improvements in the growth rate of broiler chickens can be achieved through dietary manipulation of the naturally occurring bacterial populations while mitigating the withdrawal of antibiotic growth promoters. Prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are manufactured as a by-product of dairy cheese production and can be incorporated into the diets of juvenile chickens to improve their health and performance. This study investigated the key mechanisms behind this progression and pinpointed L. johnsonii as a key species that facilitates the enhancements in growth rate and gut health. The study identified the relationships between the GOS diet, L. johnsonii intestinal populations, and cytokine immune effectors to improve growth.
Highlights
Improvements in growth performance and health are key goals in broiler chicken production
An increase in growth rate was apparent for the GOS-fed birds, which exhibited an increase in the mean live weight of 87.7 g/day, compared to 76.3 g/day for the control birds, calculated at between 8 and 35 days of age (P ϭ 0.012)
The feed conversion ratios (FCR) varied between trials but were reduced for birds on the GOS diets compared to the corresponding control groups (Fig. 1B to D)
Summary
Improvements in growth performance and health are key goals in broiler chicken production. Inclusion of prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) in broiler feed enhanced the growth rate and feed conversion of chickens relative to those obtained with a calorie-matched control diet. Shifts in the cecal populations of key Lactobacillus spp. of juvenile birds primed intestinal innate immunity without harmful pathogen challenge. The production of poultry for both meat and eggs has been increasing rapidly throughout the world [1], and the global poultry sector is expected to continue to grow as a result of growing population, rising income, and urbanization [2] In this context, animal performance and feed conversion efficiency of fast-growing birds are decisive to the economic profitability of poultry meat production. Regulatory T cells play critical roles in immune suppression [24, 25], and optimum health is achieved through a balanced regulation of expression between Th17 cells and Tregs
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