Abstract
Simple SummaryFarm animal health and welfare have been paid increasing concern in the world, which is generally assessed by the measurements of physical health, immune response, behavior, and physiological indicators, such as stress-related hormone, cortisone, and norepinephrine. Gut microbiota as a “forgotten organ” has been reported for its great influence on the host phenotypes through the immune, neural, and endocrine pathways to affect the host health and behavior. In addition, fecal microbiota transplantation as a novel approach is applied to regulating the composition and function of the recipient farm animals. In this review, we summarized recent studies that gut microbiota influenced health, immunity, behavior, and stress response, as well as the progress of fecal microbiota transplantation in farm animals. The review will provide new insights into the measurement of farm animal health and welfare concerning gut microbiota, and the implication of fecal microbiota transplantation to improve productivity, health, and welfare. Above all, this review suggests that gut microbiota is a promising field to evaluate and improve animal welfare. In the past few decades, farm animal health and welfare have been paid increasing concern worldwide. Farm animal health and welfare are generally assessed by the measurements of physical health, immune response, behavior, and physiological indicators. The gut microbiota has been reported to have a great influence on host phenotypes, possibly via the immune processes, neural functions, and endocrine pathways, thereby influencing host phenotypes. However, there are few reviews regarding farm animals’ health and welfare status concerning the gut microbiota. In this point of view, (1) we reviewed recent studies showing that gut microbiota (higher alpha diversity, beneficial composition, and positive functions) effectively influenced health characteristics, immunity, behaviors, and stress response in farm animals (such as pigs, chickens, and cows), which would provide a novel approach to measure and evaluate the health status and welfare of farm animals. In addition, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as one of the methods can modulate the recipient individual’s gut microbiota to realize the expected phenotype. Further, (2) we highlighted the application of FMT on the improvement of the production performance, the reduction in disease and abnormal behavior, as well as the attenuation of stress in farm animals. It is concluded that the gut microbiota can be scientifically used to assess and improve the welfare of farm animals. Moreover, FMT may be a helpful strategy to reduce abnormal behavior and improve stress adaption, as well as the treatment of disease for farm animals. This review suggests that gut microbiota is a promising field to evaluate and improve animal welfare.
Highlights
What is animal welfare? According to Fraser et al (1997) [1], the understanding of animal welfare was mainly three types: (1) that animals should lead natural lives through the development and use of their natural adaptations and capabilities; (2) that animals should feel well by being free from prolonged and intense fear, pain, and other negative states, and by experiencing normal pleasures; (3) that animals should function well, in the sense of satisfactory health, growth, and normal functioning of physiological and behavioral systems
Many terminologies and measurements are well established in farm animal welfare and behavioral science
Health conditions, immune response, behavior, and physiological indicators related to stress are readily and widely used in this area [2,3,4,5]
Summary
What is animal welfare? According to Fraser et al (1997) [1], the understanding of animal welfare was mainly three types: (1) that animals should lead natural lives through the development and use of their natural adaptations and capabilities; (2) that animals should feel well by being free from prolonged and intense fear, pain, and other negative states, and by experiencing normal pleasures; (3) that animals should function well, in the sense of satisfactory health, growth, and normal functioning of physiological and behavioral systems. The microbiota-gut-brain axis, namely a bidirectional communication among neural, hormonal, and immunological routes [23], is linked to gut inflammation [24] and alternations of stress and behavioral responses [25,26]. A recent study has reviewed the gut microbiota and its impact on brain development and behaviors in laboratory and human studies, which provides a better understanding and functional implications of this relevance on farm animals [27]. (1) we reviewed recent studies showing that gut microbiota influenced health, immune response, behavior, and stress in farm animals, which would provide a novel approach to measure the welfare of farm animals in terms of the gut microbiota (diversity, composition, and functions). We would provide new insight into the microbiota-gut-brain axis (Figure 1 referred to [23]) to systemically evaluate animal welfare
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