Exogenous Fecal Microbiota Transplantation from Local Adult Pigs to Crossbred Newborn Piglets

Ningxiang Pig-Derived Microbiota Affects the Growth Performance, Gut Microbiota, and Serum Metabolome of Nursery Pigs

The gut microbiota is crucial for maintaining the host's intestinal homeostasis and metabolism. This study investigated the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from Ningxiang pigs on the growth performance, fecal microbiota, and serum metabolites of the same-old DLY pigs. The results indicated that the average daily gain of FMT pigs was significantly greater than that of the control (CON) group. Compared to the CON group, the FMT group significantly improved the apparent digestibility of crude fiber, crude ash, gross energy, and calcium of the pigs. The analysis of serum antioxidant status revealed that the activities of total superoxide dismutase and catalase in the serum of pigs in the FMT group were significantly elevated, whereas the level of malondialdehyde was significantly reduced. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that the Ningxiang pig-derived microbiota altered the fecal microbiota structure and modulated the diversity of the gut microbiota in the DLY pigs. Untargeted LC-MS metabolomics demonstrated that pigs in the FMT group exhibited distinct metabolomic profiles compared to those in the CON group. Significant changes were observed in key metabolites involved in amino acid, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism. Additionally, a correlation analysis between serum differential metabolites and the gut microbiota revealed that the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Corynebacterium was highly correlated with lipid compounds. In conclusion, Ningxiang pig-derived microbiota can alleviate oxidative stress and enhance growth performance in DLY pigs by modulating their gut microbiota and metabolic features.

Dietary Supplementation of Brevibacillus laterosporus S62-9 Improves Broiler Growth and Immunity by Regulating Cecal Microbiota and Metabolites

Brevibacillus laterosporus has been added as a direct-fed microbiota to chicken. Yet, few studies have reported the effects of B. laterosporus on broiler growth and gut microbiota. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of B. laterosporus S62-9 on growth performance, immunity, cecal microbiota, and metabolites in broilers. A total of 160 1-day-old broilers were randomly divided into S62-9 and control groups, with or without 106 CFU/g B. laterosporus S62-9 supplementation, respectively. During the 42 days feeding, body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly. Serum was collected for immunoglobulin determination, and cecal contents were taken for 16S rDNA analysis and metabolome at Day 42. Results indicated that the broilers in S62-9 group showed an increase in body weight of 7.2% and 5.19% improvement in feed conversion ratio compared to the control group. The B. laterosporus S62-9 supplementation promoted the maturation of immune organs and increased the concentration of serum immunoglobulins. Furthermore, the α-diversity of cecal microbiota was improved in the S62-9 group. B. laterosporus S62-9 supplementation increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria including Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus, while decreased the relative abundance of pathogens including Klebsiella and Pseudomonas. Untargeted metabolomics revealed that 53 differential metabolites between the two groups. The differential metabolites were enriched in 4 amino acid metabolic pathways, including arginine biosynthesis and glutathione metabolism. In summary, B. laterosporus S62-9 supplementation could improve the growth performance and immunity through the regulation of gut microbiota and metabolome in broilers.

Bacillus siamensis Improves the Immune Status and Intestinal Health of Weaned Piglets by Improving Their Intestinal Microbiota

Previous studies on the early interference of gut microbiota by Bacillus siamensis (B. siamensis) in weaned piglets are rarely reported, and the present trial is a preliminary study. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of B. siamensis supplementation on the growth performance, serum biochemistry, immune response, fecal short-chain fatty acids and microbiota of weaned piglets. Sixty weaned piglets were randomly divided into a control group (CON) and a B. siamensis group (BS), which were fed a basal diet and the basal diet supplemented with 5 × 1010 CFU B. siamensis per kg, respectively. Each group had 3 replicates and 10 piglets per replicate. The trial lasted for 28 days. The results showed that B. siamensis significantly increased the serum growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in piglets. Compared with the CON group, the levels of serum immunoglobulin and inflammatory factors in the BS group were significantly improved. In addition, the serum concentrations of zonulin and endotoxin (ET) in the BS group were lower. The dietary addition of B. siamensis significantly increased fecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels in piglets. Notably, B. siamensis improved the microbial composition by increasing beneficial genera, including Weissella, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Bifidobacterium, and decreasing pathogenic genera, including Pantoea, Fusobacterium and Gemella, in piglet feces. Correlation analysis showed that the benefits of dietary B. siamensis supplementation were closely related to its improved microbial composition. In summary, the addition of B. siamensis can improve the immunity function, inflammatory response, gut permeability and SCFA levels of weaned piglets, which may be achieved through the improvement of their microbiota.

Characterization of "microbiome-metabolome-immunity" in depressed rats with divergent responses to Paroxetine

OBJECTIVES

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line anti-depressants. Unfortunately, about 30 % depressed patients do not effectively respond to SSRIs. It is still unclear that the gastrointestinal characteristics of responders and non-responders, and the differences.

METHODS

Herein, we characterized gut microbiome and metabolome of depressed rats with differential responses to Paroxetine (PX) by 16S rRNA sequencing and 1H NMR-based metabolomics, respectively. On top of this, we constructed both inter- and inner-layer networks, intuitively showing the correlations among behavioral indicators, immune factors, intestinal bacteria, and differential metabolites.

RESULTS

Consequently, we found that depressed rats differently responded to PX, which could be divided into PX responsive (PX-R) and non-responsive (PX-N) groups. Firstly, the depressive behaviors of PX-R rats and PX-N rats significantly differed. Meanwhile, inflammatory balance was also characterized for depressed rats with different responses to PX. Overall, PX-R rats and PX-N rats exhibited differential gut microbiome and metabolome, including intestinal structures, intestinal functions, metabolic profiles, metabolites, and metabolic pathways.

LIMITATIONS

Metabolites that identified by metabolomics based on 1H NMR are not comprehensive enough.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our study demonstrated that gut microbiome and metabolome, as well as related functions, are of significance in differential responses of depressed rats to PX, which might be novel insights in uncovering the mechanisms of differences in efficacies of antidepressants.

Impact of the diet in the gut microbiota after an inter-species microbial transplantation in fish

Inter-species microbial transplantations offer the possibility of transferring species-specific microbes and their associated functionality. As a conceptual approach, an intestinal microbiota transplant (IMT) between two marine carnivorous fish species that thrive in different environmental conditions was conducted: from donor Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) to recipient gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), after obliterating its basal microbiota with an antibiotic treatment. To confirm that the gut microbiota was able to recover after antibiotics without the influence of the diet, a group of gilthead seabream not submitted to the IMT was kept fasted as an internal control. To assess the effect of the diet after the IMT, two groups of gilthead seabream were respectively fed with their typical diet and with Atlantic salmon diet. At 36 days post-IMT, the gut of the individuals fed with their typical diet was dominated by the feed-associated bacteria, while those fed with the salmon diet had developed a unique microbiota from the convergence of the diet, donor, and recipient microbiota. These results suggested that an intestinal microbiota transplantation may be effective if the basal microbiota from the gut is first cleared and a targeted dietary modification is provided to maintain and enrich the novel bacteria species over time.

Modulation of pectin on intestinal barrier function via changes in microbial functional potential and bile acid metabolism

Weaning is one of the major factors that cause stress and intestinal infection in infants and in young animals due to an immature intestine and not fully developed immune functions. Pectin (PEC), a prebiotic polysaccharide, has attracted considerable attention in intestinal epithelial signaling and function via modulation of the microbial community. A total of 16 weaned piglets (21-d-old) were randomly assigned into two groups: control group and PEC group. Supplementation of 5% pectin improved intestinal mucosal barrier function by modulating the composition of the bile acid pool in piglets. Specifically, piglets in PEC group had less serum D-lactate content and alkaline phosphatase activity. In the ileum, dietary pectin increased the number of crypt PAS/AB-positive goblet cells and the mRNA expressions of MUC2, ZO-1, and Occludin. Piglets in PEC group displayed a decreased abundance of Enterococcus (2.71 vs. 65.92%), but the abundances of Lactobacillus (30.80 vs. 7.93%), Streptococcus (21.41 vs. 14.81%), and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 (28.34 vs. 0.01%) were increased. Elevated concentrations of bile acids especially hyocholic acid species (HCAs) including HCA, HDCA, and THDCA were also observed. Besides, correlation analysis revealed that dietary pectin supplementation may have beneficial effects through stimulation of the crosstalk between gut microbes and bile acid synthesis within the enterohepatic circulation. Thus, dietary pectin supplementation exhibited a further positive effect on the healthy growth and development of weaned piglets. These findings suggest pectin supplementation as the prebiotic is beneficial for gut health and improvement of weaned stress via regulating microbiota and bile acid metabolism.

Characterizing core microbiota and regulatory functions of the pig gut microbiome

Domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) are the leading terrestrial animals used for meat production. The gut microbiota significantly affect host nutrition, metabolism, and immunity. Hence, characterization of the gut microbial structure and function will improve our understanding of gut microbial resources and the mechanisms underlying host-microbe interactions. Here, we investigated the gut microbiomes of seven pig breeds using metagenomics and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We established an expanded gut microbial reference catalog comprising 17 020 160 genes and identified 4910 metagenome-assembled genomes. We also analyzed the gut resistome to provide an overview of the profiles of the antimicrobial resistance genes in pigs. By analyzing the relative abundances of microbes, we identified three core-predominant gut microbes (Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens, Prevotella copri, and Oscillibacter valericigenes) in pigs used in this study. Oral administration of the three core-predominant gut microbes significantly increased the organ indexes (including the heart, spleen, and thymus), but decreased the gastrointestinal lengths in germ-free mice. The three core microbes significantly enhanced intestinal epithelial barrier function and altered the intestinal mucosal morphology, as was evident from the increase in crypt depths in the duodenum and ileum. Furthermore, the three core microbes significantly affected several metabolic pathways (such as "steroid hormone biosynthesis," "primary bile acid biosynthesis," "phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis," and "phenylalanine metabolism") in germ-free mice. These findings provide a panoramic view of the pig gut microbiome and insights into the functional contributions of the core-predominant gut microbes to the host.

Effects of early postnatal gastric and colonic microbiota transplantation on piglet gut health

BACKGROUND

Diarrhea is a major cause of reduced growth and mortality in piglets during the suckling and weaning periods and poses a major threat to the global pig industry. Diarrhea and gut dysbiosis may in part be prevented via improved early postnatal microbial colonization of the gut. To secure better postnatal gut colonization, we hypothesized that transplantation of colonic or gastric content from healthy donors to newborn recipients would prevent diarrhea in the recipients in the post-weaning period. Our objective was to examine the impact of transplanting colonic or gastric content on health and growth parameters and paraclinical parameters in recipient single-housed piglets exposed to a weaning transition and challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC).

METHODS

Seventy-two 1-day-old piglets were randomized to four groups: colonic microbiota transplantation (CMT, n = 18), colonic content filtrate transplantation (CcFT, n = 18), gastric microbiota transplantation (GMT, n = 18), or saline (CON, n = 18). Inoculations were given on d 2 and 3 of life, and all piglets were milk-fed until weaning (d 20) and shortly after challenged with ETEC (d 24). We assessed growth, diarrhea prevalence, ETEC concentration, organ weight, blood parameters, small intestinal morphology and histology, gut mucosal function, and microbiota composition and diversity.

RESULTS

Episodes of diarrhea were seen in all groups during both the milk- and the solid-feeding phase, possibly due to stress associated with single housing. However, CcFT showed lower diarrhea prevalence on d 27, 28, and 29 compared to CON (all P < 0.05). CcFT also showed a lower ETEC prevalence on d 27 (P < 0.05). CMT showed a higher alpha diversity and a difference in beta diversity compared to CON (P < 0.05). Growth and other paraclinical endpoints were similar across groups.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, only CcFT reduced ETEC-related post-weaning diarrhea. However, the protective effect was marginal, suggesting that higher doses, more effective modalities of administration, longer treatment periods, and better donor quality should be explored by future research to optimize the protective effects of transplantation.

Alleviative Effect of Probiotic Ferment on Lawsonia intracellularis Infection in Piglets

(1) Background: Lawsonia intracellularis (LI) is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium that causes porcine ileitis. Pigs infected with LI have severe ileal lesions and show symptoms of diarrhea, indigestion, and growth retardation. Previous studies found that probiotic ferment (FAM) improved the growth performance, gut barrier, and function in piglets. Therefore, we aimed to reveal the mechanism that FAM alleviates negative performance in LI-challenged piglets by characterizing the changes in intestinal integrity, function, and gut microbiota following FAM supplementation. (2) Methods: Twenty-four healthy piglets were randomly allotted to four treatments. Three groups were challenged with LI; both FAM addition and vaccination were performed to explore their positive effects on LI-infected piglets. (3) Results: Piglets infected with LI showed lower growth performance and typical pathological symptoms. Moreover, microscopic images showed that observed intestinal morphological damage could be repaired by FAM and vaccine. To explore the digestion of nutrients in piglets, both digestive enzyme activity and ileal transporter expression were performed to reveal the promoting effect of additives. Reduction of LI colonization intervention by FAM could also ameliorate abnormal differentiation and function of intestinal epithelial cells and alleviate severe inflammatory responses in piglets. Regarding the gut microbiota, both the structure and function of the ileal and colonic microbiota were altered following FAM supplementation. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, probiotic ferment can reduce the colonization of LI in the ileum, improve intestinal damage, barrier function and microbiota structure, and enhance digestive enzyme activity and nutrient transport proteins expression, thereby improving piglet growth performance, which has the effect of preventing ileitis in pigs.

Comparative analysis of gut fungal composition and structure of the yaks under different feeding models

The yaks that inhabit the Tibetan plateau are a rare breed that is closely related to local economic development and human civilization. This ancient breed may have evolved a unique gut microbiota due to the hypoxic high-altitude environment. The gut microbiota is susceptible to external factors, but research regarding the effects of different feeding models on the gut fungal community in yaks remains scarce. In this study, we compared and analyzed the composition and variability of the gut fungal community among wild yaks (WYG), house-feeding domestic yaks (HFG), and grazing domestic yaks (GYG). The results revealed that Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were the most preponderant phyla in the gut fungal community, regardless of feeding models. Although the types of dominant fungal phyla did not change, their abundances did. Intergroup analysis of fungal diversity showed that the Shannon and Simpson indices of WYG and GYG were significantly higher than those of HFG. Fungal taxonomic analysis showed that there were 20 genera (Sclerostagonospora and Didymella) that were significantly different between WYG and GYG, and 16 genera (Thelebolus and Cystobasidium) that were significantly different between the WYG and HFG. Furthermore, the proportions of 14 genera (Claussenomyces and Papiliotrema) significantly decreased, whereas the proportions of eight genera (Stropharia and Lichtheimia) significantly increased in HFG as compared to GYG. Taken together, this study indicated that the gut fungal composition and structure differ significantly between yaks raised in different breeding groups.

Indoleacrylic acid produced by Parabacteroides distasonis alleviates type 2 diabetes via activation of AhR to repair intestinal barrier

BACKGROUND

Anti-inflammatory therapy is an effective strategy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Studies found that inflammatory responses in vivo were strongly associated with defects in the mucosal barrier function of the gut epithelium. While some microbial strains could help repair the intestinal mucosa and maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier, the specific mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. The present study investigated the effects of Parabacteroides distasonis (P. distasonis) on the intestinal barrier and the inflammation level in T2D rats and explored the specific mechanisms.

RESULTS

By analyzing the intestinal barrier function, the inflammatory conditions, and the gut microbiome, we found that P. distasonis could attenuate insulin resistance by repairing the intestinal barrier and reducing inflammation caused by the disturbed gut microbiota. We quantitatively profiled the level of tryptophan and indole derivatives (IDs) in rats and fermentation broth of the strain, demonstrating that indoleacrylic acid (IA) was the most significant factor correlated with the microbial alterations among all types of endogenous metabolites. Finally, we used molecular and cell biological techniques to determine that the metabolic benefits of P. distasonis were mainly attributed to its ability to promote IA generation, active the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling pathway, and increase the expression level of interleukin-22 (IL-22), thus enhancing the expression of intestinal barrier-related proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed the effects of P. distasonis in the treatment of T2D via intestinal barrier repairment and inflammation reduction and highlighted a host-microbial co-metabolite indoleacrylic acid that could active AhR to perform its physiological effects. Our study provided new therapeutic strategies for metabolic diseases by targeting the gut microbiota and tryptophan metabolism.

Transplantation of fecal filtrate to neonatal pigs reduces post-weaning diarrhea: A pilot study

Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) remains a major source of mortality and morbidity in swine production. Transplantation of bacteria-free filtrate of feces (fecal filtrate transplant, FFT) has shown gut protective effects in neonatal pigs, and early postnatal establishment of the gut microbiome is suggested to determine later stability and robustness of the gut. We, therefore, hypothesized that early postnatal transplantation of bacteria-free feces would have a protective effect against PWD. Using fecal filtrates derived from healthy lactating sows, we compared oral administration of fecal filtrate transplantation (FFT, n = 20) and saline (CON, n = 18) in newborn piglets. We assessed growth, diarrhea prevalence, blood parameters, organ measurements, morphology, and gut brush border enzymes and analyzed luminal bacterial composition using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The two groups showed similar average daily gain (ADG) during the suckling period, whereas in the post-weaning period, a negative ADG was observed in both groups. While diarrhea was largely absent in both groups before weaning, there was a lower diarrhea prevalence on days 27 (p = 2.07*10−9), 28 (p = 0.04), and 35 (p = 0.04) in the FFT group relative to CON. At weaning on day 27, the FFT group had higher numbers of red blood cells, monocytes, and lymphocytes, while on day 35, i.e., 1 week after weaning, the two groups were similar regarding hematology. The biochemical profile was largely similar between FFT and CON on days 27 and 35, except for a higher level of alanine aminotransferase and a lower level of Mg in the FFT group. Likewise, organ weights relative to body weight were largely similar on day 35, albeit with a lower stomach weight and more colon content in FFT relative to CON. Gut mucosal percentage and mucosal enzyme activity were similar between the two groups on days 27 and 35. Gut bacterial composition was slightly different on day 35 but not on day 27. In conclusion, early postnatal administration of FFT, showed positive clinical effects in post-weaning pigs, albeit with subtle effects on the gut mucosa and microbiome. Prophylactic treatment with FFT may offer a means to reduce morbidity, yet larger studies are required to document effect size.

The early faecal microbiota transfer alters bile acid circulation and amino acid transport of the small intestine in piglets

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of faecal microbiota transfer (FMT) with lactation Min sows as faecal donor on blood immunity, small intestine amino acid transport capacity, bile acid circulation, and colon microbiota of recipient piglets. From Days 1 to 10, the recipient group (R group) was orally inoculated with a faecal suspension. The control group (Con group) was orally inoculated with sterile physiological saline. On Day 21, the results showed that the immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentration in plasma of the R group was increased (p < 0.05). The expression of 4F2hc in the jejunal mucosa and ileum mucosa of the R group was ameliorated (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Synergistetes in the colon of the R group was increased, Proteobacteria was diminished by FMT (p < 0.05). On Day 40, the concentrations of IgA, IgG, and interleukin-2 detected in the plasma of the R group were increased (p < 0.05). FXR and fibroblast growth factor 19 gene expression was upregulated in ileum mucosa, CYP7A1 and Na⁺ taurocholate cotransporter polypeptide gene expression were downregulated in the liver and organic solute transporters α/β was downregulated in colonic mucosa (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Spirochaetes in the colon of the R group was decreased (p < 0.05). In conclusion, an early FMT with lactation Min sows as faecal donors can alter the small intestine amino acid transport capacity, bile acid circulation, and colonic microbiota of recipient piglets during lactation and after weaning.

Fecal microbiota transplantation attenuates Escherichia coli infected outgrowth by modulating the intestinal microbiome

BACKGROUND

Given the crucial role of gut microbiota in animal and human health, studies on modulating the intestinal microbiome for therapeutic purposes have grasped a significant attention, of which the role of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been emphasized.

METHODS

In the current study, we evaluated the effect of FMT on gut functions in Escherichia coli (E. coli) infection by using mice model. Moreover, we also investigated the subsequently dependent variables of infection, i.e., body weight, mortality, intestinal histopathology, and the expression changes in tight junction proteins (TJPs).

RESULTS

The FMT effectively decreased weight loss and mortality to a certain extent with the restoration of intestinal villi that resulted in high histological scores for jejunum tissue damage (p < 0.05). The effect of FMT on alleviating the reduction of intestinal TJPs was also proved by immunohistochemistry analysis and mRNA expression levels. Moreover, the abundance of health-threatening bacteria, belonging to phylum Proteobacteria, family Enterobacteriaceae and Tannerellaceae, genus Escherichia-Shigella, Sphingomonas, Collinsella, etc., were significantly increased, whereas beneficial bacteria, belonging to phylum Firmicutes, family Lactobacillaceae, genus Lactobacillus were decreased in the gut of infected mice. Furthermore, we sought to investigate the association of clinical symptoms with FMT treatment with modulation in gut microbiota. According to beta diversity, the microbial community of gut microbiota results reflected the similarities between non-infected and FMT groups. The improvement of the intestinal microbiota in FMT group was characterized by the significant high level of beneficial microorganisms with the synergistic decrease of Escherichia-Shigella, Acinetobacter, and other taxa.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest a beneficial host-microbiome correlation following fecal microbiota transplanatation for controlling gut infections and pathogens-associated diseases.

Selenium deficiency increased duodenal permeability and decreased expression of antimicrobial peptides by activating ROS/NF-κB signal pathway in chickens

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for the body. Various organs of the body, including the intestine, are affected by its deficiency. Se deficiency can induce oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the intestine. It can also increase intestinal permeability and decrease intestinal immune function in mammals. However, the detailed studies, conducted on the intestinal molecular mechanisms of Se deficiency-induced injury in poultry, are limited. This study explored the adverse effects of Se deficiency on intestinal permeability and its mechanism. A Se-deficient chicken model was established, and the morphological changes in the chicken duodenum tissues were observed using a light microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and other methods were used to detect the expression levels of selenoproteins, oxidative stress indicators, inflammatory factors, tight junction (TJ) proteins, antimicrobial peptides, and other related indicators in intestinal tissues. The results showed that Se deficiency could decrease the expression levels of selenoproteins and antioxidant capacity, activate the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway, cause inflammation, and decrease the expression levels of TJ proteins and antimicrobial peptides in the duodenum tissues. The study also demonstrated that Se deficiency could increase intestinal permeability and decrease antimicrobial peptides via reactive oxygen species (ROS)/NF-κB. This study provided a theoretical basis for the scientific prevention and control of Se deficiency in poultry. Se deficiency decreased the expression levels of selenoproteins and increased ROS levels to activate the NF-κB pathway, resulting in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, reducing the expression levels of TJ protein, and weakening the expression of antimicrobial peptides, which contributed to the higher intestinal permeability. Oxidative stress weakened the expression of antimicrobial peptides.

Effects of dietary protein content and crystalline amino acid supplementation patterns in low protein diets on intestinal bacteria and their metabolites in weaned pigs raised under Different sanitary conditions

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary crude protein (CP) content and crystalline amino acids (CAA) supplementation patterns in low CP (LCP) diets on intestinal bacteria and their metabolites in weaned pigs raised under clean (CSC) or unclean sanitary conditions (USC). One hundred forty-four piglets (6.35 ± 0.63 kg) were assigned to one of six treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement based on CP content and sanitary conditions in a randomized complete block design to give eight replicates with three pigs per pen over a 21-d period. Diets consisted of a high CP (HCP; 21%) and two LCP (18%) diets supplemented with 9 CAA (Lys, Met, Thr, Trp, Val, Ile, Leu, His, and Phe) or only six CAA (Lys, Met, Thr, Trp, Val, and Ile) to meet the requirements. The CSC room was washed weekly, whereas the USC room had sow manure spread in the pens from the beginning of the study and was not washed throughout the experiment. Jejunum and colon digesta were sampled on day 21. Both jejunum and colon digesta were analyzed for ammonia nitrogen, short-chain fatty acids, and biogenic amines but only colon digesta was analyzed for microbiome composition (16s rRNA sequencing on MiSeq). Data were analyzed using R software for 16S rRNA and the MIXED procedure of SAS for microbial metabolites. Sanitation, CP content, and CAA supplementation patterns did not affect the diversity of colonic bacterial composition in weaned pigs. Pigs raised under USC had greater (P < 0.05) jejunal ammonia nitrogen concentration than those raised under CSC. Pigs fed LCP diets had reduced (P < 0.05) jejunal ammonia nitrogen concentration compared to those fed the HCP diet. Interactions between sanitation and dietary CP content were observed (P < 0.05) for: (1) jejunal acetate and (2) colonic spermidine and spermine, whereby (1) acetate concentrations decreased from NCP to LCP in pigs raised under the CSC but those concentrations increased under the USC, and (2) spermidine and spermine concentrations increased in LCP diets compared to HCP diet under USC, unlike CSC which did not show any difference between HCP and LCP. In conclusion, reducing dietary CP lowered ammonia nitrogen content regardless of sanitation and increased microbial metabolites in weaned pigs raised under USC. However, LCP diets with different CAA supplementation patterns did not affect bacterial diversity in weaned pigs, regardless of the hygienic conditions where the animals were housed.

Effects of a farm-specific fecal microbial transplant (FMT) product on clinical outcomes and fecal microbiome composition in preweaned dairy calves

Gastrointestinal disease (GI) is the most common illness in pre-weaned dairy calves. Therefore, effective strategies to manipulate the microbiome of dairy calves under commercial dairy operations are of great importance to improve animal health and reduce antimicrobial usage. The objective of this study was to develop a farm-specific FMT product and to investigate its effects on clinical outcomes and fecal microbial composition of dairy calves. The FMT product was derived from feces from healthy donors (5–24 days of age) raised in the same calf ranch facility as the FMT recipients. Healthy and diarrheic calves were randomly enrolled to a control (n = 115) or FMT (n = 112) treatment group (~36 g of processed fecal matter once daily for 3 days). Fecal samples were collected at enrollment and again 9 days later after the first FMT dose. Although the FMT product was rich in organisms typically known for their beneficial probiotic properties, the FMT therapy did not prevent or ameliorate GI disease in dairy calves. In fact, calves that received FMT were less likely to recover from GI disease, and more likely to die due to GI disease complications. Fecal microbial community analysis revealed an increase in the alpha-diversity in FMT calves; however, no major differences across treatment groups were observed in the beta-diversity analysis. Calves that received FMT had higher relative abundance of an uncultured organism of the genus Lactobacillus and Lactobacillus reuteri on day 10. Moreover, FMT calves had lower relative abundance of Clostridium nexile and Bacteroides vulgatus on day 10. Our results indicate the need to have an established protocol when developing FMT products, based on rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria for the selection of FMT donors free of potential pathogens, no history of disease or antibiotic treatment.

Effects of dietary protein content and crystalline amino acid supplementation patterns on growth performance, intestinal histomorphology, and immune response in weaned pigs raised under different sanitary conditions

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary crude protein (CP) contents and crystalline amino acids (CAA) supplementation patterns on growth performance, intestinal histomorphology, and immune response in weaned pigs under clean (CSC) or unclean sanitary conditions (USC). A total of 144 weaned pigs (6.35 ± 0.63 kg body weight) were assigned to 6 treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement based on CP content and sanitary conditions using a randomized complete block design, giving 8 replicates per treatment with 3 pigs per pen. Pigs were fed one of three diets for 21 d: one high CP (HCP; 22%) and two low CP (LCP; 19%) diets supplemented with 9 indispensable AA or only 6 AA (Lys, Met, Thr, Trp, Val, and Ile) as CAA. The CSC room was washed weekly, whereas the USC room had sow manure spread in the pens and was not washed throughout the experiment. Body weight and feed disappearance were recorded weekly. Blood was sampled from 1 pig per pen weekly, and the same pig was euthanized for jejunal tissues sampling on day 21. Pigs raised under USC had reduced (P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed ratio (G:F) in week 2, but contrary results that greater (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F were found in pigs under USC in week 3. Overall, there was an interaction where G:F did not differ between HCP and LCP under CSC, however, LCP decreased (P < 0.05) G:F compared to HCP under USC. Pigs fed the HCP diet had higher (P < 0.05) fecal scores than those fed the LCP diets throughout the experiment. Pigs fed the LCP had higher (P < 0.05) villus height to crypt depth ratio than those fed the HCP. An interaction was observed where goblet cell density in the jejunum was higher (P < 0.05) in pigs fed LCP than HCP under CSC, but no difference was found between HCP and LCP under USC. Different CAA supplementation patterns did not influence both growth performance and histomorphology. Pigs raised under USC had greater (P < 0.05) plasma interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-6 concentrations and reduced (P < 0.05) plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentration. Also, the LCP diets resulted in a greater (P < 0.05) plasma IL-10 concentration. In conclusion, overall growth performance did not differ between HCP and LCP under CSC, but LCP diets reduced G:F under USC. Feeding LCP diets to weaned pigs improved gut morphology under USC and ameliorated systemic inflammation induced by USC, whereas CAA supplementation patterns did not affect growth performance and gut morphology.

Impacts of Gut Microbiota on the Immune System and Fecal Microbiota Transplantation as a Re-Emerging Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases

The enormous and diverse population of microorganisms residing in the digestive tracts of humans and animals influence the development, regulation, and function of the immune system. Recently, the understanding of the association between autoimmune diseases and gut microbiota has been improved due to the innovation of high-throughput sequencing technologies with high resolutions. Several studies have reported perturbation of gut microbiota as one of the factors playing a role in the pathogenesis of many diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, recurrent diarrhea due to Clostridioides difficile infections. Restoration of healthy gut microbiota by transferring fecal material from a healthy donor to a sick recipient, called fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), has resolved or improved symptoms of autoimmune diseases. This (re)emerging therapy was approved for the treatment of drug-resistant recurrent C. difficile infections in 2013 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Numerous human and animal studies have demonstrated FMT has the potential as the next generation therapy to control autoimmune and other health problems. Alas, this new therapeutic method has limitations, including the risk of transferring antibiotic-resistant pathogens or transmission of genes from donors to recipients and/or exacerbating the conditions in some patients. Therefore, continued research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms by which gut microbiota is involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and to improve the efficacy and optimize the preparation of FMT for different disease conditions, and to tailor FMT to meet the needs in both humans and animals. The prospect of FMT therapy includes shifting from the current practice of using the whole fecal materials to the more aesthetic transfer of selective microbial consortia assembled in vitro or using their metabolic products.

Effect of the Microbiome on Intestinal Innate Immune Development in Early Life and the Potential Strategy of Early Intervention

Early life is a vital period for mammals to be colonized with the microbiome, which profoundly influences the development of the intestinal immune function. For neonates to resist pathogen infection and avoid gastrointestinal illness, the intestinal innate immune system is critical. Thus, this review summarizes the development of the intestinal microbiome and the intestinal innate immune barrier, including the intestinal epithelium and immune cells from the fetal to the weaning period. Moreover, the impact of the intestinal microbiome on innate immune development and the two main way of early-life intervention including probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) also are discussed in this review. We hope to highlight the crosstalk between early microbial colonization and intestinal innate immunity development and offer some information for early intervention.

Integrated Bacteria-Fungi Diversity Analysis Reveals the Gut Microbial Changes in Buffalo With Mastitis

The gut microbial community is closely related to mastitis, but studies regarding the influences of mastitis on gut microbiota in buffalo remain scarce. Herein, we characterized the differences in gut bacterial and fungal communities between mastitis-affected and healthy buffalos. Interestingly, although mastitis had no effect on gut bacterial and fungal diversities in the buffalos, some bacterial and fungal taxa were significantly altered. Bacterial and fungal taxonomic analysis showed that the preponderant bacterial phyla (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes) and fungal phyla (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) in buffalo were the same regardless of health status. At the level of genus, the changes in some gut bacterial and fungal abundances between both groups were gradually observed. Compared with healthy buffalos, the proportions of 3 bacterial genera (uncultured_bacterium_f_Muribaculaceae, Eubacterium_nodatum_group, and Lachnoclostridium_10) and 1 fungal genus (Pichia) in the mastitis-affected buffalo were significantly increased, whereas 4 bacterial genera (Ruminococcus_2, Candidatus_Stoquefichus, Turicibacter, and Cellulosilyticum) and 4 fungal genera (Cladosporium, Thermothelomyces, Ganoderma and Aspergillus) were significantly decreased. Taken together, this research revealed that there was significant difference in the compositions of the gut microbial community between the healthy and mastitis-affected buffalos. To our knowledge, this is the first insight into the characteristics of the gut microbiota in buffalos with mastitis, which is beneficial to understand the gut microbial information of buffalo in different health states and elucidate the pathogenesis of mastitis from the gut microbial perspective.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Reshapes the Physiological Function of the Intestine in Antibiotic-Treated Specific Pathogen-Free Birds

The topic about the interactions between host and intestinal microbiota has already caught the attention of many scholars. However, there is still a lack of systematic reports on the relationship between the intestinal flora and intestinal physiology of birds. Thus, this study was designed to investigate it. Antibiotic-treated specific pathogen-free (SPF) bird were used to construct an intestinal bacteria-free bird (IBF) model, and then, the differences in intestinal absorption, barrier, immune, antioxidant and metabolic functions between IBF and bacteria-bearing birds were studied. To gain further insight, the whole intestinal flora of bacteria-bearing birds was transplanted into the intestines of IBF birds to study the remodeling effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the intestinal physiology of IBF birds. The results showed that compared with bacteria-bearing birds, IBF birds had a lighter body weight and weaker intestinal absorption, antioxidant, barrier, immune and metabolic functions. Interestingly, FMT contributed to reshaping the abovementioned physiological functions of the intestines of IBF birds. In conclusion, the intestinal flora plays an important role in regulating the physiological functions of the intestine.

Comparative Analysis of Gut Microbiota Between Healthy and Diarrheic Horses

Increasing evidence reveals the importance of gut microbiota in animals for regulating intestinal homeostasis, metabolism, and host health. The gut microbial community has been reported to be closely related to many diseases, but information regarding diarrheic influence on gut microbiota in horses remains scarce. This study investigated and compared gut microbial changes in horses during diarrhea. The results showed that the alpha diversity of gut microbiota in diarrheic horses decreased observably, accompanied by obvious shifts in taxonomic compositions. The dominant bacterial phyla (Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, and Kiritimatiellaeota) and genera (uncultured_bacterium_f_Lachnospiraceae, uncultured_bacterium_f_p-251-o5, Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group, and Treponema_2) in the healthy and diarrheic horses were same regardless of health status but different in abundances. Compared with the healthy horses, the relative abundances of Planctomycetes, Tenericutes, Firmicutes, Patescibacteria, and Proteobacteria in the diarrheic horses were observably decreased, whereas Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Fibrobacteres were dramatically increased. Moreover, diarrhea also resulted in a significant reduction in the proportions of 31 genera and a significant increase in the proportions of 14 genera. Taken together, this study demonstrated that the gut bacterial diversity and abundance of horses changed significantly during diarrhea. Additionally, these findings also demonstrated that the dysbiosis of gut microbiota may be an important driving factor of diarrhea in horses.

Coated tannin supplementation improves growth performance, nutrients digestibility, and intestinal function in weaned piglets

To explore the effect of coated tannin (CT) on the growth performance, nutrients digestibility, and intestinal function in weaned piglets, a total of 180 piglets Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (28 d old) weighing about 8.6 kg were randomly allotted to three treatments: 1) Con: basal diet (contains ZnSO4); 2) Tan: basal diet + 0.15% CT; and 3) ZnO: basal diet + ZnO (Zn content is 1,600 mg/kg). The results showed that 0.15% CT could highly increase the average daily gain and average daily feed intake of weaned piglets compared with the control group, especially decreasing diarrhea incidence significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, crude protein apparent digestibility and digestive enzyme activity of the piglets fed with 0.15% CT were enhanced obviously (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the intestinal villi and microvilli arranged more densely, while the content of serum diamine oxidase was decreased, and the protein expressions of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and claudin-1 were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). In addition, CT altered the structure of intestinal microbiota and augmented some butyrate-producing bacteria such as Ruminococcaceae and Megasphaera. PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) analysis also showed that the abundances of pathways related to butyrate metabolism and tryptophan metabolism were increased; however, the function of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis proteins was significantly decreased. The results demonstrated that 0.15% CT could improve growth performance, digestibility, and intestinal function of weaned piglets, and it had the potential to replace ZnO applied to farming.

Mechanism of Action of Shenerjiangzhi Formulation on Hyperlipidemia Induced by Consumption of a High-Fat Diet in Rats Using Network Pharmacology and Analyses of the Gut Microbiota

Shenerjiangzhi formulation (SEJZ) is a new traditional Chinese medicine formulation (patent number: CN110680850A). SEJZ contains Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. and Maxim.), Maxim (Araliaceae; E. senticosus radix and rhizome), Lonicera japonica Thunb (Caprifoliaceae; Lonicera japonica branch, stem), Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge (Rosaceae; Crataegus pinnatifida fruit), and Auricularia auricula. SEJZ has been designed to treat hyperlipidemia. Despite the therapeutic benefits of SEJZ, its underlying mechanism of action is not known. We explored the efficacy of SEJZ against hyperlipidemia by integrating network pharmacology and 16S rRNA gene sequencing and elucidated its mechanism of action. First, SEJZ targets were found through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and from the literature. Hyperlipidemia-related therapeutic targets were obtained from GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, and DrugBank databases. Then, Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins and Cytoscape were applied for the analyses and construction of a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database was employed to identify signaling pathways that were enriched. Second, the therapeutic effects of SEJZ against hyperlipidemia induced by consumption of a high-fat diet in rats were evaluated by measuring body weight changes and biochemical tests. SEJZ treatment was found to alleviate obesity and hyperlipidemia in rats. Finally, 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that SEJZ could significantly increase the abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, restore the intestinal barrier, and maintain intestinal-flora homeostasis. Using PICRUSt2, six metabolic pathways were found to be consistent with the results of network pharmacology: “African trypanosomiasis”, “amoebiasis”, “arginine and proline metabolism”, “calcium signaling pathway”, “NOD-like receptor signaling pathway”, and “tryptophan metabolism”. These pathways might represent how SEJZ works against hyperlipidemia. Moreover, the “African trypanosomiasis pathway” had the highest association with core genes. These results aid understanding of how SEJZ works against dyslipidemia and provide a reference for further studies.

Donor age and body weight determine the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on growth performance, and fecal microbiota development in recipient pigs

Background

The application of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to improve swine growth performance has been sporadically studied. Most of these studies used a single microbiota source and thus the effect of donor characteristics on recipient pigs’ fecal microbiota development and growth performance is largely unknown.

Results

In this study, we collected feces from six donors with heavy (H) or light (L) body weight and different ages (d 42, nursery; d 96, growing; and d 170, finisher) to evaluate their effects on the growth performance and fecal microbiota development of recipient pigs. Generally, recipients that received two doses of FMT from nursery and finisher stages donor at weaning (21 ± 2 days of age) inherited the donor’s growth pattern, while the pigs gavaged with grower stage material exerted a numerically greater weight gain than the control pigs regardless of donor BW. FMT from heavier donors (NH, GH, and FH) led to the recipients to have numerically increased growth compared to their lighter counterparts (NL, GL, and FL, respectively) throughout the growing and most finishing stages. This benefit could be attributed to the enrichment of ASV25 Faecalibacterium, ASV61 Faecalibacterium, ASV438 Coriobacteriaceae_unclassified, ASV144 Bulleidia, and ASV129 Oribacterium and decrease of ASV13 Escherichia during nursery stage. Fecal microbiota transplantation from growing and finishing donors influenced the microbial community significantly in recipient pigs during the nursery stage. FMT of older donors’ gut microbiota expedited recipients’ microbiota maturity on d 35 and 49, indicated by increased estimated microbiota ages. The age-associated bacterial taxa included ASV206 Ruminococcaceae, ASV211 Butyrivibrio, ASV416 Bacteroides, ASV2 Streptococcus, and ASV291 Veillonellaceae. The body weight differences between GL and GH pigs on d 104 were associated with the increased synthesis of the essential amino acid, lysine and methionine, mixed acid fermentation, expedited glycolysis, and sucrose/galactose degradation.

Conclusions

Overall, our study provided insights into how donor age and body weight affect FMT outcomes regarding growth performance, microbiota community shifts, and lower GI tract metabolic potentials. This study also provided guidance to select qualified donors for future fecal microbiota transplantation.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40104-022-00696-1.

Characteristics of the Gut Microbiome and Its Relationship With Peripheral CD4+ T Cell Subpopulations and Cytokines in Rheumatoid Arthritis

This study investigated the association between intestinal microbiota abundance and diversity and cluster of differentiation (CD)4⁺ T cell subpopulations, cytokine levels, and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis RA. A total of 108 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 99 healthy control (HC) subjects were recruited. PICRUSt2 was used for functional metagenomic predictions. Absolute counts of peripheral CD4⁺ T cell subpopulations and cytokine levels were detected by flow cytometry and with a cytokine bead array, respectively. Correlations were analyzed with the Spearman rank correlation test. The results showed that the diversity of intestinal microbiota was decreased in RA patients compared to HCs. At the phylum level, the abundance of Firmicutes, Fusobacteriota, and Bacteroidota was decreased while that of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria was increased and at the genus level, the abundance of Faecalibacterium, Blautia, and Escherichia-Shigella was increased while that of Bacteroides and Coprococcus was decreased in RA patients compared to HC subjects. The linear discriminant analysis effect size indicated that Bifidobacterium was the most significant genus in RA. The most highly enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway in RA patients was amino acid metabolism. The relative abundance of Megamonas, Monoglobus, and Prevotella was positively correlated with CD4⁺ T cell counts and cytokine levels; and the relative numbers of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and T helper (Th17)/Treg ratio were negatively correlated with disease activity in RA. These results suggest that dysbiosis of certain bacterial lineages and alterations in gut microbiota metabolism lead to changes in the host immune profile that contribute to RA pathogenesis.

Alterations in the Gut Microbial Composition and Diversity of Tibetan Sheep Infected With Echinococcus granulosus

Hydatidosis/cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by Echinococcus granulosus is a parasitic zoonotic disease worldwide, threatening animal health and production and public health safety. However, it is still unclear that whether E. granulosus infection can result in the alteration of gut microbiota in Tibetan sheep. Therefore, a study was designed to investigate the influences of E. granulosus infection on gut microbiota of Tibetan sheep. A total of 10 ovine small intestinal contents (five from healthy and five from infected) were obtained and subjected to high-throughput sequencing by MiSeq platform. A total of 2,395,641 sequences and 585 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most dominant phyla in all samples. Moreover, the proportions of Armatimonadetes and Firmicutes in the infected Tibetan sheep were significantly decreased, whereas Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteria had significantly increased. At the genus level, the Christensenellaceae_R-7_group and Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group were the predominant bacterial genera in all the samples. Furthermore, the healthy Tibetan sheep exhibited higher abundances of Intestinimonas, Butyrivibrio, Pseudobutyrivibrio, Ruminococcaceae, Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, Oxobacter, Prevotella_1, Ruminiclostridium_6, Coprococcus_1, Ruminococcus, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-002, Olsenella, and Acetitomaculum, whereas Kocuria, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Slackia, Achromobacter, and Stenotrophomonas levels were lower. In conclusion, our results conveyed an information that E. granulosus infection may cause an increase in pathogenic bacteria and a decrease in beneficial bacteria. Additionally, a significant dynamical change in gut microbiota could be associated with E. granulosus infection.

Gut Microbiota Implications for Health and Welfare in Farm Animals: A Review

Simple Summary

Farm 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.

Abstract

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.

A bovine lactoferricin-lactoferrampin-encoding Lactobacillus reuteri CO21 regulates the intestinal mucosal immunity and enhances the protection of piglets against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 challenge

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an important cause of diarrhea in human and animal. To determine the mechanism of a bovine lactoferricin-lactoferrampin (LFCA)-encoding Lactobacillus reuteri CO21 (LR-LFCA) to enhance the intestinal mucosal immunity, we used a newborn piglet intestine model to study the intestinal response to ETEC. Pigs were chosen due to the anatomical similarity between the porcine and the human intestine.4-day-old piglets were orally administered with LR-LFCA, LR-con (L. reuteri CO21 transformed with pPG612 plasmid) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for three consecutive days, within 21 days after these treatments, we found that LR-LFCA can colonize the intestines of piglets, improve the growth performance, enhance immune response and is beneficial for intestinal health of piglets by improving intestinal barrier function and modulating the composition of gut microbiota. Twenty-one days after, piglets were infected with ETEC K88 for 5 days, we found that oral administration of LR-LFCA to neonatal piglets attenuated ETEC-induced the weight loss of piglets and diarrhea incidence. LR-LFCA decreased the production of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress in intestinal mucosa of ETEC-infected piglets. Additionally, LR-LFCA increased the expression of tight junction proteins in the ileum of ETEC-infected piglets. Using LPS-induced porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) in vitro, we demonstrated that LR-LFCA-mediated increases in the tight junction proteins might depend on the MLCK pathway; LR-LFCA might increase the anti-inflammatory ability by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway. We also found that LR-LFCA may enhance the antioxidant capacity of piglets by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. This study demonstrates that LR-LFCA is effective at maintaining intestinal epithelial integrity and host homeostasis as well as at repairing intestinal damage after ETEC infection and is thus a promising alternative therapeutic method for intestinal inflammation.

Amino acids metabolism by rumen microorganisms: Nutrition and ecology strategies to reduce nitrogen emissions from the inside to the outside

For the ruminant animal industry, the emission of nitrogenous substances, such as nitrous oxide (N₂O) and ammonia (NH₃), not only challenges environmental sustainability but also restricts its development. The metabolism of proteins and amino acids by rumen microorganisms is a key factor affecting nitrogen (N) excretion in ruminant animals. Rumen microorganisms that affect N excretion mainly include three types: proteolytic and peptidolytic bacteria (PPB), ureolytic bacteria (UB), and hyper-ammonia-producing bacteria (HAB). Microbes residing in the rumen, however, are influenced by several complex factors, such as diet, which results in fluctuations in the rumen metabolism of proteins and amino acids and ultimately affects N emission. Combining feed nutrition strategies (including ingredient adjustment and feed additives) and ecological mitigation strategies of N₂O and NH₃ in industrial practice can reduce the emission of nitrogenous pollutants from the ruminant breeding industry. In this review, the characteristics of the rumen microbial community related to N metabolism in ruminants were used as the metabolic basis. Furthermore, an effective strategy to increase N utilisation efficiency in combination with nutrition and ecology was reviewed to provide an inside-out approach to reduce N emissions from ruminants.

Bacillus subtilis DSM29784 Alleviates Negative Effects on Growth Performance in Broilers by Improving the Intestinal Health Under Necrotic Enteritis Challenge

Along with banning antibiotics, necrotic enteritis (NE), especially subclinical enteritis (SNE), poses a significant threat to the chicken industry; however, probiotics are a potentially promising intervention. We aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of Bacillus subtilis DSM29784 (BS) on the treatment of Clostridium perfringens (CP)-induced SNE in broilers. A total of 360 1-day-old broiler chicks were divided into three treatment groups, namely control (Ctr), SNE, and BS treatment (BST) groups, all of which were fed with a basal died for 21days, and then from day 22 onward, only the BST group had a BS supplemented diet (1×10⁹ colony-forming units BS/kg). On day 15, all chicks, except the Ctr group, were challenged with a 20-fold dose coccidiosis vaccine and 1ml CP (2×10⁸) on days 18–21 for SNE induction. Beneficial effects were observed on growth performance in BST compared to SNE broilers. BST treatment alleviated intestinal lesions and increased the villus height/crypt depth ratio. Further, BST broilers showed increased maltase activity in the duodenum compared with SNE chicks, and a significantly decreased caspase-3 protein expression in the jejunum mucosa. Moreover, an increased abundance of Ruminococcaceae and Bifidobacterium beneficial gut bacteria and an altered gut metabolome were observed. Taken together, we demonstrate that the manipulation of microbial gut composition using probiotics may be a promising prevention strategy for SNE by improving the composition and metabolism of the intestinal microbiota, intestinal structure, and reducing inflammation and apoptosis. Hence, BS potentially has active ingredients that may be used as antibiotic substitutes and effectively reduces the economic losses caused by SNE. The findings of this study provide a scientific foundation for BS application in broiler feed in the future.

Exogenous Fecal Microbial Transplantation Alters Fearfulness, Intestinal Morphology, and Gut Microbiota in Broilers

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) documented transplanting a donor fecal sample to a receipt individual for a desired physiologic effect. However, whether the gut microbiota construction, intestinal maturation, and behavioral plasticity are modulated by FMT during the early life of broilers is waiting for verification. To evaluate the role of transfer of fecal microbiota from aged broilers donor (BD) to another individual, 96 birds were equally divided into a check (CK, control) group and a broiler recipient (BR) group. FMT was conducted daily from 5 to 12 days of age to determine the future impact on body weight, behavior, intestinal development, and gut microbiota. Results indicated that fearfulness in the CK group was higher than the BR group in both the behavioral tests (p < 0.05). The muscularis mucosa, thickness of muscle layer, and thickness of serous membrane layer in the BR group were higher compared with those of the CK group in the jejunum (p < 0.05). In the gut microbiota, Shannon diversity showed no difference, while beta diversity presented a difference in principal coordination analysis (PCoA) between the CK and BR groups. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Lentisphaerae in the CK group was lower than the BR (p = 0.052) and BD (p = 0.054) groups. The relative abundance of Tenericutes in the BD group was higher than that in the CK and BR groups (p < 0.05). At the genus level, Megamonas in the CK group was higher than the BR (p = 0.06) and BD (p < 0.05) groups. In the BR group, the functional capabilities of microbial communities analyzed by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway were increased in the glutamatergic synapse and N-glycan biosynthesis pathways in comparison with the CK and BD groups (p < 0.05). Some characteristics of gut microbiota in the donor chickens could be transferred to recipient chickens by FMT. In conclusion, exogenous FMT as a probiotic-like administration might be an efficient way to improve the physiology and behavior of chickens. Notably, the role of microbiota for various individuals and periods remains undefined, and the mechanism of microbiota on behaviors still needs further investigation.

Early Life Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Neonatal Dairy Calves Promotes Growth Performance and Alleviates Inflammation and Oxidative Stress during Weaning

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of early life fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the health and performance of neonatal dairy calves. The donor was selected based on health and production records and fecal material testing negative for infectious pathogens. Sixteen healthy newborn Holstein calves were randomized to either a baseline nutritional program (CON) or 1×/d inoculations with 25 g of fecal donor material (FMT) mixed in the milk replacer (n = 8/TRT) from 8 to 12 days of age. Blood and fecal samples were collected weekly, and calves were weaned at 7 weeks of age. A TRT × Week interaction was observed in haptoglobin, which was reflected in a positive quadratic effect in FMT calves but not in CON. A trend for a TRT × Week interaction was observed in the liver function biomarker paraoxonase, which resulted in greater paraoxonase in FMT calves than CON at three weeks of age. Fecal microbial community analysis revealed a significant increase in the alpha-diversity between week 1 and week 5 for the FMT calves. These results suggest that early life FMT in neonatal calves has positive effects in mediating the inflammatory response and gut microbial maturation.

Integrated Bacterial and Fungal Diversity Analysis Reveals the Gut Microbial Alterations in Diarrheic Giraffes

Gut microbiota has been demonstrated to be associated with multiple gastrointestinal diseases, but information regarding the gut microbial alternations in diarrheic giraffe remains scarce. Here, 16S rDNA and ITS gene amplicon sequencing were conducted to investigate the gut microbial composition and variability in diarrheic giraffes. Results demonstrated that Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most dominant phyla in the gut bacterial community, whereas Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were observed to be predominant in the gut fungal community regardless of health status. However, the species and relative abundance of preponderant bacterial and fungal genera in healthy and diarrheic giraffes were different. In contrast to the relatively stabilized gut fungal community, gut bacterial community displayed a significant decrease in the alpha diversity, accompanied by distinct changes in taxonomic compositions. Bacterial taxonomic analysis revealed that the relative abundances of eight phyla and 12 genera obviously increased, whereas the relative abundances of two phyla and eight genera dramatically decreased during diarrhea. Moreover, the relative richness of five fungal genera significantly increased, whereas the relative richness of seven fungal genera significantly declined in diarrheic giraffes. Taken together, this study demonstrated that diarrhea could cause significant alternations in the gut microbial composition of giraffes, and the changes in the gut bacterial community were more significant than those in the gut fungal community. Additionally, investigating the gut microbial characteristics of giraffes in different health states is beneficial to provide a theoretical basis for establishing a prevention and treatment system for diarrhea from the gut microbial perspective.

Early-Life Intervention Using Exogenous Fecal Microbiota Alleviates Gut Injury and Reduce Inflammation Caused by Weaning Stress in Piglets

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could shape the structure of intestinal microbiota in animals. This study was conducted to explore the changes that happen in the structure and function of microbiota caused by weaning stress, and whether early-life FMT could alleviate weaning stress through modifying intestinal microbiota in weaned piglets. Diarrheal (D) and healthy (H) weaned piglets were observed, and in the same farm, a total of nine litters newborn piglets were randomly allocated to three groups: sucking normally (S), weaned at 21 d (W), and early-life FMT + weaned at 21 d (FW). The results demonstrated that differences of fecal microbiota existed in group D and H. Early-life FMT significantly decreased diarrhea incidence of weaned piglets. Intestinal morphology and integrity were improved in the FW group. Both ZO-1 and occludin (tight junction proteins) of jejunum were greatly enhanced, while the zonulin expression was significantly down-regulated through early-life FMT. The expression of IL-6 and TNF-α (intestinal mucosal inflammatory cytokines) were down-regulated, while IL-10 (anti-inflammatory cytokines) was up-regulated by early-life FMT. In addition, early-life FMT increased the variety of the intestinal microbial population and the relative amounts of some beneficial bacteria such as Spirochaetes, Akkermansia, and Alistipes. Functional alteration of the intestinal microbiota revealed that lipid biosynthesis and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis were enriched in the FW group. These findings suggested that alteration of the microbiota network caused by weaning stress induced diarrhea, and early-life FMT alleviated weaning stress in piglets, which was characterized by decreased diarrhea incidence, improved intestinal morphology, reduced intestinal inflammation, and modified intestinal bacterial composition and function.

The intestinal microbiota contributes to the growth and physiological state of muscle tissue in piglets

Although the importance of the intestinal microbiota in host growth and health is well known, the relationship between microbiota colonization and muscle development is unclear. In this study, the direct causal effects of the colonization of gut microorganisms on the muscle tissue of piglets were investigated. The body weight and lean mass of germ-free (GF) piglets were approximately 40% lower than those of normal piglets. The deletion of the intestinal microbiota led to weakened muscle function and a reduction in myogenic regulatory proteins, such as MyoG and MyoD, in GF piglets. In addition, the blinded IGF1/AKT/mTOR pathway in GF piglets caused muscle atrophy and autophagy, which were characterized by the high expression of Murf-1 and KLF15. Gut microbiota introduced to GF piglets via fecal microbiota transplantation not only colonized the gut but also partially restored muscle growth and development. Furthermore, the proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers was lower in the muscle of GF piglets, which was caused by the reduced short-chain fatty acid content in the circulation and impaired mitochondrial function in muscle. Collectively, these findings suggest that the growth, development and function of skeletal muscle in animals are mediated by the intestinal microbiota.

Gut health: The results of microbial and mucosal immune interactions in pigs

There are a large number of microorganisms in the porcine intestinal tract. These microorganisms and their metabolites contribute to intestinal mucosal immunity, which is of great importance to the health of the host. The host immune system can regulate the distribution and composition of intestinal microorganisms and regulate the homeostasis of intestinal flora by secreting a variety of immune effector factors, such as mucin, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), regenerating islet-derived III (RegIII)γ, and defensin. Conversely, intestinal microorganisms can also promote the differentiation of immune cells including regulatory T cells (T_reg) and Th17 cells through their specific components or metabolites. Studies have shown that imbalances in the intestinal flora can lead to bacterial translocation and compromised intestinal barrier function, affecting the health of the body. This review focuses on the composition of the pig intestinal flora and the characteristics of intestinal mucosal immunity, discusses the interaction mechanism between the flora and intestinal mucosal immunity, as well as the regulation through fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), dietary nutritional composition, probiotics and prebiotics of pig intestinal microecology. Finally, this review provides insights into the relationship between intestinal microorganisms and the mucosal immune system.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Shows Marked Shifts in the Multi-Omic Profiles of Porcine Post-weaning Diarrhea

Weaning is the most critical phase in pig production and is generally associated with significant impacts on intestinal morphology, structure, physiology, and immune responses, which can lead to subsequent production inefficiencies such as decreases in growth and intake and increases in morbidity and mortality. In the present study, we attempted to explore the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the fecal microbiota, fecal metabolites, and transcriptome in the jejunum, colon, liver, spleen, and oral mucosa in piglets with post-weaning diarrhea and to evaluate the therapeutic potential of FMT in piglets with post-weaning diarrhea. We found that FMT partially relieved the symptoms of diarrhea in piglets, and microbiota analysis results indicated that unclassified_f_Prevotellaceae was identified as an FMT-associated bacterial family at 66 day and that the Shannon index in the healthy group at 34, 38, and 66 days were higher than that at 21 day. Functional enrichment analysis of the oral mucosa, liver, jejunum, and colon showed that most of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in the terms metabolic process, immune response, and inflammatory response. Moreover, the enriched fecal metabolites focused mostly on apoptosis, beta-alanine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. We tried to detect specific "metabolite-bacterium" pairs, such as "g_Catenisphaera-stigmastentriol," "p_Bacteroidetes-(6beta,22E)-6-hydroxystigmasta-4,22-dien-3-one," and "g_Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group-stenocereol." Overall, the present study provides a theoretical basis for the alleviation of weaning stress and contributes to the realization of effective and sustainable application of FMT in the pig production industry in the future.

Gut microbiome associations with outcome following co-infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in pigs immunized with a PRRS modified live virus vaccine

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) are two of the most significant pathogens affecting swine. Co-infections are common and result in respiratory disease and reduced weight gain in growing pigs. Although PRRS modified live virus (MLV) vaccines are widely used to decrease PRRS-associated losses, they are generally considered inadequate for disease control. The gut microbiome provides an alternative strategy to enhance vaccine efficacy and improve PRRS control. The objective of this study was to identify gut microbiome characteristics associated with improved outcome in pigs immunized with a PRRS MLV and co-challenged with PRRSV and PCV2b. Twenty-eight days after vaccination and prior to co-challenge, fecal samples were collected from an experimental population of 50 nursery pigs. At 42 days post-challenge, 20 pigs were retrospectively identified as having high or low growth outcomes during the post-challenge period. Gut microbiomes of the two outcome groups were compared using the Lawrence Livermore Microbial Detection Array (LLMDA) and 16S rDNA sequencing. High growth outcomes were associated with several gut microbiome characteristics, such as increased bacterial diversity, increased Bacteroides pectinophilus, decreased Mycoplasmataceae species diversity, higher Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratios, increased relative abundance of the phylum Spirochaetes, reduced relative abundance of the family Lachnospiraceae, and increased Lachnospiraceae species C6A11 and P6B14. Overall, this study identifies gut microbiomes associated with improved outcomes in PRRS vaccinated pigs following a polymicrobial respiratory challenge and provides evidence towards the gut microbiome playing a role in PRRS vaccine efficacy.

Maintaining continuity of nutrient intake after weaning. I. Review of pre-weaning strategies

Weaning is a crucial phase of swine production marked by a multitude of biological and environmental stressors, which have a significant impact on immediate postweaning behavior and feed intake (FI). During this time, the piglet's gastrointestinal (GI) system is also undergoing extensive epithelial, immune, and nervous system development. In this review, our objective is to describe the different preweaning strategies that can be used to minimize nutrient intake disruption and improve FI in the immediate postweaning period. Reducing nutrient disruption postweaning can be accomplished through the implementation of management and nutritional strategies. Research consistently demonstrates that weaning older, more developmentally mature pigs helps prevent many of the adverse GI effects associated with weaning stress. Providing creep feed to pigs during lactation is another reliable strategy that has been shown to increase immediate postweaning FI by acclimating pigs to solid feed prior to weaning. Likewise, socialization by allowing pigs to mix before weaning improves social skills, minimizing mixing stress, and aggression-related injury immediately postweaning. Supplemental milk replacer has also been shown to elicit a positive response in preweaning growth performance, which may help to reduce preweaning mortality. While socialization and milk replacer are acknowledged to ease the weaning transition, these strategies have not been widely adopted due to labor and application challenges. Additionally, the cost of milk replacer and logistics of retrofitting farrowing houses to accommodate litter socialization have limited adaptation. Further exploration of maternal nutrition strategies, particularly fetal imprinting, is needed to better understand the implications of perinatal learning. Other areas for future research include, combining environmental enrichment with feeding strategies, such as large destructible pellets or play feeders, as well as determining at what time point producers should start socializing pigs before weaning. While more research is needed to develop strategic preweaning management programs, many of the strategies presented in this review provide opportunities for producers to minimize nutrient intake disruption by preventing feed neophobia, reducing stress, and easing the wean pig transition.

Introduction of Colonic and Fecal Microbiota From an Adult Pig Differently Affects the Growth, Gut Health, Intestinal Microbiota and Blood Metabolome of Newborn Piglets

Microbiota transplantation is a rapid and effective method for changing and reshaping the intestinal microbiota and metabolic profile in humans and animals. This study compared the different influences of the introduction of fecal microbes and colonic microbes from a fat, adult pig in newborn pigs. Both colonic microbiota transplantation (CMT) and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) promoted growth and improved gut functions in suckling pigs up to weaning. FMT was more beneficial for body weight gain and body fat deposition in piglets, while CMT was more beneficial for intestinal health and mucosal immunity. 16S rDNA sequence analysis indicated that both CMT and FMT significantly increased the abundances of beneficial or functional bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and Prevotella_2 genera, in the piglets, and reduced the abundances of harmful bacteria, such as Escherichia-Shigella. Blood metabolome analysis showed that transplantation, especially FMT, enhanced lipid metabolism in piglets. In addition, while CMT also changed amino acid metabolism and increased anti-inflammatory metabolites such as 3-indoleacetic acid and 3-indolepropionic acid in piglets, FMT did not. Of note, FMT damaged the intestinal barrier of piglets to a certain extent and increased the levels of inflammatory factors in the blood that are potentially harmful to the health of pigs. Taken together, these results suggested that intestinal and fecal microbiota transplantations elicited similar but different physiological effects on young animals, so the application of microbiota transplantation in animal production requires the careful selection and evaluation of source bacteria.

Changes of Gut Microbiota and Its Correlation With Short Chain Fatty Acids and Bioamine in Piglets at the Early Growth Stage

The change characteristics of intestinal microbial succession and the correlation with the production of two important types of bacterial metabolites (short chain fatty acids and bioamine) in piglets during the early stage were fully explored in this study. Six piglets from different litters with the same birth time were selected, weighted and euthanized at 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 days of age. During this stage, the piglets grew quickly with gradual increases in blood levels of growth hormone and insulin, and in the intestinal developmental index and immunity. 16s rRNA analysis indicated the alpha diversity of colonic microbiome community was higher than ileum. However, the composition change in the ileal microbiota was more dramatic over time. Lactobacillus genus was the dominant bacteria in piglets' ileum while Prevotella and Ruminococcaceae genera were the dominant bacteria in colon up to weaning. Gut bacterial community of the piglets showed obvious differences between the three different phases: newborn, before weaning, and post weaning. This was similar to the morphological change pattern of pigs' gut. Total SCFA content in the colon of pigs showed almost a 20-fold increase at day 42 compared to the value at day 1. The percentage of acetic acid among the total SCFAs dropped quickly from 74.5% at day 1 to 36.5% at day 42, while butyric acid and propionic acid showed significant increases at the stage. The histamine level increased and putrescine level decreased markedly in the colon with time while the amounts of total bioamines, tyramine and spermidine were devoid of changes. Dozens bacteria taxa showed highly correlations with SCFAs and bioamines. These findings provide an expanded view of the dynamic pig gut and gut microbiome at the important early growth stage.

Spatial heterogeneity of bacterial colonization across different gut segments following inter-species microbiota transplantation

BACKGROUND

The microbiota presents a compartmentalized distribution across different gut segments. Hence, the exogenous microbiota from a particular gut segment might only invade its homologous gut location during microbiota transplantation. Feces as the excreted residue contain most of the large-intestinal microbes but lack small-intestinal microbes. We speculated that whole-intestinal microbiota transplantation (WIMT), comprising jejunal, ileal, cecal, and colonic microbiota, would be more effective for reshaping the entire intestinal microbiota than conventional fecal microbiota transplantation fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT).

RESULTS

We modeled the compartmentalized colonization of the gut microbiota via transplanting the microbiota from jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon, respectively, into the germ-free mice. Transplanting jejunal or ileal microbiota induced more exogenous microbes' colonization in the small intestine (SI) of germ-free mice rather than the large intestine (LI), primarily containing Proteobacteria, Lactobacillaceae, and Cyanobacteria. Conversely, more saccharolytic anaerobes from exogenous cecal or colonic microbiota, such as Bacteroidetes, Prevotellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae, established in the LI of germ-free mice that received corresponding intestinal segmented microbiota transplantation. Consistent compartmentalized colonization patterns of microbial functions in the intestine of germ-free mice were also observed. Genes related to nucleotide metabolism, genetic information processing, and replication and repair were primarily enriched in small-intestinal communities, whereas genes associated with the metabolism of essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, amino acids, cofactors, and vitamins were mainly enriched in large-intestinal communities of germ-free mice. Subsequently, we compared the difference in reshaping the community structure of germ-free mice between FMT and WIMT. FMT mainly transferred LI-derived microorganisms and gene functions into the recipient intestine with sparse SI-derived microbes successfully transplanted. However, WIMT introduced more SI-derived microbes and associated microbial functions to the recipient intestine than FMT. Besides, WIMT also improved intestinal morphological development as well as reduced systematic inflammation responses of recipients compared with FMT.

CONCLUSIONS

Segmented exogenous microbiota transplantation proved the spatial heterogeneity of bacterial colonization along the gastrointestinal tract, i.e., the microbiota from one specific location selectively colonizes its homologous gut region. Given the lack of exogenous small-intestinal microbes during FMT, WIMT may be a promising alternative for conventional FMT to reconstitute the microbiota across the entire intestinal tract. Video Abstract.

A Single Faecal Microbiota Transplantation Altered the Microbiota of Weaned Pigs

Weaning is a stressful time for piglets, often leading to weight loss and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. A leading cause for these post-weaning problems is enteric dysbiosis and methods to improve piglet health at this crucial developmental stage are needed. This study aimed to determine whether an enteric dysbiosis caused by weaning could be corrected via a faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from healthy piglets from a previous wean. Two or four focal piglets per litter were assigned to one of two treatments; FMT two days post weaning (n = 21; FMT) or a control which received saline two days post weaning (n = 21; CON). FMT consisted of homogenised donor faeces administered orally at 3 mL/kg. Weaning occurred at 18 days of age and weights and faecal samples were collected on days 18, 20, 24 and 35. 16S rRNA amplicon analysis was used to assess the faecal microbiota of piglets. FMT increased Shannon’s diversity post weaning (p < 0.001) and reduced the scratch score observed at 24 days of age (p < 0.001). The bacterial populations significantly differed in composition at each taxonomic level. In FMT pigs, significant increases in potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli were observed. However, increases in beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus mucosae and genera Fibrobacteres and Bacteroidetes were also observed in FMT treated animals. To our knowledge, this is the first study to observe a significant effect on piglet faecal microbiota following a single FMT administered post weaning. Therefore, FMT post weaning can potentially alleviate enteric dysbiosis.

Supplemental Bacillus subtilis DSM 29784 and enzymes, alone or in combination, as alternatives for antibiotics to improve growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, anti-oxidative status, immune response and the intestinal barrier of broiler chickens

The present study investigated the effect of Bacillus subtilis DSM 29784 (Ba) and enzymes (xylanase and β-glucanases; Enz), alone or in combination (BE) as antibiotic replacements, on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, immune response and the intestinal barrier of broiler chickens. In total, 1200 1-d-old broilers were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments, each with six replicate pens of forty birds for 63 d as follows: (a) basal diet (control), supplemented with (b) 1 × 10⁹ colony-forming units (cfu)/kg Ba, (c) 300 mg/kg Enz, (d) 1 × 10⁹ cfu/kg Ba and 300 mg/kg Enz and (e) 250 mg/kg enramycin (ER). Ba, Enz and BE, similar to ER, decreased the feed conversion rate, maintained intestinal integrity with a higher villus height:crypt depth ratio and increased the numbers of goblet cells. The BE group exhibited higher expression of claudin-1 and mucin 2 than the other four groups. BE supplementation significantly increased the α-diversity and β-diversity of the intestinal microbiota and markedly enhanced lipase activity in the duodenal mucosa. Serum endotoxin was significantly decreased in the BE group. Compared with those in the control group, increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were observed in the jejunal mucosa of the Ba and BE groups, respectively. In conclusion, the results suggested that dietary treatment with Ba, Enz or BE has beneficial effects on growth performance and anti-oxidative capacity, and BE had better effects than Ba or Enz alone on digestive enzyme activity and the intestinal microbiota. Ba or Enz could be used as an alternative to antibiotics for broiler chickens.

An Early Fecal Microbiota Transfer Improves the Intestinal Conditions on Microflora and Immunoglobulin and Antimicrobial Peptides in Piglets

The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of early fecal microbial transfer (FMT) on the microflora of recipient piglets, where Yorkshire newborn piglets and Min sows (an indigenous pig breed in China) were used as the fecal recipients and donors, respectively, to reveal the changes in immunity and development-related functions of the intestinal mucosa driven by FMT. The recipient group was inoculated with fecal microbial fluids from days 1 to 10. On day 21, the relative abundance of the Proteobacteria was reduced; the concentrations of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the jejunal mucosa, and that of IgG in the ileal mucosa of the recipient group, were increased (P < 0.05). On day 40, the relative abundance of the Firmicutes in the recipient group was increased, while that of Bacteroides was decreased. The concentrations of IgG and IgM in the ileal mucosa of the recipient group were increased. FMT protected the intestine by modulating the antimicrobial peptides of the intestinal mucosa (P < 0.05). The results of this study revealed that early FMT can improve the gut microbiota, intestinal mucosal immunity, and intestinal development-related functions of Yorkshire piglets.

Faecal Microbiota Analysis of Piglets During Lactation

Antimicrobial use in animals and the potential development of antimicrobial resistance is a global concern. So, non-antimicrobial techniques for animal disease control are needed. This study aimed to determine whether neonatal ceftiofur (CF) treatment affects piglet faecal microbiomes and whether faecal microbiome transplantation (FMT) can correct it. Two focal piglets per sow were assigned to treatments as follows: cffresh (n = 6) received CF (3 mg/kg intramuscular) at 7 d and fresh FMT at 13 d; cffrozen (n = 7) received CF at 7 d and frozen FMT at 13 d; CF (n = 8) received CF at 7 d and no FMT; and no CF (n = 5) received no CF or FMT. DNA was extracted from faecal samples collected on days 7, 13, and 18 for 16S rRNA amplicon analysis. All faecal blends used for the FMT consisted of pooled donor pig faeces at 1:2 ratio with saline, delivered orally at 3 mL/kg. Alpha and beta diversity metrics increased with age (p < 0.05). However, no effect of antibiotic or FMT treatment was evident in 13 and 18 d old piglets (p > 0.05). Although no effect of treatment was observed, information regarding microbial membership during lactation was gained.

Growth performance and hematological changes in growing pigs treated with Cordyceps militaris spent mushroom substrate

Background and Aim:

This study was aimed to compare the efficacy of dietary Cordyceps militaris spent mushroom substrate (CMS) on growth performance, immunity, metabolic profiles, and antioxidant capacity in growing pigs.

Materials and Methods:

Seventy-two crossbred growing pigs (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire) with an average initial body weight (BW) of 25.78±0.33 kg were allotted into two dietary treatments in six pens (six growing pigs each). Dietary treatments were (i) control and (ii) supplemented group with 2 g/kg CMS.

Results:

Growing pigs fed with 2 g/kg CMS showed improvements in final BW (p=0.034) and average daily weight gain (p=0.039). Moreover, there were positive changes in immunoglobulin A (p=0.013), immunoglobulin G (p=0.019), total antioxidant capacity (p=0.001), and glutathione peroxidase activity (p=0.003), whereas decreased leukocyte percentage (p=0.002), cholesterol (p=0.023), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (p=0.002) were noted in the CMS supplemented treatment. Average daily feed intake, gain-to-feed ratio, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein were unaffected by the treatments.

Conclusion:

Supplementation of CMS at 2g/kg of diet increases growth performance, immunoglobulin secretion, and antioxidant capacity, whereas it lowers leukocyte percentage, cholesterol, and MDA concentrations in growing pigs.