Intestinal colonization with Campylobacter jejuni affects broiler gut microbiota composition but is not inhibited by daily intake of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum

Introduction

Lactobacilli may prevent broilers from colonization with Campylobacter spp. and other gram-negative zoonotic bacteria through lactic acid production and modulation of the intestinal microbiota. This study evaluated the effects of daily intake of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 256 (LP256) on Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) loads in ceca and feces of C. jejuni challenged broilers, together with the changes in the gut microbiota.

Methods

Two experiments were conducted using the broilers Ross 308 (R-308; Experiment 1) for 42 days and Rowan Ranger broilers (RR; Experiment 2) for 63 days. The LP256 strain was administered either via silage inoculated with LP256 or direct supplementation in the drinking water. Concurrently, haylage as a forage similar to silage but without any inoculum was tested. C. jejuni loads in fecal matter and cecal content were determined by plate counts and qPCR, respectively. The cecal microbiota, in response to treatments and the challenge, were assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing.

Results and Discussion

Culturing results displayed a significant reduction in C. jejuni colonization (2.01 log) in the silage treatment in comparison to the control at 1 dpi (day post-infection) in Experiment 1. However, no treatment effect on C. jejuni was observed at the end of the experiment. In Experiment 2, no treatment effects on C. jejuni colonization were found to be statistically significant. Colonization load comparison at the peak of infection (3 dpi) to that at the end of the trial (32 dpi) revealed a significant reduction in C. jejuni in all groups, regardless of treatment. Colonization dynamics of C. jejuni in the cecal samples analyzed by qPCR showed no difference between any of the treatments in Experiment 1 or 2. In both experiments, no treatment effects on the cecal microbiota were observed. However, proportional changes in the bacterial composition were observed after the C. jejuni challenge, suggesting that colonization affected the gut microbiota. Overall, the daily intake of LP256 was not effective in reducing C. jejuni colonization in either broiler type at the end of the rearing period and did not cause any significant changes in the birds' cecal microbiota composition.

Silage and haylage as forage in slow and fast-growing broilers - effects on performance in Campylobacter jejuni infected birds

1. This study investigated the effects of daily intake of silage or haylage on broiler production performance and organ development. Furthermore, effects of daily intake of Lactobacillus plantarum either via silage or by supplemented drinking water, on Campylobacter jejuni loads in faeces were studied. 2. To test this, a 42-d experiment using Ross 308 and a 63-d experiment with Rowan Rangers hybrids, were performed. Silage inoculated with L. plantarum strain 256 and haylage were fed in total mixed rations with mixtures of 85% of pellets and 15% of respective forage (DM-based weight). Feed intake (FI), forage intake, body weight (BW) and feed conversion ration (FCR) were monitored weekly. Mortality was recorded daily, and organ weights were registered at slaughter. Quantification of C. jejuni was performed by colony counts from faecal samples after culture on agar plates. 3. There was a negative effect of haylage on BW and FI in the fast-growing Ross 308 hybrid. Silage had a negative effect on BW only on week four and six. Water inoculated with L. plantarum 256 increased BW in the starter period. Interestingly, no significant adverse effect of forage inclusion was observed in the Rowan Ranger birds. 4. Relative weight of the emptied gizzard was higher in both Ross 308 and Rowan Ranger birds fed haylage and silage than in the control group. In Ross 308 birds, both forages significantly reased the relative weight of gizzard with digestive content when compared to birds fed solely pellets. 5. In both studies, higher consumption of silage than haylage was observed. 6. In conclusion, daily intake of L. plantarum 256 either via silage or supplemented in drinking water, was not effective in reducing the shedding of C. jejuni in either Ross 308 or Rowan Ranger hybrids at the end of the rearing period.