Microbiota populations and short-chain fatty acids production in cecum of immunosuppressed broilers consuming diets containing γ-irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides

Y.S. Liu; S. Li; X.F. Wang; T. Xing; J.L. Li; X.D. Zhu; L. Zhang; F. Gao

Poultry Science (Jan 2021)

Microbiota populations and short-chain fatty acids production in cecum of immunosuppressed broilers consuming diets containing γ-irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides

Y.S. Liu,
S. Li,
X.F. Wang,
T. Xing,
J.L. Li,
X.D. Zhu,
L. Zhang,
F. Gao

Affiliations

Y.S. Liu: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
S. Li: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
X.F. Wang: College of Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
T. Xing: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
J.L. Li: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
X.D. Zhu: College of Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
L. Zhang: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Corresponding author:
F. Gao: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Origin Food Production and Safety Guarantee, Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 100, no. 1
pp. 273 – 282

Abstract

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This study was designed to evaluate the effects of γ-irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides (IAPS) on growth performance, cecal microbiota populations, and concentrations of cecal short-chain fatty acids of immunosuppressed broilers. A total of 144 one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned into 3 groups: nontreated group (control), cyclophosphamide (CPM)-treated groups fed either a basal diet or the diets containing 900 mg/kg IAPS, respectively. On day 16, 18, and 20, broilers in the control group were intramuscularly injected with 0.5 mL sterilized saline (0.75%, wt/vol), and those in the CPM and IAPS groups were intramuscularly injected with 0.5 mL CPM (40 mg/kg of BW). The trial lasted 21 d. Compared with the control group, CPM treatment decreased the broiler average daily gain (ADG) and feed intake (P 0.05). Dietary IAPS supplementation increased broiler ADG, Shannon index, and decreased Simpson index (P < 0.05). Specifically, broilers fed diets containing IAPS showed lower abundances of Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides, and Butyricicoccus and higher proportions of Ruminococcaceae UCG-014, Negativibacillus, Shuttleworthia, Sellimonas, and Mollicutes RF39_norank, respectively (P < 0.05). The IAPS treatment also increased butyrate concentration (P < 0.05) and tended to elevate acetate concentration (P = 0.052) in cecal digesta. The results indicated that IAPS are effective in increasing the cecal beneficial bacteria and short-chain fatty acids production, contributing to improvement in the growth performance of immunosuppressive broilers. These findings may expand our knowledge about the function of modified Astragalus polysaccharides in broiler chickens.

Published in Poultry Science

ISSN: 0032-5791 (Print); 1525-3171 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Animal culture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/poultry-science

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