The Effect of Necrotic Enteritis Challenge on Production Performance, Cecal Microbiome, and Cecal Tonsil Transcriptome in Broilers

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify the effects of experimental necrotic enteritis (NE) infection on the production performance, gut microbiome, and cecal tonsil transcriptome in broiler birds. A total of 192 chicks were not-induced (control) or induced with NE. NE was induced by inoculating Eimeria maxima at 14 d of age and Clostridium perfringens at 19, 20, and 21 d of age. NE challenge increased (p E.maxima infection (dpi), decreased (p p p C. perfringens load at 5 dpi. NE challenge increased (p Eimeria oocyst shedding at 5, 6, 7, 8 and 14 dpi. NE challenge decreased (p Lactobacillaceae and increased (p Campylobacteriaceae, Comamonadaceae, and Ruminococcaceae at 6 dpi. NE challenge upregulated (p p < 0.05) genes related to lipid metabolism at 6 dpi. It can be concluded that NE infection decreased beneficial bacteria and increased gut permeability.

Keywords

• necrotic enteritis
• microbiome
• transcriptome