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A Comparison of Production Performance, Egg Quality, and Cecal Microbiota in Laying Hens Receiving Graded Levels of Vitamin B12

ABSTRACT: The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of fortified diets with standard vs. high levels of vitamin B12 on cecal microbiota composition, production performance, and eggshell quality of laying hens. Dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet with no supplementation of vitamin B12 or supplemented with 25, 100, and 400 μg/kg vitamin B12, respectively. A total of 432 laying hens were randomly assigned to four treatments with six replicates per treatment. No significant effect of dietary treatments on the production performance of hens was detected. The shell thickness of eggs from hens fed diet supplemented with 100 μg/kg of vitamin B12 was higher (P < 0.01) than that of eggs from hens fed control diet or supplemented with 25 μg/kg vitamin B12. The shell percentage of eggs from hens fed diet supplemented with 400 μg/kg of vitamin B12 was higher (P < 0.01) than that of eggs from hens fed other treatment diets. Dietary vitamin B12 did not modulate diversity of the cecal microbiota of the layers. At genus level, the cecal content from layers fed diet with supplemental level of 100 or 400 μg/kg of vitamin B12 had higher (P < 0.01) abundance of Faecalibacterium and lower (P < 0.05) abundance of Acinetobacter compared with the cecal content from layers fed other two diets. The abundance of Lactobacillus in the cecal samples from layers fed 100 μg/kg of supplemental level of vitamin B12 was higher (P < 0.05) than that from layers fed other three diets. The abundance of Butyricicoccus was higher (P < 0.05), while Bilophila was lower (P < 0.05) in the cecal content of layers fed 400 μg/kg of vitamin B12 diet compared with those from layers fed other three diets. The results of PICRUSt analysis indicated that 10 predicted metabolic functions of the cecal microbial communities were positively correlated to dietary vitamin B12 level. Overall, dietary supplementation of 100 or 400 μg/kg of vitamin B12 had equivalent effects and caused the significant change in composition and metabolic functions of cecal microorganisms, which could positively impact eggshell quality, metabolism, and gut health of laying hens.

SUBMITTER: Wang R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8566728 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Alternative growth promoters are able to not only effectively replace the traditional use of antibiotics but also provide additional health benefits for livestock and reduce food safety concerns. This study investigated the effects of dry Hydrastis canadensis on the laying performance and fecal microbial community of laying hens. Twenty-four Lohmann (LSL, white layer strain) hens were reared from 40 to 48 weeks of age and randomly allotted to four dietary treatments (six birds/treatment). The dietary treatments comprised a basal diet with no treatment as control, a basal diet plus 0.6% powder of dry Hydrastis canadensis roots (R) or leaves (L), and a basal diet plus 0.6% powder of a mixture of dry Hydrastis canadensis roots and leaves (1:1, LR). No mortality was observed in the whole experimental period. The results indicated that albumen height in the LR group was significantly greater than that in the control group. The diet supplemented with Hydrastis canadensis had no significant effects on egg production rate, egg weight, eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, Haugh unit, or yolk height during the whole experimental phase. However, principal coordinate analysis, comparative heat map analysis, and cluster dendrogram analysis of cecal microbiota showed distinct clusters among the groups treated with Hydrastis canadensis and the control group. Regarding blood biochemical parameters, serum cholesterol levels were significantly lower in all Hydrastis canadensis-treated groups compared with those in the control group. Moreover, serum low-density lipoprotein levels were lower in hens supplemented with the leaf of Hydrastis canadensis. The abundances of the phyla Fusobacteria and Kiritimatiellaeota were increased (p < 0.05) in laying hens fed with 0.6% Hydrastis canadensis leaves, whereas the abundance of the phylum Firmicutes in cecum digesta decreased in response to treatment with Hydrastis canadensis roots and leaves. The relative abundance of the Fusobacterium genus was higher in the LR group compared with that in the control. On the contrary, we found a different trend in the Synergistes genus. The potential influences of these microbiota on the performance of laying hens were discussed. The results demonstrate that Hydrastis canadensis can improve the egg albumen height and modulate the cecum digesta microbiota composition of laying hens.

Project description:IntroductionPeppermint contains substantial bioactive ingredients belonging to the phytoestrogens, and its effects on the production of late-laying hens deserve more attention. This study evaluated the effects of dietary peppermint extract (PE) supplementation on egg production and quality, yolk fatty acid composition, antioxidant capacity, and cecal microbiota in late-phase laying hens.MethodPE powder was identified by UPLC-MS/MS analysis. Two hundred and sixteen laying hens (60 weeks old) were randomly assigned to four treatments, each for 28 days: (i) basal diet (control group, CON); (ii) basal diet + 0.1% PE; (iii) basal diet + 0.2% PE; and (iv) basal diet + 0.4% PE. Egg, serum, and cecal samples were collected for analysis.ResultsDietary PE supplementation increased the laying rate, serum triglyceride, immunoglobulin G, and total antioxidant capacity, while 0.2 and 0.4% PE supplementation increased eggshell thickness, serum total protein level, and superoxide dismutase activity of laying hens compared with the CON group (P < 0.05). PE addition in diets increased the C14:0, C18:3n3, C18:3n6, C23:0, C24:0, and C24:1n9 contents in the yolk. In addition, the egg yolk saturated fatty acid content was higher (P < 0.05) in the 0.2 and 0.4% PE groups compared with the CON and 0.1% PE groups. The microbiota analysis revealed that the cecal phylum Proteobacteria was decreased (P < 0.05) in the PE-supplemented groups. A total of 0.4% PE supplementation increased the cecal richness of gram-positive bacteria and decreased the richness of gram-negative and potentially pathogenic bacteria compared with the 0.1% PE group (P < 0.05). Microbial function prediction analysis showed that the cecal microbiota of the PE group was mainly enriched by fatty acid degradation, fatty acid metabolism, amino sugar metabolism, nucleotide sugar metabolism, and other pathways. Regression analysis suggested that 0.28-0.36% PE supplementation was the optimal level for improving egg production and quality, antioxidant capacity, and yolk fatty acid in late-phase laying hens.DiscussionDietary PE supplementation improved egg production and quality (including yolk fatty acid composition) by increasing serum IgG and antioxidant capacity and modulating the intestinal microbiota in late-phase laying hens.

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Project description:This experiment was conducted to investigate the characteristics of folic acid (FA) absorption in laying hens and the effect of FA supplementation on cecal microbiota. A total of 432 healthy hens (30-week-old) were randomly assigned to four diets supplemented with FA: 0, 1, 6, and 24 mg/kg of feed for 8 w. Blood, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, and cecal chyme samples (six samples per treatment) were collected from the hens at the end of the feeding trial. Expression profiles of folate transport and transformation genes in intestine and cecal microbiota were detected. Results showed that serum folate level significantly increased (P < 0.01) with an increase in dietary FA supplementation, reaching a plateau at 6 mg/kg FA supplementation. The expression of FA transport and transformation genes was not affected in the cecum (P > 0.05) by dietary FA supplementation; however, it was affected in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and mostly showed a downward trend in treatment groups (P < 0.05). The genes affected include duodenal folate receptor (Folr) and dihydrofolate reductase (Dhfr), jejunal proton-coupled folate transporter (Pcft) and reduced folate carrier (Rfc), and ileal ATP binding cassette subfamily C member (Abcc2), Abcc3, Rfc, Folr, and Dhfr. Furthermore, according to the operational taxonomic unit classification and taxonomic position identification, the cecal microbiota population of the hens was not affected by dietary FA supplementation at the phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species levels (P > 0.05). However, the relative abundance of some microbiota was affected by dietary FA supplementation (P < 0.05). In conclusion, FA transport from the intestinal lumen into enterocytes, and then into the bloodstream, is strictly regulated, which may be associated with the regulation of the expression profiles of genes involved in FA absorption. Pathogenic bacteria decreased in the cecum, especially at 24 mg/kg supplementation, but the beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacteriaceae) decreased at this level, too. Overall, FA supplementation at 6 mg/kg, which was selected for folate-enriched egg production, did not affect the health and metabolism of laying hens negatively.

Project description:Due to the exceptional laying performance of hens, the demand on lipid metabolism and oxidation in vivo is vigorous, resulting in excessive lipid accumulation in late-phase hens, which lowers the production performance. Bile acids regulate lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in humans and animals. However, the effect of porcine bile acids on lipid metabolism and cecal microbiota in laying hens in the late phase is still unclear. A total of 360 healthy 45-week-old laying hens were chosen for a 24-week feeding trial, where 0, 30, 60 and 90 mg/kg porcine bile acids were added to a basal diet, respectively. The results showed that dietary supplementation of 60 mg/kg bile acids increased egg production and feed conversion (P < 0.05). Also, 60 and 90 mg/kg porcine bile acids reduced abdominal fat percentage and body weight (P < 0.05). The levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of hens decreased (P < 0.05) in bile acids supplement groups. As for cecal microbiota, bile acids supplementation did not affect the alpha diversity of cecal microbiota at the genus level. Moreover, dietary supplementation of 90 mg/kg bile acids resulted in an increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the cecum, such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Turicibacter. The changes in the cecal microbiota caused by bile acids supplementation correlated with serum lipid indexes. According to KEGG pathway analysis, dietary supplementation of 60 and 90 mg/kg bile acids promoted structural transformation of the cecal microbiota to down-regulate steroid biosynthesis, up-regulate fatty acid degradation and up-regulate unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. Meanwhile, bile acids bio-isomerization function of cecal microbiota was enhanced in 60 and 90 mg/kg bile acids treatment, and the short-chain fatty acid metabolism was also affected. In conclusion, the present study revealed dietary supplementation of porcine bile acids enriched probiotics in the gut and improved serum lipid metabolism of laying hens. These findings demonstrate that porcine bile acids can be a potential gut beneficial promoter for late-phase laying hens.

Project description:Our previous study indicated that dietary xylooligosaccharide (XOS) supplementation improved feed efficiency, ileal morphology, and nutrient digestibility in laying hens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mitigative effects of XOS on intestinal mucosal barrier impairment and microbiota dysbiosis induced by oxidized fish oil (OFO) in laying hens. A total of 384 Hy-Line Brown layers at 50 weeks of age were randomly divided into four dietary treatments, including the diets supplemented with 20 g/kg of fresh fish oil (FFO group) or 20 g/kg of oxidized fish oil (OFO group), and the OFO diets with XOS addition at 200 mg/kg (OFO/XOS200 group) or 400 mg/kg (OFO/XOS400 group). Each treatment had eight replicates with 12 birds each. The OFO treatment decreased (P < 0.05) the production performance of birds from 7 to 12 weeks of the experiment, reduced (P < 0.05) ileal mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) content, and increased (P < 0.05) serum endotoxin concentration, as well as downregulated (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of claudin-1 (CLDN1) and claudin-5 (CLDN5) in the ileal mucosa at the end of the experiment. Dietary XOS addition (400 mg/kg) recovered (P < 0.05) these changes and further improved (P < 0.05) ileal villus height (VH) and the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (VCR). In addition, OFO treatment altered cecal microbial composition of layers, and these alterations were probably involved in OFO-induced ileal mucosal impairment as causes or consequences. Supplemental XOS remodeled cecal microbiota of layers fed the OFO diet, characterized by an elevation in microbial richness and changes in microbial composition, including increases in Firmicutes, Ruminococcaceae, Verrucomicrobia (Akkermansia), Paraprevotella, Prevotella_9, and Oscillospira, along with a decrease in Erysipelatoclostridium. The increased abundance of Verrucomicrobia (Akkermansia) had positive correlations with the improved ileal VH and ileal mucosal expression of CLDN1. The abundance of Erysipelatoclostridium decreased by XOS addition was negatively associated with ileal VH, VCR, ileal mucosal sIgA content, and the relative expression of zonula occludens-2, CLDN1, and CLDN5. Collectively, supplemental XOS alleviated OFO-induced intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction and performance impairment in laying hens, which could be at least partially attributed to the modulation of gut microbiota.

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A Comparison of Production Performance, Egg Quality, and Cecal Microbiota in Laying Hens Receiving Graded Levels of Vitamin B12

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