Project description:The aim of this study was to explore whether, and if so, how Bacillus subtilis KC1 can enhance the growth performance of broilers that have been adversely affected by Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) infection. A total of 96 1-day-old male broilers were randomly divided into 4 groups: the control group (basal diet), the MG group (basal diet + MG challenge), the Bacillus subtilis KC1 group (basal diet + Bacillus subtilis KC1 supplementation), the Bacillus subtilis KC1 + MG group (basal diet + Bacillus subtilis KC1 supplementation + MG challenge). The trial lasted 42 days, and the results showed that the MG group had significantly reduced body weight and average daily gain, as well as increased feed conversion ratio of broilers, compared to the control group. Dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis KC1 significantly improved the growth performance of MG-infected broilers. In addition, dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis KC1 significantly improved oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers, characterized by increased superoxide dismutase levels and reduced levels of malondialdehyde, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Furthermore, both metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses indicated that MG infection markedly disrupted amino acid metabolism in broilers, whereas Bacillus subtilis KC1 supplementation alleviated the abnormal amino acid metabolism caused by MG infection. These results suggested that Bacillus subtilis KC1 may alleviate the poor growth performance caused by MG infection in broilers by improving amino acid metabolism.
Project description:To investigate genes involved in abdominal fat deposition and fat metabolism of broilers with dw gene, we used highthroughput sequencing to detect the differentially expressed genes in livers and abdominal fats of dwarf broilers which were fed with a normal diet and a high-fat diet, respectively. The broilers began to fed with a normal or a high-fat diet in 1-week-old. After 7 weeks, the broilers were be executed and the livers and abdominal fats were used to extracted total RNAs. Finally, the total RNAs were be sequenced used BGISEQ-500 platform.
Project description:To investigate genes involved in abdominal fat deposition and fat metabolism of broilers, we used highthroughput sequencing to detect the differentially expressed genes in livers and abdominal fats of broilers which were fed with a normal diet and a high-fat diet, respectively. The broilers began to fed with a normal or a high-fat diet in 1-week-old. After 7 weeks, the broilers were be executed and the livers and abdominal fats were used to extracted total RNAs. Finally, the total RNAs were be sequenced used BGISEQ-500 platform.
Project description:Despite the existence of a number of studies investigating the effect of insect meal on the growth performance of broilers, knowledge about the metabolic effects of insect meal in broilers is still scarce. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of partial replacement of soybean meal with Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae meal on the liver transcriptome, the plasma metabolome and the cecal microbiome in broilers. For the study, 72 male one-day-old Cobb 500 broilers were divided into three groups (n = 12) and fed three different diets with either 0% (HI0), 7.5% (HI7.5) or 15% (HI15) defatted HI meal for 35 d. While body weight (BW) gain, feed intake, and feed:gain ratio did not differ between groups, breast muscle weight, carcass yield and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of 12 amino acids were higher in group HI15 than in group HI0 (P > 0.05). Indicators of α-diversity (Chao1 and Observed) in the cecal digesta were higher in groups HI15 and HI7.5 than in group HI0 (P < 0.05). The abundance of 5 families and 18 genera, all of which belonged to the Firmicutes phylum, in the cecal digesta differed among groups (P < 0.05). Concentrations of butyric acid, valeric acid and isobutyric acid in the cecal digesta were lower in group HI15 than in the other two groups (P > 0.05), whereas those of total and other short-chain fatty acids were not different between groups. Liver transcriptomics revealed a total of 70 and 61 differentially expressed transcripts between groups HI15 vs. HI0 and between groups HI7.5 vs HI0, respectively, (P > 0.05). Targeted metabolomics identified 138 metabolites, most of which were triglyceride species, being different between the three groups (FDR < 0.05). According to this study, dietary inclusion of HI larvae meal has no detrimental impact but increases breast muscle weight and carcass weight in broilers suggesting that HI larvae meal can be recommended as a sustainable alternative protein source for broilers.
Project description:Submerged cultivation using low-value agro-industrial side streams allows large-scale and efficient production of fungal mycelia, which has a high nutritional value. As the dietary properties of fungal mycelia in poultry are largely unknown, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of feeding a Pleurotus sapidus (PSA) mycelium as a feed supplement on growth performance, composition of the cecal microbiota and several physiological traits including gut integrity, nutrient digestibility, liver lipids, liver transcriptome and plasma metabolome in broilers. 72 male, 1-day-old Cobb 500 broilers were randomly assigned to three different groups and fed three different adequate diets containing either 0% (PSA-0), 2.5% (PSA-2.5) and 5% (PSA-5.0) P. sapidus mycelium in a three-phase feeding system for 35 days. Each group consisted of 6 cages (replicates) with 4 broilers/cage. Body weight gain, feed intake and feed:gain ratio and apparent ileal digestibility of crude protein, ether extract and amino acids were not different between groups. Metagenomic analysis of the cecal microbiota revealed no differences between groups, except that one α-diversity metric (Shannon index) and the abundance of two low-abundance bacterial taxa (Clostridia UCG 014, Eubacteriales) differed between groups (P < 0.05). Concentrations of total and individual short-chain fatty acids in the cecal digesta and concentrations of plasma lipopolysaccharide and mRNA levels of proinflammatory genes, tight-junction proteins, and mucins in the cecum mucosa did not differ between groups. None of the plasma metabolites analyzed using targeted-metabolomics differed across the groups. Hepatic transcript profiling revealed a total of 144 transcripts to be differentially expressed between group PSA-5.0 and group PSA-0 but none of these genes was regulated greater 2-fold. Considering either the lack of effects or the very weak effects of feeding the P. sapidus mycelium in the broilers it can be concluded that inclusion of a sustainably produced fungal mycelium in broiler diets at the expense of other feed components has no negative consequences on broilers´ performance and metabolism.