Donor selection for fecal bacterial transplantation and its combined effects with inulin on early growth and ileal development in chicks

Abstract

Aims: To select the best donor and investigate its combined effects with inulin on growth performance, and ileal health of chicks.

Methods and results: The chicks (Hy-line Brown) were treated with fecal microbiota suspension from different breeder hens to select the best donor. Treatment with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) alone or in combination with inulin resulted in improvement in gut microbiome in chicks. The organ indexes were improved on day 7, especially the bursa of fabricius index (P < 0.05). On day 14, immune performance, ileal morphology, and barrier were improved, and simultaneously, the concentration of short-chain fatty acids was also increased. In addition, for the expression of ileal barrier-related genes, Anaerofustis and Clostridium were positively correlated with them (P < 0.05), Blautia, Prevotella, Veillonella, and Weissella showed a negative correlation (P < 0.05), and RFN20 showed a positive correlation with gut morphology (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Combination of homologous FMT and inulin promoted early growth and intestinal health of chicks.

Keywords: donor selection; fecal microbial transplantation; gut microbiota; ileal barrier; inulin.