Gut microbiota derived from fecal microbiota transplantation enhances body weight of Mimas squabs

¹College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
²College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agriculture Science and Technology University, Jilin, 132109, China
³Center of Animal Experiment, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China

Correspondence: Yonghong Zhang,Email: yonghong@jlu.edu.cn
Yuwei Yang, Tel: +86-0431-87836177, Fax: +86-0431-87836177, Email: yangyuwei@jlu.edu.cn

Received: 9 November 2023 • Revised: 17 January 2024 • Accepted: 8 February 2024

Abstract

Objective
Compared to Mimas pigeons, Shiqi pigeons exhibit greater tolerance to coarse feeding because of their abundant gut microbiota. Here, to investigate the potential of utilizing intestinal flora derived from Shiqi pigeons, the intestinal flora and body indices of Mimas squabs were evaluated after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from donors.
Methods
A total of 90 one-day-old squabs were randomly divided into the control group (CON), the low-concentration group (LC) and the high-concentration group (HC): gavaged with 200 μL of bacterial solution at concentrations of 0, 0.1 and 0.2 g/15 mL, respectively.
Results
The results suggested that FMT improved the body weight of Mimas squabs in the HC and LC groups (p < 0.01), and 0.1 g/15 mL was the optimal dose during FMT. After 16S rRNA sequencing was performed, compared to those in the CON group, the abundance levels of microflora, especially Lactobacillus, Muribaculaceae and Megasphaera (p < 0.05), in the FMT-treated groups were markedly greater. Random forest analysis indicated that the main functions of key microbes involve pathways associated with metabolism, further illustrating their important role in the host body.
Conclusion
FMT has been determined to be a viable method for augmenting the weight and intestinal microbiota of squabs, representing a unique avenue for enhancing the economic feasibility of squab breeding.

Keywords: Body Weight; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation; Intestinal Microbial Diversity; Pigeons; 16S rRNA Sequencing