Gut microbiome composition differences among breeds impact feed efficiency in swine.

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Microbiology
• Genetics

Background:

• Feed efficiency is critical in swine production due to economic and environmental implications.
• The gut microbiota is known to play a vital role in nutrient digestibility and potentially affects feed efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize feed efficiency, fatness traits, and gut microbiome composition in Duroc, Landrace, and Large White swine breeds.
• To investigate the potential link between feed efficiency and gut microbiome composition across different swine breeds.

Main Methods:

• Measured average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), residual feed intake (RFI), backfat, loin depth, and intramuscular fat in 615 pigs.
• Characterized gut microbiome composition using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
• Performed orthogonal contrasts to compare paternal (Duroc) and maternal (Landrace, Large White) lines.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in ADFI and ADG were observed between Duroc and the other two breeds.
• Landrace and Large White pigs showed similar ADG and RFI, but Large White had higher ADFI and FCR.
• Alpha diversity of fecal microbial communities was higher in Landrace pigs compared to Duroc and Large White pigs.
• Specific bacterial genera (e.g., Catenibacterium, Clostridium, Bacteroides) were differentially abundant between breeds and associated with feed efficiency traits.

Conclusions:

• Fecal microbiota composition differs significantly among major swine breeds over time and between breeds.
• Established correlations between specific microbiome compositions and feed efficiency, suggesting a role in host productive parameters.
• The gut microbial community may influence host energy harvesting, offering potential for modulating the microbiome to improve animal efficiency.