Research Note: Orange corn altered the cecal microbiome in laying hens

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Microbiology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Carotenoids, known for health benefits and antioxidant properties, are explored as feed additives for livestock.
• Dietary carotenoid levels vary significantly across different corn breeds.
• The impact of these varying carotenoid levels on the chicken gut microbiome needs further research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of different dietary carotenoid levels from white, yellow, and orange corn on the cecal microbial community composition in laying hens.
• To determine if carotenoid-rich diets influence the diversity and specific bacterial populations within the chicken gut.

Main Methods:

• A 35-day feeding trial with Novagen White laying hens was conducted using diets supplemented with white, yellow, or orange corn.
• Carotenoid levels varied across diets: white (0.9 µg/g), yellow (5.7 µg/g), and orange (24.9 µg/g).
• Cecal microbial community composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and Bray-Curtis dissimilarity.

Main Results:

• The cecal bacterial community composition differed significantly (P < 0.05) between hens fed orange corn and those fed white corn.
• No significant differences in community composition were observed between yellow corn and either white or orange corn groups.
• Alpha diversity remained unchanged across all dietary groups, but specific Lactobacillus amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were altered in the orange corn group.

Conclusions:

• Dietary intake of high carotenoid levels from orange corn can alter the cecal microbial community composition in laying hens.
• Unlike findings in broilers, orange corn-based feed appears to impact the gut microbiome of laying hens.
• Further research is warranted to understand the specific mechanisms and implications of these microbial shifts.