Effects of dietary fibre on intestinal microbiota in geese evaluated by 16SrRNA gene sequencing

The purpose of the research is to study the effects of different fibre types and sources on the intestinal flora of geese.

A total of 48 geese (males: 35 days old) were divided into four groups, each of which included three replicates of four geese. Groups 1-4 were fed a diet containing 5% corn stover Crude fibre (CF, the LJ group), 8% corn stover CF (the HJ group), 5% alfalfa CF (the LM group) or 8% alfalfa CF (the HM group), respectively. After 42 days of feeding, the intestinal flora of each group was determined by 16SrRNA gene sequencing. In the duodenum, the diet supplemented with corn stover meal increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Euryarchaeota, and with alfalfa as fibre source increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes and Chloroflexi. In the jejunum, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Acidobacteria, Tenericutes and Spirochetes were significantly more abundant in the corn stover group. There were no significant differences among the results for the other two fibre sources, which were fibre level in their influence where in ileum. Firmicutes, Deferribacteres and Euryarchaeota with corn stover as fibre source in the cecum were higher than the alfalfa group.

Different fibre sources have significant effects on goose gut microbiota. The same flora has the same trend of change in different intestinal segments. The relative fibre source in the ileum makes the gut microbiota more sensitive to differences in fibre levels.

This study proved that the dietary fibre affects the intestinal flora. At the same time, different groups of dietary fibre may be used to provide the possibility to study functional roles of specific bacteria in host physiology.