Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2025
04:36
Author Spotlight: Advancing Intestinal Bacteria Cultivation for Poultry
Published on: May 10, 2024
817
Cecal microbiota composition differs under normal and high ambient temperatures in genetically distinct chicken lines
Philip M Campos1,2,3, Lori L Schreier4, Monika Proszkowiec-Weglarz5
1USDA-ARS Research Participation Program, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), 1299 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA.
Scientific Reports
|September 25, 2023
Summary
Heat stress (HS) significantly alters gut microbiota in chickens, impacting different broiler lines and jungle fowl uniquely. Understanding these changes is crucial for improving poultry health and performance under thermal stress.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Microbiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Modern broilers exhibit increased susceptibility to heat stress (HS) compared to their jungle fowl (JF) ancestors.
- Heat stress negatively impacts gut epithelial barrier integrity, which is closely linked to gut microbiota composition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of chronic heat stress on the cecal luminal (CeL) and cecal mucosal (CeM) microbiota.
- To compare these effects across ancestral jungle fowl (JF) and three distinct broiler populations (Athens Canadian Random Bred - ACRB, 1995 Random Bred - L1995, and Modern Random Bred - L2015).
Main Methods:
- Broiler chicks and JF were exposed to thermoneutral (TN) or cyclic heat stress (HS) conditions from day 29 to day 56.
- Cecal luminal and mucosal samples were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze microbiota composition.
- Predictive functional analysis was performed to assess the impact of HS on metabolic pathways.
Main Results:
- Heat stress altered cecal luminal microbiota richness in a line-dependent manner, decreasing it in JF and ACRB, while increasing it in L1995 and L2015.
- Microbiota composition differed between HS and TN conditions in the cecal luminal microbiota of all lines and in the cecal mucosal microbiota of L2015.
- HS affected specific bacterial genera abundance differently across lines, with increases in slow-growing lines and decreases in fast-growing lines.
- Predictive functional analysis indicated a more pronounced impact of HS on metabolic pathways in the L2015 broiler line.
Conclusions:
- Heat stress significantly impacts gut microbiota in chickens, with varying effects based on genetic background and growth rate.
- The cecal microbiota response to heat stress is complex and line-specific, affecting both luminal and mucosal compartments.
- These findings highlight the need for tailored strategies to mitigate heat stress impacts on gut health and performance in different broiler populations.
