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Porcine Feed Efficiency-Associated Intestinal Microbiota and Physiological Traits: Finding Consistent Cross-Locational Biomarkers for Residual Feed Intake
McCormack, Ursula M. Curião, Tânia Metzler-Zebeli, Barbara U. Magowan, Elizabeth Berry, Donagh P. Reyer, Henry Prieto, Maria L. Buzoianu, Stefan G. Harrison, Michael Rebeiz, Natalie
McCormack, Ursula M.
Curião, Tânia
Metzler-Zebeli, Barbara U.
Magowan, Elizabeth
Berry, Donagh P.
Reyer, Henry
Prieto, Maria L.
Buzoianu, Stefan G.
Harrison, Michael
Rebeiz, Natalie
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2019-08-27
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McCormack, U.M., Curião, T., Metzler-Zebeli, B.U., Magowan, E., Berry, D.P., Reyer, H., Prieto, M.L., Buzoianu, S.G., Harrison, M., Rebeiz, N. and Crispie, F., 2019. Porcine Feed Efficiency-Associated Intestinal Microbiota and Physiological Traits: Finding Consistent Cross-Locational Biomarkers for Residual Feed Intake. mSystems, 4(4), e00324-18. (19 PP.) DOI:10.1128/mSystems.00324-18
Abstract
Optimal feed efficiency (FE) in pigs is important for economic and environmental reasons. Previous research identified FE-associated bacterial taxa within
the intestinal microbiota of growing pigs. This study investigated whether FEassociated bacteria and selected FE-associated physiological traits were consistent
across geographic locations (Republic of Ireland [ROI] [two batches of pigs, ROI1 and
ROI2], Northern Ireland [NI], and Austria [AT]), where differences in genetic, dietary,
and management factors were minimized. Pigs (n 369) were ranked, within litter,
on divergence in residual feed intake (RFI), and 100 extremes were selected (50 with
high RFI and 50 with low RFI) across geographic locations for intestinal microbiota
analysis using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and examination of FE-associated
physiological parameters. Microbial diversity varied by geographic location and intestinal sampling site but not by RFI rank, except in ROI2, where more-feed-efficient
pigs had greater ileal and cecal diversity. Although none of the 188 RFI-associated
taxonomic differences found were common to all locations/batches, Lentisphaerae,
Ruminococcaceae, RF16, Mucispirillum, Methanobrevibacter, and two uncultured genera were more abundant within the fecal or cecal microbiota of low-RFI pigs in two
geographic locations and/or in both ROI batches. These are major contributors to
carbohydrate metabolism, which was reflected in functional predictions. Fecal volatile fatty acids and salivary cortisol were the only physiological parameters that differed between RFI ranks. Despite controlling genetics, diet specification, dietary
phases, and management practices in each rearing environment, the rearing environment, encompassing maternal influence, herd health status, as well as other factors, appears to impact intestinal microbiota more than FE.