Intestinal microbiota profiles associated with low and high residual feed intake in chickens across two geographical locations

Intestinal microbe-host interactions can affect the feed efficiency (FE) of chickens. As inconsistent findings for FE-associated bacterial taxa were reported across studies, the present objective was to identify whether bacterial profiles and predicted metabolic functions that were associated with residual feed intake (RFI) and performance traits in female and male chickens were consistent across two different geographical locations. At six weeks of life, the microbiota in ileal, cecal and fecal samples of low (n = 34) and high (n = 35) RFI chickens were investigated by sequencing the V3-5 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Location-associated differences in α-diversity and relative abundances of several phyla and genera were detected. RFI-associated bacterial abundances were found at the phylum and genus level, but differed among the three intestinal sites and between males and females. Correlation analysis confirmed that, of the taxonomically classifiable bacteria, Lactobacillus (5% relative abundance) and two Lactobacillus crispatus-OTUs in feces were indicative for high RFI in females (P Ruminococcus in cecal digesta (3.1% relative abundance) and Dorea in feces (Acinetobacter in feces (P P This article is published as Siegerstetter, Sina-Catherine, Stephan Schmitz-Esser, Elizabeth Magowan, Stefanie Urimare Wetzels, Qendrim Zebeli, Peadar G. Lawlor, Niamh E. O'Connell, and Barbara U. Metzler-Zebeli. "Intestinal microbiota profiles associated with low and high residual feed intake in chickens across two geographical locations." PloS one 12, no. 11 (2017): e0187766. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187766. </p

Hållbart företagande genom certifiering? : GRI och statliga bolag

The report Sustainability through certification? GRI and state-owned companies highlights the implementation of Guidelines for external reporting by state-owned companies. These guidelines include GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), which are mostly known as a voluntary accounting system. As a system, GRI integrates previous management system, for example ISO 9000 and ISO 14 001, into one. The report shows that the impact of GRI caused different flows of people within the state-owned companies. One similar feature is that all companies consulted external experts with special knowledge regarding GRI. Yet, the way the consultants were integrated in the organizations could vary. The data also identifies two kinds of experts. One kind is management consultants and the other one is accountants. Most management experts had been hired to apply GRI into the organization and accountants were hired to do the audit. The market for management consultants is however not solid, since the organizations often learn how to manage GRI themselves. The services that the accountants provide on the other hand are hard to replace. Therefore, it is most likely that the accountants will dominate the market in the near future. Also the accountant and the public professionals tend to look alike, since they perform similar working tasks, however, the practice between the two professions seem to be blurred

Epimural indicator phylotypes of transiently-induced subacute ruminal acidosis in dairy cattle

The impact of a long-term subacute rumen acidosis (SARA) on the bovine epimural bacterial microbiome (BEBM) and its consequences for rumen health is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate shifts in the BEBM during a long-term transient SARA model consisting of two concentrate-diet-induced SARA challenges separated by a one-week challenge break. Eight cows were fed forage and varying concentrate amounts throughout the experiment. In total, 32 rumen papilla biopsies were taken for DNA isolation (4 sampling time points per cow: at the baseline before concentrate was fed, after the first SARA challenge, after the challenge break, and after the second SARA challenge). Ruminal pH was continuously monitored. The microbiome was determined using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene (V345 region). In total 1,215,618 sequences were obtained and clustered into 6,833 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Campylobacter and Kingella were the most abundant OTUs (16.5% and 7.1%). According to ruminal pH dynamics, the second challenge was more severe than the first challenge. Species diversity estimates and evenness increased during the challenge break compared to all other sampling time points (P<0.05). During both SARA challenges, Kingella- and Azoarcus-OTUs decreased (0.5 and 0.4 fold-change) and a dominant Ruminobacter-OTU increased during the challenge break (18.9 fold-change; P<0.05). qPCR confirmed SARA-related shifts. During the challenge break noticeably more OTUs increased compared to other sampling time points. Our results show that the BEBM re-establishes the baseline conditions slower after a SARA challenge than ruminal pH. Key phylotypes that were reduced during both challenges may help to establish a bacterial fingerprint to facilitate understanding effects of SARA conditions on the BEBM and their consequences for the ruminant host

Food systems microbiome‐related educational needs

Abstract Within the European‐funded Coordination and Support Action MicrobiomeSupport (https://www.microbiomesupport.eu/), the Workshop ‘Education in Food Systems Microbiome Related Sciences: Needs for Universities, Industry and Public Health Systems’ brought together over 70 researchers, public health and industry partners from all over the world to work on elaborating microbiome‐related educational needs in food systems. This publication provides a summary of discussions held during and after the workshop and the resulting recommendations

Differences in the relative abundance (%) of bacterial genera in intestinal digesta and feces of low and high residual feed intake (RFI) male broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations (L).

<p>Differences in the relative abundance (%) of bacterial genera in intestinal digesta and feces of low and high residual feed intake (RFI) male broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations (L).</p

Differences in the relative abundance (%) of bacterial phyla in intestinal digesta and feces of low and high residual feed intake (RFI) broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations (L).

<p>Differences in the relative abundance (%) of bacterial phyla in intestinal digesta and feces of low and high residual feed intake (RFI) broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations (L).</p

Relative abundance (%) of the most abundant phyla in ileal and cecal digesta and feces of broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations.

<p>Relative abundance (%) of the most abundant phyla in ileal and cecal digesta and feces of broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations.</p

Selected genera correlating to feed efficiency and performance traits in low and high residual feed intake (RFI) female and male chickens (<i>P</i> < 0.05) across geographical locations and by intestinal site.

<p>Selected genera correlating to feed efficiency and performance traits in low and high residual feed intake (RFI) female and male chickens (<i>P</i> < 0.05) across geographical locations and by intestinal site.</p

Differences in α-diversity indices in intestinal digesta and feces of low and high residual feed intake (RFI) broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations (L).

<p>Differences in α-diversity indices in intestinal digesta and feces of low and high residual feed intake (RFI) broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations (L).</p

Total bacterial gene copy numbers (log₁₀ 16S rRNA gene copies/g fresh matter) in intestinal digesta and feces of low and high residual feed intake (RFI) broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations (L).

<p>Total bacterial gene copy numbers (log₁₀ 16S rRNA gene copies/g fresh matter) in intestinal digesta and feces of low and high residual feed intake (RFI) broiler chickens raised at two geographical locations (L).</p