A multi-strain probiotic modulates the oviduct tract microbiota of laying hens

Gut and oviduct microbiota are closely related, especially because of the common connection with the cloaca. In this condition, modulating the gut microbiota with multi-strain probiotic supplementation may change the oviduct tract microbiota.

Hyline W36 laying hens housed in commercial aviaries were evaluated. Control animals were fed the farm’s conventional diet. The 2nd treatment received the control feed with the inclusion of Protexin™ Concentrate (50 g/t). The experiment started at 36 weeks of age and lasted 182 days. At the end of the experimental period, 5 laying hens per treatment were randomly selected and euthanized. A segment of the oviduct located in the magnum region was collected. The samples were stored at -80 ºC for subsequent extraction of bacterial DNA. After standardization, the PCR procedure was performed using the amplification of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The differences between the relative abundances of the taxonomic groups were estimated by the Welch test.

The group of hens fed Protexin™ Concentrate showed a reduction in organisms of the order RB41 (P=0.039, Fig.1A) and Burkholderia (P=0,017, Fig.1B), and a total reduction in Bacillus (P=0.05, Fig.1C), and Corynebacterium (P=0.05, Fig.1D) in the magnum region of oviduct.

The results show that supplying hens with Protexin™ Concentrate in the fed can be effective in modulating the microbiota of the oviduct tracts which can improve their health and quality of eggs.