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Adaptation of the Microbiome towards Fibre Digestion: Effects of Age and Dietary Ingredients

Published: June 18, 2020
By: A. Bautil 1, J. Verspreet 1, J. Buyse 2, P. Goos 3, M.R. Bedford 4 and C.M. Courtin 1 / 1 Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 22, Leuven, Belgium; 2 Laboratory of Livestock Physiology, Department of Biosystem, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Leuven, Belgium; 3 MeBios Division, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Leuven, Belgium; 4 AB Vista, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 4AN, UK.
Summary

Abstract

The dietary fibre fraction of European wheat-based poultry diets largely consists of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), mainly arabinoxylans (AX). As poultry lack the metabolic capacity to produce carbohydrate active enzymes in order to degrade the NSP of cereal cell walls, they rely on their intestinal microbiome to hydrolyse and ferment the dietary fibre fraction of the feed. However, the colonisation by and composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota is strongly influenced by different host-specific and diet-related factors, which hence impact and modify dietary fibre digestion. In recent research, the importance of broiler age and the age-related microbial development on the capacity of broilers to degrade wheat AX was demonstrated. The first colonising microbiota were able to hydrolyse the dietary AX polymers, but not yet into fermentable compounds. However, as the broiler aged, adaptation of the microbial fibre degrading and fermentation capacity towards the AX substrates entering the hindgut was observed, which finally resulted in an increased fibre digestion with broiler age. Furthermore, to overcome the anti-nutritional effects of the dietary NSP substrates, endoxylanases are frequently added to the broiler’s diet. Addition of these enzymes clearly improves fibre digestion, due to the modification of both the structural and physicochemical characteristics of the NSP substrates, thereby making them more available for microbial fermentation. Supplementation with 0.50% arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS), in essence prehydrolysed AX, revealed that the fibre solubilizing and fermentation capacity of the intestinal microbiota can be kick started at young broiler ages. It is recommended that nutritional intervention strategies take into account the age-related and diet-adapted fibre degrading potential of the intestinal microbiota. Depending on dietary ingredients and broiler age, microbiota will contribute differently to fibre digestion.

 

Presented at the International Fibre Summit 2019 (https://internationalfibre.com/). Reproduced with permission from the organizers.

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Authors:
Dr Joran Verspreet
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Mike Bedford
AB Vista
Christophe Courtin
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
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Juarez Donzele
Universidade Federal de Viçosa - UFV
Universidade Federal de Viçosa - UFV
21 de octubre de 2020

Dr. Joran Verspreet, understanding that the material presented represents a summary of the results obtained in the work, I think it would have been important to report that the improvement in the performance of the chickens, due to the addition of enzyme, would also be related to the positive changes of the microbiota as a result of hydrolysis of fiber of complex structure with oligosaccharide production.

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Garba Jinjiri Hamisu
23 de octubre de 2020
Yes
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