Effects on the Ileal Microbiota of Phosphorus and Calcium Utilization, Bird Performance, and Gender in Japanese Quail

• Main Authors: Daniel Borda-Molina, Christoph Roth, Angélica Hérnandez-Arriaga, Daniel Rissi, Solveig Vollmar, Markus Rodehutscord, Jörn Bennewitz, Amélia Camarinha-Silva
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Animals
• Subjects: Japanese quail; ileal microbiota; phosphorus utilization; calcium utilization; gender; performance traits
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/5/885

In this study, we aimed to investigate the ileum digesta of a large cohort of Japanese quail fed the same diet, with similar environmental conditions. We also address how P utilization (PU), Ca utilization (CaU), and bird performance (feed intake (FI), feed conversion (FC), and body weight gain (BWG)) modify intestinal microbiota of male and female quail. Despite the great number of samples analyzed (760), a core microbiome was composed of five bacteria. The Unc. <i>Lactobacillus</i>, Unc. Clostridaceae 1, <i>Clostridium</i> sensu stricto, <i>Escherichia coli</i>, and <i>Streptococcus alactolyticus</i> were detected in all samples and contributed to more than 70% of the total community. Depending on the bird predisposition for PU, CaU, FI, BWG, and FC, those species were present in higher or lower abundances. There was a significant gender effect on the ileal microbial community. While females had higher abundances of <i>Lactobacillus</i>, males were more colonized by <i>Streptococcus alactolyticus</i>. The entire cohort was highly colonized by <i>Escherichia coli</i> (8%–15%), an enteropathogenic bacteria. It remains unclear, if microbiota composition followed the mechanisms that caused different PU, CaU, FI, FC, and BWG or if the change in microbiota composition and function caused the differences in PU, CaU, and performance traits.