Influence of Sex and a High-Fiber Diet on the Gut Microbiome of Alentejano Pigs Raised to Heavy Weights

Autor: André Albuquerque, Nicolás Garrido, Rui Charneca, Conceição Egas, Luísa Martin, Amélia Ramos, Filipa Costa, Carla Marmelo, José Manuel Martins
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Veterinary Sciences, Vol 10, Iss 11, p 641 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2306-7381
DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10110641
Popis: This study investigates the influence of sex and a dietary transition on the gut microbiota of a local Portuguese pig breed. Three groups of male Alentejano pigs (n = 10 each) were raised between ~40 and 160 kg LW. Group C included pigs that were surgically castrated, while the I group included intact ones; both were fed with commercial diets. The third group, IExp, included intact pigs that were fed commercial diets until ~130 kg, then replaced by an experimental diet based on legumes and agro-industrial by-products between ~130 and 160 kg. Fecal samples were collected two weeks before slaughter. The total DNA was extracted and used for 16S metabarcoding on a MiSeq® System. The dietary transition from a commercial diet to the experimental diet substantially increased and shifted the diversity observed. Complex carbohydrate fermenting bacteria, such as Ruminococcus spp. and Sphaerochaeta spp., were significantly more abundant in IExp (q < 0.05). On the other hand, castrated pigs presented a significantly lower abundance of the potential probiotic, Roseburia spp. and Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group (q < 0.01), bacteria commonly associated with better gut health and lower body fat composition. Understanding the role of gut microbiota is paramount to ensure a low skatole deposition and consumers’ acceptance of pork products from non-castrated male pigs.
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