Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2023, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (9): 3770-3783.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2023.09.017

• ANIMAL NUTRITION AND FEEDS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Characteristics of Serum Immune Indices and Intestinal Microbiota of Wannan Black Pigs at Different Growth Stages

ZHENG Xianrui1,2, ZHUO Mingxue1,2, JI Jinli1,2, JIANG Weihu1,2, DENG Zaishuang1,2, ZHANG Jicheng1,2, TIAN Yali1,2, DING Yueyun1,2, ZHANG Xiaodong1,2, YIN Zongjun1,2*   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China;
    2. Key Laboratory of Local Animal Genetic Resources Conservation and Bio-Breeding of Anhui Province, Hefei 230036, China
  • Received:2022-12-16 Published:2023-09-22

Abstract: The aim of study was to investigate the longitudinal changes and correlations of intestinal microbiota and serum immune indices of Wannan Black pigs at different growth stages. Fecal and serum samples were collected from 27 Wannan Black pigs at three different growth stages:lactation (day(d) 20), nursery (d 60) and fattening period (d 120). The evolution patterns and correlations between fecal microbiota and immune indices during the growth and development of Wannan Black pigs were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and serum detection techniques. The results showed that analysis of the species abundance of intestinal microbiota revealed a total of 22 core phyla at the phylum level, of which Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla in Wannan Black pigs. Moreover, 51 core genera were detected at the level of genus, among which the dominant genera in the lactation period were Lactobacillus, Shigella and Faecalibacterium. Lactobacillus, Oscillospira and Treponema were the dominant genera in both nursery and fattening periods. Alpha diversity analysis showed that the diversity of intestinal microbiota increased gradually with age, reaching its peak in the nursery period and gradually stabilizing in the fattening period. Beta diversity analysis showed that the intestinal microbiota of Wannan Black pigs in the nursery and fattening periods were similar and clustered together, while there was no overlap with that of the lactation period, indicating that the differences between nursery and fattening periods were relatively small, whereas the gap between lactation and the other two periods was larger. By analyzing the enrichment of specific bacterial groups in different stages, a total of 100 inter-group differential microbial groups were identified, including 45 enriched in the lactation period, 34 in the nursery period, and 21 in the fattening period. Correlation analysis between the top 30 intestinal microbiota abundant and serum indices revealed that the concentrations of LPS, IL-6, IgA, IgG and IgM in serum were significantly correlated with the gut microbiota (P<0.05). Findings here provide a theoretical reference for understanding the dynamic changes of intestinal microbiota in pigs at different growth and development stages and improving the growth performance and health level of pigs through microbial technology means.

Key words: pig intestinal microbiota, dynamics, 16S rRNA, growth stage and performance, serum immune indices

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