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IntroductionDiet strongly affects gut microbiota composition, and gut bacteria can influence the intestinal barrier functions and systemic inflammation through metabolic endotoxemia. In-house feeding system (IHF, a low dietary fiber source) may cause altered cecal microbiota composition and inflammatory responses in meat geese via increased endotoxemia (lipopolysaccharides) with reduced intestinal alkaline phosphatase (ALP) production. The effects of artificial pasture grazing system (AGF, a high dietary fiber source) on modulating gut microbiota architecture and gut barrier functions have not been investigated in meat geese. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether intestinal ALP could play a critical role in attenuating reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and ROS facilitating NF-κB pathway-induced systemic inflammation in meat geese.MethodsThe impacts of IHF and AGF systems on gut microbial composition via 16 sRNA sequencing were assessed in meat geese. The host markers analysis through protein expression of serum and cecal tissues, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, localization of NF-қB and Nrf2 by immunofluorescence analysis, western blotting analysis of ALP, and quantitative PCR of cecal tissues was evaluated.Results and DiscussionIn the gut microbiota analysis, meat geese supplemented with pasture showed a significant increase in commensal microbial richness and diversity compared to IHF meat geese demonstrating the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory ability of the AGF system. A significant increase in intestinal ALP-induced Nrf2 signaling pathway was confirmed representing LPS dephosphorylation mediated TLR4/MyD88 induced ROS reduction mechanisms in AGF meat geese. Further, the correlation analysis of top 44 host markers with gut microbiota showed that artificial pasture intake protected gut barrier functions via reducing ROS-mediated NF-κB pathway-induced gut permeability, systemic inflammation, and aging phenotypes. In conclusion, the intestinal ALP functions to regulate gut microbial homeostasis and barrier function appear to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines by reducing LPS-induced ROS production in AGF meat geese. The AGF system may represent a novel therapy to counteract the chronic inflammatory state leading to low dietary fiber-related diseases in animals.

To avoid competition between people and animals for food, it is essential to develop nontraditional feeds. In this study, the effects of the silages of the unconventional feed resources mulberry and paper mulberry on meat quality of finishing pigs were examined.

BackgroundIn recent years, whole-plant corn silage had been widely used in China. Roughage was an important source of nutrition for ruminants and had an important effect on rumen microbiota, which plays an important role in animal growth performance and feed digestion. To better understand the effects of different silages on rumen microbiota, the effects of whole-plant corn silage or corn straw silage on growth performance, rumen fermentation products, and rumen microbiota of Simmental hybrid cattle were studied. Results60 healthy Simmental hybrid cattle were randomly divided into 2 groups with 6 repeats in each group and 5 cattle in each group. They were fed with whole-plant corn silage (WS) diet and corn straw silage (CS) diet respectively. Compared with corn straw silage, whole-plant corn silage significantly increased daily gain and decreased feed-weight ratio of beef cattle. Whole-plant corn silage also decreased the acetic acid in the rumen and the acetate to propionate (A/P) ratio compared with corn straw silage. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Prevotella_1 was significantly increased while the relative abundance of Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-002, Succiniclasticum, norank_f_Bacteroidales_RF16_group, and Ruminococcus_1 was decreased in cattle fed whole-plant corn silage compared with those fed corn straw silage. Prevotella_1 was positively correlated with acetic acid and A/P ratio, Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-002 was positively correlated with propionic acid and butyric acid, and negatively correlated with pH, Succiniclasticum was positively correlated with pH and A/P ratio, and norank_f__F082 and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group were positively correlated with pH, propionic acid and butyric acid. Feeding whole-plant corn silage improved amino acid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and metabolism of beef cattle compared with feeding corn straw silage. Correlation analysis between rumen microbiota and metabolic pathways showed that Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-002 was negatively correlated with Carbohydrate Metabolism, Glycan Biosynthesis, and Metabolism, while Prevotellaceae_UCG-003 was positively correlated with Amino Acid Metabolism, and Carbohydrate Metabolism. ConclusionsFeeding whole-plant corn silage can improve the production performance rumen fermentation of beef cattle by altering rumen microbiota, amino acid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism.

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