The effect of lactating rabbit does on the development of the caecal microbial community in the pups they nurture

Abstract

Aims: To study the effect of microbial community of the rabbit does as influenced by dietary factors, on the development of the gut microbiota of their litters. Methods and Results: Twenty‐four lactating does were given a diet unsupplemented (NAB) or with 100 ppm of bacitracin (BAC) or tiamulin (TIA) to modify their digestive microbiota. Litters were adjusted to six pups. In Trial 1, four does per diet milked their own six pups. In Trial 2, two does per diet nursed three of their pups and three fostered from the doe given the same diet. In Trial 3, two does on each diet nursed three of their pups and three fostered from another doe fed on another diet. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses of the litter microbiota showed that the effect of the milking mother was greater than the influence of the biological mother. TIA had a strong effect on the bacterial profile even prevailing over that of the milking mother, in contrast to BAC. Conclusions: Nursing mother microbiota plays an important role over that of the litter. Caecal colonization that occurs during the lactation process prevailed over that during the partum. Significance and Impact of the Study: Manipulation of the mother's microbiota may help for adaptation of the litter microbial community against pathologic digestive processes.

Comparative Analysis of Fecal Microbiota in Grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) and Other Herbivorous Livestock in Ghana

“…Comparing the α-diversity of fecal microbiota among the animals, only that of rabbits showed a low value. In rabbits, the number of OTUs in gut microbiota varies greatly [22,[26][27][28]. Accordingly, in the present study, more OTUs were observed in the gut microbiome of other livestock than in that of the rabbits.…”

Sampling locality is more detectable than taxonomy or ecology in the gut microbiota of the brood-parasitic Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

“…Many factors are important, including genetics (Benson et al, 2010; Zoetendal et al, 2001) and phylogeny (Ochman et al, 2010) and non-genetic factors, like ecology (Muegge et al, 2011), parental care (Abecia et al, 2007; Kyle & Kyle, 1993) and the environment (Bailey et al, 2010; Godoy-Vitorino et al, 2012). The specific importance of these factors in structuring avian microbiota is largely unknown.…”

Pyrosequencing study of caecal bacterial community of rabbit does and kits from a farm affected by epizootic rabbit enteropathy

“…Indeed, pioneer bacteria can modulate the expression of genes in host epithelial cells, thus creating a favourable habitat for themselves, and can prevent growth of other bacteria that are later introduced into the ecosystem (Hooper and Gordon, 2001). The maternal intestinal microbiota and surroundings are the main source of bacteria colonising the newborn's intestine (Abecia et al, 2007).…”

“…In rabbits, the microbial population of the caecum plays a key role in the host digestive physiology, by both providing with nutrients and acting as a barrier against pathogens and promoting the development of immunity (Forthun-Lamothe and Boullier, 2007). The establishment of caecal microbiota in milking kits is markedly determined by that of the doe (Abecia et al, 2007). This link is highlighted by the fact that 50% of postweaning on-farm mortality occurred in only 14% of the litters (De Blas et al, 2012).…”