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Modify Gastrointestinal Environment in Livestock to Contrast and Prevent Pathogens...
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Modify Gastrointestinal Environment in Livestock to Contrast and Prevent Pathogens Infections and Dysbiosis: Focus on Microbiota

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Clinical Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 4 May 2025 | Viewed by 20530

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Claudio Forte

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Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of TurinDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
Interests: animal nutrition; animal welfare; livestock
Dr. Francesca Romana Massacci

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Guest Editor
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche "Togo Rosati", Perugia, Italy
Interests: infectious diseases; antimicrobial resistance (AMR); genomics; whole genomic sequences (WGS); livestock
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues，

We are inviting the submission of reviews and original research papers presenting basic and applied research on determinants amending the intestinal ecosystem and microbiome characterization to prevent dysbiosis, pathogen infections, and the risk of zoonosis.

In the last decades, several studies have been focused on implementing the knowledge of the gut microbiome impact on animal health, through different technologies such as the 16S approach and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Microbiomes and their effects on host phenotypes and genotypes and to limit the risk of zoonosis infection have emerged as major factors to be considered worldwide. It is well-established that microbiota composition can be modified to improve performances. Nutritional strategies have been investigated to plan ad hoc interventions to limit management issues concerning dysbiosis and the spread of pathogen outbreaks on farms. More recently, the role of the intestinal microbiota as a reservoir of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria, the impact of antibiotics in their selection of MDR bacteria, and the potential use of fecal microbiota transplantation have started to be explored.

This Special Issue is aimed at acquiring new knowledge about the topics of interest and stimulating a discussion to create new baselines for future studies on the microbiota and their implications in livestock

Areas of interest include the following: microbiota studies concerning dysbiosis and re-establishing the intestinal eubiosis; The effect of nutritional interventions (phytogenic feed additives, prebiotics, probiotics, and next-generation probiotics) on animal health and welfare (performances, reproduction, immunity, disease, intestinal ecosystem); Microbiota description during an infectious disease outbreak and possible correlation with host-genotype; Microbiome characterization and nutrition/management practices in different farming systems; Additives and novel ingredients (prebiotics, probiotics, next-generation probiotics); Antibiotic-resistant bacteria; One health approaches; Infection carried out by zoonosis bacteria.

Prof. Dr. Claudio Forte
Dr. Francesca Romana Massacci
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Intestinal ecosystem
  • Livestock
  • Gut
  • Microbiota
  • Nutrition
  • Pathogens
  • Genetics
  • Dysbiosis
  • Eubiosis
  • Management practices
  • Zoonosis
  • Animal Production

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2172 KiB  
Article
Bovine Colostrum Supplementation Modulates the Intestinal Microbial Community in Rabbits
by Stella Agradi, Paola Cremonesi, Laura Menchetti, Claudia Balzaretti, Marco Severgnini, Federica Riva, Bianca Castiglioni, Susanna Draghi, Alessia Di Giancamillo, Marta Castrica, Daniele Vigo, Silvia Clotilde Modina, Valentina Serra, Alda Quattrone, Elisa Angelucci, Grazia Pastorelli, Giulio Curone and Gabriele Brecchia
Animals 2023, 13(6), 976; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13060976 - 8 Mar 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2398
Abstract
BC is a nutraceutical that can modulate intestinal microbiota. This study investigates the effects of BC diet supplementation on luminal and mucosa-associated microbiota in the jejunum, caecum, and colon of rabbits. Twenty-one New Zealand White female rabbits were divided into three experimental groups [...] Read more.
BC is a nutraceutical that can modulate intestinal microbiota. This study investigates the effects of BC diet supplementation on luminal and mucosa-associated microbiota in the jejunum, caecum, and colon of rabbits. Twenty-one New Zealand White female rabbits were divided into three experimental groups (n = 7) receiving a commercial feed (CTRL group) and the same diet supplemented with 2.5% and 5% BC (2.5% BC and 5% BC groups, respectively), from 35 (weaning) to 90 days of age (slaughtering). At slaughter, the digestive tract was removed from each animal, then both content and mucosa-associated microbiota of jejunum, caecum, and colon were collected and analysed by Next Generation 16SrRNA Gene Sequencing. Significant differences were found in the microbial composition of the three groups (i.e., beta-diversity: p < 0.01), especially in the caecum and colon of the 2.5% BC group. The relative abundance analysis showed that the families most affected by the BC administration were Clostridia UCG-014, Barnesiellaceae, and Eggerthellaceae. A trend was also found for Lachnospiraceae, Akkermansiaceae, and Bacteroidaceae. A functional prediction has revealed several altered pathways in BC groups, with particular reference to amino acids and lactose metabolism. Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio decreased in caecum luminal samples of the 2.5% BC group. These findings suggest that BC supplementation could positively affect the intestinal microbiota. However, further research is needed to establish the optimal administration dose. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modify Gastrointestinal Environment in Livestock to Contrast and Prevent Pathogens Infections and Dysbiosis: Focus on Microbiota)
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16 pages, 2311 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Bacterial Microbiota Composition along the Gastrointestinal Tract in Rabbits
by Elisa Cotozzolo, Paola Cremonesi, Giulio Curone, Laura Menchetti, Federica Riva, Filippo Biscarini, Maria Laura Marongiu, Marta Castrica, Bianca Castiglioni, Dino Miraglia, Sebastiano Luridiana and Gabriele Brecchia
Animals 2021, 11(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010031 - 26 Dec 2020
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 5084
Abstract
The microbiota is extremely important for the animal’s health, but, to date, knowledge on the intestinal microbiota of the rabbit is very limited. This study aimed to describe bacterial populations that inhabit the different gastrointestinal compartments of the rabbit: stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, [...] Read more.
The microbiota is extremely important for the animal’s health, but, to date, knowledge on the intestinal microbiota of the rabbit is very limited. This study aimed to describe bacterial populations that inhabit the different gastrointestinal compartments of the rabbit: stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum, and colon. Samples of the luminal content from all compartments of 14 healthy New White Zealand rabbits were collected at slaughter and analyzed using next generation 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing. The findings uncovered considerable differences in the taxonomic levels among the regions of the digestive tract. Firmicutes were the most abundant phylum in all of the sections (45.9%), followed by Bacteroidetes in the large intestine (38.9%) and Euryarchaeota in the foregut (25.9%). Four clusters of bacterial populations were observed along the digestive system: (i) stomach, (ii) duodenum and jejunum, (iii) ileum, and (iv) large intestine. Caecum and colon showed the highest richness and diversity in bacterial species, while the highest variability was found in the upper digestive tract. Knowledge of the physiological microbiota of healthy rabbits could be important for preserving the health and welfare of the host as well as for finding strategies to manipulate the gut microbiota in order to also promote productive performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modify Gastrointestinal Environment in Livestock to Contrast and Prevent Pathogens Infections and Dysbiosis: Focus on Microbiota)
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Review

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43 pages, 2198 KiB  
Review
Microbial Quality of Liquid Feed for Pigs and Its Impact on the Porcine Gut Microbiome
by James T. Cullen, Peadar G. Lawlor, Paul Cormican and Gillian E. Gardiner
Animals 2021, 11(10), 2983; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102983 - 16 Oct 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5592
Abstract
There is evidence that spontaneous fermentation frequently occurs in liquid pig feed that is intended to be delivered as fresh liquid feed, often with a resultant deterioration in the microbial and nutritional quality of the feed, which can negatively affect pig health and [...] Read more.
There is evidence that spontaneous fermentation frequently occurs in liquid pig feed that is intended to be delivered as fresh liquid feed, often with a resultant deterioration in the microbial and nutritional quality of the feed, which can negatively affect pig health and growth. Strategies including controlled fermentation with microbial inoculants, pre-fermentation or soaking of the cereal fraction of the diet, enzyme supplementation and dietary acidification have been employed to inhibit pathogens and prevent deterioration of feed nutritional quality, with promising results obtained in many cases. This review evaluates the impact of these strategies on the microbial quality of liquid feed and discusses how they can be further improved. It also investigates if/how these strategies impact the pig gut microbiota and growth performance of liquid-fed pigs. Finally, we review liquid feed system sanitisation practices, which are highly variable from farm to farm and discuss the impact of these practices and whether they are beneficial or detrimental to liquid feed microbial quality. Overall, we provide a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge on liquid feed for pigs, focusing on factors affecting microbial quality and strategies for its optimisation, as well as its impact on the pig gut microbiome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modify Gastrointestinal Environment in Livestock to Contrast and Prevent Pathogens Infections and Dysbiosis: Focus on Microbiota)
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12 pages, 285 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in Understanding the Influence of Zinc, Copper, and Manganese on the Gastrointestinal Environment of Pigs and Poultry
by Leon J. Broom, Alessandra Monteiro and Arturo Piñon
Animals 2021, 11(5), 1276; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051276 - 29 Apr 2021
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 6110
Abstract
Zinc, copper, and manganese are prominent essential trace (or micro) minerals, being required in small, but adequate, amounts by pigs and poultry for normal biological functioning. Feed is a source of trace minerals for pigs and poultry but variable bioavailability in typical feed [...] Read more.
Zinc, copper, and manganese are prominent essential trace (or micro) minerals, being required in small, but adequate, amounts by pigs and poultry for normal biological functioning. Feed is a source of trace minerals for pigs and poultry but variable bioavailability in typical feed ingredients means that supplementation with low-cost oxides and sulphates has become common practice. Such trace mineral supplementation often provides significant ‘safety margins’, while copper and zinc have been supplemented at supra-nutritional (or pharmacological) levels to improve health and/or growth performance. Regulatory mechanisms ensure that much of this oversupply is excreted by the host into the environment, which can be toxic to plants and microorganisms or promote antimicrobial resistance in microbes, and thus supplying trace minerals more precisely to pigs and poultry is necessary. The gastrointestinal tract is thus central to the maintenance of trace mineral homeostasis and the provision of supra-nutritional or pharmacological levels is associated with modification of the gut environment, such as the microbiome. This review, therefore, considers recent advances in understanding the influence of zinc, copper, and manganese on the gastrointestinal environment of pigs and poultry, including more novel, alternative sources seeking to maintain supra-nutritional benefits with minimal environmental impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modify Gastrointestinal Environment in Livestock to Contrast and Prevent Pathogens Infections and Dysbiosis: Focus on Microbiota)
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