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Research Article | Host-Microbe Biology

Porcine Feed Efficiency-Associated Intestinal Microbiota and Physiological Traits: Finding Consistent Cross-Locational Biomarkers for Residual Feed Intake

Ursula M. McCormack, Tânia Curião, Barbara U. Metzler-Zebeli, Elizabeth Magowan, Donagh P. Berry, Henry Reyer, Maria L. Prieto, Stefan G. Buzoianu, Michael Harrison, Natalie Rebeiz, Fiona Crispie, Paul D. Cotter, Orla O’Sullivan, Gillian E. Gardiner, Peadar G. Lawlor
Janet K. Jansson, Editor
Ursula M. McCormack
aTeagasc, Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
bDepartment of Science, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Co. Waterford, Ireland
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Tânia Curião
aTeagasc, Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
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  • ORCID record for Tânia Curião
Barbara U. Metzler-Zebeli
cInstitute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, University Clinic for Swine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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  • ORCID record for Barbara U. Metzler-Zebeli
Elizabeth Magowan
dSustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough, Co. Down, Northern Ireland
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Donagh P. Berry
eTeagasc, Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
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Henry Reyer
fLeibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany
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Maria L. Prieto
bDepartment of Science, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Co. Waterford, Ireland
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Stefan G. Buzoianu
aTeagasc, Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
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Michael Harrison
bDepartment of Science, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Co. Waterford, Ireland
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Natalie Rebeiz
aTeagasc, Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
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Fiona Crispie
gTeagasc, Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
hAPC Microbiome Institute, Cork, Ireland
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Paul D. Cotter
gTeagasc, Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
hAPC Microbiome Institute, Cork, Ireland
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Orla O’Sullivan
gTeagasc, Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
hAPC Microbiome Institute, Cork, Ireland
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Gillian E. Gardiner
bDepartment of Science, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Co. Waterford, Ireland
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Peadar G. Lawlor
aTeagasc, Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
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Janet K. Jansson
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Roles: Editor
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DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.00324-18
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ABSTRACT

Optimal feed efficiency (FE) in pigs is important for economic and environmental reasons. Previous research identified FE-associated bacterial taxa within the intestinal microbiota of growing pigs. This study investigated whether FE-associated bacteria and selected FE-associated physiological traits were consistent across geographic locations (Republic of Ireland [ROI] [two batches of pigs, ROI1 and ROI2], Northern Ireland [NI], and Austria [AT]), where differences in genetic, dietary, and management factors were minimized. Pigs (n = 369) were ranked, within litter, on divergence in residual feed intake (RFI), and 100 extremes were selected (50 with high RFI and 50 with low RFI) across geographic locations for intestinal microbiota analysis using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and examination of FE-associated physiological parameters. Microbial diversity varied by geographic location and intestinal sampling site but not by RFI rank, except in ROI2, where more-feed-efficient pigs had greater ileal and cecal diversity. Although none of the 188 RFI-associated taxonomic differences found were common to all locations/batches, Lentisphaerae, Ruminococcaceae, RF16, Mucispirillum, Methanobrevibacter, and two uncultured genera were more abundant within the fecal or cecal microbiota of low-RFI pigs in two geographic locations and/or in both ROI batches. These are major contributors to carbohydrate metabolism, which was reflected in functional predictions. Fecal volatile fatty acids and salivary cortisol were the only physiological parameters that differed between RFI ranks. Despite controlling genetics, diet specification, dietary phases, and management practices in each rearing environment, the rearing environment, encompassing maternal influence, herd health status, as well as other factors, appears to impact intestinal microbiota more than FE.

IMPORTANCE Interest in the role of intestinal microbiota in determining FE in pigs has increased in recent years. However, it is not known if the same FE-associated bacteria are found across different rearing environments. In this study, geographic location and intestinal sampling site had a greater influence on the pig gut microbiome than FE. This presents challenges when aiming to identify consistent reliable microbial biomarkers for FE. Nonetheless, seven FE-associated microbial taxa were common across two geographic locations and/or two batches within one location, and these indicated a potentially “healthier” and metabolically more capable microbiota in more-feed-efficient pigs. These taxa could potentially be employed as biomarkers for FE, although bacterial consortia, rather than individual taxa, may be more likely to predict FE. They may also merit consideration for use as probiotics or could be targeted by dietary means as a strategy for improving FE in pigs in the future.

  • Copyright © 2019 McCormack et al.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

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Porcine Feed Efficiency-Associated Intestinal Microbiota and Physiological Traits: Finding Consistent Cross-Locational Biomarkers for Residual Feed Intake
Ursula M. McCormack, Tânia Curião, Barbara U. Metzler-Zebeli, Elizabeth Magowan, Donagh P. Berry, Henry Reyer, Maria L. Prieto, Stefan G. Buzoianu, Michael Harrison, Natalie Rebeiz, Fiona Crispie, Paul D. Cotter, Orla O’Sullivan, Gillian E. Gardiner, Peadar G. Lawlor
mSystems Jun 2019, 4 (4) e00324-18; DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.00324-18

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Porcine Feed Efficiency-Associated Intestinal Microbiota and Physiological Traits: Finding Consistent Cross-Locational Biomarkers for Residual Feed Intake
Ursula M. McCormack, Tânia Curião, Barbara U. Metzler-Zebeli, Elizabeth Magowan, Donagh P. Berry, Henry Reyer, Maria L. Prieto, Stefan G. Buzoianu, Michael Harrison, Natalie Rebeiz, Fiona Crispie, Paul D. Cotter, Orla O’Sullivan, Gillian E. Gardiner, Peadar G. Lawlor
mSystems Jun 2019, 4 (4) e00324-18; DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.00324-18
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KEYWORDS

feed efficiency
geographic location
intestinal microbiota
pigs

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