Age-associated changes in caecal microbiome and their apparent correlations with growth performances of layer pullets

The microbiome in gastrointestinal tracts play an important role in regulating nutrient utilization and absorption, gut immune function, and host growth or development. This study was conducted to investigate the composition and dynamic distribution of caecal microbiota in pullets during the first 16 weeks. Growth performance, immune organs index, and intestinal morphology of pullets were analyzed at 3, 6, 12 and 16 weeks of age. The caecal contents were collected for microbiota analysis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing method. With advancing ages in pullets, the gradually increased average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and intestinal villus height, but the gradually decreased organs index of thymus and bursa were determined. Meanwhile, more abundant caecal bacterial communities were determined from pullets at 12 and 16 weeks of age than those at 3 and 6 weeks of age. Furthermore, the dominant microflora of pullets from different weeks of age were analyzed by using LEfSe: The higher abundance of Blautia, Prevotella, Alistipes, and Eggerthella were found at 6 weeks; Anaerostipes, Oscillospira, Enterococcus and Methanobrevibacter were determined at 12 weeks; and the higher abundance of Parabacteroides, Anaerofustis, Lactobacillus and Butyricimonas were determined at 16 weeks. Further functional predicted analysis by PICRUSt revealed that the endocrine system and carbohydrate metabolism were significantly developed at 3 weeks. The development of the immune system was predicted to be mainly during 6 to 12 weeks, while cardiovascular diseases and circulatory system were during 12 to 16 weeks. In addition, the significantly negative correlation between Bacteroides and villus height, the significantly negative correlation between growth parameters (ADFI and FCR) and Bacteroides, Oscillospira and Alistipes; and the significantly positive relations between growth parameters (ADFI and FCR) and Bilophila, Lactobacillus, Rikenella and Anaerofustis were determined by using Pearson analyses. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that growth performance and intestinal morphology correlate well with caecal microbiota, which could provide new insights to establish or develop nutritional strategies to manage the intestinal health or development of laying pullets.