Effects of doe-litter separation on intestinal bacteria, immune response and morphology of suckling rabbits

Yukun Zhang, Hongxiao Cui, Defa Sun, Lihui Liu, Xiurong Xu
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2018.5917

Abstract

Gut development is stimulated by exposure to microorganisms, especially early-life microbial exposure. This study aimed to investigate whether doe-litter separation, which is performed in many rabbit farms, affects this exposure and therefore inhibits the development of intestinal system in suckling rabbits. Immediately after parturition, Rex rabbit does (n=16) were adjusted to 8 kits per litter and divided into doe-litter separation (DLS) group and doe-litter together (DLT) group based on the conditions of the does. One healthy kit per litter was selected and sacrificed at 7 d, 14 d, 21 d and 28 d of age, and the number of total bacteria, Escherichia coli and Bacteroides-Prevotella, expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) in duodenum and caecum were investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The morphological parameters of duodenum and vermiform appendix were also measured. Our results showed that doe-litter separation affected the number of intestinal bacteria. At 7 d of age, except for caecal Escherichia coli, the number of the investigated bacteria was decreased by doe-litter separation (P<0.05). But 1 wk later, only the number of total bacteria and Bacteroides-Prevotella in caecal content (P<0.05) and Escherichia coli in duodenal content from DLS kits (P<0.05) were still lower than those from DLT kits. After being provided with supplementary food for 7 d, DLS kits had fewer total bacteria in caecal content (P<0.05) and fewer E. coli in duodenal content (P<0.01) than DLT kits. After growing to 28 d of age, kits in DLS group still tended to have fewer total bacteria in caecal content, and expression of IL-10 and secretion of secretory IgA (sIgA) in vermiform appendix in DLS group was obviously lower than kits in DLT group (P<0.05). The villus height:crypt depth ratio in duodenum at 3rd wk and 4th wk was decreased by DLS (P<0.05). Kits in DLS group had shorter villus height (P<0.05), higher crypt depth (P<0.05) and shorter vermiform appendix (P<0.05) at the end of the trial. Furthermore, separating kits from the doe had a negative effect on their average daily gain at 3rd wk and 4th wk (P<0.05). Limiting the microbiological contact with the mother during suckling period affected the kits’ intestinal flora and could negatively affect the development of intestinal digestive and immune system and growth performance of kits.

Keywords

doe-litter separation; suckling rabbit; gut development; bacteroid; interleukin 6; sIgA

Full Text:

PDF

References

Combes S., Michelland R.J., Monteils V., Cauquil L., Soulié V., Tran N.U., Gidenne T., Fortun-Lamothe L. 2011. Postnatal development of the rabbit caecal microbiota composition and activity. FEMS. Microbiol. Ecol., 77: 680-689. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2011.01148.x

Conroy M.E., Shi H.N., Walker W.A., 2009. The long-term health effects of neonatal microbial flora. Curr. Opin. Allergy Clin. Immunol., 9: 197-201. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACI.0b013e32832b3f1d

Denman S.E,, McSweeney C.S. 2006. Development of a real-time PCR assay for monitoring anaerobic fungal and cellulolytic bacterial populations with the rumen. FEMS. Microbiol. Ecol., 58: 572-582. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00190.x

Ege M.J., Mayer M., Normand A.C., Genuneit J., Cookson W.O.C.M., Braun-Fahrländer C., Heederik D., Piarroux R., von Mutius E. 2011. Exposure to environmental microorganisms and childhood asthma. N. Engl. J. Med., 364: 701-709.https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1007302

Eiben C., Tóbiás G., Kustos K., Gódor-Surmann K., Kotány S., Gulyás B., Szira G. 2007. The change of nursing for oestrus induction (biostimulation): effect of contact between rabbit doe and its young. Livest. Sci., 111: 193-203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2007.01.146

Fortun-Lamothe L., Boullier S. 2004. Interactions between gut microflora and digestive mucosal immunity, and strategies to improve digestive health in young rabbits. In Proc.: 8th World Rabbit Congress, September 7-10, 2004, Puebla, Mexico, 7-10.

Hanson N.B., Lanning D.K. 2008. Microbial induction of B and T cell areas in rabbit appendix. Dev. Comp. Immunol., 32: 980-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2008.01.013

Hooper L.V. 2004. Bacterial contributions to mammalian gut development. Trends. Microbiol., 12: 129-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2004.01.001

Huijsdens X.W., Linskens R.K., Mak M., Meuwissen S.G.M., Vandenbroucke-Grauls C.M.J.E., Savelkoul P.H.M. 2002. Quantification of bacteria adherent to gastrointestinal mucosa by real-time PCR. J. Clin. Microbiol., 40: 4423-4427. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.40.12.4423-4427.2002

Kelly D., King T., Aminov R. 2007. Importance of microbial colonization of the gut in early life to the development of immunity. Mutat. Res-Fund. Mol. M., 622: 58-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2007.03.011

Kirjavainen P.V., Gibson G.R. 1999. Healthy gut microflora and allergy: factors influencing development of the microbiota. Ann. Med. 31: 288-292. https://doi.org/10.3109/07853899908995892

Mackie R.I., Sghir A., Gaskins H.R. 1999. Developmental microbial ecology of the neonatal gastrointestinal tract. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 69: 1035S-1045S.

Mändar R., Mikelsaar M. 1996. Transmission of mother’s microflora to the newborn at birth. Biol. Neonate., 69: 30-35. https://doi.org/10.1159/000244275

Olszak T., An D., Zeissig S., Pinilla Vera M., Richter J., Franke A., Glickman J.N., Siebert R., Baron R.M., Kasper D.L., Blumberg R.S. 2012. Microbial exposure during early life has persistent effects on natural killer T cell function. Science, 336: 489-493. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1219328

Patra A.K., Yu Z. 2014. Combinations of nitrate, saponin, and sulfate additively reduce methane production by rumen cultures in vitro while not adversely affecting feed digestion, fermentation or microbial communities. Bioresource Technol., 155: 129-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2013.12.099

Penders J., Thijs C., Vink C., Stelma F.F., Snijders B., Kummeling, I., van den Brandt P.A., Stobberingh E.E. 2006. Factors influencing the composition of the intestinal microbiota in early infancy. Pediatrics, 118: 511-521. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2005-2824

Reagan R.C., Blackwood A.D., Kirs M., Griffith J.F., Noble R.T. 2009. Rapid QPCR-based assay for fecal Bacteroides spp. as a tool for assessing fecal contamination in recreational waters. Water. Res., 43: 4828-4837. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2009.06.036

Rhee K.J., Sethupathi P., Driks A., Lanning D.K., Knight K.L. 2004. Role of commensal bacteria in development of gut-associated lymphoid tissues and preimmune antibody repertoire. J. Immunol., 172: 1118-1124. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.172.2.1118

Schnupf P., Sansonetti P.J. 2012. Quantitative RT-PCR profiling of the rabbit immune response: assessment of acute Shigella flexneri infection. PloS. One. 7: e36446. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036446

Thompson A.M., Bizzarro M.J. 2008. Necrotizing enterocolitis in newborns. Drugs, 68: 1227-1238. https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200868090-00004

Umesaki Y., Setoyama H. 2000. Structure of the intestinal flora responsible for development of the gut immune system in a rodent model. Microbes. Infect., 2: 1343-1351. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1286-4579(00)01288-0

Wang Y. H. 1998. Diagnostic value of sIgA in cervical secretion in patients with chronic pelvic inflammatory disease. Chin. J. Pract. Gynecol & Obstetr., 6: 343-344

Yu Z., Michel F.C., Hansen G., Wittum T., Morrison M. 2005. Development and application of real-time PCR assays for quantification of genes encoding tetracycline resistance. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol, 71: 6926-6933. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.71.11.6926-6933.2005

Zhu K.H., Xu X.R., Sun D.F., Tang J.L., Zhang Y.K. 2014. Effects of drinking water acidification by organic acidifier on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity and caecal bacteria in growing rabbits. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 190: 87-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.01.014

Abstract Views

6295
Metrics Loading ...

Metrics powered by PLOS ALM


Bookmark and Share

 

Cited-By (articles included in Crossref)

This journal is a Crossref Cited-by Linking member. This list shows the references that citing the article automatically, if there are. For more information about the system please visit Crossref site

1. Orally administered Lactobacillus casei exhibited several probiotic properties in artificially suckling rabbits
Xue Mei Shen, Hong Xiao Cui, Xiu Rong Xu
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences  vol: 33  issue: 8  first page: 1352  year: 2020  
doi: 10.5713/ajas.18.0973



 

 Universitat Politècnica de València

 

Official journal of the World Rabbit Science Association (WRSA)

 

e-ISSN: 1989-8886     ISSN: 1257-5011   https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs