AUTHOR=Zhao Dehui , Zhang Haihua , Liu Keyuan , Wu Yan , Zhang Borui , Ma Cuiliu , Liu Hanlu 

TITLE=Effect of Cyberlindnera jadinii supplementation on growth performance, serum immunity, antioxidant status, and intestinal health in winter fur-growing raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1154808

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2023.1154808

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>This study aimed to investigate the effects of <italic>Cyberlindnera jadinii</italic> supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, serum biochemistry, immunity, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota of raccoon dogs during the winter fur-growing period.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Forty-five 135 (±5) day-old male raccoon dogs were randomly assigned to three dietary groups supplemented with 0 (group N), 1 × 10<sup>9</sup> (group L) and 5 × 10<sup>9</sup> CFU/g (group H) <italic>Cyberlindnera jadinii</italic>, with 15 raccoon dogs per group.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The results showed that <italic>Cyberlindnera jadinii</italic> in groups L and H improved average daily gain (ADG) and decreased feed-to-weight ratio (F/G) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). No significant difference was found in nutrient digestibility and nitrogen metabolism among the three groups (<italic>P</italic> &gt; 0.05). Compared with group N, serum glucose levels were lower in groups L and H (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). The levels of serum immunoglobulins A and G in group L were higher than those in the other two groups (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05), and the levels of serum immunoglobulins A and M in group H were higher than those in group N (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). Supplementation with <italic>Cyberlindnera jadinii</italic> in groups L and H increased serum superoxide dismutase activity, and the total antioxidant capacity in group H increased compared with group N (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). The phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were dominant in raccoon dogs. The results of principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that the composition of microbiota in the three groups changed significantly (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). The relative abundance of Campylobacterota was increased in the H group compared to the N and L groups (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). The relative abundance of <italic>Sarcina</italic> was increased in group L compared with the other two groups (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05), while the relative abundance of <italic>Subdoligranulum</italic> and <italic>Blautia</italic> were decreased in group H compared with the other two groups (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). Also, the relative abundance of <italic>Prevotella, Sutterella</italic> and <italic>Catenibacterium</italic> was higher in group L (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) compared with group H.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>In conclusion, dietary supplementation with <italic>Cyberlindnera jadinii</italic> improved growth performance, antioxidant activity, immune status, and improved intestinal microbiota in winter fur-growing raccoon dogs. Among the concentrations tested, 1 × 10<sup>9</sup> CFU/g was the most effective level of supplementation.</p></sec>