A multi-omics dataset of the response to early plant polysaccharide ingestion in rabbits.

The transition from a milk-based diet to exclusive solid feeding deeply modifies microbiota-host crosstalk. Specifically, early ingestion of plant polysaccharides would be one of the main nutritional components to drive host-microbiota-interaction. To capture the effects of polysaccharides early-life nutrition (starch vs rapidly fermentable fiber) on the holobiont development, we investigated on the one hand the gut bacteriome and metabolome and on the other hand the transcriptome of two host gut tissues.

Early Introduction of Plant Polysaccharides Drives the Establishment of Rabbit Gut Bacterial Ecosystems and the Acquisition of Microbial Functions.

In mammals, the introduction of solid food is pivotal for the establishment of the gut microbiota. However, the effects of the first food consumed on long-term microbiota trajectory and host response are still largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the influences of (i) the timing of first solid food ingestion and (ii) the consumption of plant polysaccharides on bacterial community dynamics and host physiology using a rabbit model.

Impact of feed restriction and fragmented feed distribution on performance, intake behaviour and digestion of the growing rabbit.

Postweaning feed restriction preserves rabbit digestive health after weaning, but the underlying physiological mechanisms are not yet understood. To elucidate whether the feeding intake pattern modification related to feed restriction might be involved, we studied the effects of both feed intake quantity and intake frequency. Animals were allotted at weaning (28 d old) in a 2 × 2 factorial design: feed intake quantity (AL = ad libitum vs R = 75% of AL) and fragmented feed distribution (FFD) (1 vs 13 distributions), thus forming four groups (AL1, AL13, R1 and R13).

Early Introduction of Solid Feeds: Ingestion Level Matters More Than Prebiotic Supplementation for Shaping Gut Microbiota.

Early introduction of a nutritional substrate is a promising biomimetic strategy for controlling the implantation of the microbiota and preserving the health of young animals. In this study, we provided experimental solid substrate in a gel form to stimulate suckling rabbits' intake and to investigate its effects on microbiota implantation and colonization. All the rabbits had access to solid feed outside the nest as of 15 days of age.

Data set on early feed intake and growth performances of rabbits fed during the suckling period with pellets differing in diameter or compression rate using a double-choice testing design.

Weaning is a critical period for the health of rabbits, with a high sensitivity to digestive diseases. Allowing early consumption of solid feed in the nest of the suckling rabbit could help to maintain its health around weaning. In general, previous studies have focused on feed intake of rabbits when they are able to leave the nest, i.

Diversity and Co-occurrence Pattern Analysis of Cecal Microbiota Establishment at the Onset of Solid Feeding in Young Rabbits.

This study aimed to evaluate how the feeding strategy of rabbit kits at the onset of solid feed intake could affect ecological diversity and co-occurrence patterns of the cecal bacterial community. From birth to 18 days of age kits were exclusively milk-fed, and between 18 and 35 days the young rabbits also had access to solid feed. After weaning at (35 days), young rabbits were exclusively fed solid feed.

Quantitative feed restriction rather than caloric restriction modulates the immune response of growing rabbits.

Background: Short-term feed restriction strategies are used in rabbits to reduce postweaning digestive disorders, but little is known about the involvement of the immune system in these beneficial effects.

Objective: In the present study, the consequences of feed and energy restriction on immune response were investigated.

Methods: At weaning, 320 male and female rabbits were assigned to 4 groups differing in dietary digestible energy (DE) concentrations and intake levels: a low-energy ad libitum-feed (LE100) group, a low-energy restricted-feed (LE75) group, a high-energy ad libitum-feed (HE100) group, and a high-energy restricted-feed (HE75) group.

Genome-wide immunity studies in the rabbit: transcriptome variations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells after in vitro stimulation by LPS or PMA-Ionomycin.

Background: Our purpose was to obtain genome-wide expression data for the rabbit species on the responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after in vitro stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionomycin. This transcriptome profiling was carried out using microarrays enriched with immunity-related genes, and annotated with the most recent data available for the rabbit genome.

Results: The LPS affected 15 to 20 times fewer genes than PMA-Ionomycin after both 4 hours (T4) and 24 hours (T24), of in vitro stimulation, in comparison with mock-stimulated PBMCs.

Postnatal development of the rabbit caecal microbiota composition and activity.

This study describes the development of the rabbit caecum microbiota and its metabolic activities from the neonatal (day 2) until the subadult period (day 70). The caecal microbiota was analysed using 16S rRNA gene approaches coupled with capillary electrophoresis single-stranded conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) and qPCR. At day 2, rabbits harboured population levels up to 8.

Comparison of the archaeal community in the fermentative compartment and faeces of the cow and the rabbit.

The archaeal community in the fermentative compartment and faeces of the cow and the rabbit were compared by analysis capillary electrophoresis single-stranded conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) profiles of 16S rRNA genes. Ruminal and faecal contents were sampled in five cows for three weeks. Hard and soft faeces were collected in 14 rabbits for three consecutive weeks and caecal contents were sampled in the third week.

Molecular analysis of the bacterial community in digestive tract of rabbit.

This work aimed to study the stability over time of the bacterial community in caecum and faeces of the rabbit (diversity index and structure) without experimental disturbance and to evaluate its relationships with environmental parameters. Soft and hard faeces of 14 rabbits were sampled for 5 weeks while caecal content was sampled on the 3rd week (by surgery) and the 5th week (at slaughter). Bacterial communities were assessed by studying CE-SSCP profiles of 16S rRNA genes fragments.

Potential core species and satellite species in the bacterial community within the rabbit caecum.

A bacteria library was constructed from the caecum of a rabbit maintained under standard conditions. The complete gene 16S rRNA gene was sequenced. The 228 clones obtained were distributed in 70 operational taxonomic units (OTUs).

Testing the efficacy of medium chain fatty acids against rabbit colibacillosis.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) represents a major cause of lethal diarrhea in young mammals. Although the pathogenicity mechanisms of EPEC are now well understood, the intrinsic and environmental factors that control the expression of EPEC virulence remain largely unknown. In the rabbit, suckling reduces pups' sensitivity to EPEC infection.

Maternal milk contains antimicrobial factors that protect young rabbits from enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infection.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) colibacillosis represents a major cause of lethal diarrhea in young children in developing countries. EPEC strains also infect numerous mammal species and represent a major economical problem in rabbit industry. Protection against this pathogen is a challenging goal both in humans and in other mammal species.

An early stimulation of solid feed intake slightly influences the morphological gut maturation in the rabbit.

The impact of dietary factors on the gut morphological maturation is poorly documented in rabbits. The weights of the digestive segments as well as the morphology of villi and crypts along the small intestine were analysed weekly from day 14 till day 49, in two rabbit groups weaned at either 21 (W21 group, n = 12 litters) or 35 days (W35 group, n = 12 litters) of age. From 21 till 35 days, the W21 group ate 57% more solid feed than the W35 group (P < 0.

Nutritional and sanitary statuses alter postweaning development of caecal microbial activity in the rabbit.

The postweaning development of caecal microbial activity was studied in the rabbit according to the sanitary status (conventional "C" vs. specified pathogen-free "SPF") and the nutritional status (standard-fibre "SF" vs. deficient-fibre "DF" diet).

Inter-relationship of microbial activity, digestion and gut health in the rabbit: effect of substituting fibre by starch in diets having a high proportion of rapidly fermentable polysaccharides.

Caecal microbial activity, digestion and gut health were analysed in the young rabbit, in response to fibre substitution by starch, in diets with high proportions of rapidly fermentable polysaccharides (pectins+hemicelluloses:acid-detergent fibre (ADF) ratio of 1.7). A range of five diets corresponding to a 60 % linear reduction of the ADF level (230 to 92 g ADF/kg) without changes in the fibre quality, and to a corresponding linear increase in dietary starch, was given ad libitum to young rabbits from 18 d until 70 d of age.

Digestive tract development in rabbit according to the dietary energetic source: correlation between whole tract digestion, pancreatic and intestinal enzymatic activities.

The developmental changes of both pancreatic and intestinal enzymes and the influence of dietary composition on enzyme activities were followed in suckling and weaning rabbits. In addition, whole tract digestibility of nutrients was recorded in response to two dietary energetic sources. Rabbits were fed ad libitum either a low fat and high starch diet (group LF), or a high fat and high fibre diet (group HF) between d 32 and d 42, with both groups receiving a growing finishing diet thereafter.