Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM I-1079 supplementation in finishing male pigs helps to cope with heat stress through feeding behaviour and gut microbiota modulation

Pigs subjected to heat stress (HS) decrease their feed intake and growth. The objectives of the experiment were to determine the effects of live yeast (LY) supplementation (Saccharomyces cerevisiae var boulardii CNCM I-1079) on feeding behaviour, energy metabolism and faecal microbiota composition of finishing boars (n 10) housed in a respiration chamber at thermoneutrality (7 d at 22 degrees C) or during HS (seven plus six days at 28 degrees C). Dietary LY supplementation increased DM intake (P = 0 center dot 01) whatever the ambient temperature, whereas HS decreased feed intake whatever the dietary supplementation (P = 0 center dot 01). Dietary LY supplementation increased the number of meals (P = 0 center dot 02). Energy retention was higher with dietary LY supplementation (P < 0 center dot 01) but decreased during HS (P < 0 center dot 01). The skin temperature of the supplemented pigs was lower at thermoneutrality and increased during HS to a lesser extent than that of non-supplemented pigs (P < 0 center dot 01). Faecal microbiota composition was determined using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Treponema, Christensenellaceae R-7, Ruminococcaceae UCG-002, Rikenellaceae RC9, Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Romboutsia genera and some bacteria belonging to Alloprevotella, Oxalobacter and Anaeroplasma genera were more abundant under HS. LY supplementation attenuated HS effects on Romboutsia abundance, while decreasing the abundance of some bacteria from Ruminoccocus, Coprococcus, Peptococcus and Oxalobacter genera and increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria from Lactococcus and Subdoligranulum genera. Our results suggest that higher level of the keystone species Ruminococcus bromii at thermoneutrality may be one of the causes for higher energy retention observed under subsequent HS.

Automated summary

Supplementing live yeast can improve feed intake, energy retention, and attenuate the effects of HS on fecal microbiota composition in finishing boars.