Microbiota Changes Due to Grape Seed Extract Diet Improved Intestinal Homeostasis and Decreased Fatness in Parental Broiler Hens
Jérémy Grandhaye, Véronique Douard, Ana Rodriguez‐Mateos, Yifan Xu, Alex Cheok, Antonella Riva, Rodrigo Guabiraba, Olivier Zemb, Catherine Philippe, Magali Monnoye, Christophe Staub, Éric Venturi, Alix Barbe, Christelle Ramé, Joëlle Dupont, Pascal Froment
Abstract
In poultry, the selection of broilers for growth performance has induced a deterioration in the health of the parental hens associated with poor reproductive efficiency. To improve these parameters, we administered to laying parental broiler hens a regular diet supplemented or not (Control) with a moderate (1%) or a high level (2%) of grape seed extract (GSE). The 1% GSE diet was administered from a young age (from 4 to 40 weeks of age) and the high level of 2% GSE was administered only during a 2-week period (from 38 to 40 weeks of age) in the laying period. The analysis of 40-week-old hens showed that 2% GSE displayed a reduction in the fat tissue and an improvement in fertility with heavier and more resistant eggs. Seven monomer phenolic metabolites of GSE were significantly measured in the plasma of the 2% GSE hens. GSE supplementation increased the relative abundance of the following bacteria populations: Bifidobacteriaceae, Lactobacilliaceae and Lachnospiraceae. In conclusion, a supplementation period of only 2 weeks with 2% GSE is sufficient to improve the metabolic and laying parameters of breeder hens through a modification in the microbiota.