Microbiota research moves forward at the 9th Beneficial Microbes conference

Discover five new studies from horses to cats

The Lallemand Animal Nutrition team shared five new scientific studies at the Beneficial Microbes Conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands, a unique scientific event where human and animal microbiome science meet.

Frédérique Chaucheyras-Durand, [Ph.D.], a member of the conference’s advisory board and chair at the Conference commented:

“This event is a great opportunity to discuss the latest developments around microbiota in both humans and animals. This year, a debate will take place to highlight the definition of pre-, pro-, and post-biotics, an emergent concept. Maternal programming (or imprinting) and early colonization of microbiota remain big trends in humans and in animals; while gut-brain axis, gut-lung axis, and personalized nutrition and care occupied a big part of the program.”

She added:

“All animal species were represented, from bees to dogs, trout, ruminants, pigs, and poultry. The topics of the gut-brain axis and aging also took a large place in humans. Postbiotics also aroused a lot of interest. In line with the main trends of the conference, we presented the work of our R&D team — and notably our contribution to build knowledge on the gut microbiota at critical stages, like the peripartum period, or after a medication — but also our expertise in understanding the mode of action of our products on different animal species. At a time where there is still debate on definitions, we presented some interesting effects of our live probiotics and on new bacterial-based postbiotics. Finally, as an innovative company, we are proud to present a new concept showing that microbes can be used to improve our environment.”

Here is an overview of some of the presentations shared by our team, covering different animal species in particular pets and horses:

• Microbiota expert Dr. Chaucheyras-Durand presented a review of live yeast Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-1079 effects on gut microbiota populations across animal species. This review indicates consistent effects upon populations of positive endogenous anaerobic bacterial species of the host gut, notably in pre-weaned piglets or calves or in adult animals encountering stressful situations such as parturition, heat stress, or pathogen challenge. These effects at the microbiome level are translated into ameliorated feed conversion rate and/or growth, which is obviously an important objective for the farmer. Concomitant health benefits have been measured through a decrease in therapeutic treatments against digestive and/or respiratory disorders and add a significant financial return to the producer, which strengthens the recommendation to use this probiotic on-farm.

• Doctorial student Quentin Garrigues presented part of his thesis work dedicated to canine microbiota, especially in the peripartum period, which is not a well-documented area. The study presented concluded there is a major impact of parturition on the bitches gut microbiota, as in other mammals. Those bacterial modifications might be linked to concomitant hormonal, immune, and energetic metabolism changes. Bringing further evidence to the live yeast benefits evoked earlier, this study also demonstrated that supplementation of bitches during gestation and lactation with live yeast Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-1079 helps support the immunometabolic phenotype of puppies while positively modifying the maternal faecal microbiota around parturition.

• Beneficial microbes act well beyond the gut! In a poster presented by our team, the application of beneficial bacteria to cat litter showed great efficacy for odor control and microbial management of soiled cat litter.

• Finally, a poster summarised a study looking into the gut microbiota of horses and the impact of deworming treatments, highlighting that the fecal microbial structure was affected by a change in the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes There were individual variations, not all horses have the same susceptibility to the molecules, with some horses more prone to dysbiosis as suggested by the increase in Proteobacteria abundance. These new findings will be helpful in developing efficient nutritional strategies, like probiotics, to prevent the modulation of the equine microbiota following a deworming treatment.

• Beneficial impact of Saccharomyces boulardii I-1079 probiotic on functionally important gut anaerobes: experimental proofs. Chaucheyras-Durand F, Dunière L, Achard C, Rodiles A, Villot C, Apper E (Oral presentation)
• Evolution of the gut microbiome in female dogs around parturition and in early lactation and impact of live yeast Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-1079. Garrigues Q, Apper E, Mercier F, Rodiles A, Rovere N, Mansalier E, David P, Chastant S, Mila H (Oral presentation).
• Bacterial probiotic and postbiotics from helveticus HA122 and L. Plantarum HA-119 allow reinforcing gut barrier function in a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. Rawling M, Leclerq E, Schiavone M, Merrifield D, Castex M, Apper E (Oral presentation)
• Investigation of Anthelmintic Administration on the Equine Faecal Microbiota. Rodiles A., Sacy A. and Apper E. (Poster)
• The use of a new microbial-based concept to minimize odors and ammonia emission, and to maintain microbial balance in cat litter. Pélissié I, Hupé J-F, Dunière L, Plateau-Gonthier J, Apper E.. (Poster)