Impact of a defined bacterial community and Megamonas hypermegale on broiler cecal microbiota and resistance to Salmonella infection

Intensive production practices can reduce beneficial gut bacteria in broiler chickens, potentially leading to higher disease risk. We investigated whether introducing a defined community (DC) of beneficial bacteria, along with M. hypermegale, could improve gut health and resistance to Salmonella in broiler chicks. Our findings show that DC increases microbial diversity and reduces the relative abundance of potential pathogens, like Salmonella and Escherichia/Shigella, which was coupled with subtle changes in the immune responses of the birds and higher concentration of volatile fatty acids in the ceca. This study suggests that using DC can enhance poultry health and reduce disease, providing a potential strategy to improve broiler production. However, further research is needed to understand the roles of individual bacteria and refine these bacterial communities for practical use in farming. This work holds promise for developing natural methods to enhance poultry health and safety.