Metagenomic differences in cecal contents between high- and low-weight broilers

This study compared the metagenomic differences in the cecal contents of high- and low-weight broiler chickens. A total of ten high-weight and ten low-weight broilers, all 42 days old, were selected. The high-weight broilers weighed more than 3.1 kg, while the low-weight broilers weighed less than 2.7 kg.Broilers were euthanized by cervical dislocation, and the cecal contents were collected under sterile conditions for metagenomic sequencing.