Low Calcium Diet Leads to Increased Calcium Retention by Changed the Gut Flora and Ileum pH Value in Laying Hens

Osteoporosis is a common progressive degenerative bone metabolic disease in laying hens which is big challenge for welfare of hens. Low calcium diet is used often to induce the osteoporosis model in hens. And the dietary calcium concentration decrease is accompanied by the intestinal calcium absorption rate increases. For research the mechanical of Ca percent retention increases with dietary Ca concentration decreases, this study detected the influence oflowcalcium diet on egg and bone parameters, Ca absorption, intestinal histomorphology, gut microbiota and intestinal transcriptome in laying hens. The outcomes will provide information for prevent the osteoporosis of laying hens. In this study, 24 old laying hens were randomly housed in single bird cages, and the cages were divided into 2 treatments: fed a control diet or a low calcium diet for 8 wks. The cecal content of hens were collected and analyzed by 16S rRNA analyses.