Fecal microbiota transplantation by spraying manner shape the gut microbiota and bacterial antibiotic resistance of chick

Background The inappropriate use of antibiotics in poultry husbandry accelerates the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which not only attenuates the efficacy of veterinary antibiotics but also threatens the public health due to the spread of resistant organisms. Exploring non-antibiotic approaches, which enhance animal performance and reduce AMR is urgently needed and critical for food safety and public health. It may be possible to reduce the use of antibiotics in poultry husbandry using chicken fecal microbiota transplantation. Results FMT spraying manner accelerate the development of gut microbiota of recipient chickens. One day after FMT, the gut microbiota richness of FMT recipients was higher than that of the control group. With the increase of recipient chicken day-age, the chicken gut microbiota got more matured, and the microbiota profile similarity between donor and recipient got stronger. The sensitivity of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecium to antibiotics could be transmitted to the recipient chicken via FMT. FMT can shape the ARGs profile in recipient chickens. Conclusions FMT by spraying manner achieve the colonization of donor microbiota by recipient chicken; FMT could be used to solve the problem of antimicrobial resistance.