Dietary verbena officinalis reduces feather-pecking duration in laying ducks by modulating cecal microbiota composition and hypothalamic neurotransmitter secretion
Verbena officinalis, a traditional Chinese herb with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has not been extensively studied for its effects on poultry gut microbiota and behavior. This study evaluated the impact of verbena officinalis supplementation (0, 2, and 4%) on growth performance, cec...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1605305/full |
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| author | Ai Liu Ai Liu Ai Liu Yongcai Zhu Yongcai Zhu Shenglin Yang Shenglin Yang Bingnong Yao Bingnong Yao Fuyou Liao Fuyou Liao Baoguo Zhu Baoguo Zhu |
| author_facet | Ai Liu Ai Liu Ai Liu Yongcai Zhu Yongcai Zhu Shenglin Yang Shenglin Yang Bingnong Yao Bingnong Yao Fuyou Liao Fuyou Liao Baoguo Zhu Baoguo Zhu |
| author_sort | Ai Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Verbena officinalis, a traditional Chinese herb with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has not been extensively studied for its effects on poultry gut microbiota and behavior. This study evaluated the impact of verbena officinalis supplementation (0, 2, and 4%) on growth performance, cecal microbiota, and feather-pecking behavior in laying ducks. Ninety healthy 1-day-old ducks were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments for a 5-week growth trial, and 45 feather-pecking ducks were used to assess the behavioral and neurochemical effects. Before the trials, ducks were adapted to the experimental conditions for 7 days and fed a basal diet. The results showed no significant differences in body weight or average daily gain (ADG) among the groups (p > 0.05), but the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly lower in verbena groups (p < 0.05). Cecal microbiota analysis revealed higher Chao 1 and ACE indices (p < 0.01), increased Bacteroidetes (p < 0.05), and decreased Firmicutes and Megamonas in the verbena groups (p < 0.05). Spirochaetae (p = 0.014), Elusimicrobia (p = 0.032), and Lentisphaera (p = 0.036) were the predominant differential phyla, whereas Oscillospira (p = 0.003), Phascolarctobacterium (p = 0.039), and Megamonas (p < 0.001) were the predominant differential genera. Feather-pecking duration and hypothalamic norepinephrine (NE) levels were reduced in verbena groups (p < 0.05), with NE negatively correlated with Spirochaetae (p < 0.05). In conclusion, 2% verbena officinalis supplementation promotes beneficial gut microbiota changes and reduces feather-pecking behavior, although the underlying mechanisms require further investigation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-959c07113db54e869bba4ca5ee5a4d6f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-959c07113db54e869bba4ca5ee5a4d6f2025-08-20T03:46:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-06-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.16053051605305Dietary verbena officinalis reduces feather-pecking duration in laying ducks by modulating cecal microbiota composition and hypothalamic neurotransmitter secretionAi Liu0Ai Liu1Ai Liu2Yongcai Zhu3Yongcai Zhu4Shenglin Yang5Shenglin Yang6Bingnong Yao7Bingnong Yao8Fuyou Liao9Fuyou Liao10Baoguo Zhu11Baoguo Zhu12Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Guizhou Minzu University, Guiyang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, ChinaVerbena officinalis, a traditional Chinese herb with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has not been extensively studied for its effects on poultry gut microbiota and behavior. This study evaluated the impact of verbena officinalis supplementation (0, 2, and 4%) on growth performance, cecal microbiota, and feather-pecking behavior in laying ducks. Ninety healthy 1-day-old ducks were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments for a 5-week growth trial, and 45 feather-pecking ducks were used to assess the behavioral and neurochemical effects. Before the trials, ducks were adapted to the experimental conditions for 7 days and fed a basal diet. The results showed no significant differences in body weight or average daily gain (ADG) among the groups (p > 0.05), but the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly lower in verbena groups (p < 0.05). Cecal microbiota analysis revealed higher Chao 1 and ACE indices (p < 0.01), increased Bacteroidetes (p < 0.05), and decreased Firmicutes and Megamonas in the verbena groups (p < 0.05). Spirochaetae (p = 0.014), Elusimicrobia (p = 0.032), and Lentisphaera (p = 0.036) were the predominant differential phyla, whereas Oscillospira (p = 0.003), Phascolarctobacterium (p = 0.039), and Megamonas (p < 0.001) were the predominant differential genera. Feather-pecking duration and hypothalamic norepinephrine (NE) levels were reduced in verbena groups (p < 0.05), with NE negatively correlated with Spirochaetae (p < 0.05). In conclusion, 2% verbena officinalis supplementation promotes beneficial gut microbiota changes and reduces feather-pecking behavior, although the underlying mechanisms require further investigation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1605305/fullcecal microbiotaduckfeather-pecking behaviorhypothalamic noradrenalineverbena officinalis |
| spellingShingle | Ai Liu Ai Liu Ai Liu Yongcai Zhu Yongcai Zhu Shenglin Yang Shenglin Yang Bingnong Yao Bingnong Yao Fuyou Liao Fuyou Liao Baoguo Zhu Baoguo Zhu Dietary verbena officinalis reduces feather-pecking duration in laying ducks by modulating cecal microbiota composition and hypothalamic neurotransmitter secretion Frontiers in Microbiology cecal microbiota duck feather-pecking behavior hypothalamic noradrenaline verbena officinalis |
| title | Dietary verbena officinalis reduces feather-pecking duration in laying ducks by modulating cecal microbiota composition and hypothalamic neurotransmitter secretion |
| title_full | Dietary verbena officinalis reduces feather-pecking duration in laying ducks by modulating cecal microbiota composition and hypothalamic neurotransmitter secretion |
| title_fullStr | Dietary verbena officinalis reduces feather-pecking duration in laying ducks by modulating cecal microbiota composition and hypothalamic neurotransmitter secretion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dietary verbena officinalis reduces feather-pecking duration in laying ducks by modulating cecal microbiota composition and hypothalamic neurotransmitter secretion |
| title_short | Dietary verbena officinalis reduces feather-pecking duration in laying ducks by modulating cecal microbiota composition and hypothalamic neurotransmitter secretion |
| title_sort | dietary verbena officinalis reduces feather pecking duration in laying ducks by modulating cecal microbiota composition and hypothalamic neurotransmitter secretion |
| topic | cecal microbiota duck feather-pecking behavior hypothalamic noradrenaline verbena officinalis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1605305/full |
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