ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the effects of diet supplementation of laying hens with Enterococcus faecalis (EF) on egg production, egg quality and caecal microbiota. A total of 360 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (72 weeks old) were divided into three groups with four replicates of 30 birds each. The laying hens were fed with the basal diet (Control), the basal diet + 3.75 · 108 cfu EF/kg (Group I) or the basal diet + 7.5 · 108 cfu EF/kg (Group II). The experiment lasted for 45 d. Eggs and caecal samples were collected at the end of the experiment. Results showed that dietary supplementation with EF did not affect the average daily egg weight, cracked egg rate, mortality and egg quality. However, EF supplementation caused a significantly increased laying rate and decreased feed/egg ratio (p < 0.05). The differences in caecal microbiota between Group II and the Control were significant. The relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia and Cyanobacteria at the phylum level, Rikenellaceae, Christensenellaceae and Veillonellaceae at the family level, and the Faecalibacterium, Christensenellaceae R-7 group and Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group at the genus level changed significantly in Group II compared with the Control (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the tested dietary supplementations with EF improved product performance and affected the caecal microbial community structure of laying hens during the late laying period.

中文翻译：

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粪肠球菌对蛋鸡产蛋后期产蛋量、蛋品质及盲肠微生物群的影响

摘要 本研究旨在确定在蛋鸡日粮中添加粪肠球菌 (EF) 对产蛋量、蛋质量和盲肠微生物群的影响。总共 360 只 Hy-Line Brown 蛋鸡（72 周龄）被分成三组，每组 30 只鸡，重复四次。蛋鸡饲喂基础日粮（对照）、基础日粮+ 3.75·108 cfu EF/kg（组I）或基础日粮+ 7.5·108 cfu EF/kg（组II）。实验持续45 d。在实验结束时收集卵和盲肠样本。结果表明，日粮中添加 EF 不影响平均日蛋重、破蛋率、死亡率和鸡蛋质量。然而，EF 补充导致产蛋率显着增加和饲料/蛋比降低（p < 0.05）。组 II 和对照组之间盲肠微生物群的差异是显着的。与对照组相比，第二组在门水平上的疣微菌和蓝藻，在科水平上的Rikenellaceae、Christensenellaceae和Veillonellaceae，以及在属水平上的Faecalibacterium、Christensenellaceae R-7 组和Eubacterium coprostanoligenes 组的相对丰度发生了显着变化（p < 0.05)。总之，经测试的 EF 日粮补充剂改善了产品性能，并影响了产蛋后期蛋鸡的盲肠微生物群落结构。与Control相比，第二组Christensenellaceae R-7组和Eubacterium coprostanoligenes组在属水平上发生了显着变化（p < 0.05）。总之，经测试的 EF 日粮补充剂改善了产品性能，并影响了产蛋后期蛋鸡的盲肠微生物群落结构。与Control相比，第二组Christensenellaceae R-7组和Eubacterium coprostanoligenes组在属水平上发生了显着变化（p < 0.05）。总之，经测试的 EF 日粮补充剂改善了产品性能，并影响了产蛋后期蛋鸡的盲肠微生物群落结构。