Efficient livestock production relies on effective conversion of feed into body weight gain (BWG). High levels of feed conversion are especially important in production of broiler chickens, birds reared for meat, where economic margins are tight. Traits associated with improved broiler growth and feed efficiency have been subjected to intense genetic selection, but measures such as feed conversion ratio (FCR) remain variable, even between full siblings (sibs). Non-genetic factors such as the composition and function of microbial populations within different enteric compartments have been recognized to influence FCR, although the extent of interplay between hosts and their microbiomes is unclear. To examine host–microbiome interactions we investigated variation in the composition and functions of host intestinal-hepatic transcriptomes and the intestinal microbiota of full-sib broilers with divergent FCR. Progeny from 300 broiler families were assessed for divergent FCR set against shared genetic backgrounds and exposure to the same environmental factors. The seven most divergent full-sib pairs were chosen for analysis, exhibiting marked variation in transcription of genes as well as gut microbial diversity. Examination of enteric microbiota in low FCR sibs revealed variation in microbial community structure and function with no difference in feed intake compared to high FCR sibs. Gene transcription in low and high FCR sibs was significantly associated with the abundance of specific microbial taxa. Highly intertwined interactions between host transcriptomes and enteric microbiota are likely to modulate complex traits like FCR and may be amenable to selective modification with relevance to improving intestinal homeostasis and health.

有效的畜牧生产取决于饲料有效转化为体重增加（BWG）。较高的饲料转化率对肉仔鸡，饲养肉类的禽类尤其重要，因为那里的经济利润率很低。与改善的肉鸡生长和饲料效率相关的性状已经经过了严格的遗传选择，但是诸如饲料转化率（FCR）之类的措施仍然是可变的，即使在同胞之间也是如此。尽管宿主和微生物群之间相互作用的程度尚不清楚，但非遗传因素（例如不同肠腔中微生物种群的组成和功能）已被认为会影响FCR。为了检查宿主与微生物组的相互作用，我们调查了具有不同FCR的全同胞肉鸡的宿主肠肝转录组的组成和功能以及肠道菌群的变化。根据共有的遗传背景和暴露于相同的环境因素，评估了来自300个肉鸡家族的后代的FCR集。选择了七个最不同的全同胞对进行分析，它们显示出基因转录以及肠道微生物多样性的显着变化。对低FCR同胞的肠道菌群的检查显示，与高FCR同胞相比，微生物群落结构和功能发生了变化，采食量没有差异。低和高FCR同胞中的基因转录与特定微生物类群的丰富程度显着相关。