Methods of improving desirable traits in fowl

Abstract

The disclosure relates to methods for decreasing feed conversion ratios in fowl through administering isolated microorganisms to the fowl. In particular aspects, the disclosure provides methods of decreasing feed conversion ratios in fowl through administration of a Bacillus sp. to the fowl. The disclosure further relates to isolated microorganisms and compositions comprising the same.

1 . A method for improving one or more desirable traits in fowl, the method comprising administering to a fowl an effective amount of a microbial composition comprising:
 (a) a purified microbial population that comprises one or more bacteria with a 16S nucleic acid sequence that shares at least 97% sequence identity with a nucleic acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1-50 and 59-385 and/or one or more fungi with an ITS nucleic acid sequence that shares at least 97% sequence identity with a nucleic acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 51-58, and   (b) a carrier suitable for fowl administration;   
       wherein the purified microbial population is present in the microbial composition in an amount effective to improve the one or more desirable traits as compared to a fowl not having been administered the microbial composition. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fowl is a broiler. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microbial composition is formulated for oral administration. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microbial composition is formulated to be combined with water, litter, medicine, or feed. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microbial composition is formulated as a water additive, water-mixed additive, heat-stabilized additive, moisture-stabilized additive, feed additive, food ingredient, food preparation, food supplement, food composition, pre-pelleted feed additive, pelleted feed additive, post-pelleting-applied feed additive, consumable liquid, consumable solid, consumable gel, consumable spray additive, gavage, litter additive, or bolus. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microbial composition is formulated as a tablet, encapsulation, capsule, or pill. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microbial composition is dried. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the microbial composition has a moisture content of less than 10%. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is selected from exogenous starch, calcium carbonate, a mineral mixture, edible feed grade material, glycol, molasses, grease, tallow, soybean oil, rice bran oil, olive oil, corn oil, sesame oil, vegetable oil, or corn oil. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microbial composition is administered to the fowl at least once a day. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more bacteria and/or the one or more fungi have a MIC score of at least about 0.1. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microbial composition comprises at least 10 3  colony forming units of the one or more bacteria and/or the one or more fungi. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the improvement of the one or more desirable traits is selected from the group consisting of: an increase in egg quantity, an increase in egg quality, an increase in egg volume, a reduction in fecal output, an increase in weight gain, a decrease in feed conversion ratio, an increase in feed intake, an increase in the incidence of normal gastrointestinal morphology, an increase in the length and surface area of gastrointestinal villi, a shift in the gut microbiome, an increase in the production of antimicrobials, a decrease in flock variability, a decrease in mortality, an increase in the clearance of pathogenic microbes, and a decrease in the colonization of pathogenic microbes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the shift in the gut microbiome is a decrease in the relative abundance of one or more microbes that were present in the gut prior to administration of the microbial composition. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the shift in the gut microbiome is an increase in the relative abundance of one or more microbes that were present in the gut prior to administration of the microbial composition. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the shift in the gut microbiome is an increase in the relative abundance of obligate anaerobes. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the shift in the gut microbiome is an increase in the relative abundance of lactic acid-producing microbes. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the feed conversion ratio decreases by at least 1%. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mortality decreases by at least 1%. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administering a purified microbial population comprises administering a first microbial composition and a second microbial composition.