The Impact of Omnivorous Feeding on Antioxidant Capacity, Gut Microbiota, and the Relationship Between Gut Microbiota and Meat Quality in Xinghua and White Recessive Rock Chickens

The impacts of omnivorous feeding on intestinal morphology and microbial community structure remain a critical area of research in poultry science, uncovering potential biological mechanisms regulating growth and development. This study investigated how feeding regimes modulate antioxidant enzyme activities, intestinal morphological structure, gut microbiota, and the relationship between gut microbiota and meat quality. We conducted a comprehensive analysis integrating antioxidant enzyme activities, intestinal histomorphology, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Correlation analyses were performed to identify key microbial taxa influencing meat quality. Omnivorous feeding significantly altered the activities of certain antioxidant enzymes in the serum and selected intestinal tissues of both White Recessive Rock and Xinghua chickens. Omnivorous feeding significantly reduced the VH/CD ratio in specific intestinal segments. Microbial analysis revealed that omnivorous feeding modulated the relative abundances of Bacillus, Enterococcus, Escherichia-Shigella, and Romboutsia. These shifts promoted metabolic functions, including carbohydrate, amino acid, and energy metabolism. Crucially, correlation analysis identified Faecalibacterium, Bacillus, Romboutsia, Streptococcus, and unclassified UCG_010 as key genera significantly associated with meat quality traits. The findings suggest that omnivorous feeding shows the potential to improve poultry health and meat quality.