Poultry Litter Microbiome Shifts in Commercial Broiler Houses Following a Biotic-Based Litter Treatment

IndigoLT paired with reduced NaHSO input is linked to significant shifts in broiler litter beta diversity versus NaHSO-only controls (q < 0.05), with no difference between one- and two-flock treatments.

• Why it matters: Litter microbiome changes can affect bird health, performance, and environmental impact, but it is unclear whether biotic amendments alter litter microbial succession under commercial NaHSO regimens.
• What they did: In three commercial broiler houses (n = 18 litter samples), the V4 16S rRNA region was sequenced after flock removal, comparing NaHSO-only versus IndigoLT for one flock or two consecutive flocks.
• The result: Alpha diversity metrics did not differ (ANOVA, p > 0.05), while PERMANOVA showed IndigoLT–control beta diversity differences (q < 0.05), suggesting IndigoLT may accelerate organic matter decomposition, promote nitrogen retention, and suppress potentially pathogenic taxa.