PAKISTAN VETERINARY JOURNAL

Pak Vet J, 2026, 46(3) 532-543

Gut Microbiome and Metabolism Reveal Livestock Farm Wastewater Discharge Perturbed Intestinal Homeostasis in Ducks

Lixun Xue^1,2,3,4#, Jinning Wang^1,2,3,4#_,Lulu Wu^1,4, Chenchen Fu^1,4, Lingzhi Cui^1,4, Yali Fang^1,4, Mohamed Mohamed Soliman⁵, Saed A. Althobaiti⁶, and Zhigang Liu^1,2,3,4*

¹Anqing Regional Monitoring and Control Center for Aquatic Animal Diseases in Yangtze River Basin, Anqing 246011, China; ²Engineering Technology Research Center for Aquatic Organism Conservation and Water Ecosystem Restoration in University of Anhui Province, Anqing 246011, China; ³Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation and Characteristic Resource Utilization in Southwest Anhui, Anqing 246011, China; ⁴School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246011, China; ⁵Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Turabah University College, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Turabah, Taif, Saudi Arabia; ⁶Department of Biology, Turabah University College, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Turabah, Taif, Saudi Arabia; ^#These authors made equal contributions

*Corresponding author: lzg2881@126.com

Abstract

The livestock industry has experienced explosive growth over the past few decades, owing to a huge population, which effectively alleviated protein shortage. However, livestock farm wastewater containing heavy metals, antibiotics, and pathogenic bacteria caused serious environmental pollution. Ducks, as an important waterfowl, are inevitably exposed to sewage contaminated by livestock farm wastewater, but information regarding their influence on ducks remains scarce. In this study, we investigated the effects of sewage contaminated by livestock farm wastewater on growth parameters, intestinal microbiota, and metabolism of ducks. Sewage administration not only decreased growth performance and liver index but also resulted in intestinal, liver, and kidney damage in ducks. Amplicon sequencing indicated 1084 OTUs across the two groups, and Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the most preponderant phyla in the ducks regardless of treatment. Interestingly, although sewage administration did not alter the gut microbial diversity, the proportion of some intestinal bacteria altered dramatically. Bacterial taxonomic analysis indicated that 24 discriminatory genera were recognized for the gut microbiota between both groups, where 20 bacterial genera decreased significantly, and 4 bacterial genera increased significantly during sewage exposure. Metabolomics analysis revealed that 37 differential metabolites were totally recognized, mainly involved in 8 metabolic pathways. In summary, this study showed that sewage exposure significantly changed the intestinal microbiota and metabolism and resulted in negative health outcomes for ducks. This research has served as motivation for environmental agencies globally to regulate livestock farm wastewater discharge and reduce environmental contamination.

To Cite This Article: Xue L, Wang J_,Wu L, Fu C, Cui L, Fang Y, Soliman MM, Althobaiti SA and Liu Z, 2026. Gut microbiome and metabolism reveal livestock farm wastewater discharge perturbed intestinal homeostasis in ducks. Pak Vet J, 46(3): 532-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2026.042

Abstract

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)
ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)