Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CECT 5940 improves performance and gut function in broilers fed different levels of protein and/or under necrotic enteritis challenge

Association of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens: minimizes the adverse effects of necrotic enteritis in the gastrointestinal tract and improves zootechnical performance in broiler chickens

This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency and capacity of the probiotic composed of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, in improving the zootechnical performance of broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria spp. and Clostridium perfringens. The broilers were distributed in a completely randomized design in poultry isolators (12 birds each), resulting in 3 treatments: T1 (control, no challenge and no Bacillus in diet), T2 (challenged with Eimeria spp., followed by Clostridium perfringens infection and no Bacillus in the diet), and T3 (challenged with Eimeria spp., Clostridium perfringens and treated with Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens). They were evaluated for a period of 29 d, divided into preinitial (1-7 d of age), initial (8-21 d), and growth (22-29 d) phases. Assessments of body weight, weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion were conducted, along with the classification of the scores and optical microscopy of the tract gastrointestinal. The animals challenged and treated with the probiotic containing Bacillus spp. showed improved indicators of zootechnical performance. Additionally, the animals challenged and treated (T3) had a better score for intestinal lesions compared to the other treatment groups. Therefore, the probiotic consisting of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens could be considered an effective option for disease prevention and improving the zootechnical performance of broiler chickens.

Effect of the Probiotic Bacillus subtilis DE-CA9TM on Fecal Scores, Serum Oxidative Stress Markers and Fecal and Serum Metabolome in Healthy Dogs

BACKGROUND

There is increasing interest in the use of Bacillus species as probiotics since their spore-forming ability favors their survival in the acidic gastric environment over other probiotic species. The subsequent germination of B. subtilis to their vegetative form allows for their growth in the small intestine and may increase their beneficial effect on the host. B. subtilis strains have also previously been shown to have beneficial effects in humans and production animals, however, no reports are available so far on their use in companion animals.

STUDY DESIGN

The goal of this study was therefore to investigate the daily administration of 1 × 109 cfu DE-CA9TM orally per day versus placebo on health parameters, fecal scores, fecal microbiome, fecal metabolomics, as well as serum metabolomics and oxidative stress markers in ten healthy Beagle dogs in a parallel, randomized, prospective, placebo-controlled design over a period of 45 days.

RESULTS

DE-CA9TM decreased the oxidative status compared to controls for advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMS), suggesting an antioxidant effect of the treatment. Fecal metabolomics revealed a significant reduction in metabolites associated with tryptophan metabolism in the DE-CA9TM-treated group. DE-CA9TM also significantly decreased phenylalanine and homocysteine and increased homoserine and threonine levels. Amino acid metabolism was also affected in the serum metabolome, with increased levels of urea and cadaverine, and reductions in N-acetylornithine in DE-CA9TM compared to controls. Similarly, changes in essential amino acids were observed, with a significant increase in tryptophan and lysine levels and a decrease in homocysteine. An increase in serum guanine and deoxyuridine was also detected, with a decrease in beta-alanine in the animals that ingested DE-CA9TM.

CONCLUSIONS

Data generated throughout this study suggest that the daily administration of 1 × 109 cfu of DE-CA9TM in healthy Beagle dogs is safe and does not affect markers of general health and fecal scores. Furthermore, DE-CA9TM administration had a potential positive effect on some serum markers of oxidative stress, and protein and lipid metabolism in serum and feces.

Evaluation of gene expression related to immunity, apoptosis, and gut integrity that underlies Artemisia's therapeutic effects in necrotic enteritis-challenged broilers

The experiment was designed to validate the effect of Artemisia annua and its novel commercial product (Navy Cox) on the control of necrotic enteritis (NE). A total of one hundred forty broiler chicks were randomly distributed into seven equal groups: G1, control negative; G2, infected with Eimeria (day 15) and C. perfringens (day 19); G3, treated with Navy Cox before challenge; G4, treated with Artemisia before challenge; G5, infected and then treated with Navy Cox; G6, infected and then treated with Artemisia; and G7, infected and treated with amoxicillin. Chicken response and immune organ indicants were recorded during the observation period (4 weeks). Whole blood and serum samples were collected for immunological evaluation, and tissue samples were collected for bacterial counts and estimation of mRNA expression of genes encoding apoptosis, tight junctions, and immunity. Chickens in the infected group revealed a significant decrease in RBCS, HB, PCV% total protein, Lysozyme, and nitric oxide activity in addition to leukocytosis, heterophilia, monocytosis, increase in cortisol, interleukins, and malondialdehyde. Treated groups displayed lower lesions, colony-forming units, and no mortality. Concurrently, a complete blood profile, antioxidants, and immune markers showed significant improvements. The mRNA expression levels of CASP, CLDN-1, OCLN, TJPI, MUC2, and cell-mediated immune response genes (p < 0.0001) were significantly alleviated in the treated groups compared with the challenged counterpart. This is the first-ever report on the efficacy valuation of Navy Cox compared to standard antibiotic treatment of clostridial NE. Navy Cox proved remarkable capability to minimize C. perfringens colonization in broiler intestines, modulation of mucus production, gut health integrity, immune organs, and immune response when used as a prophylactic agent in this form or naturally as Artemisia.

Recent Trends on Mitigative Effect of Probiotics on Oxidative-Stress-Induced Gut Dysfunction in Broilers under Necrotic Enteritis Challenge: A Review

Gut health includes normal intestinal physiology, complete intestinal epithelial barrier, efficient immune response, sustained inflammatory balance, healthy microbiota, high nutrient absorption efficiency, nutrient metabolism, and energy balance. One of the diseases that causes severe economic losses to farmers is necrotic enteritis, which occurs primarily in the gut and is associated with high mortality rate. Necrotic enteritis (NE) primarily damages the intestinal mucosa, thereby inducing intestinal inflammation and high immune response which diverts nutrients and energy needed for growth to response mediated effects. In the era of antibiotic ban, dietary interventions like microbial therapy (probiotics) to reduce inflammation, paracellular permeability, and promote gut homeostasis may be the best way to reduce broiler production losses. The current review highlights the severity effects of NE; intestinal inflammation, gut lesions, alteration of gut microbiota balance, cell apoptosis, reduced growth performance, and death. These negative effects are consequences of; disrupted intestinal barrier function and villi development, altered expression of tight junction proteins and protein structure, increased translocation of endotoxins and excessive stimulation of proinflammatory cytokines. We further explored the mechanisms by which probiotics mitigate NE challenge and restore the gut integrity of birds under disease stress; synthesis of metabolites and bacteriocins, competitive exclusion of pathogens, upregulation of tight junction proteins and adhesion molecules, increased secretion of intestinal secretory immunoglobulins and enzymes, reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune response and the increased production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and immune boost via the modulation of the TLR/NF-ĸ pathway. Furthermore, increased beneficial microbes in the gut microbiome improve nutrient utilization, host immunity, and energy metabolism. Probiotics along with biosecurity measures could mitigate the adverse effects of NE in broiler production.

Prospective Application of Nanoencapsulated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens on Broiler Chickens' Performance and Gut Health with Efficacy against Campylobacter jejuni Colonization

Probiotics as novel antibiotics' substitutes are verified to provide barriers for hindering the colonization of enteric bacterial pathogens with nutritional benefits. For enhancement of the probiotics' effectiveness, their integration within nanomaterials is a paramount tool to support the progress of new compounds with functional features. Therefore, we addressed the impact of effective delivery of probiotics (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) loaded nanoparticles (BNPs) on performance and Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) shedding and colonization in poultry. Two hundred Ross broiler chickens were divided into four groups fed various BNP levels: BNPs I, BNPs II, BNPs III, and BNPs-free diets for 35 days. Nanoparticles delivery of probiotics within broiler diets improved growth performance as reflected by higher body weight gain and superior feed conversion ratio, especially in BNPs II- and BNPs III-fed groups. In parallel, the mRNA expression levels of digestive enzymes encoding genes (AMY2a, PNLIP, CELA1, and CCK) achieved their peaks in BNPs III-fed group (1.69, 1.49, 1.33, and 1.29-fold change, respectively) versus the control one. Notably, with increasing the levels of BNPs, the abundance of beneficial microbiota, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species, was favored over harmful ones, including Clostridium species and Enterobacteriaceae. Birds fed higher levels of BNPs displayed significant improvement in the expression of barrier functions-linked genes including DEFB1, FABP-2, and MUC-2 alongside substantial reduction in cecal colonization and fecal shedding of C. jejuni. From the aforementioned positive effects of BNPs, we concluded their potential roles as growth promoters and effective preventive aids for C. jejuni infection in poultry.

The effects of a Bacillus licheniformis and phytase mixture added to broiler diets on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and cecal microecosystem

This study aims to evaluate the effects of Bacillus licheniformis and 6-phytase added alone or in combination to broiler chicken diets on the growth performance, apparent ileal digestibility coefficient (AID) of nutrients, microbial activity, and cecal bacterial communities. In total, 400 one-day-old female Ross 308 chicks were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments (10 replicate pens, 10 birds each). The following groups were defined: NC (negative control), basal diet without any feed additive supplementation; NC+Pro, basal diet with addition of the B. licheniformis preparation (500 g/t of diet); NC+Phy, basal diet with addition of phytase (200 g/t of diet); and NC+Pro+Phy, basal diet combined with both studied additives. B. licheniformis positively affected (P<0.05) the feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the first 10 d of bird rearing. Moreover, phytase supplementation elevated the FCR from 21 to 35 d. In the entire experiment, an interaction between phytase and probiotic was observed only in terms of decreasing the bird FI (P=0.005) without a negative effect on the FCR (P>0.05). Furthermore, the AID of ether extract was improved by phytase supplementation. In terms of the cecal microecology, both separately administered factors promoted Lactobacillaceae in the ceca. Interactions between probiotic preparation and phytase were noted that indicated a decreased Clostridiales population and favored Ruminococcaceae proliferation. It can be concluded that for the first time in the available literature, the favorable interactions between B. licheniformis and phytase resulted in improved performance and cecal microbiota changes in broilers.

Lactobacillus (L. plantarum & L. rhamnosus) and Saccharomyces (S. cerevisiae): effects on performance, biochemical parameters, ammonium ion in manure, and digestibility of broiler chickens

Two strains of Lactobacillus combined with Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) used as probiotics were evaluated to replace antibiotics in poultry flocks by reducing ammonia emissions in manure of broilers without comprising performance or health. One-day-old Cobb 500 broilers (600) were fed starter, grower, and finisher diets as control (CON); probiotic S. cerevisiae, inclusion rate at 4.26 × 10⁶ CFU/kg of feed (SCY); probiotic L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus, inclusion rate at 4.35 × 10⁸ CFU/kg of feed (LPR) for each; and a combination of Lactobacillus plantarum and L. rhamnosus at 4.35 × 10⁸ CFU/kg of feed for each plus Saccharomyces cerevisiae and 4.26 × 10⁶ CFU/kg of feed (SWL). The 4 treatments had 5 replicates (pens), each with 30 broilers. Performance was measured weekly as feed consumption, weight gain, BW, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) over a 6-wk grow-out period. Accompanying biochemical analyses included lipase activity of the pancreas, liver weight, and uric acid (UA) concentration in liver. Albumin, total protein, UA, ammonia, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured in serum. Ammonium (NH₄⁺) in manure and apparent ileal digestibility from digesta were also measured. Significance was determined at P ≤ 0.05. Results showed that biochemical analyses had no significant treatment effect; however, there were significant temporal changes in performance measures for individual treatments. Feed consumption increased over time for all treatments (P = 2.00 × 10^-16). CON had lower weight gain in wk 2 (P = 0.013) compared to all treatment and the lowest BW in wk 5 (P = 0.0008) and wk 6 (P = 0.0124) compared to SWL. Specific probiotic strains, with well-defined inclusion rates, and surrounding environmental analyses of present microbes are needed to ascertain effects of probiotics. Other important areas for investigation include 1) confirmation of probiotics present in the digesta/ceca and how they alter the microbiota within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and 2) the serum heterophil:lymphocyte ratio to further examine potential immune responses to the probiotics.

The Effects of Dietary Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TL106 Supplementation, as an Alternative to Antibiotics, on Growth Performance, Intestinal Immunity, Epithelial Barrier Integrity, and Intestinal Microbiota in Broilers

A total of 240 1-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly divided into five dietary treatments (control feed (CON), supplemented with 75 mg/kg aureomycin (ANT), supplemented with 7.5 × 108 CFU/kg (Ba1) and 2.5 × 109 CFU/kg (Ba1), and 7.5 × 109 CFU/kg (Ba3) Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TL106, respectively) to investigate the probiotic effect of TL106 instead of antibiotics in broilers. On days 1−21, the average daily gain of broilers in the Ba groups was increased compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). In addition, the feed/gain ratio of broilers in the Ba groups was lower than that of broilers in the CON and ANT groups on days 22−42 and days 1−42 (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, dietary TL106 increased the digestibility of crude fiber and crude protein (p < 0.05), and the effect was similar to that of the ANT group. The levels of IL-1β, IFN-γ, and IL-6 in serum, jejunum, and ileum of broilers fed TL106 were decreased compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of tight junction proteins in broilers of ANT and Ba groups was higher than the control group (p < 0.05). After 21 days, villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth of duodenum and jejunum of broilers fed TL106 were higher than the control group (p < 0.05). The concentrations of short-chain fatty acids such as lactate, acetate, propionate, and butyrate in cecal digesta of broilers dietary TL106 were higher than the control group (p < 0.05). The supplementation with TL106 altered the compositions and diversity of the cecal microbiota of broilers. Moreover, supplementation with TL106 improved the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and decreased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria on days 21 and 28, while the abundance of Peptostreptococcaceae, Ruminococcaceae and Lactobacillaceae was increased. On days 35 and 42, broilers fed TL106 had an increased total abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and decreased abundances of Lactobacillaceae, while the abundance of Barnesiellaceae was increased. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with TL106 improved the broiler’s growth performance, immune response capacity, gut health, modulated development, and composition of the gut microbiota in broilers. It is suggested that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TL106 may be a suitable alternative to in-feed antibiotics to improve broiler health and performance.

Organic acid blends improve intestinal integrity, modulate short-chain fatty acids profiles and alter microbiota of broilers under necrotic enteritis challenge

Controlling enteric diseases of broilers is crucial. Among many additives, organic acids (OA) and their blends are gaining attention to combat diseases in the post-antibiotic era. The current study evaluated the potentials of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) blends and/or phenolic compounds on intestinal integrity, intestinal pH, caecal microbiota, and caecal SCFA profiles of broilers under necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge. The additives used were: (A) a blend of SCFA, MCFA, and a phenolic compound (SMP), (B) a blend of free and buffered SCFA with MCFA (SMF), and (C) a blend of free and buffered SCFA with a high concentration of MCFA (SHM). A total of 1,404 male parental chicks of Ross 308 broilers were randomly allocated to 78 floor pens on hatching day with 6 treatments replicated 13 times with 18 birds per pen. The treatments were: UCC, unchallenged control; CHC, challenged control; BAC, challenged group plus zinc bacitracin; SMP, challenged group plus additive SMP; SMF, challenged group plus additive SMF; SHM, challenged group plus additive SHM. Birds were challenged with field-strain Eimeria spp. on d 9 and Clostridium perfringens on d 14. Birds challenged with NE increased fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (FITC-d) concentration in serum, reduced acetate and butyrate concentrations, and increased Bacteroides and C. perfringens load in the caeca (P < 0.05). Birds fed additives decreased FITC-d from gut to serum, reduced Bacteroides (d 16, P < 0.05) and numerically reduced C. perfringens load compared to CHC group. Birds fed additive SHM had higher concentrations of acetate and butyrate (d 21, P < 0.05) than CHC group but were not different from SMP and SMF groups. All the additives exhibited similar intestinal protection against NE compared to the BAC group indicated by FITC-d concentration in serum, acetate, propionate and butyrate concentrations in the caeca, and caecal bacterial loads except for the C. perfringens (P > 0.05). The SMP group had a higher load compared to BAC (P < 0.05). These findings suggest the promising effects of OA blends as alternatives to BAC to ameliorate the impact of NE challenge of broilers as indicated by improved intestinal health.

Effects of dietary Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CECT 5940 supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant status, immunity, and digestive enzyme activity of broilers fed corn-wheat-soybean meal diets

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CECT 5940 (BA-5940) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and digestive enzyme activity of broiler chickens. A total of 720 one-day-old Arbor Acres male broiler chicks (average body weight, 45.87 ± 0.86 g) were randomly allocated to 5 treatments of 8 replicates with 18 chicks in each replicate. Broilers in the control group were fed a corn-wheat-soybean basal diet, the other 4 groups were fed the same basal diet supplemented with 500, 1,000, 1,500, or 2,000 mg/kg Ecobiol (1.27 × 109 CFU/g BA-5940) for 42 d, respectively. Broilers fed diets supplemented with BA-5940 showed a quadratic response (P < 0.05) of average daily gain (ADG) and feed to gain ratio (F:G) during d 22 to 42 and d 0 to 42. The glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in serum and liver, and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in liver of broilers on d 42 increased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of BA-5940, while malondialdehyde (MDA) level in serum decreased linearly (P < 0.05). Concentrations of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgM on d 21, and IgM on d 42 increased linearly (P < 0.05) as BA-5940 levels increased. Supplementation with increasing levels of BA-5940 linearly decreased serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels on d 21 and 42, while increased interleukin (IL)-10 concentration (linear, P < 0.05) on d 21. Meanwhile, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the mucosa of jejunum and ileum were decreased (linear, P < 0.05) on d 42 as dietary supplementation of BA-5940 increased. Additionally, supplementation with BA-5940 also increased the activities of amylase (linear, P < 0.01), lipase (linear, P < 0.05) and chymotrypsin (linear, P < 0.01) in jejunal digesta, and lipase (linear, P < 0.05) in ileal digesta of broilers on d 42. To summarize, inclusion of BA-5940 in corn-wheat-soybean meal-based diet improved growth performance of broilers through improving antioxidant capacity, immunity, and digestive enzyme activity. Based on the results of this study, 1.1-1.6 × 109 CFU/kg BA-5940 is recommended for supplementation in broiler diets.

Bacillus-based probiotics affect gut barrier integrity in different ways in chickens subjected to optimal or challenge conditions

Dietary supplementation with spore-forming Bacillus-based probiotics represents an efficient means to improve gut health while maintaining good broiler performance. This study investigated the potential of two probiotic products in chickens subjected to optimal (Experiment 1) and Clostridium perfringens-challenged (Experiment 2) conditions. The treatments in Experiment 1 were as follows: (i) CON (no probiotic additive), (ii) One-strain Pro (supplemented with Bacillus licheniformis) or (iii) Multi-strain Pro (supplemented with a multistrain Bacillus-based probiotic). The treatment groups in Experiment 2 received the same diets as those in Experiment 1 but were subjected to C. perfringens challenge. Both experiments lasted 35 days. Both products marginally affected broiler performance in the optimal or challenge conditions. In Experiment 1, Multi-strain Pro upregulated the mRNA expression level of 11 out of 15 selected genes, whereas in Experiment 2, this was less evident, and One-strain Pro was more effective. The multistrain probiotic was effective in maintaining gut morphostructure indices and increasing gut wall thickness, which was particularly evident in challenged birds. Neither additive induced bacterial activity (assessed by measuring enzymatic activity and short-chain fatty acid production) in the cecum, and Multi-strain Pro maintained the cecal butyrate concentration in challenged birds as in the challenged CON treatment, in which butyrate concentration was significantly higher than in the One-strain Pro treatment. Our findings indicated that the activity of these single- and multistrain probiotic products varies depending on rearing conditions, and the effect is highly strain- and product-specific. However, the multistrain probiotic apparently had more beneficial effects than the one-strain probiotic in the maintenance of gut functional status under optimal and challenge conditions.

Modulations of genes related to gut integrity, apoptosis, and immunity underlie the beneficial effects of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CECT 5940 in broilers fed diets with different protein levels in a necrotic enteritis challenge model

Background

The ban of in-feed antimicrobial additives has negatively affected the poultry industry by causing necrotic enteritis (NE) to emerge in the flocks. Alternatives such as Bacillus probiotics have shown to be effective on eliminating the negative effects of this disease. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CECT 5940 (BA) in broiler chickens under NE challenge and/or fed diets with different protein levels.

Methods

In both experiments, 480 day-old mix-sexed Ross-308 broilers were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. In experiment 1, the factors were NE challenge (yes or no) and probiotic (yes or no). In experiment 2, the factors were dietary crude protein levels (standard or reduced) and probiotic (yes or no) and were used under NE challenge condition. Oral administration of Eimeria oocysts (day 9) followed by inoculation with Clostridium perfringens (day 14 and 15) was used to induce NE challenge. On day 16, two birds from each treatment were gavaged with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-d) and blood samples were collected for gut integrity evaluation, and jejunal samples were collected for gene expression assay.

Results

In experiment 1, BA supplementation decreased caspase-3 (CASP3) (P < 0.001) and caspase-8 (CASP8) (P < 0.05) and increased occludin (OCLD) (P < 0.05) expression regardless of the challenge. Additionally, BA supplementation downregulated interfron-γ (IFN-γ) expression (P < 0.01) and upregulated immunoglobulin-G (IgG) (P < 0.01) and immunoglobulin-M (IgM) (P < 0.05) only in challenged birds. In experiment 2, the expression of genes encoding mucin-2 (MUC2) (P < 0.001), tight junction protein-1 (TJP1) (P < 0.05) and OCLD (P < 0.05) were upregulated by the addition of BA in the diet, regardless of the crude protein level. Further, BA supplementation downregulated INF-γ (P < 0.01) and upregulated immunoglobulin-A (IgA) (P < 0.05), IgM (P < 0.05) and IgG (P < 0.01) regardless of the crude protein level.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that supplementation of BA in broiler diets can improve gut health by modulation of genes related to the mucosal barrier, tight junction, and immunity in broilers challenged by unfavourable conditions such as NE challenge.