Effects of fermented distillers grains with solubles, partially replaced with soybean meal, on performance, blood parameters, meat quality, intestinal flora, and immune response in broiler

This study set out to examine the effects of fermented distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) partially replaced with soybean meal on growth performance, some blood parameters, meat quality, intestinal microflora, and immune response in broilers. A total of 504 chicks were randomly allocated into 6 groups with 3 replicates. All chicks were fed with one of the following formulated diets i) basal diet based on the maize-soybean meal (C), ii) partially replaced with non-fermented DDGS (NC), iii) partially replaced fermented DDGS with B. subtilis (BS), iv) partially replaced with BS + multienzyme (BSE), v) partially replaced fermented DDGS with S. cerevisiae (SC), vi) partially replaced with SC + multienzyme (SCE). Results showed no significant difference between groups for body weight, daily weight gain (DWG), and feed intake (FI) (P > 0.05). However, feed conversion ratios (FCR) of BS, BSE, and SCE groups were significantly lower than the C and NC groups (P < 0.001). Albumin, total protein, alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.01), Total antioxidant status, aspartate aminotransferase, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and uric acid (P < 0.05) were significantly affected by treatments. The meat color of the SC and SCE groups was darker after 24 h compared to the C group (P < 0.01). The highest LAB counts of ileal and cecum were observed in the BSE and SCE groups (P < 0.001). These results suggest that partial replacement of soybean meal with fermented DDGS had a positive effect on FCR without affecting DWG and FI, and combining fermented DDGS with multienzymes decreased FCR and improved immune and gut health status.

Vaginal bacterial diversity from healthy gilts and pregnant sows subjected to natural mating or artificial insemination

The profitability of commercial pig farms largely depends on the reproductive performance of gilts and sows. The aim of this study was to identify differences in the composition and diversity of vaginal microbiota between gilts (G) and pregnant (P) sows, both artificially inseminated (AI) and natural mating (NM). Samples were collected by scraping the vaginal mucosa of G (n = 10) and P (NM, n = 10 and AI, n = 7) sows. Samples were analysed by culture-dependent techniques and 16S-rRNA gene High-Throughput-Sequencing. The profiles of the cultured microbiota showed two distinctive clusters, one of them grouped four samples of P sows from the AI group. The vaginal microbiota from P had lower richness than G sows (Mann-Whitney/Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.01), but all vaginal samples had a similar diversity. The PERMANOVA analyses revealed significant differences (p < 0.01) between the microbial communities' structures from G and P sows. The bacteria phyla with the highest relative abundances were Proteobacteria (33.1%), followed by Firmicutes (32%), Cyanobacteria (13.3%) and Actinobacteria (13.2%). The relative abundance for phyla, families and genera was estimated and Proteobacteria was significantly higher (p = 0.038) in P than in G sows; Firmicutes was significantly lower in AI than G and NM sows. A "core microbiota" included Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Enterococcus, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas. The results presented highlight the differences in the bacterial composition between G and P sows, as well as the changes in the microbial populations associated with the breeding method.

Effects of Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis complex on growth performance and faecal noxious gas emissions in growing-finishing pigs

BACKGROUND

Probiotics have been used to address antibiotic alternatives and environmental concerns. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis complex supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, faecal microflora and faecal noxious gas emissions in growing-finishing pigs.

RESULTS

Dietary B. licheniformis and B. subtilis complex (B. licheniformis and B. subtilis in a 1:1 ratio) supplementation showed a linear increase (P < 0.05) in digestibility of dry matter at weeks 6, 12 and 15, a linear increase (P < 0.05) in digestibility of nitrogen at week 12, a linear increase (P < 0.05) in faecal Lactobacillus counts at weeks 6 and 12, a linear decrease (P < 0.05) in ammonia (NH₃ ) emission at weeks 6 and 12 and a linear decrease (P < 0.05) in total mercaptan emission at weeks 3, 9 and 15.

CONCLUSION

Dietary B. licheniformis and B. subtilis complex supplementation increased digestibility and faecal Lactobacillus counts and decreased faecal NH₃ and total mercaptan emissions in growing-finishing pigs. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bacillus Classification Based on Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry-Effects of Culture Conditions

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a reliable and rapid technique applied widely in the identification and classification of microbes. MALDI-TOF MS has been used to identify many endospore-forming Bacillus species; however, endospores affect the identification accuracy when using MALDI-TOF MS because they change the protein composition of samples. Since culture conditions directly influence endospore formation and Bacillus growth, in this study we clarified how culture conditions influence the classification of Bacillus species by using MALDI-TOF MS. We analyzed members of the Bacillus subtilis group and Bacillus cereus group using different incubation periods, temperatures and media. Incubation period was found to affect mass spectra due to endospores which were observed mixing with vegetative cells after 24 hours. Culture temperature also resulted in different mass spectra profiles depending on the temperature best suited growth and sporulation. Conversely, the four common media for Bacillus incubation, Luria-Bertani agar, nutrient agar, plate count agar and brain-heart infusion agar did not result in any significant differences in mass spectra profiles. Profiles in the range m/z 1000-3000 were found to provide additional data to the standard ribosomal peptide/protein region m/z 3000-15000 profiles to enable easier differentiation of some highly similar species and the identification of new strains under fresh culture conditions. In summary, control of culture conditions is vital for Bacillus identification and classification by MALDI-TOF MS.

Prebiótico, probiótico e simbiótico para larvas de Trichogaster leeri (Bleeker, 1852, Perciformes, Osphronemidae)

RESUMO Avaliou-se a suplementação de prebiótico (mananoligossacarídeo - 2g/kg), probiótico (Bacillus subtilis, Cohn, 1872, Bacillales, Bacillaceae - 2g/kg) e simbiótico (mananoligossacarídeo - 2g/kg + B. subtilis - 2g/kg), em rações para larvas de Trichogaster leeri (Bleeker, 1852, Perciformes, Osphronemidae), durante a transição alimentar, sobre o crescimento, a sobrevivência, a morfometria intestinal e a resistência ao estresse por exposição aérea. Para isso, 420 larvas (0,45±0,05mg) foram distribuídas em 20 aquários (3,5L), em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições, durante 28 dias, a saber: 12 dias de alimento vivo (AV) + oito dias de coalimentação (AV + ração controle) + oito dias de ração controle; 12 dias de AV + oito dias de coalimentação (AV + ração prebiótico) + oito dias de ração prebiótico; 12 dias de AV + oito dias de coalimentação (AV + ração probiótico) + oito dias de ração probiótico; 12 dias de AV + oito dias de coalimentação (AV + ração simbiótico) + oito dias de ração simbiótico; 28 dias de AV. Larvas que receberam apenas AV apresentaram resultados de desempenho zootécnico significativamente superiores às larvas dos demais tratamentos, exceto para taxa de crescimento específico em comprimento e sobrevivência, que foram semelhantes aos resultados obtidos por larvas que receberam rações suplementadas com simbiótico. Larvas que receberam a ração controle apresentaram resultados significativamente inferiores para altura das vilosidades intestinais e taxa de resistência ao estresse comparando-se aos demais tratamentos. Os resultados deste estudo indicam que a suplementação com prebiótico, probiótico e simbiótico exerce efeito positivo sobre a sobrevivência, a morfometria intestinal e a resistência ao estresse em larvas de T. leeri, no entanto somente a suplementação com simbiótico resulta em melhora no crescimento.

Effects of multistrain probiotics on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, faecal microbial shedding, faecal score and noxious gas emission in weaning pigs

This experiment was conducted to investigate the efficacy of multistrain probiotics in weaning pigs. A total of 125 28-day-old weaning pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] with an initial average body weight (BW) of 7.26 ± 0.76 kg were randomly allotted into 5 treatments, 5 replicate pens/treatment with 5 pigs/pen for 42-day experiment. Dietary treatments were as follows: CON, basal diet; PC1, CON + 0.01% multistrain probiotics; PC2, CON + 0.03% multistrain probiotics; PC3, CON + 0.06% multistrain probiotics; PC4, CON + 0.1% multistrain probiotics. On day 14, pigs fed the PC4 diet had higher BW gain than pigs fed the CON diet. On day 42, pigs fed multistrain probiotics supplementation diets had higher BW gain than pigs fed the CON diet. From days 1 to 14, pigs fed the PC2, PC3 and PC4 diets had higher (p < 0.05) ADG than pigs fed the CON diet. From day 15 to 42, pigs fed the multistrain probiotics supplementation diets had higher (p < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and gain: feed ratio (G:F) than pigs fed the CON diet. In the overall period, pigs fed the multistrain probiotics supplementation diets had higher (p < 0.05) ADG and pigs fed the PC2 and PC4 diets had higher (p < 0.05) G:F than pigs fed the CON diet. On day 42, pigs fed the PC4 diet had higher (p < 0.05) apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N) and gross energy (GE), faecal Lactobacillus counts and lower (p < 0.05) E. coli counts and NH₃ emission than pigs fed the CON diet. Pigs fed the multistrain probiotics supplementation diets had lower (p < 0.05) H₂ S and total mercaptans emissions than pigs fed the CON diet. Conclusions, dietary supplementation with 0.1% probiotics improved growth performance, nutrition digestibility and intestinal microflora balance and decreased faecal noxious gas emissions in weaning pigs.

Effects of multistrain probiotics on growth performance, apparent ileal nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics, cecal microbial shedding, and excreta odor contents in broilers

This experiment was conducted to investigate the efficacy of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, and Clostridium butyricum supplementation in broilers. A total of 400 one-day-old mixed sex Ross 308 broilers with an initial average BW of 46 ± 0.5 g were randomly allotted into 4 treatments with 5 replicate pens per treatment and 20 broilers in each pen for 35 d. Dietary treatments were (1) an antibiotic-free diet (CON), (2) CON + 5 mg/kg of avilamycin, (3) CON + 1 × 10(5) cfu of multistrain probiotics/kg of diet (P1), and (4) CON + 2 × 10(5) cfu of multistrain probiotics/kg of diet (P2). Broilers fed the P1 and P2 diets had greater BW gain than broilers fed the CON diet during d 22 to 35 (P = 0.01) and overall (P = 0.02). Feed conversion ratios in P1 and P2 were decreased (P = 0.03) compared with that in CON from d 22 to 35. Ileal digestibility of most essential amino acids, with the exception of His and Phe, were increased (P < 0.05) in P1 and P2 compared with CON. Serum IgA and IgM concentrations in P2 were higher (P < 0.05) than those in CON. The cecal Lactobacillus numbers were increased (P = 0.02), and the counts of Escherichia coli were decreased (P = 0.03) in P1 and P2 compared with CON. Dietary supplementation with multistrain probiotics decreased (P < 0.05) the excreta NH3 content compared with the CON. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with multistrain probiotics improved broiler growth performance, ileal amino acids digestibility, and humoral immunity. Furthermore, the probiotics decreased the cecal numbers of E. coli and decreased the NH3 content of excreta.

National survey outcomes on commercial probiotic food supplements in Italy

To assess whether the probiotic food supplements, produced and distributed on the Italian market during 2005-2006, complied with the Italian Guidelines on Prebiotics and Probiotics, 72 samples from 29 processing plants were analyzed. The survey included 41 samples from processing plants and 31 samples of the same brand from retailers collected at timed intervals (3, 8 and 13 months). A polyphasic approach based on a suitable analytical collection method (genotypic identification of total bacteria - differential presumptive enumeration - genotypic identification of viable bacteria) was adopted to identify and quantify the microorganisms labelled and recovered from the probiotic supplements examined. Most supplements analyzed (87%) did not conform to the Italian guidelines and the differences were both quantitative and qualitative (number determination, purity, types and viability of microorganisms). Even though most labelled supplements (25 samples) indicated the presence of Bifidobacterium bifidum, this organism was only detected sporadically and always as dead cells. Unexpected results were obtained during our survey due to the absence of viability of Bacillus coagulans spores in some labelled supplements. Besides this, some of these supplements also contained other spore-forming species, identified as B. cereus that are toxin producing. We have also documented a widespread use of misclassified microbial species or species with fictitious names. The main factors involved in the absence of compliance were examined and the poor quality control applied by manufacturers was emphasized.