RESUMO
Objective: Investigate the efficacy of Bacillus-based probiotics supplemented at two different levels to modulate the productive performance, egg quality, tibia traits, and specific cecal bacteria counts of Hy-Line Brown layers from 25 to 37 weeks of age. Methods: A total of 216 twenty-five-week-old hens were randomly distributed into 3 experimental diets with 12 replicates of 6 birds per cage. Diets included basal diet supplemented with 0 (CON), 3 × 108 (PRO1), or 3 × 109 (PRO2) CFU of the test probiotic containing Bacillus subtilis PB6, Bacillus subtilis FXA, and Bacillus licheniformis G3 per kilogram of feed. Results: Improved egg weights and mass at 29 weeks; and feed intake at 31 weeks (p < 0.10) were noticed with the probiotic-supplemented PRO1 and PRO2 diets. Considering egg quality, the shell thickness, Haugh units, and yolk color were improved; but yolk cholesterol was lowered (p < 0.05) with PRO1 and PRO2 diets at 29 weeks. At both 33 and 37 weeks, the egg-breaking strength, shell color and thickness, albumen height, Haugh units, and yolk color were improved; but yolk cholesterol was similarly lowered (p < 0.05) with the PRO1 and PRO2 diets. Improved tibia Ca, ash, weights, and density; and raised cecal counts of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli (p < 0.05) were noticed with PRO1 and PRO2 diets. Improved tibia P but reduced Clostridia counts (p < 0.10) were also observed with the PRO1 and PRO2 diets. Conclusion: Probiotic supplementation of Bacillus subtilis PB6, Bacillus subtilis FXA, and Bacillus licheniformis G3 at 3 ×108 CFU/kg of feed is adequate to significantly improve egg quality, lower yolk cholesterol, enhance several tibia traits, and raise the populations of beneficial cecal bacteria. Modest improvements in several productive parameters and tibia P but reduced Clostridia were also observed; and could warrant further investigation of probiotic effects beyond the current test period.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The use of probiotics (PRO) in late gestation sow and their impact on progenies' performance during the post-weaning stage has received more attention from the researchers recently. This study aimed to analyze the effect of probiotic mixture (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis) on both sow and offspring's performance. METHODS: First experiment (Exp.1) was conducted from the 100th day of gestation through to post-weaning. A total of twenty sows and their litters were assigned to one of two dietary treatments, Control (CON) based diet and PRO- CON+ 0.05% probiotic mixture. Dietary treatments were arranged in a split-plot pattern with sow and weaner treatment (CON and PRO diet) as the main and sub plot. Exp.2. E. coli challenge study was carried out two weeks after weaning with 40 piglets. Dietary treatments remained same while all pigs were orally administered with a 1.5 ml suspension of 1010 CFU of K88 strain of E. coli per ml. RESULT: PRO group sow showed significantly decreased backfat thickness difference and body weight difference after farrowing and at the end of weaning d21. The nutrient digestibility of PRO group sows was significantly higher at the end of weaning. Moreover, piglets born from PRO group sow showed higher weaning weight and tend to increase average daily gain at the end of d21. The addition of mixed probiotic in sow and weaner diet had suppressed the production of TNF-α and interleukin-6 in E. coli challenged pigs. The phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in E. coli -challenged pigs were highly abundant while, the relative abundance of clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 at genus level was significantly reduced by the inclusion of probiotic in both the sow and weaner diet. Also, taxonomic distribution analysis showed significantly lower prevalence of Clostridium and Brachyspira and higher prevalence of Lactobacilli in E. coli-challenged pigs that were born from PRO group sow and fed CON and PRO weaner diet. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that the inclusion of 0.05% mixed probiotics (Bacillus spp.) to both sow and their progenies diet would be more beneficial to enhance the post-weaning growth rate, gut health, and immune status of E. coli challenged pigs.
