The Effect of Supplementation with Weizmannia coagulans Strain SANK70258 to Coccidia-Infected Broilers Is Similar to That of a Coccidiostat Administration.

To determine whether it could also improve the production performance of Eimeria-infected broilers, Weizmannia coagulans strain SANK70258 (WC) supplementation was compared with coccidiostat lasalocid-A sodium (AM) administration. First, to determine the optimum WC dose, newly hatched broiler chick groups (n = 10) were untreated or consecutively given WC (0.005%, 0.01%, 0.03%, and 0.1%) and AM until slaughter (31 days of age). At day 21, all chicks were infected with coccidia. From the economical and practical viewpoints, 0.03% WC supplementation was the best dose. Second, newly hatched broiler chick groups (n = 10) were untreated or given 0.03% WC and AM. Each group was run in triplicate. At day 21, two chicks/pen with the farthest body weights as per the group's mean body weight were spared, and the remaining inoculated with coccidia. At days 42 and 49, the WC and AM groups had significantly greater body weights and daily weight gains. Intestinal lesion scores were lower in 29-day-old AM and WC. Oocyst numbers were lower in 29- and 49-day-old AM and WC, but only 29- and 49-day-old AM had higher Escherichia coli levels. To conclude, although WC and AM induced similar growth performance in coccidium-infected chicks, unlike AM, the E. coli levels did not increase with WC.

Effects of non-purified and semi-purified commercial diets on behaviors, plasma corticosterone levels, and cecum microbiome in C57BL/6J mice.

Diverse commercially available feeds are used in animal studies according to the purpose of the studies. We sought to understand the relationship between feed ingredients and their effects on animal physiology and behaviors. Here, we investigated how male laboratory mice (C57BL/6J ("B6") mice) were affected by chronic feeding with two commercially available diets, a non-purified diet (MF) and a semi-purified diet (AIN-93G). In B6 mice, both diets similarly induced spontaneous activities in the home cage and the open field box, anxiety in the elevated plus maze test, and depressive-like behaviors in tail-suspension and forced-swimming tests, and with both diets, similar data were obtained on calorie intake, water intake, body weight gain, and plasma corticosterone levels. By contrast, liver weight was significantly higher in MF-fed B6 mice than in AIN-93G-fed B6 mice. Furthermore, the cecum microbiome was drastically affected by the diets, and, specifically, Allobaculum was the major genus (43.4%) in the cecum microbiota of AIN-93G-fed mice but its abundance was reduced (to 3.8%) in the case of MF-fed mice. Future studies should address whether the differences in diet purity and cecum microbiota influence brain functions and behaviors in B6 mice.