Dietary supplementation of Macleaya cordata extract and Bacillus in combination improve laying performance by regulating reproductive hormones,intestinal microbiota and barrier function of laying hens

Background:This study aimed to investigate whether the combination of Macleaya cordata extract(MCE)and Bacil-lus could improve the laying performance and health of laying hens better.Methods:A total of 36029-week-old Jingbai laying hens were randomly divided into 4 treatments:control group(basal diet),MCE group(basal diet+MCE),Probiotics Bacillus Compound(PBC)group(basal diet+compound Bacil-lus),MCE+PBC group(basal diet+MCE+compound Bacillus).The feeding experiment lasted for 42 d.Results:The results showed that the laying rate and the average daily egg mass in the MCE+PBC group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05)and better than the MCE and PBC group.Combina-tion of MCE and Bacillus significantly increased the content of follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)in the serum and up-regulated the expression of related hormone receptor gene(estrogen receptor-β,FSHR and luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor)in the ovary of laying hens(P<0.05).In the MCE+PBC group,the mRNA expressions of zonula occluden-1,Occludin and mucin-2 in jejunum was increased and the intestinal epithelial barrier detected by transmission electron microscopy was enhanced compared with the control group(P<0.05).In addition,compared with the control group,combination of MCE and Bacillus significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity and catalase activity(P<0.05),and down-regulated the mRNA expressions of inflammation-related genes(interleukin-1βand tumor necrosis factor-α)as well as apoptosis-related genes(Caspase 3,Caspase 8 and P53)(P<0.05).The concen-tration of acetic acid and butyric acid in the cecum content of laying hens in the MCE+PBC group was significantly increased compared with the control group(P<0.05).Conclusions:Collectively,dietary supplementation of 600μg/kg MCE and 5×108 CFU/kg compound Bacillus can improve laying performance by improving microbiota to enhance antioxidant capacity and intestinal barrier,regulate reproductive hormones and the concentration of cecal short-chain fatty acids of laying hens,and the combined effect of MCE and Bacillus is better than that of single supplementation.

Effect of Saccharomyces boulardii and Bacillus subtilis B10 on gut microbiota modulation in broilers

The gut microbiota plays important roles in animal overall health and productiveness. Balancing host gut microbiota by probiotics has been documented. Our previous study showed that Saccharomyces boulardii(Sb) and Bacillus subtilis B10(Bs) significantly improve growth performance and modulate the intestinal histomorphology in broilers. To increase the knowledge regarding Sb and Bs, this study investigated the effects of these 2 probiotic strains on the gut microbiota in broilers. Three hundred 1-day-old Sanhuang broilers(Chinese cross breed) were randomly divided into 3 groups, each group with 5 replications(n = 20). The control group(CK) was fed a basal diet containing an antibiotic(virginiamycin, 20 mg/kg) and the other 2 groups received Sb and Bs(1 × 10~8cfu/kg of feed) in addition to the basal diet. After 72 d of treatment, pyrosequencing revealed that the bacterial communities varied along the section of intestinal tract in the control and Bs groups, but not in the Sb group. No difference in microbial diversity was observed among 3 groups. The major phyla observed along the GI tract of broilers(particularly in the duodenum and cecum) were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia, which were considered potentially growth performance-related. Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia were observed at a much higher abundance in the jejunums and ileums of the Sb group(P < 0.05). In addition, the jejunal microbial communities formed 3 different clusters at either the genus level or the category of metabolism among the groups, based on the principal component analyses. These data indicated that Sb and Bs can modulate the microbial ecosystem, and subsequently enhance the health status of broilers.

Probiotic Paenibacillus polymyxa 10 and Lactobacillus plantarum 16 enhance growth performance of broilers by improving the intestinal health

With the ever-growing strict prohibitions on antibiotic growth promoters(AGP)in animal production,in-feed probiotics are becoming attractive alternatives to antibiotics in the poultry industry.To investigate the effects of Paenibacillus polymyxa 10 and Lactobacillus plantarum 16 on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers,540 male Cobb 500 broilers of 1 d old were randomly divided into 3 groups with 6 replicates per group and 30 chicks per replicate.Broilers were fed with either a basal diet or basal diets supplemented with 1×108 colony-forming units(CFU)/kg P.polymyxa 10(BSC10)or L.plantarum 16(Lac16)for 42 d.Results showed that Lac16 treatment improved(P<0.05)the growth performance(body weight and feed conversion)of broilers at the starter phase,while BSC10 treatment slightly improved(P>0.05)the growth performance of the starter phase broilers.The increased villus height(P<0.05)at d 14,21 and 42 and villus height to crypt depth ratio(P<0.05)at d 14 and 21 were observed in the ileum of the 2 probiotic groups.Besides,transmission electron microscopy results showed that the 2 probiotics enhanced the intestinal epithelial barrier.Both probiotic treatments up-regulated(P<0.05)the mRNA expression of fatty acid binding protein 1(FABP1)and sodium-dependent glucose transporters-1(SGLT-1)in the ileal mucosa of broilers at d 21.In addition,BSC10 and Lac16 treatments significantly(P<0.05)increased the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acids-producing bacteria,such as Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum,Faecalibacterium prausnitzii,Lachnospira and Cop-rococcu,and significantly(P<0.05)decreased the relative abundance of enteric pathogens(Escherichia coli,Bacteroides fragilis and Shigella sonnei).Furthermore,the 2 probiotic treatments also increased the positive connection among the intestinal microbes and the carbohydrate metabolism-related pathways of the intes-tinal bacteria(P<0.05),with decreasing(P<0.05)nucleotides biosynthesis-related pathways of the intestinal bacteria.Overall,these results suggest that the 2 probiotics,especially Lac16,have a potential beneficial effect on the growth performance and intestinal health of starter phase broilers.