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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Biosciences & Biotechnology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #359776
Research Project: Non-antibiotic Strategies to Control Enteric Diseases of Poultry

Location: Animal Biosciences & Biotechnology Laboratory

Title: The effect of dietary supplementation of several Bacillus strains on growth performance and gut health in mixed coccidiosis infection in chickens

Author
item CHAUDHARI, ATUL - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item LEE, YOUNGSUB - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Lillehoj, Hyun

Submitted to: American Association of Avian Pathologist
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2019
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Present study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of several Bacillus strains on growth performance, intestinal inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, antioxidants and tight junction (TJ) protein mRNA expression in chickens challenged with mixed coccidia infection (Eimeria tenella, E. maxima and E. acevirulina). Firstly, ten different strains were screened for their beneficiary effect after coccidia challenge by measuring relative body weight gain (RBWG), lesion score and total oocyst count. Secondly, three Bacillus strains were evaluated in depth by measuring RBWG, lesion score, total oocyst count and gene expression of proinflammatory (IL-6 and IL-8), anti-inflammatory (IL-10 and TGF-ß), anti-oxidants (SOD and HMOX) and tight junction proteins (JAM 2 and occluding). Our results showed that out of ten different strains three strains, one B. licheniformis and two B. amyloliquifacien fed birds showed significant RBWG, low lesion score (caeca, jejunum and duodenum) and lower oocyst count compared to non- Bacillus-fed control birds. Bacillus fed birds showed significant pro and anti-inflammatory response and higher expression of antioxidants and tight junction proteins in duodenum and caeca. Bacillus licheniformis fed group showed significant IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TGF-ß expression in jejunum. Overall, our results indicated that dietary supplementation with Bacillus strains as probiotics significantly improved the body weight gain after mixed coccidia infection compared to non-Bacillus fed control group. In conclusion, present study results are promising and indicate beneficiary effect of probiotic supplementation in poultry diet to control economic losses imposed by coccidia infection in chickens.