Effect of combinative administration of bacteriocin-producing and probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium CCM 4231 and sage plant extract on rabbits

Abstract

In this research, the effects of Enterococcus faecium CCM 4231 and sage plant extract on rabbits were studied. Three experimental groups EG1, EG2, EG3 (each group comprise 24 rabbits aged 35 days) and one control (CG) group were used for the study. The rabbits in EG1 received strain CCM 4231 (109 cfu/animal/day into water); in EG2, sage was applied (dose 10 µl/animal/day) into water; the rabbits in EG3 received both natural substances (NSA). The experiment lasted 42 days; NSA were applied for 21 days. Faeces were sampled at days 0-1, 7, 21, and 42 to measure rabbits intestinal microbiota and Eimeria sp. oocysts. Samples of caecal contents (3 animals in each group) were collected at days 21 and 42. Phagocytic activity was examined at days 0-1, 21 and 42. Decrease of Escherichia coli (difference of 1.84 log10 CFU/g) was observed in EG1 at day 21 as well asClostridium-like sp. (difference 1.1 log10 CFU/g) in comparison with CG. In EG1 and EG3, decrease of coagulase-negative staphylococci was also noted at day 42 (P<0.01) in comparison with CG. The counts of the other bacteria were not significantly influenced. Microbiota in caecum were lower than those in faeces. At days 21 and 42, immunostimulative effects of NSA (P<0.001) was noted in EG1, EG2, and EG3 in comparison with CG. At day 21, in all experimental groups, the reduction of Eimeria sp. oocysts was observed. Key words: Rabbit, Enterococci, sage, probiotic, microbiota, effect, bacteriocin.