Effects of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 on production, hatching performance, egg quality, serum antioxidant capacity and immune response of laying breeders.

Abstract

To investigate the supplemental effects of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 on the production, hatching performance, egg quality, serum antioxidant capacity and immune response of laying breeders, a total of 480 Xuefeng black-bone (25-week-old) hens were randomly assigned into four treatment groups: Hens fed the basal diets with 0 (CON), 3.0×105 (BS-1), 6.0×105 cfu/g (BS-2) and 9.0×105 (BS-3) cfu/g of B.subtilis C-3102. As the B.subtilis C-3102 level increased, egg weight (linear, p<0.01; quadratic, p=0.003), fertility (linear, p=0.021; quadratic, p=0.059), hatchability (linear, p=0.038; quadratic, p=0.119) and yolk colour (linear, p=0.006; quadratic, p=0.021) increased in a linear or quadratic manner. Yolk index increased quadratically (linear, p=0.054; quadratic, p=0.017), and eggshell thickness (linear, p=0.036; quadratic, p=0.128), the activity of GSH-Px (linear, p=0.024; quadratic, p=0.078), the concentration of IgM (linear, p=0.016; quadratic, p=0.056) and the level of AIV-Ab (linear, p=0.034; quadratic, p=0.103) in the serum increased linearly as dietary supplementation of B.subtilis C-3102 increased. The results showed that dietary treatments did not affect egg production, feed conversion ratio, egg mass, hatchability of fertile eggs, eggshell-breaking strength, egg-shape index, yolk percentage, Haugh unit, T-SOD, T-AOC, MDA, IgA and IgG concentrations and the level of NDV-Ab in the serum. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 9.0×105 cfu/g B.subtilis C-3102 in laying breeders diets may be a feasible means of effectively increasing egg weight, fertility and hatchability, and improving egg quality such as eggshell thickness, yolk index and yolk colour. Besides, B.subtilis C-3102 can enhance the activity of GSH-Px, the concentration of IgM and the level of AIV-Ab in the serum.