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Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (Ba) as a substitute for antibiotics on growth performance, antioxidant ability and intestinal autophagy of piglets. Ninety piglets were divided into three groups: G1 (containing 150 mg/Kg aureomycin in the diet); G2 (containing 75 mg/Kg aureomycin and 1 × 108 cfu/Kg Ba in the diet); G3 (containing 2 × 108 cfu/Kg Ba in the diet without any antibiotics). Each treatment had three replications of ten pigs per pen. Results showed that Ba replacement significantly increased the daily weight gain of piglets. Moreover, improved antioxidant status in serum and jejunum was noted in Ba-fed groups as compared with aureomycin group. Increased gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and elevated nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) in jejunum was also observed in Ba-fed groups. Besides, Ba replacement significantly decreased jejunal c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation compared with antibiotic group. Western blotting results also revealed that replacing all antibiotics with Ba initiated autophagy in the jejunum as evidenced by increased microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 II (LC3-II) abundance. Taken together, these results indicate that replacing aureomycin with Ba can improve growth performance and antioxidant status of piglets via increasing antioxidant capacity and intestinal autophagy, suggesting a good potential for Ba as an alternative to antibiotics in feed.
Highlights
As growth promoters, antibiotics have enjoyed great popularity in animal husbandry in the past decades
The daily feed intake was elevated in piglets receiving probiotics, but there was no significant difference for the final body weight among three groups
Antioxidant profiles in serum of piglets Compared to Group 1 (G1), we observed that replacing half antibiotics with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (Ba) (G2) significantly elevated the serum total anti-oxidant capability (T-AOC), which was paralleled by the increased GSH level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities
Summary
Antibiotics have enjoyed great popularity in animal husbandry in the past decades. Finding proper alternatives to antibiotics is important for the feed industry. Probiotics are defined as “live microorganisms that, when administrated in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host” (Araya 2002). Previous studies showed that probiotics have positive effects on pig health, China is the largest antibiotics producer and consumer in the world and large amount of antibiotics were applied in livestock industries (Hvistendahl 2012). The use of antibiotics in feed is poorly monitored (Zhu et al 2013). As the formal Ministry of Agriculture announcement (number 2428) regarding the cessation of colistin as a growth promoter (feed additive) in animal was released on July 26, more than 8000 tonnes of colistin as a
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