Subtilis C-3102 Research Articles

Effect of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 Spores as a Probiotic Feed Supplement on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Diarrhea Score, Intestinal Microbiota, and Excreta Odor Contents in Weanling Piglets.

Simple SummaryThe weanling period is a vital stage for piglets. Due to lack of a complete digestive system and an immune system, a series of stress problems develop, such as diarrhea. As a kind of microecological additive with high stability and rapid proliferation, Bacillus subtilis is suitable for piglets’ diets as an additive. The objective of our study was to determine and confirm the effect of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 spores as a probiotic feed supplement on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal score, intestinal microbiota, and excreta odor contents in weanling piglets. Taken together, our results suggest that dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis C-3102 spores could benefit the body weight, average daily gain, and gain-to-feed ratio of weanling piglets and improve the ATTD of dry matter, crude protein, and energy.It has been well-documented that the dietary supplementation of Bacillus subtilis could improve piglet performance. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 spores as a probiotic feed supplement on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal score, intestinal microbiota, and excreta odor contents in weanling piglets. A total of 150 crossed ((Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc) weanling piglets (28-days-old), with an average initial body weight of 7.53 ± 1.23 kg, were divided into two treatment groups according to sex and initial body weight (BW) for a 6-week experiment. In each group, fifteen replicate pens consisting of five piglets per pen (three gilts and two barrows) were used in a randomized complete block design. Treatments consisted of (1) CON, a basal diet; (2) BSC, a diet of CON + 300 g Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) C-3102 spores per ton of feed. Supplementation with the B. subtilis C-3102 spores in the diet increased the BW, average daily gain (ADG), and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) throughout the whole trial (p < 0.05). Weanling piglets that were fed B. subtilis C-3102 spores had increased dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and energy (E) digestibility compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). Lower diarrhea scores were observed in the B. subtilis C-3102 spores group on Day 7 (p < 0.05). Taken together, our results suggest that dietary supplementation with B. subtilis C-3102 spores could benefit the BW, ADG, and G:F of weanling piglets and improve the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of the DM, CP, and E.

Prevention of mastitis in multiparous dairy cows with a previous history of mastitis by oral feeding with probiotic Bacillus subtilis.

Mastitis is a very common inflammatory disease of the mammary gland of dairy cows, resulting in a reduction of milk production and quality. Probiotics may serve as an alternative to antibiotics to prevent mastitis, and the use of probiotics in this way may lessen the risk of antibiotic resistant bacteria developing. We investigated the effect of oral feeding of probiotic Bacillus subtilis (BS) C‐3102 strain on the onset of mastitis in dairy cows with a previous history of mastitis. BS feeding significantly decreased the incidence of mastitis, the average number of medication days and the average number of days when milk was discarded, and maintained the mean SCC in milk at a level substantially lower than the control group. BS feeding was associated with lower levels of cortisol and TBARS and increased the proportion of CD4+ T cells and CD11c+ CD172ahigh dendritic cells in the blood by flow cytometry analysis. Parturition increased the migrating frequency of granulocytes toward a milk chemoattractant cyclophilin A in the control cows, however, this was reduced by BS feeding, possibly indicating a decreased sensitivity of peripheral granulocytes to cyclophilin A. These results reveal that B. subtilis C‐3102 has potential as a probiotic and has preventative capacity against mastitis in dairy cows.

Effects of direct-fed microbial (Bacillus subtilis C-3102) inclusion on tom turkey production efficiency and intestinal microbial populations

Dietary inclusions of direct-fed microbials ( DFM ) are becoming more common as antimicrobial use for growth promotion is no longer approved. Effects of various DFM on poultry performance have been studied; however, limited research has been conducted on the use of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (Calsporin, Calpis America, Peachtree City, GA) in turkeys. Therefore, performance, microbial population shifts, and processing responses to Bacillus subtilis C-3102 were investigated using 720 Nicholas Select tom turkeys. Diets were formulated to be identical aside from DFM inclusion and were provided in a 6-phase feeding program. DFM diets were formulated to contain 500,000 cfu/g from d 1 to 35 and 300,000 cfu/g of the DFM from d 36 to 133. Each diet was provided to 12 replicate pens of 30 turkeys arranged in a randomized complete block design. Results from d 1 to 133 showed turkeys provided the DFM exhibited a 0.080 improvement in FCR ( P < 0.001) and tended to improve BW ( P = 0.099) compared to those fed the control. Fecal microbial analysis results from d 132 indicated that the ratio of Lactobacillus spp. to total anaerobes of DFM fed birds increased by 13.3% compared to those provided the control ( P = 0.033). Interestingly, this ratio of Lactobacillus spp. to total anaerobes aligned with the BW progression for each phase of this study. However, d 134 processing results indicated birds consuming the control increased pectoralis minor and total breast yields ( P = 0.022 and P = 0.010, respectively) compared to turkeys provided the DFM. These data indicated that Bacillus subtilis C-3102 improved tom turkey performance but reduced breast yield. Additional processing yield research using a larger sample size is warranted.

Preliminary assessment of probiotic Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in feces: evaluation of their survival after oral supplementation in goats

The objective of the study was to assess the presence of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in feces after oral supplementation in goats. Six, rumen-fistulated, 3.5 year-old, non-lactating female Saanen goats (average initial body weight of 65 ± 8 kg) were assigned to two treatments 1) a basal diet (CON), and 2) a basal diet supplemented with B. subtilis C-3102 probiotic product (BS) in a cross-over design. Each experimental period lasted 21 days with was preceded by a 20 days adaptation period. On the last day of each experimental period, rumen fluid and fecal samples were collected. Body weights were recorded weekly throughout the experiment. Body weight and rumen pH were found to be similar between dietary treatments. The goats that received BS had higher numbers of B. subtilis C-3102 in fecal samples than CON. It was therefore concluded that supplemental B. subtilis C-3102 met an important precondition of probiotics in that they can survive the passage through the gastrointestinal tract without evident adverse effects. The current result provides a solid basis for future research involving any effects after supplementing probiotic B. subtilis in goats.

Dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis C-3102 improves gut health indicators and fecal microbiota of dogs

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 on diet digestibility, fecal characteristics, and fecal microbiota of dogs. Sixteen adult Beagle dogs were randomly assigned to one of the two dietary treatments for 33 days: control (no B. subtilis C-3102, n = 8) and B. subtilis C-3102 (1 × 106 CFU of B. subtilis C-3102/g of diet, n = 8). Diets were offered for an adaptation period of 28 days followed by five days of total fecal collection. The coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients and metabolizable energy (ME) content of diets were evaluated. Fecal characteristics were evaluated at the end of the study by dry matter content, fecal score (1 = watery to 5 = firm stools), pH, ammonia concentration, odor, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA), and sialic acid concentrations. The fecal odor was evaluated by 50 volunteers by comparing the odor of fresh feces of the B. subtilis C-3102 vs the control group. Fecal microbiota was evaluated by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. No difference was observed between the groups for CTTAD and ME (P > 0.05). Likewise, no differences were observed for fecal pH and sialic acid (P > 0.05). However, firmer stools (P < 0.001), greater dry matter content (P = 0.021) and propionic acid concentration (P = 0.039) and lower fecal odor (P < 0.001) and ammonia (P = 0.037) were observed in dogs fed B. subtilis C-3102. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the addition of B. subtilis altered gut microbiota of dogs. Proportional changes of gut microbiota between groups were detected in four major phyla and 13 genera of bacteria (P < 0.05). Gut bacterial diversity was greater (P = 0.025) in dogs fed B. subtilis C-3102. Among these changes, dogs fed B. subtilis C-3102 presented a greater abundance of bacterial groups, which are considered to be beneficial for gut health, such as Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium, and Allobaculum when compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Whereas the control group presented an increase in Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Lactobacillus, Anaerostipes, Escherichia-Shigella, Enterorhabdus, and Eubacterium brachy (P < 0.05). Overall, the data indicated that coating the diet with 1 × 106 CFU of B. subtilis C-3102/g has positive effects on fecal characteristics and alters the fecal microbiota of dogs.

Effective bifidogenic growth factors cyclo-Val-Leu and cyclo-Val-Ile produced by Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in the human colonic microbiota model

Bifidobacterium species are known to fulfill important functions within the human colon. Thus, stimulating the activity of bifidobacteria is important to maintain host health. We revealed that culture supernatants of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (referred to as C-3102) stimulated the growth of Bifidobacterium species. In this study, we isolated and identified six bifidogenic growth factors, which were cyclo (D-Val-D-Ile), cyclo (L-Val-D-Ile), cyclo (D-Val-L-Ile), cyclo (L-Val-L-Ile), cyclo (D-Val-L-Leu) and cyclo (L-Val-L-Leu). These six cyclic dipeptides increased the growth of Bifidobacterium species and had no effect on potentially harmful gut organisms. Moreover, supplementation with a mixture of these six cyclic dipeptides significantly increased the abundance of microorganisms related to the genus Bifidobacterium in a human colonic microbiota model culture system, although supplementation with a single type of dipeptide had no effect. These results show that cyclic dipeptides containing Val-Leu and Val-Ile produced by C-3102 could serve as bifidogenic growth factors in the gut microbial community.

Short communication: Bacillus subtilis C-3102 improves biomass gain, innate defense, and intestinal absorption surface of native Brazilian hybrid Surubim (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans x P. reticulatum)

The aim was to evaluate the effect of a diet supplemented with B. subtilis for a period of 10 days and to verify its effects on the zootechnical performance, hematological parameters, and intestinal histomorphometry of fish. The present study was designed to verify the effects of a commercial product containing Bacillus subtilis C-3102 for short administration period in the diet of Brazilian catfish Pseudoplatystoma sp. The experimental design was completely randomized with five treatments (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 g of CALSPORIN® kg feed−1) and six replicates. Supplementation with B. subtilis did not influence (p > 0.05) on erythrogram and plasma glucose of fish. However, probiotic supplementation for 10 days was effective and caused beneficial changes in productive performance of the 30 g kg feed−1 group compared to the other groups. In addition, improvements in the immune system, such as an increase in the number of neutrophils, lymphocytes, thrombocytes, and total blood leukocytes were observed in the treated groups, besides increased height and width of the intestinal villi was possibly related with an improvement in nutrient absorption. This study shows the feasibility in to use short time of feeding in the Pseudoplatystoma sp. diet that improved the fish health.

Perfil hematológico e bioquímico e prevalência parasitária em tilápia-do-Nilo arraçoadas com probióticos dietários

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito dos probióticos dietários (Bacillus cereus var. Toyoi e Bacillus subtilis C-3102) sobre a resposta hematológica, perfil bioquímico de glicose e cortisol, e prevalência ectoparasitária em tilápia-do-Nilo, variedade GIFT. Utilizou-se quatro dietas (D1 = basal sem adição de probióticos; D2 = basal + B. cereus; D3 = basal + B. subtilis; D4 = basal + B. subtilis e B. cereus) e cinco repetições. Foram utilizados 1000 juvenis de tilápia (60,56 ± 7,74 g), distribuídos aleatoriamente em 20 tanques de alvenaria com fundo de solo argiloso. Após 201 dias de cultivo os valores médios de hemoglobina dos peixes que receberam dietas com B. cereus foram superiores (P&lt;0,05) aos arraçoados apenas com dieta basal. Não houve diferenças significativas nos valores de hematócrito, eritrócito, volume corpuscular médio, variação no tamanho das hemácias e concentração de hemoglobina corpuscular média de tilápias submetidas a dietas probióticas (P&gt;0,05). O perfil bioquímico de glicose e cortisol, leucograma e prevalência parasitária dos peixes não foram influenciados (P&gt;0,05) pela inclusão dos probióticos B. cereus e B. subtilis nas dietas. Independentemente das dietas contendo probióticos, há um local de preferência para os parasitas Monogenea (P&lt;0,001) nas brânquias, enquanto a pele e nadadeiras foram os órgãos mais afetados por Trichodina spp. (P&lt;0,001). A adição de probióticos Bacillus cereus e/ou Bacillus subtilis na dieta de tilápia-do-Nilo não foi capaz de beneficiar o perfil bioquímico de glicose e cortisol e perfil hematológico da série branca e vermelha dos peixes ao final do cultivo.

Safety evaluation of the excessive intake of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in healthy Japanese adults: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group, comparison trial

ObjectiveContinuous intake of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (B. subtilis C-3102) has been reported to modulate the gut microbiota and increase the bone mineral density of the femur in healthy adults. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of excessive B. subtilis C-3102 intake through a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study. MethodA total of 69 individuals provided an informed consent, and 44 subjects who met the inclusion criteria were allocated to either the B. subtilis C-3102 (C-3102 group, n = 22) or the placebo group (P group, n = 22). All subjects took 18 tablets containing either containing B. subtilis C-3102 or placebo per day for 4 weeks with water and without chewing. Subjects in the C-3102 group consumed 4.8 × 1010 colony forming units (cfu) per day. Physical examination, urinalysis, blood analysis, records of subjective symptoms, and a medical questionnaire administered by a clinical trial physician were performed to determine the safety of test tablets. Furthermore, bone mineral density was measured. ResultsThe final analysis included data from 22 subjects (9 men, 13 women; age, 46.1 ± 13.8 years) in the C-3102 group and 22 subjects (9 men, 13 women; age, 46.1 ± 13.5 years) in the P group. The results revealed no medical-related problems in both C-3102 and P groups. ConclusionThis study proved the safety of 4-week continuous consumption of an excessive amount of B. subtilis C-3102 tablets.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 on sow and progeny performance, fecal consistency, and fecal microbes during gestation, lactation, and nursery periods1,2

This study evaluated the effects of providing a dietary probiotic, Bacillus subtilis C-3102, to sows during gestation and lactation and to progeny after weaning on performance, fecal consistency, and fecal microbes. For the sow portion of the study, 29 sows and litters were used from day 30 of gestation until weaning. Sow treatments consisted of control diet or probiotic diet with B. subtilis C-3102 at 500,000 cfu/g of gestation feed and 1,000,000 cfu/g of lactation feed. For the nursery portion of the study, 358 weaned pigs, progeny of sows on study, were used in a 42-d nursery study. Nursery treatments consisted of control diet or probiotic diet with B. subtilis C-3102 and prebiotics at 500,000 cfu/g of nursery feed. Treatments were arranged in a split-plot design with sow treatment (control or probiotic diet) as main plot and nursery treatment (control or probiotic diet) as subplot. Performance, fecal consistency by fecal score method, and fecal microbes by isolation and enumeration method were assessed. In lactation, probiotic-fed sows tended (P = 0.057) to have increased feed intake, but it did not improve (P > 0.05) sow or litter performance in lactation. In the nursery, there were no (P > 0.10) interactions or main effects of sow or nursery treatments on overall growth performance. However, pigs born from control-fed sows had greater (P < 0.05) average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and body weight in late nursery than pigs born from probiotic-fed sows. Fecal score evaluation of nursing and nursery pigs indicated no influence (P > 0.05) of sow or nursery treatments on fecal consistency. Fecal microbial analysis revealed a modest modification in fecal microbial population by increasing (P < 0.05) the number of total Bacillus sp. in probiotic-fed sows and nursery pigs. Nursing piglets born from probiotic-fed sows carried over (P < 0.05) this modification in fecal microbial population preweaning. In conclusion, providing a probiotic based on B. subtilis C-3102 to sows during gestation and lactation and to progeny after weaning did not elicit noteworthy improvements in performance or fecal consistency, but there was a benefit on sow lactation feed intake. Fecal microbial analysis indicated a maternal-progeny intestinal microbiota relationship with pigs born from probiotic-fed sows displaying similar fecal microbial population as sows. However, pigs born from probiotic-fed sows demonstrated reduced growth rate and feed consumption in late nursery.

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

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.

Feeding Bacillus subtilis C-3102 to sows and suckling piglets and to weaned piglets improves parameters of gut health and feed:gain ratio in weaners

The effect of feeding Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (Calsporin) to sows and piglets on performance and gut health of weaned piglets was studied. The experiment contained 4 treatments. First, 8 of 16 sows were supplemented with 3 x 10(5) cfu B. subtilis C-3102/g feed during gestation and lactation whereas the other 8 sows were not supplemented. The probiotic was also included in the creep feed of the suckling offspring of the supplemented sows at an equal dose. Furthermore, at weaning (19-20 d of age), each of the 2 experimental groups were split up into 2 subgroups to yield 4 treatments. Therefore, 5 piglets of each sow were fed a control diet voided of probiotics and 5 littermates were offered the control diet supplemented with 3 x 10(5) cfu B. subtilis C-3102/g feed until 42 d after weaning (8 pen replicates with 5 piglets each). Piglets were sampled at d 0, 5, 13, and 42 after weaning. Supplementation of the probiotic to sows and suckling piglets resulted in higher short-chain fatty acid production in the distal small intestine and mid colon at weaning but not at d 5 and 13 after weaning, whereas villus atrophy in the small intestine and crypt deepening in the proximal small intestine was lower. Postweaning supplementation improved the feed:gain ratio for the total period (1.39 vs. 1.45; P = 0.031) and resulted in a trend for lower mRNA of IL-1 alpha (P = 0.091), higher lactobacillus counts (P = 0.074), and a significantly lower number of crypt goblet cells in distal small intestine mucosa in the early postweaning period. In addition, B. subtilis C-3102 was detected only in colonic contents or feces of piglets from the supplemented groups. Only 1 significant interaction between pre- and postweaning supplementation was found throughout the study. To conclude, preweaning supplementation positively affected some gut health parameters and postweaning supplementation improved the feed:gain ratio.

Prophylactic administration of a combined prebiotic and probiotic, or therapeutic administration of enrofloxacin, to reduce the incidence of bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broilers

Bacteria entering the bloodstream via translocation from the gastrointestinal tract spread hematogenously and can trigger bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) by infecting osteochondrotic microfractures in the epiphyseal-physeal cartilage of the proximal femora and tibiae. In experiment 1, broilers were fed control feed or the same feed containing BacPack 2X, which includes the prebiotic IMW50 (a mannan oligosaccharide beta-glucan yeast cell wall product) plus the probiotic Calsporin (Bacillus subtilis C-3102). Broilers reared on wire flooring consistently developed higher incidences of BCO than hatchmates reared on wood shavings litter (≥24 vs. ≤4%, respectively; P = 0.001). Adding BacPack 2X to the feed on d 1 through 56 delayed the age of onset and reduced the cumulative incidence of BCO on wire flooring when compared with broilers fed the control feed (24.0 vs. 40.7%, respectively; P = 0.003). In experiment 2, broilers reared on wire flooring received tap water on d 1 through 62 (control group) or therapeutic levels of the potent fluoroquinolone antimicrobial enrofloxacin in the water on d 35 through 54 (enrofloxacin group). During enrofloxacin administration, half as many birds developed BCO in the enrofloxacin group when compared with the control group (8.1 vs. 19.5%, respectively, on d 35 through 54; P = 0.001), whereas both groups had similar BCO incidences subsequent to withdrawing enrofloxacin on d 55 through 62 (14.8 vs. 18.2% for the enrofloxacin vs. control groups; P = 0.386). Cumulative lameness incidences for d 1 through 62 were higher for the control group than for the enrofloxacin group (39.0 vs. 25.8%, respectively; P = 0.003). These results demonstrate that wire flooring imposes a rigorous challenge that leads to high incidences of BCO that can be difficult to suppress, even with therapeutic doses of enrofloxacin. Prophylactically adding BacPack 2X to the feed reduced the incidence of BCO lameness by a proportion similar to that achieved with enrofloxacin, indicating that probiotics potentially can provide effective alternatives to antibiotics for reducing BCO lameness attributable to bacterial translocation and hematogenous distribution.

Probióticos em dietas para tilápia do Nilo durante a reversão sexual

Objetivou-se avaliar o desempenho produtivo, sexagem fenotípica e microbiologia intestinal de tilápia do Nilo, linhagem GIFT, alimentadas com ração contendo Bacillus cereus var. Toyoi e Bacillus subtilis C-3102, durante a fase de reversão sexual. Os peixes (24,7±0,50mg) foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em 24 aquários, num delineamento inteiramente casualizado, composto por três tratamentos (dois probióticos e ausente de probiótico) e oito repetições. A utilização de B. cereus melhorou os parâmetros de peso final, ganho em peso, ganho em peso médio diário e crescimento específico dos peixes alimentados em relação à B. subtilis. Não houve associação entre a proporção de machos e fêmeas e a inclusão de probióticos. As contagens de bactérias totais e coliformes totais não foram influenciadas pela adição de probióticos nas rações. O probiótico Bacillus subtilis não melhora o desempenho produtivo das tilápias do Nilo. Na decisão entre os dois probióticos estudados, recomenda-se o probiótico contendo Bacillus cereus C-3102 por não afetar negativamente a efetividade sexual e parâmetros zootécnicos.

Evaluation of the use of probiotic (Bacillus subtilis C-3102) as additive to improve performance in broiler chicken diets

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the use of probiotic based upon Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (BS) in broiler diets containing or not conventional additive growth-promoter (AGP). A total of 1,824 one-day-old chicks of the Cobb-500 strain were used and distributed into 48 plots (1.50 × 2.00 m). A completely randomized design with four treatments and 12 repetitions was adopted. The treatments evaluated were: 1- Negative Control - AGP-free diet (NC); 2 - Positive Control, with AGP halquinol 30 mg/kg diet (PC); 3 - NC + BS (3x10(5) cfu/g diet); and 4 - PC + BS (3x10(5) cfu/g diet). The diets were on corn, soybean meal and meat and bone meal basis, formulated according to the nutrient allowances of the Strain Cobb Guide, following a feed program with three diets (starter, grower and finisher). At 21 and 42 days of age, feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion were evaluated, and carcass yield characteristics were determined at 42 days of age. Throughout the trial period (starter and total phases), better feed conversion was found for broilers fed diet with both additives (AGP and BS) combined. At the end of the experiment (1 to 42 days), the highest weight gain also occurred in broilers fed diets with a combination of the two additives. In present study, the use of BS or AGP alone in diets did not affect the performance of broilers. The carcass yield was not influenced by the use of the additives and beneficial effects of supplementation of BS and AGP combined in the diet on broiler performance were observed.

The efficacy of the probiotic feed additive Calsporin® (Bacillus subtilis C-3102) in weaned piglets: combined analysis of four different studies

SummaryThe efficacy of the probiotic feed product, Calsporin® (Bacillus subtilis C-3102) in weaned piglets was evaluated by statistical analysis of the combined results from four different experiments. The body weight, average daily gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and mortality data from these four experiments were tested for homogeneity before being pooled and analysed as a whole, with experiment being included as a blocking factor. Piglets fed diets supplemented with Calsporin® were significantly heavier (3.4%) at 43 days (P &lt; 0.05), their feed intakes decreased by 2.1% and feed efficiency (FCR) improved by 3.2% between 15 and 43 days, although these latter differences were not significant. Over the entire study period (day 1 to 43), significant improvements in daily gain (4.8%) and feed efficiency (6.2%) were observed with Calsporin® supplementation (P &lt; 0.05). The results demonstrated that Calsporin® at 30 mg/kg inclusion in commercial-type diets can improve zootechnical performance in weaned piglets.

The efficacy of the probiotic feed additive Calsporin® (Bacillus subtilis C-3102) in broilers: combined analysis of four different studies

SummaryThe efficacy of the probiotic feed additive, Calsporin® (CAL; Bacillus subtilis C-3102), included in broiler diets at 50 mg/kg was evaluated using statistical meta-analysis of data from four different studies conducted using broilers from day-old to market weight at 42 days of age. The body weight, average daily gain, feed intake, feed to gain ratio, mortality and European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) data from each experiment were tested for homogeneity between trials before being pooled and analysed in combination to determine whether benefits were consistent independent of trial site and conditions. CAL supplementation significantly improved weight gain (P = 0.0037) between 1 and 21 days of age (3.3%) and feed conversion ratio (P = 0.0492) between 22 and 42 days of age (3.0%). Over the entire experimental period (day 1 to day 42 of age), broilers fed the CAL diets had significantly better (P = 0.0142) feed conversion (2.6%) and higher (P = 0.0062) EPEF (4.6%) compared to the controls. Birds fed diets supplemented with CAL were 1.6% heavier than controls at 42 days of age, a near-significant trend (P = 0.0558). The results demonstrated that CAL in broiler diets, added at an inclusion rate of 50 mg/kg, can be beneficial in terms of broiler performance.

Evaluation of probiotic strain Bacillus subtilis C-3102 as a feed supplement for koi carp (Cyprinus carpio)

In this study, the effects of dietary probiotic Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (Calsporin®) on the growth performance, predominant intestinal microbiota, expression of cytokines genes in three organs (liver, intestine and kidney) and protection against Aeromonas hydrophila infection of koi carp were investigated. Fish were fed two different diets, 1-control diet (non-supplemented) and 2-experimental diet (supplemented with 1 g/kg Calsporin®) for five weeks. Tissue samples were collected at days 0, 10, 20 and 35. The results showed that the weight gain (WG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly improved by dietary Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (P 0.05). Variation of intestinal bacterial communities were studied by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) which revealed that even though Bacillus subtilis C-3102 was not detected as a prominent component in the intestinal tract of koi carp at any time point, it could affect the intestinal microbiota community at the early stages of the trial, becoming weaker in the later stages. Concerning the gene expression results, the expression of HSP70 gene was up-regulated at day 10 and 35 the liver; no effects were observed in the intestine and kidney. A general trend of upregulation of cytokines expression (IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α and TGF-β) was observed in liver the (except IL-1β) and intestine, but unchanged in the kidney (except IL-10). The intraperitoneal injection challenge demonstrated that there was no positive effect of dietary B. subtilis C-3102 supplementation against A. hydrophila. These results suggested that B. subtilis C-3102 can provide beneficial effects on growth, feed utilization and modulating intestinal microbiota community.

Influence of Calsporin on Commercial Leghorns

A study was conducted to determine if Calsporin (Bacillus subtilis C-3102), a direct-fed microbial (probiotic), improved performance of commercial Leghorns and eggshell quality. Hyline W36 hens (n = 1,440; age = 65 wk) in 90 groups (16 hens/group) were randomly allocated to three dietary protein levels (17.3, 16.1, and 15.0%), and three Calsporin levels (0.0, 0.003 and 0.006%) in a 3 × 3 factorial for 10 wk. A Calsporin × protein interaction was observed on egg specific gravity (SG; P < 0.01). Egg SG increased more in hens fed the higher Calsporin level than in hens fed the lower level when dietary protein was 15%. This Calsporin level effect was reversed as dietary protein was increased to 16.1%. Trends similar to that of SG were also observed on eggshell thickness. Increasing dietary protein had a beneficial effect (P < 0.001) on egg production, feed consumption, and egg weight. Addition of Calsporin to hen diets had no significant influence on feed consumption, egg production, egg weight, or body weight of hens. More research is required to optimize any potential benefit of Calsporin with respect to dietary protein on eggshell quality.