Feeding Bacillus subtilis ATCC19659 to Broiler Chickens Enhances Growth Performance and Immune Function by Modulating Intestinal Morphology and Cecum Microbiota

Taha M Mohamed; Weizhong Sun; Gifty Z Bumbie; Abdelmotaleb A Elokil; Khaled Abuelezz Fouad Mohammed; Rao Zebin; Ping Hu; Liuting Wu; Zhiru Tang

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.798350

Feeding Bacillus subtilis ATCC19659 to Broiler Chickens Enhances Growth Performance and Immune Function by Modulating Intestinal Morphology and Cecum Microbiota

Front Microbiol. 2022 Feb 22:12:798350. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.798350. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Taha M Mohamed^{1

2}, Weizhong Sun¹, Gifty Z Bumbie¹, Abdelmotaleb A Elokil³, Khaled Abuelezz Fouad Mohammed⁴, Rao Zebin¹, Ping Hu¹, Liuting Wu¹, Zhiru Tang¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory for Bio-Feed and Molecular Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
² Department of Animal and Fish Production, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
³ Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Moshtohor, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Poultry Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

Abstract

This study investigated dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis (BS) ATCC19659 on growth performance, biochemical indices, intestinal morphology, and cecum microflora in broiler chicks. A total of 600 Arbor 1-day Acres broilers of either sex were allotted to 5 treatments: chicks were fed a corn- and soybean-based diet (CON); chicks were fed basal diet containing 500 mg ZnB/kg (ZnB); chicks were fed basal diet containing 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g feed of BS-ATCC19659 (BS-1); chicks were fed basal diet containing 3 × 10⁸ CFU/g feed of BS-ATCC19659 (BS-3); and chicks were fed basal diet containing 5 × 10⁸ CFU/g feed of BS-ATCC19659 (BS-5). Each treatment comprised 6 replicates with 20 birds for each replicate pen. Chicks in the BS-5 and BS-3 groups had higher body weight at the 21^st and 42^nd days and average daily gain from 1 to 21 days than that in the CON group (p < 0.05). Chicks in the BS-5 and ZnB groups had higher serum antioxidant activities and immunity response than those in the CON group (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the liver mRNA abundance of GHR, TGF-β, IGF-1, IFN-γ, SOD, CAT, and GPX of chicks in three BS groups and the ileum villus length (μm) of chicks in BS-3 and ZnB groups was increased (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio of the ileum of chicks in the BS-5 and BS-3 groups and the crypt depth and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio of the jejunum in the BS-5 and ZnB groups were increased (p < 0.05). The abundance of the Cyanobacteria phyla in the cecum decreased in response to treatment with both BS-ATCC19659 and ZnB groups (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the cecum abundance of genera GCA-900066575 (Lachnospiraceae), Anaerofustis, and Papillibacter (Firmicutes phylum) in three BS groups were increased (p < 0.05); The abundance of genus Escherichia-Shigella reduced in the BS-3 group (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the cecum abundance of genus Clostridia_unclassified in ZnB and BS-5 groups was decreased (p < 0.05) of broilers. Generally, Bacillus subtilis ATCC19659 as feed additive positively affected growth performance, immunity response, and cecal microflora of broilers.

Keywords: Bacillus subtilis ATCC19659; broiler; cecum microbiota; growth performance; immune response; intestinal morphology.