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

Effect of the Inclusion of Bacillus spp. in Growing-Finishing Pigs' Diets: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis determined the effect of Bacillus spp. on growth performance of growing−finishing pigs and then assessed causes for the heterogeneity of responses detected using meta-regression. A database of 22 articles published from 2000 to 2020 was identified, and 9 articles fitted the selection criteria and were integrated in the final database. Statistical analysis was performed to analyze the effect size for ADG, average daily feed intake (ADFI), and F:G ratio using a standardized means difference (SMD) at a 95% confidence interval. A meta-regression analysis was used to investigate the cause of heterogeneity, using the individual SMD for each study assessment as the outcome and the associated SE as the measure of variance. Dietary Bacillus spp. supplementation had no effect on ADFI (SMD: −0.052, p = 0.138) and numerically increased ADG (SMD: 0.113, p = 0.081) and reduced the F:G ratio SMD: −0.127, p < 0.001). Meta-regression outcomes suggested that the number of animals per group was an essential component promoting heterogeneity in ADG. Overall, the inclusion of Bacillus spp. (median 486 mg/d) in growing−finishing pigs can increase ADG and can decrease the F:G ratio.

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

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.

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.