Effects of Bacillus subtilis natto on performance and immune function of preweaning calves

Metabolic pathways associated with Firmicutes prevalence in the gut of multiple livestock animals and humans

Dynamic interspecific interactions and environmental factors deeply impact the composition of microbiotic communities in the gut. These factors intertwined with the host's genetic background and social habits cooperate synergistically as a hidden force modulating the host's physiological and health determinants, with certain bacterial species being maintained from generation to generation. Firmicutes, one of the dominant bacterial phyla present across vertebrate classes, exhibits a wide range of functional capabilities and colonization strategies. While ecological scenarios involving microbial specialization and metabolic functions have been hypothesized, the specific mechanisms that sustain the persistence of its microbial taxa in a high diversity of hosts remain elusive. This study fills this gap by investigating the Firmicutes metabolic mechanisms contributing to their prevalence and heritability in the host gut on metagenomes-assembled bacterial genomes collected from 351 vertebrate samples, covering 18 food-producing animals and humans, specific breeds and closely-related species. We observed that taxa belonging to Acetivibrionaceae, Clostridiaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and the not well understood CAG-74 family were evolutionarily shared across all hosts. These prevalent taxa exhibit metabolic pathways significantly correlated with extra-host survival mechanisms, cell adhesion, colonization and host transmission, highlighted by sporulation, glycan biosynthesis, bile acid metabolism, and short-chain fatty acid encoded genes. Our findings provide a deeper understanding of the ecological foundations governing distinct transmission modes, effective colonization establishment, and maintenance of Firmicutes, offering new perspectives on both well-known and poorly characterized species.

Effects of yeast culture on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and intestinal microbiota structure in Simmental beef cattle

Introduction

As functional feed additives, yeast cultures have been applied in animal husbandry and shown a wide range of good efficacy. This paper aimed to evaluate the effects of yeast culture (YC) on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and intestinal microbiota structure in beef cattle.

Methods

Forty Simmental bulls were randomly divided into two groups, including the control group fed with Total mixed ration (TMR) and YC group fed with TMR supplemented with 2% YC, for 60 days. Serum samples were collected on the 1st, 30th, and 60th days, respectively, while feces 3 days before the end of the test.

Results

Results showed that YC addition significantly elevated average daily gain and reduced feed to weight ratio of beef cattle. The enzyme activities of total superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, and glutathione peroxidase in the serum in YC group obviously increased, while the malondialdehyde content distinctly decreased. Furthermore, YC feeding significantly enhanced the immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, IgM levels, lysozyme content, alkaline phosphatase activity, as well as the contents of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and interferon-γ in the cattle serum. The Shannon and Observed species indexes of fecal samples in YC group were remarkably higher than those in the control group, with the former group exhibiting a significant increase in the relative abundance of Paraprevotellace_CF231 and Peptostreptococcaceae_Clostridium at the genus level, while the relative abundance of Spirochaetaceae_Treponema decreased significantly. Moreover, the abundance of Clostridium and CF231 was positively associated with the levels of serum antioxidant capacity and immune function indicator contents.

Discussion

In conclusion, YC could obviously improve the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and intestinal microbiota structure in Simmental beef cattle. These results provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of such yeast fermented preparations in beef cattle husbandry.

The ruminant gut microbiome vs enteric methane emission: The essential microbes may help to mitigate the global methane crisis

Ruminants release enteric methane into the atmosphere, significantly increasing greenhouse gas emissions and degrading the environment. A common focus of traditional mitigation efforts is on dietary management and manipulation, which may have limits in sustainability and efficacy, exploring the potential of essential microorganisms as a novel way to reduce intestinal methane emissions in ruminants; a topic that has garnered increased attention in recent years. Fermentation and feed digestion are significantly aided by essential microbes found in the rumen, such as bacteria, fungi, and archaea. The practical implications of the findings reported in various studies conducted on rumen gut concerning methane emissions may pave the way to understanding the mechanisms of CH4 production in the rumen to enhance cattle feed efficiency and mitigate CH4 emissions from livestock. This review discussed using essential bacteria to reduce intestinal methane emissions in ruminants. It investigates how particular microbial strains or consortia can alter rumen fermentation pathways to lower methane output while preserving the health and productivity of animals. We also describe the role of probiotics and prebiotics in managing methane emissions using microbial feed additives. Further, recent studies involving microbial interventions have been discussed. The use of new methods involving functional metagenomics and meta-transcriptomics for exploring the rumen microbiome structure has been highlighted. This review also emphasizes the challenges faced in altering the gut microbiome and future directions in this area.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CU33 Fermented Feather-Soybean Meal Product Improves the Crude Protein Digestibility, Diarrhea Status, and Growth Performance of Goat Kids

This study investigates the effects of replacing fish meal with fermented feather meal-soybean meal product (FFSMP) from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CU33 in the starter on growth performance, relative health performance, and digestibility of Alpine goat kids. In trial 1, thirty-two Alpine goat kids (male) were randomly assigned to dietary supplementation of 2% feather meal-soybean meal mix (FSM), 2% fish meal, or replacing fish meal with 50% or 100% FFSMP (FFSMP-50 or FFSMP-100) in starter (n = 8). In trial 2, sixteen goat kids were selected after trial 1 and used in this digestion trial which began from 12 weeks old. The treatments were the same as in trial 1 (n = 4). In trial 1, the growth performance of the FFSMP groups was better than the FSM group at 0 to 10 weeks (p < 0.05). The fecal consistency index of the FFSMP-100 group was better than the FSM group at 0 to 5 weeks and 5 to 10 weeks. In trial 2, the crude protein (CP) digestibility of the FSM group decreased (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 2% FFSMP in goat kids' diets can improve the growth performance, the CP digestibility, and diarrhea status, and it can completely replace the fish meal in starter diets.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis on Growth Performance, Metabolic Profile, and Health Status in Dairy Calves

This study focused on assessing whether the inclusion of probiotics (B. subtilis) as feed additives during the preweaning stage can enhance the body weight and metabolic condition of neonatal calves. A total of 50 Holstein calves, all born on the same farm, were randomly divided into two homogeneous treatment groups after birth. The calves in the control group (CG) were fed a milk replacer (n = 25) (13 females and 12 males) and those in the B. subtilis-supplement-treated group (TG), (n = 25) (13 females and 12 males) were fed a milk replacer with 7.5 mL/calf/day of B. subtilis probiotic (complied with the manufacturer's guidelines). The probiotic was administered 24 h post-birth, signifying the start of the experimental period. It took one month to collect the animals. Body weight was measured at birth for all animals. A local veterinarian, working on the farm, conducted daily health checks of the calves, recording health parameters and any antibiotic treatments. Blood samples were collected from each calf at birth and 30, 60, and 90 days by puncturing the jugular vein using 10 mL evacuated serum tubes before morning feeding. Significant differences in body weight were observed between the CG and the TG at 30, 60, and 90 days of age. At 30 days, the TG had a 4.11% higher average body weight than the CG (54.38 kg vs. 52.71 kg). At 60 days, the TG's average weight was 3.75% higher (79.21 kg vs. 76.34 kg), and at 90 days, the TG had a 2.91% higher average weight (112.87 kg vs. 109.67 kg). At 30 days of age, the TG showed significantly lower AST activity, with a 41.12% decrease compared to the CG (51.02 IU/L vs. 72.00 IU/L). Conversely, GGT activity was significantly higher in the TG by 64.68% (40.64 IU/L vs. 14.35 IU/L). Phosphorus concentration at 30 days was also significantly higher in the TG by 9.36% (3.27 mmol/L vs. 2.99 mmol/L). Additionally, the TG had a significantly lower total protein concentration, with a 21.63% decrease at 30 days (46.32 g/L vs. 56.34 g/L) and a 20.28% decrease at 60 days (48.32 g/L vs. 58.12 g/L) compared to the CG. These findings indicate that dairy calves given conventional milk replacer along with a daily dose of 7.5 mL of B. subtilis probiotic experienced enhanced growth performance and a more favourable metabolic profile during the first 90 days of their lives.

Differential Age-Based Response Induced by a Commercial Probiotic Supplementation in Pastured Goats

The potential benefit of probiotics in small ruminant production systems has largely been unexplored. We evaluated the effect of a goat commercial probiotic on health and performance indicators in pastured goats from birth until 10 months. We randomly allocated 26 newborn nursing goat kids to two groups: a control group that received saline and a treatment group that received a commercial probiotic paste orally. We evaluated select observable health indicators (inappetence, diarrhea, coughing), weight, immunity (IgA, IgG, and innate immune response), total protein, hematocrit (HCT), total lactic acid bacteria (LAB), total coliforms, and prevalence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) primary virulence genes (stx1, stx2, and eae) during the experimental period. The results revealed no significant differences in the health indicators, LAB count, and total E. coli count. Prevalence of stx1 at 1 week of age and both stx1 and stx2 genes 4 months post-weaning was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in probiotic-supplemented goats. Probiotic supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) increased the total protein and IgA 1 month post-supplementation during the pre-weaning period and innate immune markers 2 days post-weaning. The HCT in probiotic-supplemented goats was significantly (P < 0.05) higher at 1 and 2 months post-weaning. The growth rate was not affected by probiotic supplementation in pre- and peri-weaned goats but was significantly (P < 0.05) lowered in goats older than 4 months in the supplemented group. In this pastured goat production study, there were mixed responses to a commercial probiotic in healthy goats based on age. The study suggests that early daily probiotic supplementation in pre-weaned pastured goats may have immune stimulation benefits, but in older healthy animals, post-weaning net benefits are unclear and further research is recommended.

Effects of supplementing direct-fed microbials on health and growth of preweaning Gyr × Holstein dairy calves

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of direct-fed microbials (DFM) on health and growth responses of preweaning Bos indicus × Bos taurus (Gyr × Holstein) crossbred calves. Ninety newborn heifer calves (initial BW of 35 ± 4.0 kg) were used. At birth, calves were ranked by initial BW and parity of the dam and assigned to: (1) whole milk without DFM supplementation (CON; n = 30), (2) whole milk with the addition of 1.0 g/calf per day of a Bacillus-based DFM (BAC; n = 30), or (3) whole milk with the addition of 1.0 g/calf per day of BAC and 1.2 g/calf per day of Enterococcus faecium 669 (MIX; n = 30). Milk was fed individually during the study (77 d), and the BAC and MIX treatments were offered daily throughout the 77-d preweaning period. All calves were offered a starter supplement and corn silage starting on d 1 and 60 of age, respectively. Milk and starter supplement intake were evaluated daily, and BW was recorded on d 0 and at weaning (d 77). Diarrhea and pneumonia were assessed daily, and fecal samples were collected on d 0, 7, 14, 21, and at weaning (d 77) for assessment of the presence of bacterial and protozoal pathogens via qPCR. All data were analyzed using SAS (v. 9.4) with calf as the experimental unit and using single-df orthogonal contrasts (BAC + MIX vs. CON; BAC vs. MIX). Daily feeding of DFM, regardless of type, improved weaning BW. Odds ratio for occurrence of pneumonia was lower for DFM-supplemented calves, but its occurrence did not differ between BAC and MIX calves. No Salmonella spp. or Escherichia coli F41 were detected in any of the calves. The proportion of calves positive for E. coli F17 was greater for DFM calves on d 7 (92% and 96% vs. 81% for BAC, MIX, and CON, respectively), on d 21 (13% and 26% vs. 7% for BAC, MIX, and CON, respectively), and at weaning (48% and 35% vs. 22% for BAC, MIX, and CON, respectively). For Clostridium difficile, more DFM calves were positive on d 7 (65% and 30% vs. 35% for BAC, MIX, and CON, respectively) and 14 (20% and 28% vs. 7% for BAC, MIX, and CON, respectively), but proportion of positive calves was also greater for BAC versus MIX on d 7. More CON calves were positive for Clostridium perfringens on d 14 (14% vs. 3% and 8% for CON, BAC, and MIX, respectively) compared with DFM-fed calves. Incidence of calves positive for C. perfringens was greater in BAC than MIX on d 7 (50% vs. 18%), and greater for MIX than BAC at weaning (9% vs. 0%). For protozoa occurrence, a lower proportion of DFM calves were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. on d 7 (58% and 48% vs. 76% for BAC, MIX, and CON, respectively), but opposite results were observed on d 21 for Cryptosporidium spp. (3% and 11% vs. 0% for BAC, MIX, and CON, respectively) and Eimeria spp. on d 14 (7% and 8% vs. 0% for BAC, MIX, and CON, respectively) and 21 (50% and 59% vs. 38% for BAC, MIX, and CON, respectively). In summary, DFM feeding alleviated the occurrence of pneumonia and improved growth rates, while also modulating the prevalence of bacteria and protozoa in preweaning Gyr × Holstein calves.

Effects of a multistrain Bacillus-based direct-fed microbial on gastrointestinal permeability and biomarkers of inflammation during and following feed restriction in mid-lactation Holstein cows

Objectives were to evaluate the effects of a multistrain Bacillus-based (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus blend) direct-fed microbial (DFM) on production, metabolism, inflammation biomarkers and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) permeability during and following feed restriction (FR) in mid-lactation Holstein cows. Multiparous cows (n = 36; 138 ± 53 DIM) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: (1) control (CON; 7.5 g/d rice hulls; n = 12), (2) DFM10 (10 g/d Bacillus DFM, 4.9 × 109 cfu/d; n = 12) or 3) DFM15 (15 g/d Bacillus DFM, 7.4 × 109 cfu/d; n = 12). Before study initiation, cows were fed their respective treatments for 32 d. Cows continued to receive treatments during the trial, which consisted of 3 experimental periods (P): P1 (5 d) served as baseline for P2 (5 d), during which all cows were restricted to 40% of P1 DMI, and P3 (5 d), a "recovery" where cows were fed ad libitum. On d 4 of P1 and on d 2 and 5 of P2, GIT permeability was evaluated in vivo using the oral paracellular marker Cr-EDTA. As anticipated, FR decreased milk production, insulin, glucagon, and BUN but increased nonesterified fatty acids. During recovery, DMI rapidly increased on d 1 then subsequently decreased (4.9 kg) on d 2 before returning to baseline, whereas milk yield slowly increased but remained decreased (13%) relative to P1. The DFM10 cows had increased DMI and milk yield relative to DFM15 during P3 (10%). Overall, milk lactose content was increased in DFM cows relative to CON (0.10 percentage units), and DFM10 cows tended to have increased lactose yield relative to CON and DFM15 during P3 (8% and 10%, respectively). No overall treatment differences were observed for other milk composition variables. Circulating glucose was quadratically increased in DFM10 cows compared with CON and DFM15 during FR and recovery. Plasma Cr area under the curve was increased in all cows on d 2 (9%) and 5 (6%) relative to P1. Circulating LPS binding protein (LBP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and haptoglobin (Hp) increased in all cows during P2 compared with baseline (31%, 100%, and 9.0-fold, respectively). Circulating Hp concentrations continued to increase during P3 (274%). Overall, circulating LBP and Hp tended to be increased in DFM15 cows relative to DFM10 (29% and 81%, respectively), but no treatment differences were observed for SAA. Following feed reintroduction during P3, fecal pH initially decreased (0.62 units), but returned to baseline levels whereas fecal starch markedly increased (2.5-fold) and remained increased (82%). Absolute quantities of a fecal Butyryl-CoA CoA transferase (but) gene associated with butyrate synthesis, collected by fecal swab were increased in DFM10 cows compared with CON and DFM15 cows. In summary, FR increased GIT permeability, caused inflammation, and decreased production. Feeding DFM10 increased some key production and metabolism variables and upregulated a molecular biomarker of microbial hindgut butyrate synthesis, while DFM15 appeared to augment immune activation.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis on in vitro ruminal fermentation and methane production

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a proprietary strain of a Bacillus subtilis on in vitro ruminal fermentation and methane production in batch culture serum bottles. One hundred forty-nine batch culture bottles were used in a complete randomized block design. The arrangement of treatments was a 3 × 3 × 4 factorial to evaluate the effects of inoculum, time, diet, and their respective interactions. There were three experimental runs total, where the run was used as block. Inoculum treatments were 1.85 mg/mL of microcrystalline cellulose (CON); 10 billion B. subtilis plus microcrystalline cellulose (A1); and 60 billion B. subtilis plus microcrystalline cellulose (A2). Diet treatments were 0.50 g of early lactation diet (E, 30% starch), mid-lactation diet (M, 25% starch), or dry cow diet (D, 18% starch). The combination resulted in total of nine treatments. Each treatment had five replicates, two of which were used to determine nutrient degradability at 24 and 48 h after inoculation, and three were used to determine pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), volatile fatty acids, lactate, total gas, and methane production at 3, 6, 24, and 48 h after inoculation. Fixed effects of inoculum, diet, and their interaction were tested using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. Significance was declared at P ≤ 0.05. We observed that, compared to control, the supplementation of B. subtilis, decreased the production of acetate and propionate, while increasing the production of butyrate, iso-butyrate, valerate, iso-valerate, and caproate within each respective diet. Additionally, the total methane production exhibited mixed responses depending on the diet type. Overall, the inclusion of B. subtilis under in vitro conditions shows the potential to reduce ruminal methane production when supplemented with a mid-lactation diet, constituting a possible methane mitigation additive for dairy cattle diets.

Effects of Probiotic-Fermented Feed on the Growth Profile, Immune Functions, and Intestinal Microbiota of Bamei Piglets

Purebred Bamei piglets present problems, including slow growth, respiratory disease, and post-weaning stress. This study investigated the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum QP28-1- and Bacillus subtilis QB8-fermented feed supplementation on the growth performance, immunity, and intestinal microflora of Bamei piglets from Qinghai, China. A total of 48 purebred Bamei piglets (25 days; 6.8 ± 0.97 kg) were divided into the following four groups for a 28-day diet experiment: basal feed (CK); diet containing 10% Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented feed (L); diet containing 10% Bacillus subtilis-fermented feed (B); and diet containing a mixture of 5% Lactobacillus plantarum + 5% Bacillus subtilis-fermented feed (H). The daily weight gain and daily food intake of group H increased (p < 0.05), and the feed/weight gain ratios of the groups fed with fermented feed decreased more than that of the CK group. The levels of three immune factors, namely immunoglobulin (Ig)M, IgG, and interferon-γ, were higher (p < 0.05), whereas those of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 were lower (p < 0.05) in the fermented feed groups than in the CK group. Total protein was higher (p < 0.05), while urea nitrogen, total cholesterol and triglycerides were lower (p < 0.05) in the mixed-fermented feed group than in the CK group. Analysis of the gut microbiota showed that the addition of fermented feed increased the α-diversity of the gut microbiota, increasing the abundances of probiotics including Lactobacillus, Muribaculaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Rikenellaceae. Additionally, correlation analysis demonstrated that several of these probiotic bacteria were closely related to serum immunity. In conclusion, fermented feed supplementation rebuilt the intestinal microbiota of Bamei piglets, thereby reducing the feed/weight ratio, improving feed intake, and enhancing immunity.

Impact of synbiotics on growth performance and gut health in Murrah buffalo calves

Synbiotics have been used as biotherapeutic supplements for prevention of new-born calf gastrointestinal disorders. Present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of fructo-oligosaccharide, mannan-oligosaccharide and inulin along with Lactobacillus plantarum CRD-7 and Lactobacillus acidophilus NCDC15 on the nutrient digestibility, growth performance and faecal microbial population of pre-ruminant buffalo calves. Twenty-four Murrah calves (5 days old) were randomly assigned to four groups of six calves in each using randomized block design. Calves in Group I (control) received only a basic diet of milk, calf starter and berseem with no additives. Calves in Group II (SYN1) were fed 6 g fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) + Lactobacillus plantarum CRD-7 (100 ml). Calves in Group III (SYN2) were fed 9 g inulin + L. plantarum CRD-7 (50 ml), while calves in Group IV (SYN3) received 4 g MOS + L. acidophilus NCDC15 (200 ml) as fermented milk having 108 CFU/ml/calf/day in addition to the basal diet. The results revealed that digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract and average daily gain were all higher (P < 0.05) in SYN1 as compared to control group. The antioxidant enzyme activity, humoral and cell mediated immunity performed well in SYN1, SYN2 and SYN3 as compared to control. Diarrhoea and faecal scouring were lower (P < 0.05) in all supplemented groups than control. Faecal Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium counts were also higher in SYN1 group followed by SYN2 and SYN3. Faecal ammonia, lactate, pH, and volatile fatty acids level were increased in SYN1 supplemented groups. The synbiotic combination of 6 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 had better response on digestibility, average daily gain, antioxidant enzymes, immune response, faecal microbiota and metabolites and also reduce the faecal score and diarrhoea incidence. Therefore, supplementation of 6 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 can be advised for general use in order to promote long-term animal production.

Effect of tea polyphenols supplement on growth performance, antioxidation, and gut microbiota in squabs

Early life nutritional supplementation can significantly improve pigeon health. Both the nutritional crops of parental pigeons and the intestinal development of squabs play key roles in the growth rate of squabs. Tea polyphenols (TPs), as natural plant extracts, exhibit potential biological activities. However, the impact of TPs on the intestinal function of squabs is not known. This study evaluated the effects of TPs on growth performance, immunity, antioxidation, and intestinal function in squabs. A total of 432 young pigeons (1 day old) were divided into four groups: a control group (fed a basic diet) and three treatment groups (low, medium, and high dose groups; 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg TPs, respectively). On the 28th day, samples of serum, mucosal tissue, and digests from the ileum of squabs were collected for analysis. The results revealed that TP supplementation significantly reduced the feed-to-meat ratio and improved the feed utilization rate and serum biochemical indices in squabs. Additionally, it enhanced the intestinal barrier function of birds by promoting intestinal development and integrity of tight junctions and regulating digestive enzyme activities and intestinal flora. Mechanistically, TPs activated the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway, which may be associated with improved antioxidant and immune responses, correlating with an increased abundance of Candida arthritis and Corynebacterium in the ileum.

Supplementing a Bacillus-based probiotic to high-risk stocker cattle

This experiment evaluated the performance, health, and physiological responses of high-risk steers receiving a Bacillus-based probiotic during a 90-d grazing period. A total of 240 Angus-influenced steers were used in this experiment that was replicated over 2 yr (120 steers/year). Each year, steers were obtained from an auction yard and transported to the experimental facility (120 km). Steer body weight (BW) was recorded at arrival (day -1), and this value was averaged with BW recorded on day 0 to represent the initial BW (236.6 ± 1.5 kg). On day 0, steers were ranked by BW and allocated to 1 of 12 pastures with stockpiled native grass (4-ha pastures; 10 steers/pasture). Pastures were randomly assigned to receive daily supplementation with dried distillers' grains at 1% of BW containing either: 1) Bacillus subtilis + B. licheniformis probiotic (BOV; 2 g/steer daily of Bovacillus; Novonesis, Horsholm, Denmark) or 2) no feed additive (CON). Cattle received treatments from days 0 to 90, in addition to free-choice access to water and mineral + vitamin mix without ionophore. Steers were assessed for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) signs daily. Blood samples were collected and full BW was recorded on days 0, 14, 28, 56, and 90. Shrunk BW was recorded on day 91 after 16 h of feed and water restriction, and a 4% pencil shrink was used to calculate the final BW. Average daily gain (ADG) was calculated based on initial and final BW. No treatment effects were detected (P ≥ 0.73) for steer final BW and ADG. A treatment × day interaction was detected (P ≤ 0.05) for plasma haptoglobin concentration, which was greater for CON steers on days 14 and 28 (P ≤ 0.02). Incidence of BRD signs did not differ (P = 0.97) between treatments (51.7% and 51.3% for BOV and CON, respectively; SEM = 7.70). However, steer mortality + removals for health complications were greater (P = 0.01) in CON compared to BOV (0.00% vs. 5.04%, respectively; SEM = 1.41). Supplementing BOV improved (P ≤ 0.04) total pasture-based liveweight change (643 vs. 502 kg/pasture, respectively; SEM = 45) and final pasture-based total liveweight (3,007 vs. 2,869 kg/pasture, respectively; SEM = 46). Collectively, supplementation with a probiotic based on B. subtilis and B. licheniformis to high-risk stocker cattle did not alleviate the incidence of BRD signs nor improved ADG, but decreased acute-phase protein response, reduced steer mortality + removal, and increased pasture-based productivity during a 90-d grazing period.

A blend of bacillus-fermented soybean meal, functional amino acids, and nucleotides improves nutrient digestibility, bolsters immune response, reduces diarrhea, and enhances growth performance in weaned piglets

This study investigated the effects of a blend of bacillus-fermented soybean meal, functional amino acids, and nucleotides (Functional protein blend-FP Blend) as a replacement for animal protein sources in a weaner pig diet without antibiotic growth promoters on nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, intestinal morphology, diarrhea incidence, and growth performance. A total of 288 crossbred weaned piglets [♂ Duroc x ♀ (Yorkshire × Landrace)] with an average body weight (BW) of 6.89 ± 0.71 kg were randomly allocated to 6 groups based on initial BW and sex (8 replicate pens per treatment; 3 gilts and 3 barrows/pen). The experiment lasted for 5 wk. Dietary treatments included PC [standard diet with 3% fish meal (FM) and 2% plasma protein (PP)], NC (nonanimal protein, AP), T1 (3% FM replaced with 5% FP Blend), T2 (3% FM and 1% PP replaced with 5% FP Blend), T3 (2% PP replaced with 5% FP Blend), and T4 (3% FM and 2% PP replaced with 5% FP Blend). Data were analyzed using Minitab version 17 software. Key results indicated that FP Blend improved the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) coefficient of dry matter, gross energy, lysine, and valine in T4 compared with NC treatment (P < 0.05), whereas AID coefficient of crude protein and other amino acids remained constant (P > 0.05). Compared with NC diet, the weaned pigs fed T4 diet reduced malondialdehyde, serum IL8, TNF-α, and increased IgG (P < 0.05), while showing no effect on serum IL6, IL10, white blood cells, IgA, and endotoxin (P > 0.05). Furthermore, FP blend significantly increased villus height in the duodenum and ileum in T4 compared with NC (P < 0.05). The average daily gain (ADG) was highest in T4 (502.73 g/d), followed by T1 (477.96 g/d) and T2 (475.85 g/d), compared with PC (450.86 g/d) and NC (439.79 g/d). T4's ADG significantly differed from PC and NC (P < 0.001), whereas no significant differences were observed in T1, T2, and T3 (P > 0.05). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly lower in T4 (1.45) compared with PC (1.57) and NC (1.59) (P < 0.001), with no significant differences among other groups. In conclusion, FP Blend demonstrated efficacy in improving nutrient digestibility, optimizing intestinal morphology, bolstering immune responses, reducing diarrhea incidence, alleviating the adverse effects of weaning stress, and enhancing growth performance of weaned piglets.

Effects of bacterial direct-fed microbial combinations on beef cattle growth performance, feeding behavior, nutrient digestibility, ruminal morphology, and carcass characteristics

The effects of the dietary inclusion of a mixture of bacterial direct-fed microbial (DFM) on feedlot beef cattle growth performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, feeding behavior, and ruminal papillae morphology were evaluated. Crossbred-Angus steers (n = 192; initial body weight (BW) = 409 kg ± 8 kg) were blocked by BW and randomly assigned into 48 pens (4 steers/pen and 16 pens/treatment) following a randomized complete block design. A steam-flaked corn-based fishing diet was offered to ad libitum intake once daily for 153 d containing the following treatments: (1) Control (no DFM, lactose carrier only); (2) treat-A (Lactobacillus animalis, Propionibacterium freudenreichii, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus licheniformis), at 1:1:1:3 ratio, respectively; totaling 6 × 109 CFU (50 mg)/animal-daily minimum; and (3) treat-B, the same DFM combination, but with doses at 1:1:3:1 ratio. Bacterial counts were ~30% greater than the minimum expected. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS, with pen as the experimental unit, the fixed effect of treatment, and the random effect of BW-block, while preplanned contrasts comparing Control × treat-A or treat-B were used. Steers offered treat-A had increased carcass-adjusted average daily gain (P = 0.03) by 6.7%, gain efficiency (P < 0.01) by 6%, tended (P = 0.07) to have increased carcass-adjusted final BW by 15 kg, and hot carcass weight (P = 0.07) by 10 kg, while treat-B did not differ (P ≥ 0.17) from control. Overall dry matter (DM) intake (P = 0.36) and other carcass traits (P ≥ 0.13) were not affected by treatments. Steers offered treat-A tended to have increased digestibility of DM (P = 0.07) by 3%, neutral detergent fiber (P = 0.10), and hemicellulose (P = 0.08) by 9% compared with control, while treat-B did not differ (P ≥ 0.10) from control. No treatment × period interactions (P ≥ 0.21) or main effects of treatment (P ≥ 0.12) were observed during 24-h feeding behavior. Steers ruminated, ate, chewed, and were more active (P ≤ 0.01) during the second behavioral assessment (day 113), while drinking behavior was not affected (P ≥ 0.88). Ruminal papillae morphology and ruminal ammonia concentration (ruminal fluid collected at slaughter facility) were not affected by treatment (P ≥ 0.39). Steers offered the DFM treat-A had improved growth performance and it positively affected carcass weight and nutrient digestion. The DFM combinations did not seem to affect feedlot cattle feeding behavior or ruminal papillae morphology.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis PB6 supplementation on production, metabolism, inflammatory biomarkers, and gastrointestinal tract permeability in transition dairy cows

Objectives were to evaluate the effects of Bacillus subtilis PB6 (BSP) on gastrointestinal tract permeability, metabolism, inflammation, and production parameters in periparturient Holstein cows. Multiparous cows (n = 48) were stratified by previous 305-d mature equivalent milk yield and parity and assigned to 1 of 2 top-dressed dietary treatments 21 d before expected calving through 63 DIM: (1) control (CON; 13 g/d calcium carbonate; n = 24) or (2) BSP (13 g/d BSP; CLOSTAT, Kemin Industries, Des Moines, IA; n = 24). Gastrointestinal tract permeability was evaluated in vivo using the oral paracellular marker chromium (Cr)-EDTA. Effects of treatment, time, and treatment × time were assessed using PROC MIXED of SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc.). Prepartum dry matter intake (DMI) was unaffected by treatment; however, BSP supplementation decreased postpartum DMI relative to CON (0.7 kg). Milk yield, energy-corrected milk (ECM), fat-corrected milk (FCM), and solids-corrected milk (SCM) increased in BSP cows compared with CON (1.6, 1.8, 1.6, and 1.5 kg, respectively). Decreased DMI and increased production collectively improved feed efficiency of milk yield, ECM, FCM, and SCM for BSP cows (6, 5, 5, and 5%, respectively). No treatment differences were observed for concentrations of milk fat, protein, total solids, somatic cell count, somatic cell score, body weight, or body condition score. Milk urea nitrogen concentrations decreased (5%), whereas milk protein and lactose yield increased (5 and 2%, respectively) with BSP supplementation. Prepartum fecal pH did not differ among treatments; conversely, postpartum fecal pH was increased with BSP supplementation (0.09 pH units). Prepartum fecal dry matter percentage, starch, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and ethanol did not differ among treatments. Postpartum concentrations of the aforementioned fecal parameters were also unaffected by treatment, but fecal propionic acid concentration was decreased (24%) in BSP cows relative to CON. Circulating glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, l-lactate, and insulin were similar between treatments both pre- and postpartum. Prepartum β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) did not differ between treatments, but postpartum BSP supplementation decreased (21%) circulating BHB relative to CON. Regardless of treatment, inflammatory markers (serum amyloid A and haptoglobin) peaked immediately following parturition and progressively decreased with time, but this pattern was not influenced by treatment. Postpartum lipopolysaccharide binding protein tended to be decreased on d 3 in BSP relative to CON cows (19%). Neither treatment nor time affected Cr-EDTA area under the curve. In summary, supplementing BSP had no detectable effects prepartum, but increased key postpartum production parameters. Bacillus subtilis PB6 consistently increased postpartum fecal pH and decreased fecal propionate concentrations but did not appear to have an effect on gastrointestinal tract permeability.

Effects of direct-fed microbial supplementation on performance and immune parameters of lactating dairy cows

We evaluated the effects of supplementing bacterial direct-fed microbial (DFM) on performance, apparent total-tract digestibility, rumen fermentation, and immune parameters of lactating dairy cows. One hundred fourteen multiparous Holstein cows (41 ± 7 DIM) were used in a randomized complete block design with an experiment comprising 14 d of a covariate (pre-experimental sample and data collection) and 91 d of an experimental period. Cows were blocked based on energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield during the covariate period and the following treatments were randomly assigned within each block: (1) control (CON), corn silage-based total mixed ration without DFM; (2) PRO-A, basal diet top-dressed with a mixture of Lactobacillus animalis and Propionibacterium freudenreichii at 3 × 109 cfu/d; and 3) PRO-B, basal diet top-dressed with a mixture of L. animalis, P. freudenreichii, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus licheniformis at 11.8 × 109 cfu/d. Milk yield, dry matter intake (DMI), and body weight were measured daily, while milk samples for component analysis were taken on 2 consecutive days of each week of data collection. Feces, urine, rumen, and blood samples were taken during the covariate period, wk 4, 7, 10, and 13 for estimation of digestibility, N-partitioning, rumen fermentation, plasma nutrient status and immune parameters. Treatments had no effect on DMI and milk yield. Fat-corrected milk (3.5% FCM) and milk fat yield were improved with PRO-B, while milk fat percent and feed efficiency (ECM/DMI) tended to increase with PRO-B compared with PRO-A and CON. Crude fat digestibility was greater with PRO-B compared with CON. Feeding CON and PRO-A resulted in higher total volatile fatty acid concentration relative to PRO-B. Percentage of neutrophils tended to be reduced with PRO-A compared with CON and PRO-B. The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of anti-CD44 antibody on granulocytes tended to be higher in PRO-B compared with CON. The MFI of anti-CD62L antibody on CD8+ T cells was lower in PRO-A than PRO-B, with PRO-A also showing a tendency to be lower than CON. This study indicates the potential of DFM to improve fat digestibility with consequential improvement in fat corrected milk yield, feed efficiency and milk fat yield by lactating dairy cows. The study findings also indicate that dietary supplementation with DFM may augment immune parameters or activation of immune cells, including granulocytes and T cells; however, the overall effects on immune parameters are inconclusive.

Bacillus subtilis and Macleaya cordata extract regulate the rumen microbiota associated with enteric methane emission in dairy cows

BACKGROUND

Ruminant livestock production is a considerable source of enteric methane (CH4) emissions. In a previous study, we found that dietary inclusions of Bacillus subtilis (BS) and Macleaya cordata extract (MCE) increased dry matter intake and milk production, while reduced enteric CH4 emission in dairy cows. The objective of this study was to further elucidate the impact of feeding BS and MCE on rumen methanogenesis in dairy cows using rumen metagenomics techniques.

RESULTS

Sixty dairy cows were blocked in 20 groups of 3 cows accordingly to their live weight, milk yield, and days in milk, and within each group, the 3 cows were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatments: control diet (CON), control diet plus BS (BS), and control diet plus MCE (MCE). After 75 days of feeding experimental diets, 12 cows were selected from each treatment for collection of rumen samples for the metagenomic sequencing. Results showed that BS decreased ruminal acetate and butyrate, while increased propionate concentrations, resulting in decreased acetate:propionate ratio. The metagenomics analysis revealed that MCE reduced relative abundances of Methanobrevibacter wolinii, Methanobrevibacter sp. AbM4, Candidatus Methanomassiliicoccus intestinalis, Methanobrevibacter cuticularis, Methanomicrobium mobile, Methanobacterium formicicum, and Methanobacterium congolense. Both BS and MCE reduced relative abundances of Methanosphaera sp. WGK6 and Methanosphaera stadtmanae. The co-occurrence network analysis of rumen bacteria and archaea revealed that dietary treatments influenced microbial interaction patterns, with BS and MCE cows having more and stronger associations than CON cows. The random forest and heatmaps analysis demonstrated that the Halopenitus persicus was positively correlated with fat- and protein-corrected milk yield; Clostridium sp. CAG 269, Clostridium sp. 27 14, Haloarcula rubripromontorii, and Methanobrevibacter curvatus were negatively correlated with rumen acetate and butyrate concentrations, and acetate:propionate ratio, whereas Selenomonas rumiantium was positively correlated with those variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The present results provided new information for mitigation of enteric methane emissions of dairy cows by feeding BS and MCE to influence rumen microbial activities. This fundamental knowledge is essential for developing enteric CH4 reduction strategies to mitigate climate change and reduce dietary energy waste. Video Abstract.

Sodium butyrate promotes gastrointestinal development of preweaning bull calves via inhibiting inflammation, balancing nutrient metabolism, and optimizing microbial community functions

Butyrate promotes the growth and gastrointestinal development of calves. But, the mechanisms behind its effects on signaling pathways of the gastrointestinal tract and rumen microbiome is unclear. This study aimed to reveal transcriptomic pathways of gastrointestinal epithelium and microbial community in response to butyrate supplementation in calves fed a high fiber starter. Fourteen Holstein bull calves (39.9 ± 3.7 kg, 14 d of age) were assigned to 2 groups (sodium butyrate group, SB; control group, Ctrl). The SB group received 0.5% SB supplementation. At d 51, the calves were slaughtered to obtain samples for analysis of the transcriptome of the rumen and jejunum epithelium as well as ruminal microbial metagenome. Sodium butyrate supplementation resulted in a higher performance in average daily gain and development of jejunum and rumen papillae. In both the rumen and jejunum epithelium, SB down-regulated pathways related to inflammation including NF-κB (PPKCB, CXCL8, CXCL12), interleukin-17 (IL17A, IL17B, MMP9), and chemokine (CXCL12, CCL4, CCL8) and up-regulated immune pathways including the intestinal immune network for immunoglobulin A (IgA) production (CD28). Meanwhile, in the jejunum epithelium, SB regulated pathways related to nutritional metabolism including nitrogen metabolism (CA1, CA2, CA3), synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies (HMGCS2, BDH1, LOC100295719), fat digestion and absorption (PLA2G2F, APOA1, APOA4), and the PPAR signaling pathway (FABP4, FABP6, CYP4A11). The metagenome showed that SB greatly increased the relative abundance of Bacillus subtilis and Eubacterium limosum, activated ruminal microbial carbohydrate metabolism pathways and increased the abundance of carbohydrate hydrolysis enzymes. In conclusion, butyrate exhibited promoting effects on growth and gastrointestinal development by inhibiting inflammation, enhancing immunity and energy harvesting, and activating microbial carbohydrate metabolism. These findings provide new insights into the potential mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of butyrate in calf nutrition.

Characterization of controlled trials on probiotic supplementation to dairy calves: A scoping review

The objective of this scoping review was to identify, describe, and characterize the literature on probiotic supplementation in dairy calves. Eligible studies were nonrandomized, quasi-randomized and randomized controlled trials in English, Spanish, or Portuguese that evaluated the effect of probiotic supplementation on growth and health of dairy calves. The search strategies were based on a modification of the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) framework and used synonyms and words related to "dairy calves" (population), "probiotics" (intervention), and "growth and health measurements" (outcomes). No restrictions for publication year or language were applied. Searches were conducted in Biosis, CAB Abstracts, Medline, Scopus, and the Dissertations and Theses Database. In total, the search identified 4,467 records, of which 103 studies (110 controlled trials) met the inclusion criteria. The studies were published between 1980 and 2021 and originated from 28 countries. Trials were randomized (80.0%), nonrandomized (16.4%), and quasi-randomized (3.6%), ranging in sample size from 5 to 1,801 dairy calves (mode = 24; average = 64). Enrolled calves were frequently Holstein (74.5%), males (43.6%), and younger than 15 d at the beginning of probiotic supplementation (71.8%). Often, trials were conducted in research facilities (47.3%). Trials evaluated probiotics with single or multiple species of the same genus: Lactobacillus (26.4%), Saccharomyces (15.4%), Bacillus (10.0%), Enterococcus (3.6%), or multiple species of various genera (31.8%). Eight trials did not report the probiotic species used. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Enterococcus faecium were the species most supplemented to calves. The duration of probiotic supplementation ranged from 1 to 462 d (mode = 56; average = 50). In trials with a constant dose, it ranged from 4.0 × 106 to 3.7 × 1011 cfu/calf per day. Most probiotics were administered mixed solely into feed (88.5%; whole milk, milk replacer, starter, or total mixed ration) and less frequently orally as a drench or oral paste (7.9%). Most trials evaluated weight gain (88.2%) as a growth indicator and fecal consistency score (64.5%) as a health indicator. Our scoping review summarizes the breadth of controlled trials evaluating probiotic supplementation in dairy calves. Differences in intervention design (mode of probiotic administration, dose, and duration of probiotic supplementation) and outcomes evaluation (type and methods) justify future efforts toward standardized guidelines in clinical trials.

Protective Effects of Bacillus subtilis HH2 against Oral Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in Beagles

This study evaluated the protective effect of Bacillus subtilis HH2 on beagles orally challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). We assessed the physiological parameters and the severity of diarrhea, as well as the changes in three serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM), plasma diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactate (D-LA), and the fecal microbiome. Feeding B. subtilis HH2 significantly reduced the severity of diarrhea after the ETEC challenge (p < 0.05) and increased serum levels of IgG, IgA, and IgM (p < 0.01). B. subtilis HH2 administration also reduced serum levels of DAO at 48 h after the ETEC challenge (p < 0.05), but no significant changes were observed in D-LA (p > 0.05). Oral ETEC challenge significantly reduced the richness and diversity of gut microbiota in beagles not pre-fed with B. subtilis HH2 (p < 0.05), while B. subtilis HH2 feeding and oral ETEC challenge significantly altered the gut microbiota structure of beagles (p < 0.01). Moreover, 14 days of B. subtilis HH2 feeding reduced the relative abundance of Deinococcus-Thermus in feces. This study reveals that B. subtilis HH2 alleviates diarrhea caused by ETEC, enhances non-specific immunity, reduces ETEC-induced damage to the intestinal mucosa, and regulates gut microbiota composition.

Natto: A medicinal and edible food with health function

Natto is a soybean product fermented by natto bacteria. It is rich in a variety of amino acids, vitamins, proteins and active enzymes. It has a number of biological activities, such as thrombolysis, prevention of osteoporosis, antibacterial, anticancer, antioxidant and so on. It is widely used in medicine, health-care food, biocatalysis and other fields. Natto is rich in many pharmacological active substances and has significant medicinal research value. This paper summarizes the pharmacological activities and applications of natto in and outside China, so as to provide references for further research and development of natto.

Modulating gastrointestinal microbiota to alleviate diarrhea in calves

The calf stage is a critical period for the development of heifers. Newborn calves have low gastrointestinal barrier function and immunity before weaning, making them highly susceptible to infection by various intestinal pathogens. Diarrhea in calves poses a significant threat to the health of young ruminants and may cause serious economic losses to livestock farms. Antibiotics are commonly used to treat diarrhea and promote calf growth, leading to bacterial resistance and increasing antibiotic residues in meat. Therefore, finding new technologies to improve the diarrhea of newborn calves is a challenge for livestock production and public health. The operation of the gut microbiota in the early stages after birth is crucial for optimizing immune function and body growth. Microbiota colonization of newborn animals is crucial for healthy development. Early intervention of the calf gastrointestinal microbiota, such as oral probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation and rumen microbiota transplantation can effectively relieve calf diarrhea. This review focuses on the role and mechanisms of oral probiotics such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium in relieving calf diarrhea. The aim is to develop appropriate antibiotic alternatives to improve calf health in a sustainable and responsible manner, while addressing public health issues related to the use of antibiotics in livestock.

Sequential use of nutritional additives in diets for finishing Nellore steers in confinement

The objective was to evaluate the effect of using prebiotics (Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii) or Monensin in the confinement initial phase and replacing monensin with probiotics (Bacillus toyonensis) in the final phase. Forty-eight Nellore steers were used, with an initial mean body weight of 356.2 ± 17.98 kg, distributed in a completely randomized design. Two animals per pen were confined in 80 m² pens. The experiment was divided into two stages. The first phase lasted from day 1 to the 30th day, during which the animals were divided into two groups of 24 animals each. The treatments were the nutritional additives added to the diet: monensin or prebiotics (Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii). In the second phase, each group was subdivided into 12 animals by treatment, which received monensin or probiotics (Bacillus toyonensis). Dry matter intake (DMI), animal performance, and economic evaluation of the use of additives were evaluated. There was no additive effect on DMI, average daily gain, and total weight gain of the animals in the first experimental stage (0-30th day). Likewise, in the second stage (31st-100th day), there was no treatment effect for the variables of intake and performance. There was no effect of the use of different nutritional additives on carcass characteristics. The use of prebiotics sequentially to probiotics promoted gross and net yield that was superior to that of the animals that consumed monensin. Yeasts and bacteria respectively in the first and second phases of confinement can replace monensin in confinement diets.

Stimbiotics Supplementation Promotes Growth Performance by Improving Plasma Immunoglobulin and IGF-1 Levels and Regulating Gut Microbiota Composition in Weaned Piglets

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with stimbiotics (STB) on growth performance, diarrhoea incidence, plasma antioxidant capacity, immunoglobulin concentration and hormone levels, and faecal microorganisms in weaned piglets. Compared with the control (CT) group, the addition of STB improved the body weight (BW) of piglets on days 28 and 42 (p < 0.05) and increased daily weight gain and daily feed intake from days 14–28 and throughout the trial period (p < 0.05). Correspondingly, the plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) level on day 42 was significantly improved by STB (p < 0.05). VistaPros (VP) group levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) A and G were significantly higher on days 14 and 42 (p < 0.05) than the CT group levels. In addition, the activity of plasma catalase tended to be increased on day 14 (p = 0.053) in the VP group, as for superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde, STB did not significantly affect their levels (p > 0.05). Moreover, dietary STB increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, including norank_f_Muribaculaceae, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Parabacteroides, and unclassified_f__Oscillospiraceae. In summary, STB improved the immunity and IGF-1 levels in the plasma of weaned piglets and consequently promoted the growth performance of weaned piglets.

Supplementing pre- and probiotic ingredients to feedlot steers: effects on health, growth performance, and physiological responses

Feedlot diets are often enriched with additives to mitigate health disorders and promote cattle performance, including the feed-grade antimicrobials monensin and tylosin. However, alternative feeding strategies are warranted given the increasing regulations regarding the use of antimicrobials in feedlot diets. This study evaluated the performance, physiological, and health responses of feedlot cattle offered a synbiotic supplement (yeast-derived prebiotic + Bacillus subtilis probiotic), which replaced or was fed in conjunction with monensin and tylosin. Angus-influenced steers (n = 192) from four different cowherds were weaned on day -1 and transported (800 km) to the feedlot. Steers were allocated to 1 of 24 pens (eight steers/pen) upon arrival on day 0. Pens were assigned to receive (n = 8/treatment) a total-mixed ration (TMR) containing: (1) monensin and tylosin (RT; 360 mg/steer daily from Rumensin and 90 mg/steer daily from Tylan; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN, USA), (2) yeast-derived ingredient and B. subtilis probiotic (CC; 18 g/steer daily of Celmanax and 28 g/steer daily of Certillus; Church and Dwight Co., Inc., Princeton, NJ, USA), or (3) a combination of RT and CC (RTCC). Steers were slaughtered according to BW in four groups balanced by treatment and pens and received treatments for 252 ± 4 days. No treatment effects were detected (P ≥ 0.17) for steer BW gain and morbidity responses. Mean TMR intake was greater and gain:feed ratio was less (P ≤ 0.01) in CC compared with RT and RTCC steers. Mean plasma leptin concentration was greater (P ≤ 0.05) in CC compared with RT and RTCC steers. Steers receiving CC had greater (P ≤ 0.04) concentrations of plasma cortisol, haptoglobin, glucose, and beta-hydroxybutyrate, and less (P ≤ 0.05) concentration of non-esterified fatty acids compared with RT and RTCC steers on day 14 of the experiment. Carcass marbling was greater (P = 0.01) in CC compared with RT steers and tended to be greater (P = 0.07) in RTCC compared with RT steers. Proportion of carcasses that graded Choice or better and Longissimus muscle area were greater (P ≤ 0.05) in CC and RTCC compared with RT steers. Incidence of liver abscesses was less (P = 0.01) in RTCC compared with CC steers and tended to be less (P = 0.09) in RT compared with CC steers. Results from this experiment indicate that the synbiotic supplement may replace monensin and tylosin without reducing steer BW gain, with potential improvements to carcass quality traits.

Effects of feeding CLOSTAT (Bacillus subtilis PB6) on the clinical health, performance, and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers1

The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effects of feeding Bacillus subtilis PB6 on clinical health, performance, and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers. Bos indicus crossbred steer calves (n = 397; 342 kg initial body weight [BW]) were randomly assigned to pens by initial BW; pens (n = 24) were randomly assigned to one of two of the following experimental treatments: 1) no supplemental dietary direct-fed microbial, control (CON; n = 12 pens) or 2) 13 g/steer daily B. subtilis PB6 (CLO; CLOSTAT, Kemin Industries, Des Moines, IA; n = 12 pens). Steers were housed in 12.2 × 30.5 m soil-surfaced pens; pen served as the experimental unit. The percentage of cattle treated once or twice for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.27); BRD mortality also did not differ between CON and CLO (P = 0.34). During the receiving period, final BW (P = 0.97), average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.91), dry matter intake (DMI; P = 0.77), and gain:feed (P = 0.79) were not different among treatments. There was a tendency (P = 0.09) for CLO-supplemented steers to be 14% more efficient from days 0 to 14 of the receiving period. Final BW, overall finishing phase ADG, and DMI did not differ by treatment (P ≥ 0.14); ADG was 0.14 kg greater for CLO than CON (P = 0.03) from days 29 to 56 of the finishing period. Gain: feed tended (P = 0.07) to be 7% greater (0.144 vs. 0.141) for CLO than CON throughout the duration of the finishing period, and 6.7% greater (P = 0.08; 0.152 for CLO vs. 0.150 for CON) for the entirety of the experiment. Carcass traits did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.31). The results of this experiment suggest that supplementing 13 g/steer daily B. subtilis PB6 may improve feed efficiency in feedlot cattle.

The microbiome shifts throughout the gastrointestinal tract of Bradford cattle in the Pampa biome

A deep understanding of the cattle gastrointestinal microbiome is crucial to selective breeding high-efficiency animals that produce more and generate less environmental damage. Here we performed the taxonomic identification of Bacterial and Archaeal communities using high throughput 16SrRNA gene sequencing from critical compartments of the gastrointestinal tract of Bradford cattle raised in a natural grassland in the Pampa biome, Brazil. We analyzed 110 samples, including saliva, ruminal fluid, and feces from 36 months old Bradford heifers (weighing on average 343 ± 30 kg by the sampling time). To reduce unexpected variation and confounders, we selected the animals from the same breed, submitted them to the same food source, and collected the samples for three consecutive years from different animals in the same season. Our main goal was to analyze the microbial shifts throughout the gastrointestinal tract to reference future works proposing management strategies and interventions to improve animal nutrition and increase production in the Pampa Biome. To accomplish our objective, we accessed the microbial community differences in groups with a high and low weight gain controlling for food ingestion and quality of grazed pasture. Few taxa were shared among the samples. About 40% of the phyla and 60% of the genera were unique from saliva samples, and 12.4% of the microbial genera were uniquely found in feces. All samples shared only 36.1% of phyla and 7.5% of genera. Differences in microbial diversity and taxa counts were observed. The ruminal fluid presented the lowest microbial richness, while saliva and feces presented the highest microbial richness. On the other hand, saliva and feces also presented more distinct communities between themselves when compared with ruminal samples. Our data showed that the saliva microbiome is not representative of the rumen microbiome and should not be used as an easy-to-collect sample for studies about the rumen microbiome.

Additive-induced pH determines bacterial community composition and metabolome in traditional mustard seed fermented products

Introduction

Kahudi and Kharoli are unique naturally fermented mustard seed products prepared and consumed in the northeastern region of India. The pre-fermentation processing of mustard seeds (soaking, pan-frying, mixing with alkaline or acidic additives, airtight packaging) renders a stringent fermentation environment. The metabolic activities of fermenting bacterial populations yield a myriad of glucosinolate-derived bioactive components which have not been described earlier.

Methods

This present study employed integrated 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and LC-MS-based metabolomics to elucidate the bacterial diversity and metabolome of the two fermented mustard seed food products.

Results and Discussion

Univariate and multivariate analyses of metabolomics data revealed differential abundances of a few therapeutically-important metabolites viz., sinapine, indole-3-carbinol, γ-linolenic acid in Kahudi, and metabolites viz., β-sitosterol acetate, 3-butylene glucosinolate, erucic acid in Kharoli. A metagenomic investigation involving the 16S rRNA (V3–V4) amplicon sequencing showed the dominance of Firmicutes (99.1 ± 0.18%) in Kahudi, and Firmicutes (79.6 ± 1.92%) and Proteobacteria (20.37 ± 1.94%) in Kharoli. The most abundant genera were Bacillus (88.7 ± 1.67% in Kahudi; 12.5 ± 1.75% in Kharoli) followed by Lysinibacillus (67.1 ± 2.37% in Kharoli; 10.4 ± 1.74% in Kahudi). Members of both these genera are well known for proteolytic and endospore-forming abilities which could have helped in colonizing and thriving in the stringent fermentation environments.

A buffalo rumen-derived probiotic (SN-6) could effectively increase simmental growth performance by regulating fecal microbiota and metabolism

Microorganisms play a key role in ruminal digestion, some of which can be used as probiotics to promote growth in ruminants. However, which potential bacteria are responsible for ruminant growth and how they potentiate the basic mechanism is unclear. In this study, three bacterial strains, Bacillus pumilus (SN-3), Bacillus paralicheniformis (SN-6), and Bacillus altitudinis (SN-20) with multiple digestive enzymes were isolated from the rumen of healthy buffaloes. Among these strains, SN-6 secreted cellulase, laccase, and amylase, and significantly inhibited Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and Escherichia coli K99 in vitro. In addition, SN-6 exhibited strong tolerance to artificial gastric juice, intestinal juice, and high temperature. Antibiotic resistance test, virulence gene test, and mouse toxicity test confirmed the safety of SN-6. Further, SN-6 significantly increased the body weight (p < 0.01), affects the intestinal microbiota structure, and alters the metabolomic patterns of Simmental. There was a remarkable difference in the β diversity of fecal microflora between SN-6 and control groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, SN-6 significantly increased the abundance of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Bifidobacterium, Blautia, and Cellulolyticum, decreased the relative abundance of Monoglobus and norank_f_Ruminococcacea. Moreover, SN-6 feeding significantly enriched intestinal metabolites (i.e., 3-indoleacrylic acid, kynurenic acid) to maintain intestinal homeostasis. Finally, the microbial and metabolic functional analysis indicated that SN-6 could enhance amino acid metabolism (mainly tryptophan metabolism) and lipid metabolism pathways. Overall, these findings indicated that SN-6 could be used as a probiotic in ruminants.

Effects of antibacterial peptide-producing Bacillus subtilis, gallic acid, and cellulase on fermentation quality and bacterial community of whole-plant corn silage

In the current study, we assessed the effects of antibacterial peptide-producing Bacillus subtilis (BS), gallic acid (GA) and cellulase (CL) on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of various varieties of whole-plant corn silage. Three different varieties of whole-plant corn (Yuqing386, Enxiai298, and Nonghe35) were treated with 0.02% BS (fresh material basis), 0.2% GA (fresh material basis) and 0.02% CL (fresh material basis), after which 45 days of anaerobic fermentation were conducted. With the exception of its low dry matter content, the results showed that Yuqing386's crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrate, and lactic acid contents were significantly higher than those of the other two corn varieties. However, its acid detergent fiber and cellulose contents were significantly lower than those of the other two corn varieties. Among the three corn variety silages, Yuqing386 had the highest relative abundance of Lactobacillus at the genus level and the biggest relative abundance of Firmicutes at the phylum level. In addition, the three additives markedly enhanced the quantity of dry matter and crude protein as compared to the control group. The application of GA considerably decreased the level of neutral detergent fiber while significantly increasing the content of lactic acid and water-soluble carbohydrates. Even though all additives enhanced the structure of the bacterial community following silage, the GA group experienced the greatest enhancement. On a phylum and genus level, the GA group contains the highest relative abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus, respectively. Overall, of the three corn varieties, Yuqing386 provides the best silage qualities. GA has the biggest impact among the additions employed in this experiment to enhance the nutritional preservation and fermentation quality of whole-plant corn silage.

Cecal microbiota of feedlot cattle fed a four-species Bacillus supplement

As commercial fed cattle consume large amounts of concentrate feedstuffs, hindgut health can be challenged. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a commercially available Bacillus feed additive on cattle health outcomes and cecal microbiota of fed cattle at the time of harvest. Commercial cattle from a single feedlot were identified for characterization of cecal microbial communities using 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequencing. All cattle were fed a common corn-based finishing diet. Control cattle (CON) were administered no treatment while treated cattle (TRT) were supplemented daily with 0.050 g of MicroSaf 4C 40 (2 billion colony forming units of Bacillus spp.; Phileo by Lesaffre, Milwaukee, WI). Immediately after harvest and evisceration, the cecal contents of cattle were sampled. After DNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing, reads from CON samples (N = 12) and TRT samples (N = 12) were assigned taxonomy using the SILVA 138 database. Total morbidity, first treatment of atypical interstitial pneumonia, and early shipments for harvest were decreased among TRT cattle compared to CON cattle (P ≤ 0.021). On average, cecal microbiota from TRT cattle had greater alpha diversity than microbiota from CON cattle as measured by Shannon diversity, Pielou's evenness, and feature richness (P < 0.010). Additionally, TRT microbial communities were different (P = 0.001) and less variable (P < 0.001) than CON microbial communities when evaluated by unweighted UniFrac distances. By relative abundance across all samples, the most prevalent phyla were Firmicutes (55.40%, SD = 15.97) and Bacteroidetes (28.17%, SD = 17.74) followed by Proteobacteria (6.75%, SD = 10.98), Spirochaetes (4.54%, SD = 4.85), and Euryarchaeota (1.77%, SD = 3.00). Spirochaetes relative abundance in TRT communities was greater than that in CON communities and was differentially abundant between treatments by ANCOM testing (W = 11); Monoglobaceae was the only family-level taxon identified as differentially abundant (W = 59; greater mean relative abundance in TRT group by 2.12 percentage points). Half (N = 6) of the CON samples clustered away from all other samples based on principal coordinates and represented cecal dysbiosis among CON cattle. The results of this study indicated that administering a four-species blend of Bacillus positively supported the cecal microbial communities of finishing cattle. Further research is needed to explore potential mechanisms of action of Bacillus DFM products in feedlot cattle.

The use of probiotics in nutrition and herd health management in large Hungarian dairy cattle farms

In the European Union, there is an increasing need for farm animal nutrition products whose positive effects can replace antibiotics that have been heavily used for decades. Thus, the use of probiotics started to increase in the past few years. In this study, a survey on the practical use of probiotics in Hungarian dairy cattle farms and the related experience of farm nutrition experts was conducted. In addition, we surveyed the state of Hungary for probiotics production and distribution. After direct request via phone, nutrition experts responsible for farm feeding programs in 23 large commercial dairy cattle farms and eight managers in different feed distributor companies in Hungary filled out the relevant online questionnaires in 2018. The results show that 69.6% of the surveyed farms used probiotics, most often aiming at the optimization of rumen fermentation, protection against stressors, and supplementation of medical treatments. The most common expected beneficial effects of probiotics were more effective calf raising, larger milk yield, more stable rumen fermentation, and improved stress resistance. None of the respondents experienced any negative effects. In Hungary, five out of eight surveyed feed companies produced probiotic products for cattle, and one just distributed them. Company managers generally thought that farm nutrition experts did not have up-to-date knowledge on probiotics, which is why, these products are often not used in an effective way, and the experts' knowledge should be increased. The own experiments of the distributor companies showed that the probiotic products can improve feed digestibility, the efficacy of calf raising, and the reproductive performance of cows. According to the expectations of distributors, the next generation of probiotic products will be microencapsulated and will contain multiple strains and species of bacteria and prebiotics, too. The goal of the product development is to create probiotics with better effectiveness at a reasonable price, having a complex impact and easier application on the herd level. The study showed that probiotics are already frequently used to prevent diseases in Hungarian dairy herds. However, it can be concluded that there is room for improvement, especially concerning the knowledge transfer about the most effective use of probiotic products.

An Evaluation of Nutritional and Therapeutic Factors Affecting Pre-Weaned Calf Health and Welfare, and Direct-Fed Microbials as a Potential Alternative for Promoting Performance—A Review

The priority for calf rearing has been to maintain good health and welfare in order to promote and sustain future production. However, there have been numerous reports of undesirable levels of morbidity and mortality amongst pre-weaned calves. This may be mitigated or exacerbated by nutritional management practices. Some areas of concern include colostrum feeding, utilization of waste milk, and restrictive milk feeding regimes. Antibiotics may be prescribed at lethal or sub-inhibitory doses to treat or prevent disease. However, extensive antibiotic use may disrupt the gastrointestinal microbiota and aid in expanding the antibiotic resistant gene pool. In an attempt to reduce the use of antibiotics, there is a demand to find alternative performance enhancers. Direct-fed microbials, also known as probiotics, may comply with this role. A DFM consists of live microorganisms that are biologically active and able to confer health benefits onto the host. Lactic acid bacteria have been the most frequently investigated; however, this field of research has expanded to include spore-forming bacteria and live yeast preparations. This review aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the nutritional management strategies that may increase a calf’s susceptibility to morbidity and mortality, the efficacy and sustainability of antibiotics as a tool for managing calf health and welfare, and the potential for DFMs as a supportive strategy for promoting calf wellbeing.

Effects of Multi-Strain Probiotics and Perilla frutescens Seed Extract Supplementation Alone or Combined on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Indices, and Intestinal Health of Weaned Piglets

Simple Summary

Weaning piglets face stressors from changes in feed and environment, which affects their growth. To resolve this problem, we explored the separate effects of multi-strain probiotics and Perilla frutescens seed extract and their combined effect on weaning piglets. We found multi-strain probiotics or Perilla frutescens seed extract both improved the gain to feed ratio and antioxidant capacity. In addition, multi-strain probiotics improved jejunal villus height and the villus height/crypt depth ratio. Perilla frutescens seed extract improved ileal villus height. The interactive effects were observed in jejunal villus height and the villus height/crypt depth ratio, ileal villus height, and the gene expression of IL-1β and mucin2 in the intestinal mucosa. This study shows that using either multi-strain probiotics or Perilla frutescens seed extract alone is more effective than their combined use in weaning piglets.

Abstract

This study examined the effects of multi-strain probiotics (BL) and Perilla frutescens seed extract (PSE), alone or in combination, on weaning piglets. In total, 96 weaning piglets were allocated into four treatments: CON group (the basal diet), PSE group (basal diet + 1g/kg PSE), BL group (basal diet + 2 g/kg BL), and BL+PSE group (basal diet +1 g/kg PSE + 2 g/kg BL) according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The supplementation of BL or PSE improved the gain to feed ratio. Dietary BL reduced diarrhea occurrence and Escherichia coli, but increased Lactobacillus counts in the ileal digesta. Dietary PSE tended to increase Lactobacillus counts in the ileal digesta. Interactive effects were found in terms of ileal villus height, the gene expression of IL-1β, and malondialdehyde in the ileal mucosa. Dietary BL lowered malondialdehyde in the spleen, liver, and jejunal mucosa but increased the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in the liver and ileum mucosa. The supplementation of PSE improved superoxide dismutase in serum and T-AOC in the liver, and reduced MDA in liver, spleen, and jejunum mucosa. Taken together, BL or PSE showed positive effects, improving growth and intestinal morphology and enhancing antioxidant capacity. However, their interaction showed no beneficial effects on the antioxidant indices and the intestinal morphology of weaned piglets.

Effect of a 2-step probiotic program on digestive health and performance of Holstein heifer calves

Managing the composition of the bacterial communities in the digestive tract with the use of probiotics that enhance protective microflora could result in positive effects on health and performance of calves. The objective of this study was to evaluate a 2-step probiotic program (added to colostrum and milk) on the digestive health and growth of preweaning Holstein heifers. A randomized clinical trial was conducted from July to October 2020 in a calf rearing facility in Colorado. Calves were housed in pairs sharing the same treatment in 2 polyethylene hutches within a common area of 4.50 m². A total of 232 calves were enrolled at birth and randomly allocated into 2 treatment groups [control (CTR) = 116; treatment (PB) = 116] and followed until weaning (64 ± 3 d). Treatment consisted of 2 formulations of a multistrain bacterial-based probiotic added in colostrum (PBF1) and milk (PBF2). Treatment calves received 2 g of PBF1 added to each colostrum feeding, and 1 g of PBF2 added to the milk at the morning feeding 3 times per week up to weaning. Calf weight was collected at birth, at 30 d of age, and at weaning. Serum total protein was determined at age 3 ± 1 d and a health assessment was completed 3 times per week. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS, with calf considered the experimental unit clustered by housing pair. Cox proportional hazard analysis and time to event analysis were used to compare time to the first diarrhea event and time to recovery between treatment groups. The total number of diarrhea events and culling were assessed by Poisson regression and logistic regression analysis, respectively. Linear regression was performed to evaluate differences in average daily gain by treatment group. Overall, the mean (± standard error) temperature humidity index (THI) was 75 (± 0.44) units during the study period, which resulted in continuous exposure to heat stress in the day hours. No difference between treatment groups was observed in serum total protein. The overall incidence of diarrhea was 96.6% (CTR = 99%, PB = 95%); no differences were determined in the hazard of a first diarrhea episode or in the median time to the first diarrhea event (11 d in both groups). Similarly, no differences were found in the likelihood of recovery or in the median time to recovery from diarrhea (7 d in both groups). Likewise, treatment group was not associated with the number of diarrhea events, mean (± standard error, g/d) average daily gain from birth to weaning [CTR = 562.5 (13.9); PB = 570.8 (13.5)], or with the odds of culling. The most prevalent pathogen isolated from feces was Clostridium, which tended to be more frequent in CTR calves than PB calves. In conclusion, the probiotic program did not affect the incidence of enteric disease or the growth of preweaning heifer calves.

Effects of a multi-strain Bacillus subtilis-based direct-fed microbial on immunity markers and intestinal morphology in diets fed to weanling pigs

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of a multi-strain Bacillus subtilis-based direct-fed microbial (DFM) on nursery pig health as indicated by intestinal mucosal and blood plasma immunological markers and intestinal morphology. Eighty pigs, of equal number of barrows and gilts (initial BW: 7.0 ± 0.60 kg), weaned at 21 ± 1 d of age were randomly allotted to sixteen pens, with five pigs per pen. Two dietary treatments were implemented, a basal control (CON) and a basal control plus DFM (CDFM). Both diets were corn, soybean meal, and distillers dried grains based and were formulated to meet or exceed all nutritional requirements (NRC, 2012) and manufactured on site. Diets were fed for 42 d. On d 21 and 42 of the experiment, one pig per pen was randomly selected and euthanized, with equal number of males and females represented. Blood samples were collected prior to euthanasia for assessment of plasma concentrations of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and intestinal fatty acid binding protein. Segments of the gastrointestinal tract including duodenum, jejunum, ileum, ascending and distal colon were removed for analysis of intestinal morphology, and levels of interleukin 6, interleukin 10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Jejunal villus height was greater in the CDFM pigs as compared with CON pigs (P = 0.02) and ascending colon crypt depth tended to be greater on d 21 (P = 0.10). Compared to CON, CDFM significantly increased overall plasma IgA (P = 0.03) (0.58 vs. 0.73 0.05 mg/mL, respectively), while it tended to increase plasma IgA (P = 0.06) on d 21 (0.34 vs. 0.54 ± 0.07 mg/mL, respectively) and tended to increase overall IL-10 (P = 0.10) in the jejunum (113 vs. 195 ± 35 pg/mL, respectively). Addition of a multi-strain Bacillus subtilis-based DFM may have an early benefit to nursery pig health status, observed through specific changes in morphology and both systemic and localized immunological markers.

Impacts of Various Nutraceutical Milk Replacer Supplements on the Health and Performance of High-Risk Holstein Calves

The objectives of this study were to determine the impacts of supplementing various nutraceuticals in milk replacers, including a blend of probiotics, β-glucan extract, mannanoligosaccharide extract, or a non-immunoglobulin rich extract, from colostrum on the performance and health of high-risk calves and to determine carry-over effects into the immediate post-weaned period. One hundred bull calves were acquired from a local calf ranch within 24 h of birth and randomly assigned to one of five dietary treatments added to milk replacer only: (1) Control (CON), no additive; (2) Immu-PRIME (ImmPr), 1.5 g/d ImmPr first 3 d only (Sterling Technology, Brookings, SD, USA); (3) Beta glucan (BG), 1 g/d BG extract (ImmuOligo, Irvine, CA, USA); (4) Mannanoligosaccharide + Bacillus subtilis (MOS+Bs), 3 g/d CEREVIDA EXCELL-M + 4 x 109 CFU/d Bacillus subtilis (MB Nutritional Sciences, Lubbock, TX, USA); and (5) PROVIDA CALF (PRO), proprietary blend of 2 x 109 CFU/d of a Lactobacillus casei and an Enterococcus faecium + 2 x 109 CFU/d Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MB Nutritional Sciences, Lubbock, TX, USA). Calves were weaned at d 56, comingled, and treatment carry-over effects evaluated through d 84. Starter intake was measured daily and BW weekly. Peripheral blood samples were collected and analyzed for hematology and serum was analyzed for haptoglobin concentrations. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) function was assessed through surface L-selectin expression, phagocytic, and oxidative burst activities against Escherichia coli. Data were analyzed using Proc Mixed in SAS (SAS 9.4, Cary, NC). The BG calves consumed the most starter from d 1 to 28 and pre-weaned average daily gain was greater for both the PRO and BG when compared to the CON group. There was a tendency for BG, MOS+Bs, and PRO to have reduced serum haptoglobin throughout the study. Total leukocyte, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts were reduced among MOS+Bs calves, whereas BG calves tended to have the greatest neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio. Oxidative burst function for PMNL was reduced among BG and PRO treatments, suggesting a decreased need for neutrophil function. Supplementing BG, MOS+Bs, and PRO all influenced the performance and health of high-risk calves, but mechanistically appear to be different.

Growth performance, digestibility, blood metabolites, ruminal fermentation, and bacterial communities in response to the inclusion of gallic acid in the starter feed of preweaning dairy calves

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding gallic acid on the growth, nutrient digestibility, plasma metabolites, rumen fermentation, and bacterial community in the rumen fluid and feces of preweaning calves. Thirty-six female Holstein calves with similar ages (means ± SD; 3.1 ± 1.39 d) and body weights (40.8 ± 2.87 kg) were randomly assigned to receive 3 treatments. Calves were fed 1 of 3 treatments as follows: basal diet with no gallic acid (control), 0.5 g/kg gallic acid in starter diet (low), and 1 g/kg gallic acid in starter diet (high). The results showed that feeding gallic acid increased growth by improving the starter intake and average daily gain of the calves. The fecal score tended to decrease in a linear manner with the addition of gallic acid. Total-tract apparent protein digestibility tended to increase linearly with feeding gallic acid. Feeding gallic acid led to a linear increase in the plasma total protein and β-hydroxybutyrate levels. In addition, feeding gallic acid linearly increased catalase and total antioxidant capacity levels and decreased malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations. The concentrations of total volatile fatty acids, propionate, butyrate, and valerate in the rumen fluid increased linearly with the addition of gallic acid, resulting in a linear pH reduction. Feeding gallic acid linearly increased the relative abundances of Prevotella_1, Saccharofermentans, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 and linearly decreased the relative abundance of Prevotella_7 in the rumen fluid. The Shannon index of ruminal bacterial communities linearly increased by feeding gallic acid. Feeding gallic acid linearly increased the relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005, Bacteroides, and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group in the feces. In summary, feeding gallic acid improved growth, antioxidant function, and rumen fermentation and altered the bacterial community in the rumen fluid and feces of preweaning dairy calves.

Effects of compound of hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) and Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) extracts on growth performance, intestinal health, and immune function in weaned pigs

Plant extracts were considered as natural resources to alleviate weaning stress in pig production. A 28-day study (Phase 1: d 0-14 and Phase 2: d 15-28) was conducted to investigate the effects of compound of hawthorn and yam extracts on growth performance, intestinal health, and immune function in weaned pigs. A total of 144 weaned pigs with average body weight (BW) of 7.89 ± 1.09 kg were assigned to three treatments with six replicates pens by BW and sex. Dietary treatments included negative control (NC), corn-soybean meal basal diet; positive control (PC), NC + 0.08% enzyme preparations and 0.3% acidifiers; and CHY, NC + 0.3% compound of hawthorn and yam extracts. Compared with NC-fed pigs, pigs fed CHY had greater (p < 0.05) growth performance in Phase 1. The CHY-fed pigs had greater (p < 0.05) activities of duodenal lipase, trypsin, and greater (p < 0.05) serum concentrations of total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase. The CHY-fed pigs had improved (p < 0.05) jejunal morphology and greater (p < 0.05) ileac valeric acid and colonic propionic acid, isobutyric acid concentrations than NC- and PC-fed pigs. In conclusion, CHY can improve growth performance and is a promising additive in weaned pig diets.

Use of probiotics for formation of microflora of gastrointestinal tract of calves

The results of the use of probiotic strains of microorganisms of the Bacillus family for the correction and formation of the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract and the impact on metabolism in calves are presented. The aim of the study. To analyze the effect of probiotics on the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract in calves and biochemical parameters of blood in calves up to one month. Materials and methods. The research was conducted during 2020 in the conditions of Ukrainian farms for cattle breeding. Five experimental groups of five one-week-old calves were formed in each and one control group. Calves were kept separately in the same conditions on the same diet, but with feeding together with colostrum substitute probiotics of five grams per animal: Bacillus amyloliquefaciense, Bacillus mucilaginosus, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus. The strains are deposited and produced by “Kronos Agro” Ukraine. Results. It was found that as a result of studies when feeding calves B. coagulans, B. pumilus and B. mucilaginosus the number of Lactobacillus sp. was 80 % higher than in the control group. The level of opportunistic pathogens in the experimental group with B. coagulans had minimal values. Animals in the group where B. mucilaginosus was given had a higher amount of Candida - up to 300 CFU/g and Enterobacteriaceae – 200 CFU/g; which is 50 % less compared to control groups, but more than in the experiment with B. coagulans. According to the results of biochemical examination of blood serum in calves, the absence of toxic effects of probiotic strains: Bacillus amyloliquefaciense, Bacillus mucilaginosus, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus on the internal organs of animals was established. Conclusions. It was found that the maximum positive effect on the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract of calves up to 30 days of age had B. coagulans (1×109) when fed at a dose of 5 g per animal. The amount of Lactobacillus sp. was the maximum and reached 800 CFU/g, which is 80 % more than in the control group. At the same time, the level of opportunistic pathogens in the experimental group with B. coagulans had minimal indicators and was: Clostridium by 20 %, Escherichia coli – by 70 %, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus and Candida – 100 % less than the control. In the study of biochemical parameters, it was found that the activity of enzymes, protein and glucose levels in the serum of experimental animals fed with B. coagulans were within the physiological norm, indicating a normal metabolic process and no toxic effects.

Effect of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 supplementation in milk replacer on growth and rumen microbiota in preweaned calves

We aimed to assess the effect of feeding Bacillus subtilis C-3102 on the growth and rumen microbiota in the preweaned calves. Twelve newborn Japanese Black calves were randomly allocated to either the control (n = 6) or the treatment (n = 6) groups in the present study. Calves in the treatment group were offered B. subtilis C-3102 supplemented milk replacer throughout the preweaning period. Rumen fermentation during the first 21 days of life seemed to be slightly suppressed by feeding B. subtilis C-3102. This fermentation shift was probably attributed to the lower abundance of the core members of rumen microbiota until 21 days of age in the calves fed B. subtilis C-3102. However, feeding B. subtilis C-3102 did not influence the abundance of the core members of rumen microbiota at 90 days of age. Distribution of Sharpea spp. and Megasphaera spp., which potentially contribute to low methane production and are regarded as beneficial rumen bacteria, was higher in the rumen of calves fed B. subtilis C-3102 at 90 days of age. These results suggest that B. subtilis C-3102 supplementation in milk replacer could potentially contribute to the improvement of feed efficiency after weaning via the establishment of beneficial rumen bacteria.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens-9 Reduces Somatic Cell Count and Modifies Fecal Microbiota in Lactating Goats

Subclinical mastitis is one of the major problems affecting dairy animals’ productivity and is classified based on milk somatic cell counts (SCC). Previous data showed that marine-derived Bacillus amyloliquefaciens-9 (GB-9) improved the immunity and the nonspecific immune defense system of the body. In this study, the potential role of GB-9 in improving subclinical mastitis was assessed with Radix Tetrastigmae (RT) as a positive control in subclinical mastitis Saanen dairy goats. The current data showed that GB-9 and RT significantly reduced the SCC in dairy goats. After being fed with GB-9 or RT, the decreased concentrations of malondialdehyde, IgA, IgM, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-6 were observed. The amplicon sequencing analysis of fecal samples revealed that GB-9 significantly altered the bacterial community. Bacteroides and Phascolarctobacterium were the major genera that respond to GB-9 feeding. The correlation analysis using weighted gene co-expression network analysis showed a MePink module was most associated with the serum concentrations of immunoglobulin and interleukin. The MePink module contained 89 OTUs. The feeding of GB-9 in decreasing the SCC was associated with the altered abundance of Bacteroides, which was correlated with the concentrations of immunoglobulins and chemokines. Collectively, the current data suggested that marine-derived GB-9 could be a helpful probiotic to control subclinical mastitis.

Effect of a Multispecies Probiotic Mixture on the Growth and Incidence of Diarrhea, Immune Function, and Fecal Microbiota of Pre-weaning Dairy Calves

The effects of different doses of a multispecies probiotic (MSP) mixture on growth performance, the incidence of diarrhea rate and immune function, and fecal microbial diversity and structure were evaluated in pre-weaning Holstein dairy calves at WK2, WK4, WK6, and WK8. Forty Chinese Holstein female newborn calves were randomly assigned to four treatments with 10 calves in each group, C (control group), T1 (0.5 g MSP/calf/day, T2 (1 g MSP/calf/day), and T3 (2 g MSP/calf/day) groups. The experimental period was 56 days. Feed intake and health scoring were recorded every day until the end of the experiment. Fecal contents and blood samples were sampled at WK2, WK4, WK6, and WK8. Growth performance, incidence of diarrhea, and total serum concentrations (IgA, IgG, and IgM) were analyzed. Bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS genes were high-throughput sequenced for fecal microbiota. The relationships among the populations of the principal fecal microbiota at WK2 and the growth performance or serum immunoglobulin concentrations were analyzed using Pearson's rank correlation coefficients. The MSP supplementation reduced the incidence of diarrhea in the first 4 weeks of life, and serum IgA, IgG, and IgM concentrations increased between WK2 and WK8 in the T3 group. There was an increase in growth performance and reduction in the incidence of diarrhea until WK4 after birth in T3 group, compared with the control, T1, and T2 groups. The results of fecal microbiota analysis showed that Firmicutes and Bacteroides were the predominant phyla, with Blautia, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005, norank_f__Muribaculaceae, Bacteroides, Subdoligranulum, and Bifidobacterium being the dominant genera in calf feces. Aspergillus, Thermomyces, and Saccharomyces were the predominant fungal phyla. Compared with the control, in T1 and T2 groups, the MSP supplementation reduced the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Collinsella, and Saccharomyces at WK2 in group T3. Thus, the fecal microbial composition and diversity was significantly affected by the MSP mixture during the first 2 weeks of the calves' life. MSP mixtures reduced the incidence of diarrhea in pre-weaning calves (during the first 4 weeks of life). There was a significant improvement in growth performance, reduction in calf diarrhea, balance in the fecal microbiota, and an overall improvement in serum immunity, compared with the control group. We, therefore, recommend adding 2 g/day of multispecies probiotic mixture supplementation in diets of dairy calves during their first 4 weeks of life before weaning.

Probiotics in the dairy industry-Advances and opportunities

The past two decades have witnessed a global surge in the application of probiotics as functional ingredients in food, animal feed, and pharmaceutical products. Among food industries, the dairy industry is the largest sector where probiotics are employed in a number of dairy products including sour/fermented milk, yogurt, cheese, butter/cream, ice cream, and infant formula. These probiotics are either used as starter culture alone or in combination with traditional starters, or incorporated into dairy products following fermentation, where their presence imparts many functional characteristics to the product (for instance, improved aroma, taste, and textural characteristics), in addition to conferring many health-promoting properties. However, there are still many challenges related to the stability and functionality of probiotics in dairy products. This review highlights the advances, opportunities, and challenges of application of probiotics in dairy industries. Benefits imparted by probiotics to dairy products including their role in physicochemical characteristics and nutritional properties (clinical and functional perspective) are also discussed. We transcend the traditional concept of the application of probiotics in dairy products and discuss paraprobiotics and postbiotics as a newly emerged concept in the field of probiotics in a particular relation to the dairy industry. Some potential applications of paraprobiotics and postbiotics in dairy products as functional ingredients for the development of functional dairy products with health-promoting properties are briefly elucidated.

Bacillus subtilis var. natto increases the resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans to gram-positive bacteria

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Bacillus subtilis var. natto on the susceptibility of the model host, Caenorhabditis elegans, to bacterial infection.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Caenorhabditis elegans worms were fed with a standard food consisting of Escherichia coli OP50 strain (control) or B. subtilis (natto) during their larval stage. The worms were then infected with pathogenic bacteria. We analyzed their survival time and RNA sequencing-based transcriptome. Upon infection with Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis, the survival time of B. subtilis (natto)-fed worms was longer than that of the control. Transcriptome analyses showed upregulation of genes associated with innate immunity and defense response to gram-positive bacteria in B. subtilis (natto)-fed worms.

CONCLUSIONS

Bacillus subtilis (natto) conferred an increased resistance of C. elegans to gram-positive bacteria. Our findings provided insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying B. subtilis (natto)-regulated host immunity and emphasized its probiotic properties for preventing and alleviating infections caused by gram-positive bacteria.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show that B. subtilis (natto) confers specific resistance against gram-positive bacteria.

Live Bacillus subtilis natto Promotes Rumen Fermentation by Modulating Rumen Microbiota In Vitro

Simple Summary

Although there is much research on the applications of Bacillus subtilis natto in dairy cows, the regulation of it on rumen microorganisms and the mechanisms of microbiota that affect rumen fermentation is still unclear, such as the mechanism of improving ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentration and the pathway of increasing propionic acid production. In this study, we explored the effects of live and autoclaved B. subtilis natto on rumen microbiota in vitro by 16S rRNA gene sequencing to clarify the ruminal microbial composition and diversity and their underlying mechanisms.

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that Bacillus subtilis natto affects rumen fermentation and rumen microbial community structure, which are limited to detect a few microbial abundances using traditional methods. However, the regulation of B. subtilis natto on rumen microorganisms and the mechanisms of microbiota that affect rumen fermentation is still unclear. This study explored the effects of live and autoclaved B. subtilis natto on ruminal microbial composition and diversity in vitro using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the underlying mechanisms. Rumen fluid was collected, allocated to thirty-six bottles, and divided into three treatments: CTR, blank control group without B. subtilis natto; LBS, CTR with 10⁹ cfu of live B. subtilis natto; and ABS, CTR with 10⁹ cfu of autoclaved B. subtilis natto. The rumen fluid was collected after 0, 6, 12, and 24 h of fermentation, and pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N), microbial protein (MCP), and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were determined. The diversity and composition of rumen microbiota were assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results revealed LBS affected the concentrations of NH₃-N, MCP, and VFAs (p < 0.05), especially after 12 h, which might be attributed to changes in 18 genera. Whereas ABS only enhanced pH and NH₃-N concentration compared with the CTR group (p < 0.05), which might be associated with changes in six genera. Supplementation with live B. subtilis natto improved ruminal NH₃-N and propionate concentrations, indicating that live bacteria were better than autoclaved ones. This study advances our understanding of B. subtilis natto in promoting ruminal fermentation, providing a new perspective for the precise utilization of B. subtilis natto in dairy rations.