1. Efficacy of Bacillus subtilis based probiotic growth performance, fecal microbiota and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens
K. Doranalli1*, T. C. Loh2 and C. K. Girish1
1 Health and Nutrition, Evonik Industries (SEA) Pte Ltd., Singapore, 2Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia.

2. Outline Importance of probiotic in digestive trace
What makes Bacillus subtilis different that other microbes
Materials and methods
Results and discussion
Conclusions

3. Significance of gut
Barrier to ingested chemicals, feed contaminants and pathogens
Absorption of nutrients and water
Components: physical, chemical, immunological and microbiological
Intestine is the largest immune organ
Gut microbes perform functions such as:
nutrient digestion and absorption
gut health and integrity
competitive exclusion of pathogens
immunomodulation
All animals are generally born with a sterile digestive tract, but very soon after birth a wide diversity of microorganisms begins to colonise the digestive tract. The digestive compartments which are the most rich in microbes are the large intestine in monogastrics. The gastrointestinal tract is divided into stomach, small intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) and large intestine (caecum, colon and rectum). Various digestive enzymes separate the nutrients into absorbable constituents. The small intestine thus becomes the main site of absorption of nutrients which pass into the blood stream. Non-absorbed constituents of the diet reach the large intestine where they are broken down and digested, mainly by the intestinal microflora. Finally, the undigested remains, together with the bacteria, are excreted in the faeces. Besides nutrient absorption, the intestine plays an important role as the biggest immune organ of the body. It is hence part of the body’s defence
system and represents an important barrier against invading pathogens. In addition to general defence mechanisms, the immune system, with its unspecific and specific reactions, helps to protect against pathogenic microorganisms. The stomach acid, bile salts and specific antibodies inhibit the growth of pathogens, potential pathogens and other microorganisms and, to a large extent, prevent them from invading the body, being effectively assisted by the intestinal microflora which decreases pathogens. Unlike Goblet cells, enterocytes do not secrete mucins. They also do not secrete cryptdins, as do the Paneth cells. Enterocytes synthesize the glycoprotein enzymes needed for terminal digestion and absorption and transport substances from the intestinal lumen to the circulatory system. They also act as antigen-presenting cells. These cells have a very short life span (days). Dead cells are shed into the lumen of the intestines where they are digested and absorbed.

4. Development of the microflora
Lactobacilli and Enterococci dominate the crop, duodenum and ileum
& Coliforms, Lactobacilli and Enterococci dominate the caeca
The microbial community starts to stabilize indicated by the stable bacterial fermentation
The GIT is sterile
Lactobacilli dominate the crop, duodenum and ileum
anaerobic bacteria dominate the caeca
Unstable micro flora
Hatch
1 week
2 weeks
3 weeks

5. Balance Imbalance Microbes in GIT (Beneficial bacteria)
Under commercial rearing conditions birds are exposed to more stressful situations like transportation, vaccination, high flock density, and heat stress.
Balance
Imbalance
(Beneficial bacteria)
(Pathogenic bacteria)
Lactobacillus sp, Bifidobacteria, etc…
E.coli, Listeria sp, Salmonella, etc…
Both beneficial as well as harmful bacteria would colonise the digestive tract of the chicken.
However, there should be a balance between harmful and beneficial bacteria in order for healthier development and maintenance of the digestive tract.

6. Definition of probiotics
"Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host“
FAO/WHO, 2002
The most frequently used organisms for probiotic preparations are:
Bacillus
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB)
Live yeast

7. Probiotics… Mode of Action?
3. Maintain epithelial
integrity and barrier
function
2. Improved immune status:
production of antibacterial
defensins and mucin
Competitive exclusion
of pathogens
4. Nutritional effects:
Production of enzymes
Production of vitamin B12 and K
There is no specific mode of action for each probiotic, so it is the combination of several mechanisms that results in overall beneficial effects.
In general feeding probiotics reduces harmful bacteria in the digestive tract and enhance the beneficial microflora or bacteria…………….which would result in improved health and nutritional status of the bird.
Most commonly thought mechanism by which these probiotics benefit the host animals is by competitive exclusion of pathogens………………Briefly probiotic in combination with the surface layer protein will compete with the pathogen……………….Basically it is the ‘Survival of the fittest theory’……………..where in probiotic organisms will take upper hand and eliminate the pathogens………………….
Secondly, it stimulates the GUT associated lymphoid tissue for the production of immunoglobulins, antibacterial defensins, anti-inflammatory cytokins and mucin production…………So basically probiotics will improve the host immune functions………….
Thirdly, it helps to maintain the intestinal epithelial integrity and barrier function……………….such that pathogens or toxins produced from these pathogens can not enter the systemic circulation………………….
Finally, even though not well established…………..some studies show that probiotics in the intestine would block the pro-inflammatory cytokines from entering the nucleus from cytosol………………..
O’Toole and Cooney (2008) 7

8. Outline Importance of probiotic in digestive trace
What makes Bacillus subtilis different that other microbes
Materials and methods
Results and discussion
Conclusions

9. Bacillus Definition of Bacillus Gram positive organisms Spore formers
Bacillus are found in environmental samples obtained from virtually anywhere on Earth (soil, plants, fresh and salt water, rocks etc.).
Bacillus are administered in the form of spores, a dormant resistant stage which transform to vegetative cells when entering the intestinal tract of the animal.
Bacillus spores are
pH stable
Trypsin stable
Thermo-tolerant
Storage and in-feed stable

10. Strain selection DSM 17299 Subtilis Bacillus Genus Species Strain
Spores of a carefully selected Bacillus subtilis with the following major characteristics
DSM 17299
Subtilis
Bacillus
Genus
Species
Strain
Heat tolerance
pH stability, even at pH 2-3
Compatibility with other feed ingredients including organic acids, coccidiostats and antibiotic growth promoters
Approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for application in feed

11. Rationale for the experiment
Under commercial feeding conditions birds are exposed to a variety of stress factors which make them more susceptible to gastrointestinal and metabolic disturbances.
The inclusion of sub-therapeutic antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) into poultry diets is common to overcome these gastrointestinal challenges. However, as the use of AGPs is being more and more limited and/or banned throughout the world, there is continuous search to identify alternative strategies
Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, organic acids and phytogenic feed additives could be such alternatives with probiotics being one of the most favorable.
A Bacillus subtilis (DSM 17299) spore-forming probiotic seem to be most suitable candidates for in-feed applications because of their spore forming ability. These spores are tolerant to heat, harsh pH conditions, pressure, coccidiostats and antibiotics..

12. Objective
To evaluate the effects of feeding Bacillus subtilis (DSM 17299) or antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) alone or in combination on growth performance, fecal microbiota and gut morphology of broiler chickens.

13. Outline Importance of probiotic in digestive trace
What makes Bacillus subtilis different that other microbes
Materials and methods
Results and discussion
Conclusions

14. Experimental Design Birds: 480 Cobb male broilers
Housing: Open house-Floor pen
Growth phases : 0-21 d (starter), and d (grower)
Duration of experiment:0-42 days of age
Feed form: Mash
Temperature and humidity: 26-34oC and 82-93%
Diets of each growth phase:
Diet 1: Control
Diet 2: Control + AGP
Diet 3: Control + Bacillus subtilis (500 g/ton)
Diet 4: Control + AGP* + Bacillus subtilis (500 g/ton)
*AGP = a combination of oxytetracyclin and neomycin at 100 ppm (w/w)
Replication: 6 Replicates/treatment (20 birds/replicate)
Parameters: Growth performance, Fecal microbial counts [Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Enterobacteriaceae (ENT)] and Intestinal morphology

15. Ingredient and nutrient composition of basal diets
Ingredients
Dietary
Starter
Finisher
Corn
506.00
549.00
Soybean
293.82
269.00
Wheat Pollard
60.72
63.75
CPO
36.00
32.00
Fish Meal 55%
76.00
50.00
L-Lysine
2.50
DL-Methionine
2.00
Monodicalciumphosphate 21
10.00
14.00
Calcium carbonate
6.80
9.92
Choline chloride
0.60
0.58
Salt
Other (Minerals, Vitamin and toxin binder)
3.05
Calculated analysis:
Crude protein, %
22.50
20.34
ME, MJ/kg
12.22
12.18

16. Measurements and analyses
Body weight and feed intake on weekly basis and FCR was calculated accordingly.
A total of 18 samples from each treatment in triplicates were determined for the faecal LAB and ENT population using the method as described by Foo et al. (2003b).
A total of 20 samples from each treatment were used to study the intestinal morphology. The procedure was a modified method as described by Hair-Bejo (1990).
Segments of 5 to 6 cm long were removed from the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum collected and flushed with 10% neutral buffered formalin solution and were then used for morphometric analysis.
The morphometric variables examined included: villus height (from the tip of the villi to the villi crypt junction), crypt depth (defined as the depth of the invagination between adjacent villi). Values are means from the best 20 villi and only vertically oriented villi and crypts from each slide were measured.

17. Outline Importance of probiotic in digestive trace
What makes Bacillus subtilis different that other microbes
Materials and methods
Results and discussion
Conclusions

18. Results and discussion: growth performance
Control (C)
C+AGP
C + Bacillus subtilis DSM 17299
C+AGP + Bacillus subtilis DSM 17299
SEM
BWG, kg
2.09
2.13
2.15
2.18
0.01
FI, kg
3.65a
3.66a
3.55b
3.60a
0.05
FCR, kg/kg
1.75a
1.73ab
1.66b
1.65b
0.02 
*BWG = Body weight gain, FI = Feed intake and FCR = Feed conversion ratio
a-b Values with different superscript letters within a row indicate significant differences (P < 0.05).

19. Results and discussion: fecal microbiology
Microbial count,
log10CFU/g
Control (C)
C+AGP
C+ Bacillus subtilis DSM 17299
C+AGP + Bacillus subtilis DSM 17299
SEM
LAB
6.15b
6.42b
6.89a
6.98a
0.09
ENT
5.73a
5.40ab
4.64c
5.21b
0.08
a-c Means within a row with common superscripts are not significantly different (P > 0.05); LAB=lactic acid bacteria; ENT=Enterobacteriaceae.

20. Ileal total bacteria and E.coli counts
Conrol (C) C + AGP
C + Bacillus subtilis C + AGP + Bacillus subtilis a a b b a ab bc c
(Doranalli et al., 2013)

21. Digestive tract micro flora analysis
A total of 3000 day-old male chicks (Ross 308) were housed in 12 pens (250 birds/pen)
Two dietary treatments: corn-soy based standard feed -/+ Bacillus subtilis DSM 17299
At age 35 days of age, 3 birds were randomly selected per pen unit for gut excision and collection of ileal digesta for determination of micro flora profile
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis
16S rDNA
Extraction of
bacterial chromosomal DNA
PCR amplification with universal primers
double stranded
partially melted
single strands
denaturant
55%
30%
Knarreborg et al., 2008 International journal of Probiotics and Prebiotics

22. Increases beneficial bacteria in the intestine
Dice coefficient analysis of the ileal profiles from control birds and birds fed Bacillus subtilis DSM 17299
More diverse and complex bacteria composition in the gut
High numbers of Lactic Acid Bacteria
Lactobacillus salivarius
reduce Salmonella and E. coli
Lactobacillus paracasei
Stimulate the immune system
B. subtilis
Control
0.755
0.650
0.614 a
a: Lactobacillus salivarius
b: Streptococcus spp.
c: Lactobacillus paracasei b c
Knarreborg et al., 2008 International journal of Probiotics and Prebiotics

23. Results and discussion: Intestinal morphology
Control (C)
C+AGP
C+Bacillus subtilis DSM 17299
C+AGP+Bacillus subtilis DSM 17299
SEM
Villi height, µm
Duodenum c b b a
9.70
Jejunum c c a b
9.00
Ileum
738.83b
676.96c
872.35a
843.80a
7.00
a-c Means within a row with common superscripts are not significantly different (P > 0.05); VH=villus height

24. Conclusions
It can be concluded that inclusion of Bacillus subtilis (DSM 17299) to broiler diets improved growth performance and small intestinal morphology.
Synergistic effects were observed in combination of Bacillus subtilis and AGP for some response variables.
In addition, Bacillus subtilis supplementation showed its effects on modulating microbial populations, which was evidenced by increased amounts of LAB, mostly accounting for beneficial gut microbiota and reduced counts of Enterobacteriaceae, the latter group containing gut pathogenic bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella