Effectiveness of <i>Bacillus licheniformis</i>-Fermented Products and Their Derived Antimicrobial Lipopeptides in Controlling Coccidiosis in Broilers

oleh: Yu-Hsiang Yu, Chia-Min Wu, Wei-Jung Chen, Kuo-Feng Hua, Je-Ruei Liu, Yeong-Hsiang Cheng

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-12-01

Deskripsi

This study aimed to investigate the potential of <i>Bacillus licheniformis</i>-fermented products (BLFP) and their derived antimicrobial lipopeptide, surfactin, for the prevention of coccidiosis in broilers. Broilers were fed BLFP at 1.25 and 5 g/kg under <i>Eimeria tenella</i> challenge. At the end of experiment (35 days), the growth performance, survival rate, cecal morphology, cecal lesion scores, oocyst-count index, and anti-coccidial index were analyzed. The effects of the BLFP-derived surfactin on oocyst sporulation and sporozoite morphology in <i>Eimeria</i> species were also investigated in vitro. Results showed that BLFP supplementation at 1.25 and 5 g/kg improved cecal morphology and increased the survival rate of broilers under <i>E. tenella</i> challenge. Supplementation with 1.25 g/kg of BLFP reduced the lesion scores in the cecum of <i>E. tenella</i>-challenged broilers, while the oocyst-count index was reduced in broilers given 5 g/kg of BLFP. The anti-coccidial index of the 1.25 g/kg of BLFP-treated group was greater than 160, compared with the <i>E. tenella</i>-challenge-only group. Furthermore, surfactin inhibited <i>Eimeria</i> oocyst sporulation and disrupted sporozoite morphology. These results demonstrate that BLFPs and their derived antimicrobial lipopeptide, surfactin, exhibit anti-coccidial activity in vitro and in vivo. BLFP may be used as a natural feed additive for the prevention of coccidiosis in broilers, and 1.25 g/kg can be considered the optimum dosage.