Development of a novel feeding method for Japanese black calves with thermophile probiotics at postweaning

Abstract

Aims: Probiotic effects of compost containing thermophiles on productivity have been reported in domestic animals, although not cattle. We evaluated the effects of administering Caldibacillus hisashii, a thermophile contained in compost, on growth, blood components, faecal organic acid concentrations and microbiota population in Japanese black calves. Methods and results: Calves were administered C. hisashii from 3 to 5 months of age. Administering C. hisashii decreased feed intake without affecting body weight, indicating that feed efficiency is improved by administration. Administering C. hisashii decreased plasma insulin concentration without affecting glucose and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations. Chao1 was decreased by exposure at 5 months of age. Similarly, weighted and unweighted UniFrac distances were affected by treatment at 5 months of age. Faecal abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes tended to be increased by exposure. Faecal propionic acid concentration was correlated positively with faecal abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes but negatively with that of Firmicutes. Interestingly, the population of the genus Methanobrevibacter, representing the majority of methanogens, was lowered by exposure and was negatively correlated with faecal propionic acid concentration. Conclusion: Administration of C. hisashii has the potential to improve growth performance of Japanese black calves and to contribute to reducing environmental load, which may be associated with altered endocrine kinetics and gut microbial populations. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study revealed that isolated thermophiles included in compost may exert probiotic effects on calves.

Estimation of silent phenotypes of calf antibiotic dysbiosis

“…Organic acids, including SCFAs, are the primary end products of the intestinal microbiota and are subsequently utilized by the host as substrates for the production of metabolic energy 15 . Therefore, alterations in the microbiota populations are associated with SCFA production in the intestine, which can affect host productivity and health.…”

“…In particular, AA estimated that the abundance of the genus Methanobrevibacter , a major group of methanogenic bacteria accounting for approximately two-thirds of the archaea in the rumen 20 , was associated with CTC administration, consistent with the LDA results. An increased population of methanogens is involved in the development of obesity in humans 15 . In humans, methanogenic archaea have been reported to be highly resistant to antibiotics 21 , which may explain the increased methanogens in calves administered CTC.…”

An evaluation of homeostatic plasticity for ecosystems using an analytical data science approach

“…The process has been estimated using SEM [91] . In addition, other examples are the use of probiotics [92] or antibiotics [93] to manage the intestinal microflora of cattle, which are a source of concern as a source of greenhouse gases. A management method has been suggested to reduce the number of methane-producing bacteria in the stage of calves that have not yet developed a rumen.…”

Gracilaria gracilis and Nannochloropsis oceanica, singly or in combination, in diets alter the intestinal microbiota of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

“…are probiotics with wide application in the aquaculture industry. The Bacillus ASVs that were enriched in the gut of NAN-fed fish clustered together in the phylogenetic tree with bacterial strains such as Geobacillus thermoleovorans, Caldibacillus thermoamylovorans and C. hisashii that exhibit antimicrobial and probiotic activities (Inabu et al, 2022;Zebrowska et al, 2022). Spore-forming bacterial species belonging to the genus Bacillus have been previously isolated from the intestine of European seabass, with some isolates presenting carbohydrase activity and probiotic potential (Serra et al, 2019).…”