Feed supplementation with avian Propionibacterium acidipropionici contributes to mucosa development in early stages of rearing broiler chickens

Abstract

Different studies in animal rearing claim the probiotic potential of species of the genus Propionibacterium. The effects of strains of Propionibacterium acidipropionici isolated from poultry intestine on microbiota activity and intestinal mucosa development were investigated in the early stage of rearing chicks and the safety of the dose used was investigated. The strains P. acidipropionici LET105 and LET107, administered as monoculture to chicks from the 1 to 14 day of life in a daily dose of 106 cfu/ml administered in the drinking water resulted harmless. The animals arrived at the expected weight for age and no differences were observed with respect to the food intake and water consumption related to control without bacteria administration. The analysis of microbiota composition revealed the presence of propionibacteria at the middle and end of the trial only in treated groups. Normal development of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, and slow colonisation by Bacteroides at the 7 day of the study was observed in the same groups. Analysis of the organic acids concentrations in the caecal content of birds revealed higher lactic acid and lower butyric acid production. Lower short chain fatty acids total concentration than expected during treatment was related to a better development of the gut mucosa. Increase in length of villus-crypt units, goblet cells counts and neutral mucins production were evidenced. Higher mucus secretion produced by dietary supplementation with propionibacteria could provide increased protection against pathogens.

Probiotics (Direct-Fed Microbials) in Poultry Nutrition and Their Effects on Nutrient Utilization, Growth and Laying Performance, and Gut Health: A Systematic Review

“…However, the former species outperformed the later in improving BWG and PEF [ 67 ]. On the contrary, studies [ 13 , 36 , 47 ] showed no effect of probiotics supplementation on broiler growth performance. When 294 day-old Cobb broiler chickens were used to investigate the effects of four Lactobacillus strains ( L. johnsonii , L. crispatus , L. salivarius and an unidentified Lactobacillus sp.)…”

“…The results indicated positive effects on the intestinal T-cell immune system. Similarly, Propionibacterium acidipropionici produced no differences in feed intake and bodyweight, though it produced expected histomorphological changes in the gut [ 47 ].…”

Research Note: Effect of butyric acid glycerol esters on ileal and cecal mucosal and luminal microbiota in chickens challenged with Eimeria maxima

“…In comparison with EM-infected birds at 7 D PI in IlS, we found that the presence of Propionibacteriaceae ( Figure 1 E), Weeksellaceae ( Figure 1 F), and Burkholderiaceae ( Figure 1 G) was significantly higher at 7 D PI than at 10 D PI, as well as in noninfected birds. In early-culture–based studies, Propionibacteriaceae were shown by to be a part of the chicken microbiota and to contribute in birds to modulation of microbiota, early development of epithelial cells, mucus production if supplied as probiotic, and led to increased protection against entrance of pathogens ( Martinez et al., 2016 ). Conversely, Weeksellaceae spp.…”

Dairy Propionibacteria: Versatile Probiotics

“…Microbiota manipulation by fecal microbiota transplantation, prebiotic or probiotic consumption is a promising way to improve or to restore the microbiota diversity [47]. Modulation of the gut microbiota in animals and human being, as a result of P. freudenreichii and P. acidipropionici consumption, was reported in the context of colitis [7,13,48,49] and in healthy subjects [8,50,51,52]. These studies reported an increase in the genus of Bifidobacteria, which are well known for their positive health benefits to their host via their metabolic activities [53].…”

“…The use of dairy propionibacteria as an animal probiotic to modulate gut microbiota or pathogen infections is also a promising new application of dairy propionibacteria. Indeed, interesting results were obtained using P. acidipropionici , by slowing colonization by Bacteroides in the early stage of rearing chicks [52]. The presence of P. acidipropionici also limited the growth of Bacteroidetes fragilis and Clostridium hystoliticum groups in mice cecal slurries with and without fiber supplementation [61].…”