Evaluation of the Effects of Bacillus Coagulans on Functional Traits and Microbial Flora of the Gastrointestinal Tract of Broilers

Bacillus coagulans is a new strain of the probiotics group that in addition to being spore-forming, stimulates the secretion of lactic acid in the digestive system.This experiment is performed to assess the effect of Bacillus Coagulans on the functional traits and microbial flora of the gastrointestinal tract of Ross 308 broilers.

In order to assess the effect of Bacillus coagulans probiotic supplement on the feeding of broiler chicks, an experiment is conducted on 960 chicks including 12 replications of 20 chicks. The nutritional periods consist of starter (1-10 days) , grower (11-25 days) and finisher (26-42 days). To implement the experiment , The experiment was conducted on Ross 308 male chicks with average weight of  40±0.12 gram and in a completely randomized manner in four treatment groups. Experimental groups are 1) basal diet without consuming bacillus coagulans, 2) basal diet with adding probiotic supplement at the rate of 400 g/ton feed in starter and grower periods and 200 g/ton feed in finisher period, 3)basal diet adding probiotic supplement at the rate of 400 g/ton feed in starter and 200 g/ton feed in grower and finisher period and 4) basal diet adding probiotic supplement at the rate of 200 g/ton feed in starter, grower and finisher periods. Production traits consisting of body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio are measured at the end of each period of starter, grower and finisher. On days 7 and 40, two chicks from each replicate are slaughtered using carbon dioxide gas and the cecum was isolated. The samples sent to the laboratory under specific protocols to count clostridium perfringens, E.coli, salmonella, streptococcus and lactobacillus. Furthermore, the cloaca temperature of all the remaining chickens of the experiment project is measured on the day 40 of experiment. Total excreted nitrogen and pH of litter contents are measured on the day 40.

Consumption of Bacillus coagulans had no meaningful effect on weight gain of chickens up to 42 days of age, but compared to the control group, the groups that consumed Bacillus coagulans showed higher weight gain. In the starter and final period, consumption of Bacillus coagulans led to the reduction of feed intake (p≤0.05). At day 42, groups that consume Bacillus coagulans had lower conversion rates than control group. Adding Bacillus coagulans to the diet of broilers at day 40 had a meaningful effect on increasing the population of lactobacilli1 (p≥0.05). On the other hand, consumption of Bacillus coagulans reduced the bacterial population of Clostridium, Streptococcus and Escherichia coli (p≥0.05). The results of this experiment show that broilers receiving Bacillus coagulans produced lower rate of nitrogen fecal escape than control group (p≥0.05). Additionally, the use of this bacterial compound in the diet of broilers reduced the cloaca temperature of chickens compared to the control group (p≥0.05). Adding this bacterium to the diet of broilers had no effect on pH litter (p>0.05).

The achieved results of this research indicated that dietary supplementation with Bacillus coagulans led to increase body weight gain and decrease FCR , balances the beneficial microbial population of the gastrointestinal tract, reduces gastrointestinal inflammation and improves digestibility.