title: Effects of a probiotic, Enterococcus faecium, on growth performance, intestinal morphology, immune response, and cecal microflora in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli K88.
abstract: The effects of feeding dehydrated Enterococcus faecium on growth performance, immune response, and cecal microflora in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli K88 were investigated. Two hundred eighty-eight 1-d-old birds were randomly assigned to 4 treatments: negative control birds (N-con) fed a basal diet and not challenged with E. coli K88; positive control birds (P-con) fed a basal diet and challenged with E. coli K88; birds fed a basal diet including dehydrated E. faecium (Ef) at 1 × 10(9) cfu/kg of feed and challenged with E. coli K88; and birds fed a basal diet including the antibiotic colistine sulfate (Anti) at 10 mg/kg of feed and challenged with E. coli K88. Birds fed E. faecium had greater (P < 0.05) BW on d 14, 21, and 28 and greater (P < 0.05) jejunal villus height on d 21 and 28 compared with birds on the other treatments. Jejunal crypt depth was decreased (P < 0.05) in birds fed either E. faecium or antibiotic compared with P-con treatment birds on d 10, 21, and 28. Birds fed E. faecium had a greater (P < 0.05) concentration of IL-4 in their jejunal mucosa than did those in the N-con treatment group on d 10, 14, and 21. Infected birds, with or without E. faecium feeding, had a higher (P < 0.05) tumor necrosis factor-α and secreted IgA in their jejunal mucosa than did those in the N-con treatment group on d 10 and 14. Birds fed E. faecium had lower (P < 0.05) concentrations of E. coli on d 14 and 28, less (P < 0.05) Clostridium perfringens on d 28, greater Lactobacillus counts on d 14 and 21, and greater (P < 0.05) Bifidobacterium in their cecal contents on d 21 than did the P-con birds. These results suggest that E. faecium can promote growth performance, improve intestinal morphology, and beneficially manipulate the cecal microflora in broilers challenged with E. coli K88.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: X F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000382:microbiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*