title: Optimizing Production of Two Potential Probiotic Lactobacilli Strains Isolated from Piglet Feces as Feed Additives for Weaned Piglets.
abstract: Two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus johnsonii x-1d-2 and Lactobacillus mucosae x-4w-1, originally isolated from piglet feces, have been demonstrated to possess antimicrobial activities, antibiotic resistances and interleukin-6 induction ability in RAW 267.4 macrophages in our previous study. These characteristics make L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1 good candidates for application in feed probiotics. In this study, soybeal meal, molasses and sodium acetate were selected to optimize the growth medium for cultivation of L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1. These two strains were then freeze-dried and mixed into the basal diet to feed the weaned piglets. The effects of L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1 on the growth performance and fecal microflora of weaned piglets were investigated. The results showed that the bacterial numbers of L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1 reached a maximum of 8.90 and 9.30 log CFU/mL, respectively, when growing in optimal medium consisting of 5.5% (wt/vol) soybean meal, 1.0% (wt/vol) molasses and 1.0% (wt/vol) sodium acetate. The medium cost was 96% lower than the commercial de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe medium. In a further feeding study, the weaned piglets fed basal diet supplemented with freeze-dried probiotic cultures exhibited higher (p<0.05) body weight gain, feed intake, and gain/feed ratio than weaned piglets fed basal diet. Probiotic feeding also increased the numbers of lactobacilli and decreased the numbers of E. coli in the feces of weaned piglets. This study demonstrates that L. johnsonii x-1d-2 and L. mucosae x-4w-1 have high potential to be used as feed additives in the pig industry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Kainan University, Taoyuan 33857, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Ming-Lun
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Taipei 10014, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Hsi-Chia
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tungnan University, Taipei 22202, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Kun-Nan
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Tainan 71246, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Yu-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Kainan University, Taoyuan 33857, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Ya-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Kainan University, Taoyuan 33857, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Ming-Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Lactobacillus johnsonii; Lactobacillus mucosae; Molasses; Sodium Acetate; Soybean Meal; Weaned Piglet