Effects of chromium-enriched bacillus subtilis KT260179 supplementation on chicken growth performance, plasma lipid parameters, tissue chromium levels, cecal bacterial composition and breast meat quality.
BACKGROUND
Both chromium (Cr) and probiotic bacillus own the virtues of regulating animal metabolism and meat quality. Purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of supplemental Cr and bacillus in the form of chromium-enriched Bacillus subtilis KT260179 (CEBS) on chicken growth performance, plasma lipid parameters, tissue chromium levels, cecal bacterial composition and breast meat quality.


METHODS
Six hundred of 1-day-old Chinese Huainan Partridge chickens were divided into four groups randomly: Control, inorganic Cr, Bacillus subtilis, and CEBS. The feed duration was 56 days.


RESULTS
After 28 days of treatment, broiler feed CEBS or normal B. subtilis had higher body weights than control broiler, and after 56 days, chickens given either CEBS or B. subtilis had greater body weights than control broiler or those given inorganic Cr. Plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels declined significantly in the CEBS group compared with the control, whereas plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased significantly. The concentration of Cr in blood and breast muscle increased after CEBS and inorganic Cr supplementation. B. subtilis and CEBS supplementation caused a significant increase in the numbers of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the caecum, while the numbers of Escherichia coli and Salmonella decreased significantly compared to the control. Feed adding CEBS increased the lightness, redness, and yellowness of breast meat, improved the water-holding capacity, decreased the shear force and cooking loss.


CONCLUSIONS
In all, CEBS supplementation promoted body growth, improved plasma lipid parameters, increased tissue Cr concentrations, altered cecal bacterial composition and improved breast meat quality.
The Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 40 Nongke South Road, Hefei, 230031, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
Jiajun
J
Yang
The Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 40 Nongke South Road, Hefei, 230031, Anhui, People's Republic of China. yjj1984112@outlook.com.
Kun
K
Qian
The Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 40 Nongke South Road, Hefei, 230031, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
Wei
W
Zhang
The Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 40 Nongke South Road, Hefei, 230031, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
Yayuan
Y
Xu
The Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 40 Nongke South Road, Hefei, 230031, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
Yijing
Y
Wu
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000737:chemistry; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D002857:Chromium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008460:Meat; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry
D008055:Lipids; D002857:Chromium
Bacterial composition; Chicken; Chromium-enriched bacillus subtilis; Growth performance; Meat quality