Protease and <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> Supplementation in a Low-Protein Diet Improves Broiler Growth, Promotes Amino Acid Transport Gene Activity, Strengthens Intestinal Barriers, and Alters the Cecal Microbial Composition
Low-protein (LPRO) diets can effectively reduce feed costs and decrease environmental pollution, making them an important pathway to enhance the sustainability of livestock production. However, they may have adverse effects on the growth performance of broiler chickens, which has limited their wides...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Junlong Niu Yingying Qiao Xiaopeng Yang Xiaoshuang Chen Hongfei Li Yongpeng Guo Wei Zhang Zhixiang Wang |
| author_facet | Junlong Niu Yingying Qiao Xiaopeng Yang Xiaoshuang Chen Hongfei Li Yongpeng Guo Wei Zhang Zhixiang Wang |
| author_sort | Junlong Niu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Low-protein (LPRO) diets can effectively reduce feed costs and decrease environmental pollution, making them an important pathway to enhance the sustainability of livestock production. However, they may have adverse effects on the growth performance of broiler chickens, which has limited their widespread application. This study aims to explore the impact of adding protease (PRO) to LPRO diets on the growth performance of broiler chickens, especially under conditions with or without the presence of <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> (BC), in order to provide theoretical support for the scientific application and promotion of LPRO feeds. We selected 432 one-day-old broiler chickens and divided them into four treatment groups, which were fed with the control (CON) diet, the LPRO diet, the PRO diet (LPRO diet with added protease), and the PAB diet (PRO diet with added BC). The LPRO group demonstrated decreased growth performance while both PRO and PAB diets resulted in a significant increase (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Both PRO and PAB diets significantly enhanced the expression of amino acid transport genes and tight junction genes (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and optimized the composition of the intestinal microbiota. Overall, LPRO diets have a detrimental effect on the growth of broiler chickens, while the PRO and PAB diets effectively counteract these negative effects by improving protein digestion, amino acid absorption, and intestinal health. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-28778e20778a44b796c7479434509d84 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-28778e20778a44b796c7479434509d842025-01-24T13:17:53ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-01-0115217010.3390/ani15020170Protease and <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> Supplementation in a Low-Protein Diet Improves Broiler Growth, Promotes Amino Acid Transport Gene Activity, Strengthens Intestinal Barriers, and Alters the Cecal Microbial CompositionJunlong Niu0Yingying Qiao1Xiaopeng Yang2Xiaoshuang Chen3Hongfei Li4Yongpeng Guo5Wei Zhang6Zhixiang Wang7College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450003, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaLow-protein (LPRO) diets can effectively reduce feed costs and decrease environmental pollution, making them an important pathway to enhance the sustainability of livestock production. However, they may have adverse effects on the growth performance of broiler chickens, which has limited their widespread application. This study aims to explore the impact of adding protease (PRO) to LPRO diets on the growth performance of broiler chickens, especially under conditions with or without the presence of <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> (BC), in order to provide theoretical support for the scientific application and promotion of LPRO feeds. We selected 432 one-day-old broiler chickens and divided them into four treatment groups, which were fed with the control (CON) diet, the LPRO diet, the PRO diet (LPRO diet with added protease), and the PAB diet (PRO diet with added BC). The LPRO group demonstrated decreased growth performance while both PRO and PAB diets resulted in a significant increase (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Both PRO and PAB diets significantly enhanced the expression of amino acid transport genes and tight junction genes (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and optimized the composition of the intestinal microbiota. Overall, LPRO diets have a detrimental effect on the growth of broiler chickens, while the PRO and PAB diets effectively counteract these negative effects by improving protein digestion, amino acid absorption, and intestinal health.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/170low-protein dietprotease<i>Bacillus coagulans</i>growth performanceintestinal health |
| spellingShingle | Junlong Niu Yingying Qiao Xiaopeng Yang Xiaoshuang Chen Hongfei Li Yongpeng Guo Wei Zhang Zhixiang Wang Protease and <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> Supplementation in a Low-Protein Diet Improves Broiler Growth, Promotes Amino Acid Transport Gene Activity, Strengthens Intestinal Barriers, and Alters the Cecal Microbial Composition Animals low-protein diet protease <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> growth performance intestinal health |
| title | Protease and <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> Supplementation in a Low-Protein Diet Improves Broiler Growth, Promotes Amino Acid Transport Gene Activity, Strengthens Intestinal Barriers, and Alters the Cecal Microbial Composition |
| title_full | Protease and <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> Supplementation in a Low-Protein Diet Improves Broiler Growth, Promotes Amino Acid Transport Gene Activity, Strengthens Intestinal Barriers, and Alters the Cecal Microbial Composition |
| title_fullStr | Protease and <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> Supplementation in a Low-Protein Diet Improves Broiler Growth, Promotes Amino Acid Transport Gene Activity, Strengthens Intestinal Barriers, and Alters the Cecal Microbial Composition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Protease and <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> Supplementation in a Low-Protein Diet Improves Broiler Growth, Promotes Amino Acid Transport Gene Activity, Strengthens Intestinal Barriers, and Alters the Cecal Microbial Composition |
| title_short | Protease and <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> Supplementation in a Low-Protein Diet Improves Broiler Growth, Promotes Amino Acid Transport Gene Activity, Strengthens Intestinal Barriers, and Alters the Cecal Microbial Composition |
| title_sort | protease and i bacillus coagulans i supplementation in a low protein diet improves broiler growth promotes amino acid transport gene activity strengthens intestinal barriers and alters the cecal microbial composition |
| topic | low-protein diet protease <i>Bacillus coagulans</i> growth performance intestinal health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/170 |
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