The combined use of Bacillus subtilis-based probiotic and anticoccidial herb had a better anti-Eimeria tenella efficiency

SUMMARY: The objective of this work is to investigate the feed supplementation with Bacillus subtilis-based probiotic and methanol extraction of anticoccidial herbs (leaves of Artemisia annua Linn., Dichroa febrifuga Lour., and peel of Punica granatum L.) individually or in combination as alternatives during chicken E. tenella infection. A total of 264 chickens were divided into 11 groups (n = 8 × 3). They were control group (G1), E. tenella infected group (G2), E. tenella infected with diclazuril treated group (G3). G4 to G6 were E. tenella infected and treated with 300 mg/kg body weight of methanol extract of herb in feed (3 different kinds of herbs: leaves of Artemisia annua Linn., Dichroa febrifuga Lour., and peel of Punica granatum L.), respectively. G7 to G9 were infected and probiotic-herb combined groups: 5 × 108 cfu/kg B. subtilis was added to feed on the basis of G4 to G6, respectively. The remaining groups are both feed with B. subtilis at 5 × 108 cfu/kg in feed but infected (G10) and uninfected (G11). The anticoccidial efficacy was assessed by: bloody feces scores, lesion scores, relative weight gain rate, oocysts excretion, and mRNA expression levels (occludin, ZO-1, IL-17A and IL-2) in ceca. All the interventions reduced all the indexes, as compared to that of G2. The use of B. subtilis combined with herb significantly reduced the oocysts excretion and IL-17A mRNA level as compared to herb only groups. In summary, we conclude that the combination of B. subtilis and anticoccidial herb have potential development value