Effect of Enterococcus faecium AL41 (CCCM8558) and Its Enterocin M on the Physicochemical Properties and Mineral Content of Rabbit Meat

Improving rabbit meat quality using natural substances has become an area of research activity in rabbit nutrition due to stabilization of husbandry health and economy. The present study evaluates the effect of bacteriocin-producing, beneficial strain Enterococcus faecium AL41/CCM8558 and its enterocin M (EntM) on the quality and mineral content of rabbit meat. Seventy-two Hycole rabbits (aged 35 days) were divided into EG1 (CCM8558 strain; 1.0 × 109 CFU/mL; 500µL/animal/d), EG2 (EntM; 50µL/animal/d), and control group (CG). The additives were administrated in drinking water for 21 days. Significant increase in meat phosphorus (EG1: p < 0.05; EG2: p < 0.0001) and iron (EG1, EG2: p < 0.001) contents was noted; sodium and zinc levels were only slightly higher in experimental groups compared with control data. The calcium (EG1, EG2: p < 0.001), potassium, and copper (EG1: p < 0.01) concentrations were reduced. The treatment did not have a negative influence on physicochemical traits of rabbit meat. Based on these results, we conclude that diet supplementation with beneficial strain E. faecium CCM8558 and its EntM could enhance the quality and mineral content of rabbit meat, with the focus on its iron and phosphorus contents.

Can Enterocin M in Combination with Sage Extract Have Beneficial Effect on Microbiota, Blood Biochemistry, Phagocytic Activity and Jejunal Morphometry in Broiler Rabbits?

The present study investigated the effects of enterocin (Ent) M and sage extract alone and also in combination on the gut microflora, phagocytic activity, blood biochemistry, and morphometry of rabbits. Sixty-four rabbits (aged five weeks, M91 meatline, both sexes) were divided into three experimental groups: E (EntM; 50 µL/animal/day), S (sage; 10 µL/animal/day), and E + S (EntM + sage) groups and control group (C). The additives were administered in drinking water for a period of 21 days. Dietary supplementation of EntM and sage significantly reduced the coliforms (E: p < 0.001; S: p < 0.001; E + S: p < 0.001) in feces, while simultaneous addition of EntM and sage decreased enterococci (E + S: p < 0.0001), lactic acid bacteria (E + S: p < 0.01), and coagulase-positive staphylococci (E + S: p < 0.0001) in the appendix. Sage addition reduced HDL (S: p < 0.001) and LDL cholesterol (S: p < 0.001; E + S: p < 0.001), LDL/HDL ratio (S: p < 0.001; E + S: p < 0.01), and increased urea (S: p < 0.01; E + S: p < 0.001) and creatinine (S: p < 0.001; E + S: p < 0.001) in serum. EntM and sage application, alone or in combination, improve the jejunal morphometry (p < 0.0001) in rabbits.

Pilot experiment in chickens challenged with Campylobacter jejuni CCM6191 administered enterocin M-producing probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium CCM8558 to check its protective effect

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common food-borne pathogens and chickens are the main source of these bacteria. Enterococcus faecium AL41, enterocin M-producing strain (deponed to the Czech Culture Collection of Microorganisms, Brno, Czech Republic – CCM8558) is our isolate previously applied e.g. in broiler rabbits with beneficial effect. In this study it was used in a 11-day experiment with chickens (1-day-old, breed Cobb 500, n = 40) challenged with C. jejuni. Birds had free access to feed and water; they were randomly divided into four groups per 10 chicks each: control (CG), E. faecium CCM8558 (EG1), CCM8558 + C. jejuni CCM6191 (EG2), CCM6191 (EG3). E. faecium CCM8558 (10⁹CFU/ml, 200 µl) in Ringer solution was administered daily per os to EG1 and EG2 for 7 days (from day 0–1). EG3 and EG2 were infected individually per os (day 4, CCM6191, 10⁸ CFU/ml in Ringer solution, 200 µl). For microbiota evaluation, faecal mixtures (n = 5) were sampled on day 0–1 (1^st sampling), on day 7 (2^nd sampling), and on day 11 (3^rd sampling) (day 7 of CCM8558 application, day 4 post-infection; day 4 of CCM8558 cessation, day 7 post-infection). Five birds from each group were sacrificed. CCM8558 sufficiently colonized chickens. In faeces of EG2 a tendency to reduce Campylobacter spp. (day 7 of application, day 4 of infection) was noted compared to EG2 (day 11, day 4 of cessation, day 7 post-infection; difference 1.21 log cycles), while in EG3 CCM6191 strain was not reduced. Phagocytic activity (PA) values were significantly higher in infected groups compared to CG and EG1. A significant increase in PA was also noted in EG2 and EG3 at the end of experiment compared to CG or EG1. The strain additive did not evoke oxidative stress. Biochemical parameters were influenced to the reference levels.