Supplemented <i>Clostridium butyricum</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> affects the physiology and production performance of Yangzhou geese

This study investigated the impact of <i>Clostridium butyricum</i>, <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>, and the mixed probiotics on the growth, slaughter performance and antioxidant capacities of the blood, ileal mucosa and liver of Yangzhou geese. Two hundred and eighty-eight 1-day-old male Yangzhou geese were randomly assigned to four groups, including group A (fed with the basal diet), and groups CB, BS and CBS (fed with the basal diet plus 7.5 × 10⁵ CFU/kg <i>Clostridium butyricum</i>, 5.0 × 10⁶ CFU/kg <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> or the mixture of both bacteria, respectively). After 70 d of feeding, supplementing <i>Clostridium butyricum</i>, <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> or their mixture significantly increased body weight gain and feed intake per day, the pectoral muscle index, the antioxidant capacities of liver and ileal mucosa, and immune gene expression of ileum, and decreased apoptotic gene expression of ileum. Moreover, supplementing <i>Clostridium butyricum</i> significantly increased shear force of pectoral muscle and ileal glutathione S-transferase, supplementing <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> significantly increased ileal glutathione and total antioxidant capacity, and blood total antioxidant capacity, supplementing the bacterial mixture significantly decreased gizzard index and ileal <i>TLR4</i> and <i>MyD88</i> expression compared with single bacterium. In summary, supplementing probiotics was generally beneficial to the growth and slaughter performance, the ileal immune potential, the antioxidant capacity and ileal apoptosis of geese. Therefore, <i>Clostridium butyricum</i>, <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> or their mixture can be applied as feed additives to promote goose production performance and health. <i>Clostridium butyricum</i>, <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> or their mixture can be used as feed additives to promote the growth and slaughter performance of geese.Supplementing the probiotics increased tissue antioxidant capacities and decreased ileal apoptosis in geese.Supplementing the bacterial mixture decreased gizzard index and ileal <i>TLR4</i> and <i>MyD88</i> expression compared with single bacterium <i>Clostridium butyricum</i>, <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> or their mixture can be used as feed additives to promote the growth and slaughter performance of geese. Supplementing the probiotics increased tissue antioxidant capacities and decreased ileal apoptosis in geese. Supplementing the bacterial mixture decreased gizzard index and ileal <i>TLR4</i> and <i>MyD88</i> expression compared with single bacterium