Yu Y.-HWu C.-MChen W.-JHua K.-FJE-RUEI LIUCheng Y.-H.2022-12-142022-12-14202120762615https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85121118231&doi=10.3390%2fani11123576&partnerID=40&md5=11815ba4ca28312c491b76ef88d04198https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/626045This study aimed to investigate the potential of Bacillus licheniformis-fermented products (BLFP) and their derived antimicrobial lipopeptide, surfactin, for the prevention of coccidiosis in broilers. Broilers were fed BLFP at 1.25 and 5 g/kg under Eimeria tenella challenge. At the end of experiment (35 days), the growth performance, survival rate, cecal morphology, cecal lesion scores, oocyst-count index, and anti-coccidial index were analyzed. The effects of the BLFP-derived surfactin on oocyst sporulation and sporozoite morphology in Eimeria species were also investigated in vitro. Results showed that BLFP supplementation at 1.25 and 5 g/kg improved cecal morphology and increased the survival rate of broilers under E. tenella challenge. Supplementation with 1.25 g/kg of BLFP reduced the lesion scores in the cecum of E. tenella-challenged broilers, while the oocyst-count index was reduced in broilers given 5 g/kg of BLFP. The anti-coccidial index of the 1.25 g/kg of BLFP-treated group was greater than 160, compared with the E. tenella-challenge-only group. Furthermore, surfactin inhibited Eimeria oocyst sporulation and disrupted sporozoite morphology. These results demonstrate that BLFPs and their derived antimicrobial lipopeptide, surfactin, exhibit anti-coccidial activity in vitro and in vivo. BLFP may be used as a natural feed additive for the prevention of coccidiosis in broilers, and 1.25 g/kg can be considered the optimum dosage. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Antimicrobial lipopeptide; Bacillus licheniformis; Broiler; Coccidiosis; Surfactin[SDGs]SDG3alcohol; alpha tocopherol; coccidiostatic agent; folic acid; food additive; lipopeptide; pyridoxine; selenium; silicon dioxide; surfactin; taurodeoxycholic acid; trace element; trypsin; animal experiment; animal model; antimicrobial activity; Article; Bacillus licheniformis; bacterium contamination; body weight; coccidiosis; diet supplementation; DNA extraction; fermented product; food intake; intestine flora; microscopy; nonhuman; oocyst; sporocyst; sporogenesis; survival ratejournal article10.3390/ani111235762-s2.0-85121118231