Protective Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum P8 on Growth Performance, Intestinal Health, and Microbiota in Eimeria-Infected Broilers

Coccidiosis is one of the major parasitic diseases in commercial broiler industry. Probiotics can protect poultry against Eimeria infection. However, mechanisms are not fully known. Therefore, Lactobacillus plantarum P8 (P8) was used to investigate its anti-coccidial property and mechanism. Five hundred broilers were allocated five treatments: control diet (NC), + infection (IC), containing 1 × 10 7 cfu/g (P8L), 8 (P8H), Diclazuril (DIC). At day 14, all treatments except NC inoculated with sporulated oocysts. Results indicated that increased mortality oocysts shedding, declined growth performance as well intestinal barrier -treated broilers. On contrary, dietary supplementation low level P8, high DIC decreased but improved barrier. The impaired morphology IC group also by P8H treatments. Besides, elevated oxidative stress pro-inflammation -infected reduced P8L, P8H, Metagenomic analysis altered structure gut microbiota, alteration more obvious at 21 than 42. Notably, abundances Eimeriidae, tenella 21, while P8L abundances. Correlation revealed bacteria positively correlated permeability, inflammation, receiving negatively aforementioned pathological indices. Functional prediction demonstrated metagenomes involved several diseases. But P8L-treated energy metabolism replication repair. In conclusion, inhibited oocyst shedding health infected , which closely related regulation microbiota. Moreover, effects may be effective early coccidia.