Effects of Culture Condensate of Bifidobacterium longum (MB) on Feed Efficiency, Morphology of Intestinal Epithelial Cells, and Fecal Microflora of Rats

Abstract

Effects of culture condensate of Bifidobacterium longum (MB) on feed efficiency, organ weights, morphology of intestinal epithelial cells, and fecal microflora were studied. Dietary MB ingestion led to a significant increase in numbers of Bifidobacterium spp. and to a decrease in counts of Staphylococcus spp. There were no differences in organ weight and pathological findings between MB and control groups. Feed efficiency of MB-ingested rats was higher than that of control rats. Height of jejunal epithelial villi in 0.5%-and 1.0%-MB-ingested rats, and of ileal epithelial villi in 0.5%-MBingested rats was higher than that of control rats. This study suggests that enhancement of feed efficiency by MB may be attributed to the alteration of the intestinal microflora and to increasing the height of villi in the small intestine.