Modulation of Gut Microbial Community and Metabolism by Bacillus licheniformis HD173 Promotes the Growth of Nursery Piglets Model

Maintaining the balance and stability of the gut microbiota is crucial for the gut health and growth development of humans and animals. ( ) has been reported to be beneficial to the gut health of humans and animals, whereas the probiotic effects of a new strain, HD173, remain uncertain. In this study, nursery piglets were utilized as animal models to investigate the extensive impact of HD173 on gut microbiota, metabolites, and host health. The major findings were that this probiotic enhanced the growth performance and improved the health status of the nursery piglets. Specifically, it reduced the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α in the serum while increasing the level of IL-10 and SOD. In the gut, HD173 reduced the abundance of pathogenic bacteria such as , , and , while it increased the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria, including , , and , leading to an enhanced production of butyric acid. Furthermore, HD173 effectively improved the gut metabolic status, enabling the gut microbiota to provide the host with stronger metabolic abilities for nutrients. In summary, these findings provide scientific evidence for the utilization of HD173 in the development and production of probiotic products for maintaining gut health in humans and animals.