Calsporin approved in Europe for laying hens, fish

The European Commission has approved the use of the probiotic Calsporin (Bacillus subtilis C-3102, No. 4b1820 - gut flora stabilizer) for laying hens and ornamental fish.

Andrea Gantz
Andrea Gantz

The European Commission has approved the use of the probiotic Calsporin (Bacillus subtilis C-3102, No. 4b1820 - gut flora stabilizer) for laying hens and ornamental fish.

According to a press release from Orffa, Calsporin contains live spores of Bacillus subtilis C-3102. To meet the demands for practical application, Calsporin is extremely heat stable and has proven viability in the presence of all relevant coccidiostats, therapeutic antibiotics and organic acids. Calsporin is manufactured in Japan by Asahi Calpis Wellness Co. Ltd., and is sold and marketed in Europe by Orffa.

The company says Calsporin promotes and stabilizes an optimal intestinal microflora by shifting the microbial colonization in favor of Lactobacillus spp., reducing pathogenic bacteria such as Coliforms, Salmonella and Clostridium spp. and thereby reducing the ammonia excretion in the feces.

Calsporin has been shown to improve layer feed conversion rates up to 2 percent and increase egg size. In juvenile koi carp, it has been shown to increase growth and feed utilization.

FEFANA, the EU Association of Specialty Feed Ingredients and their Mixtures, said it supports innovation in animal nutrition as a key contributor to improving animal health and welfare and to reducing environmental impacts of livestock production. “Preservation of gut health through probiotics is a proven concept to increase feed conversion and to reduce the need for the use of antibiotics. We welcome market authorization of the probiotic Calsporin following the outcome of a rigorous safety assessment conducted by the European Food Safety Authority,” a FEFANA spokesman told WATTAgNet.

Previous Calsporin studies

Calsporin was previously approved by the European Commission for weaned piglets, broilers, turkeys, minor avian species and other game and ornamental birds.

A previous study as part of the Campybro project, a large European-funded project to investigate strategies to control Campylobacter infections in broiler flocks through vaccination and nutrition, showed Calsporin was one of the three treatments showing a significant reduction of Campylobacter in broilers at day 42, slaughter age. In a second study, the research group evaluated the combination of a blend of mono-glycerides and organic acids (MGOA) with Calsporin. Over the whole period the treatment with MGOA and Calsporin significantly reduced ceacal Campylobacter counts, with a decrease of 4 log10 CFU reached at slaughter weight.

The Campybro project is a collaboration between research institutes Imasde and the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, along with major European organizations and stakeholders in the poultry industry such as the Poultry Board in Budapest, Mikrolab and Nepluvi.

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