{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T16:00:39Z","timestamp":1785427239737,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784505600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Key Project of Heilongjiang Provincial \u201cExcellent Young Teachers Basic Research Support Program\u201d","award":["2024ZR164A02"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2024ZR164A02"]}]},{"name":"Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Fund","award":["LBH-Z23245"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LBH-Z23245"]}]},{"award":["LBH-Z23245"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LBH-Z23245"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0462e7n29","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Heilongjiang Province Double First-class Characteristic Discipline Platform Project","award":["HLJTSXK2022"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["HLJTSXK2022"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>With the global ban on antibiotic growth promoters, identifying safe, effective alternatives for poultry production is urgent. Probiotics, particularly Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BA), have shown promise in improving animal health and performance, but research in geese remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary BA supplementation on growth performance, immune function, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology, microbiota, and transcriptome in growing Zi geese. A total of 180 50-day-old male Zi geese were randomly assigned to a control group (basal diet) or an experimental group (basal diet supplemented with 1 \u00d7 108 CFU\/g BA) for 40 days. Growth performance, serum immune indices, intestinal antioxidant parameters, morphology, jejunal microbiota, and transcriptomic profiles were assessed. BA supplementation significantly increased average daily gain and decreased feed-to-gain ratio (p &lt; 0.01). Serum IgA, IgG, IgM, and IL-4 increased, while IL-2, IL-1\u03b2, and TNF-\u03b1 decreased (p &lt; 0.01). Intestinal CAT, GSH-Px, and T-AOC increased (CAT in duodenum and jejunum, p &lt; 0.01; CAT in ileum, p &lt; 0.05; GSH-Px in duodenum and ileum, p &lt; 0.01; GSH-Px in jejunum, p &lt; 0.05; T-AOC in all segments, p &lt; 0.01), and jejunal MDA decreased (p &lt; 0.01). Villus height and V\/C ratio improved. Jejunal microbial diversity increased, with higher Proteobacteria and lower Pseudomonas and Escherichia\u2013Shigella. Transcriptomic analysis revealed DEGs enriched in calcium signaling, cell junction, and intestinal barrier pathways. Dietary BA at 1 \u00d7 108 CFU\/g enhances growth, immunity, and intestinal health in Zi geese by improving gut function, remodeling microbiota, and modulating gene expression, supporting its use as a green feed additive.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani16142243","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T07:54:13Z","timestamp":1784534053000},"page":"2243","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Effects of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens on Growth Performance, Immune Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, Jejunal Microbiota and Transcriptome of Zi Geese"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Qi","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Exploration and Innovative Utilization of White Goose Germplasm Resources in Cold Region, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yueyan","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Exploration and Innovative Utilization of White Goose Germplasm Resources in Cold Region, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jinqiu","family":"Xing","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Exploration and Innovative Utilization of White Goose Germplasm Resources in Cold Region, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ying","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Exploration and Innovative Utilization of White Goose Germplasm Resources in Cold Region, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuan","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Exploration and Innovative Utilization of White Goose Germplasm Resources in Cold Region, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lei","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Exploration and Innovative Utilization of White Goose Germplasm Resources in Cold Region, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qiuju","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Exploration and Innovative Utilization of White Goose Germplasm Resources in Cold Region, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.14202\/vetworld.2021.319-328","article-title":"The use of probiotics in animal feeding for safe production and as potential alternatives to antibiotics","volume":"14","author":"Arsene","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vet. 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