Scientific Opinion on the compatibility of Ecobiol® (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CECT 5940) for chickens for fattening with coccidiostats

This opinion concerns a proposed modification to the existing authorisation for the use of the microbial feed additive Ecobiol^® with chickens for fattening to include provision for its simultaneous use with the coccciodstats monensin sodium, diclazuril, nicarbazin, robenidine hydrochloride, salinomycin sodium, lasalocid A sodium, narasin/nicarbazin, maduramycin ammonium, decoquinate and semduramycin sodium. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against the active agent Bacillus amyloliquefaciens were determined for eight of the ten coccidiostats. Three of those, monensin sodium, diclazuril andnicarbazin, had MIC values greater than four times the maximum permitted use level in feed for chickens for fattening; they can thus be considered compatible with B. amyloliquefaciens with no need for further investigation. Two in vivo studies with chickens for fattening were performed using diets containing only the microbial additive or the microbial additive with one of the coccidiostats. At the end of the experimental period, birds were killed and ceacal counts of B. amyloliquefaciens were made. No significant differences in counts were observed in the treated groups compared to the control group in any of the studies. However, a heat treatment was applied prior to plating and the resulting bacterial counts were of spores only and did not include cells in the vegetative state. Since bacterial endospores are considerably more resistant to biocides than vegetative cells, those in vivo experiments do not establish compatibility. The FEEDAP Panel concludes that on the basis of the experimental results provided, Ecobiol^® is compatible with the coccidiostats monensin sodium, diclazuril and nicarbazin.