Abstract:Background Bacillus species represent an important source of microbial strains for developing microecological preparations used in livestock and poultry feeding, which have attracted considerable attention in recent years.Objective This study screened Bacillus strains with favorable probiotic properties and safety profiles from Diannan small-ear pigs, aiming to provide candidate strains for the development of microecological preparations for livestock and poultry.Methods We collected fresh fecal samples from Diannan small-ear pigs and used tryptic soy agar to isolate candidate Bacillus strains. Furthermore, we comprehensively assessed the probiotic properties and safety of the strains based on the strain tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal fluids, antimicrobial activity, antibiotic susceptibility, adhesion capacity, and anti-inflammatory properties.Results A total of 27 Bacillus strains were isolated from the fresh feces. Through comprehensive assessment of tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal fluid, antimicrobial activity, and antibiotic susceptibility, five strains (DN2-3, DN3-1, DN3-4, DN3-5, and DN3-6) with probiotic potential were selected for evaluation of intestinal epithelial cell adhesion and anti-inflammatory capacity. Among them, Bacillus subtilis DN3-1 exhibited strong adhesion to HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells and demonstrated the most potent inhibition of IL-8 expression in HT-29 cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide. Acute oral toxicity tests of this strain in mice showed no adverse effects on feed intake or body weight after gavage administration. No pathological changes were observed in the jejunum, ileum, liver, or kidney, and there were no significant differences in organ indices. Villus height in the jejunum and ileum showed an increasing trend, indicating good safety of the strain.Conclusion B. subtilis DN3-1 possesses excellent probiotic properties and safety, being a high-quality candidate strain for developing microecological preparations for livestock and poultry.