Abstract: Described are the Bacillus subtilis strain deposited as DSM 32685 and mutant strains thereof which are susceptible to relevant antibiotics, have inhibitory activity against, for example, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, E. coli and Salmonella, and have the ability to facilitate degradation of non-starch polysaccharides and thereby increase the amount of available oligosaccharides (sugar) in animal feed. Also described are compositions comprising at least one Bacillus subtilis strain of the disclosure and optionally further bacteria and/or one or more types of yeast and methods of using such compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for quantifying the inhibition capacity of at least one, potentially inhibiting, first bacterial or yeast strain towards a gas producing, potentially undesirable, second bacterial or yeast strain, based on a measure of the total gas production. Examples of a first bacterial or yeast strain are probiotic bacterial strains of the genus Bacillus, Lactobacillus or Lactococcus, and examples of the gas producing bacterial or yeast strain are bacteria such as Clostridium, fusobacteria, Escherichia coli and Salmonella or yeast such as Saccharomyces or Pichia.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Bacillus subtilis strain deposited as DSM 32685 and mutant strains thereof which are susceptible to relevant antibiotics, have inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, E. coli and Salmonella enterica and have the ability to facilitate degradation of non-starch polysaccharides and thereby increase the amount of available oligosaccharides (sugar) in animal feed. The invention further relates to a composition comprising at least one Bacillus subtilis strain of the invention and optionally further bacteria, and/or one or more types of yeast. The composition may be a probiotic, Direct Fed Microbial (DFM), a premix, an animal feed additive, or an animal feed such as complete feed, e.g. a canine complete feed. The composition can be used in the prevention, reduction or control of a bacterial colonization or infection or for increasing digestibility of an animal feed, in particular a feed for a monogastric animal, such as feed for a companion animal, e.g.