Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of Cibenza® EP150 (a preparation of Bacillus licheniformis (ATCC 53757) and its protease (EC 3.4.21.19)) as a feed additive for chickens for fattening, chickens reared for laying and minor avian species for fattening and to point of lay and ornamental birds

Cibenza® EP150 is a feed additive containing a protease produced by fermentation of a single strain of Bacillus licheniformis. The final preparation contains the enzyme, spores of the production organism and spent medium. It is intended for use as a zootechnical feed additive for chickens for fattening, chickens reared for laying and all relevant minor avian species in the growing or fattening phases but excluding laying birds. Chickens for fattening appeared to tolerate the additive at ten times the recommended dose and consequently the additive is considered safe at the recommended dose of 500 mg/kg complete feedingstuffs. This conclusion applies to chickens reared for laying and can be extrapolated to minor avian species used for meat production and ornamental birds when the same dose is applied. Use of the additive in feed for chickens for fattening, chickens reared for laying and other avian species is considered safe for consumers. The additive is not a skin irritant but is an eye irritant. Because of the observed severe irritation in the eye and the known capacity of enzyme products to induce sensitisation, the additive has the potential to be a skin sensitiser and to induce sensitisation following respiratory exposure. The organism, a strain of a naturally-occurring soil bacterial species, and its fermentation products are considered not to present a hazard for the environment. A significant production benefit of the addition of the additive using the recommended dose was seen in chickens for fattening but only when a reduced protein diet was provided. No effects were seen when a standard poultry diet was fed. This conclusion on efficacy is taken to apply to chickens reared for laying and can be extrapolated to other avian species used for meat production when the same dose is used. Use of the additive is compatible with coccidiostats.