Enhancing Bullfrog Meat Texture and Health Value through Probiotic Intervention

Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) are widely farmed due to their high nutritional value and adaptability to intensive aquaculture systems. However, maintaining optimal growth performance and intestinal health remains a challenge under high-density farming conditions. This study evaluated the effects of four probiotic strains: Clostridium butyricum (CB), Lactobacillus reuteri (LR), Lactobacillus sakei (LS), and Lactococcus lactis (LLA) on growth performance, meat quality, and intestinal microbiota of bullfrogs in a 6-week feeding trial. The results showed that LR significantly improved growth performance and reduced mortality (P < 0.05), while LS enhanced meat texture parameters. CB increased trans-linoleic acid content, suggesting a potential role in improving nutritional value. In contrast, LLA significantly inhibited growth and increased mortality (P < 0.05), despite increasing L-carnosine levels and microbial diversity. Microbiota analysis revealed that probiotic treatments altered intestinal community composition, with distinct patterns among different strains. Our results suggest that probiotic effects are strain-specific and may differentially influence growth, meat quality, and gut microbiota in bullfrogs. This study provides a comparative perspective on probiotic application in amphibian aquaculture.