Effect of ellagic acid on body weight, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, and urolithin A metabolism in Thoroughbred horses.
Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effects of EA supplementation on body weight, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, blood biochemical indices, and urolithin A metabolism in one-year-old Thoroughbred horses. A group of 18 one-year-old Thoroughbred horses, with an average weight of 339.00 ± 30.11 kg, were randomly allocated into three groups of six horses each (three males and three females). The control group (n=6) received only the basal diet, whereas test groups I (n=6) and II (n=6) were fed the basal diet supplemented with 15 mg/kg BW/d and 30 mg/kg BW/d of EA, respectively, for 40-days. The results showed that test group I and II horses had a significant increase in total weight gain by 49.47% and 62.74%, respectively, compared to the control group. The digestibility of various components in the diets of the test group horses was improved, including dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), gross energy, neutral detergent fiber (NDFom), acid detergent fiber (ADFom), and calcium (Ca). Additionally, the digestibility of crude protein (CP) and phosphorus (P) in test group II horses increased significantly by 10.96% and 33.56% ( P < 0.05), respectively. Moreover, EA supplementation significantly increased the fecal abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes (P < 0.05), Fibrobacterota, p-251-o5, Desemzia incerta (P < 0.05), and Fibrobacter sp. (P < 0.05), while reducing the abundance of Proteobacteria, Pseudomonadaceae, Pseudomonas, and Cupriavidus pauculus (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Fecal samples from test group II showed 89.47%, 100%, and 86.15% increases in the concentrations of acetic acid, valeric acid, and total volatile fatty acids, respectively. In addition, the plasma levels of total protein (TP) and globulin (GLB) increased significantly in test groups I (7.88% and 11.35%, respectively) and II (13.44% and 16.07%, respectively) compared to those in the control group (P < 0.05). The concentration of urolithin A in fecal and urine samples was positively correlated with increasing doses of EA. These findings suggest that supplemental feeding of EA improved nutrient digestibility, blood biochemical indices, and fecal microbiota in one-year-old Thoroughbred horses, promoting growth and development.
© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Publication Date: 2023-07-09 PubMed ID: 37422771DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad232Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research investigates how ellagic acid (EA) supplements affect the weight, nutrient digestion, fecal microbiota, blood biochemistry, and metabolism of a particular substance, urolithin A, in one-year-old Thoroughbred horses.
Research Setup
- The study ran for 40 days, and 18 one-year-old thoroughbred horses were randomly distributed into three groups – control and two test groups.
- The control group only received a basal diet, while the test groups received the same diet, but it was supplemented with either 15mg/kg or 30mg/kg body weight of EA daily.
Effect on Body Weight
- Both test groups experienced significant weight gains. Groups I and II observed increases of 49.47% and 62.74%, respectively, highlighting the potential benefits of EA supplementation on equine growth.
Impact on Nutrient Digestibility
- Both test groups exhibited improved digestibility of multiple diet components, including dry matter, organic matter, gross energy, fibrous matter, and calcium.
- Even more significant improvements were seen in digestion for crude protein and phosphorus for the second test group, further demonstrating the impact of EA.
Alterations to Fecal Microbiota
- There was a rise in beneficial gut flora, including Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Fibrobacterota, and others, with EA supplementation.
- Simultaneously, there was a significant reduction in potentially harmful bacteria types, including Proteobacteria, Pseudomonadaceae, and others.
Changes in Biochemical Indices
- Fecal samples from the second test group showed greatly increased concentrations of beneficial acids, acetic and valeric.
- Moreover, blood samples showed an increase in total protein and globulin levels for both test groups.
Impact on Urolithin A Metabolism
- Positive correlation was observed in the concentration of urolithin A in fecal and urine samples with increasing doses of EA.
Conclusion
- The study concludes that supplementing the diet of young thoroughbred horses with EA improves nutrient digestibility, blood biochemistry, and fecal microbiota, which promotes overall growth and development.
Cite This Article
APA
Li J, Huang X, He L, Li C, Jing H, Lin J, Ma C, Li X.
(2023).
Effect of ellagic acid on body weight, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, and urolithin A metabolism in Thoroughbred horses.
J Anim Sci, skad232.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad232 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Nutrition for Meat & Milk Production, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang 830052 Urumqi, China.
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Nutrition for Meat & Milk Production, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang 830052 Urumqi, China.
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Nutrition for Meat & Milk Production, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang 830052 Urumqi, China.
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Nutrition for Meat & Milk Production, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang 830052 Urumqi, China.
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Nutrition for Meat & Milk Production, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang 830052 Urumqi, China.
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Nutrition for Meat & Milk Production, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang 830052 Urumqi, China.
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Nutrition for Meat & Milk Production, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang 830052 Urumqi, China.
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Nutrition for Meat & Milk Production, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang 830052 Urumqi, China.
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Horse Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang 830052 Urumqi, China.
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Huang X, He L, Ma J, Li Y, Li J, Zang C, Hou M, Li X. Ellagic acid on milk production performance, blood and milk hormones, antioxidant capacity and fecal microbial communities in lactating Yili mares. Front Microbiol 2025;16:1656100.
- Jing H, Liu P, Zheng S, Cao K, Li X. Total mixed ration enhances nutrient digestibility, blood biochemical parameters and faecal microbial diversity in horses. BMC Vet Res 2025 Jul 23;21(1):483.
- Lin J, Jing H, Wang J, Lucien-Cabaraux JF, Yang K, Liu W, Li X. Effects of lysine and threonine on milk yield, amino acid metabolism, and fecal microbiota of Yili lactating mares. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1396053.
- Zhang W, Ren F, Zang C, Yang F, Li X, Huang X, Chen K, Li X. Effects of dietary addition of ellagic acid on rumen metabolism, nutrient apparent digestibility, and growth performance in Kazakh sheep. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1334026.
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