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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Anim Sci / Effects of diet and hindgut defaunation on diet digestibilit...
Journal of animal science1993; 71(12); 3350-3358; doi: 10.2527/1993.71123350x

Effects of diet and hindgut defaunation on diet digestibility and microbial concentrations in the cecum and colon of the horse.

Abstract: The effects of diet and hindgut defaunation (removal of protozoa from the hindgut) on diet digestibility (Trial 1) and on total and cellulolytic bacterial and fungal concentrations in the cecum and colon (Trial 2) were investigated. A high-forage (HF) diet, 90% alfalfa hay-10% concentrate, or a higher-concentrate (HC) diet, 60% alfalfa hay-40% concentrate, was limit-fed. In Trial 1, defaunation resulted in a slight decrease in DM digestibility (P < .1) and had no effect on cellulose digestibility. Dry matter digestibility was higher (P < .001) with the HC diet; however, no differences were observed in cellulose digestion. For the faunated periods, protozoal concentrations were similar in the cecum and greater in the colon for both diets (P < .05). A diet x location interaction was observed for the genera Buetschlia and Blepharocorys. In Trial 2, defaunation had no effect on either total or cellulolytic bacterial concentrations in the cecum or colon. Total bacterial concentrations were higher (P < .06) in the colon when ponies were fed the HC diet. Defaunation did not affect total fungal concentrations in the cecum; however, fungal concentrations in the colon were slightly higher (P < .1) when the ponies were defaunated. Diet had no effect on total or cellulolytic fungal concentrations. Both total and cellulolytic fungal concentrations were approximately 10-fold higher in the colon than in the cecum (P < .01). Protozoa do not seem to play an essential role in the fermentation of feedstuffs in the equine hindgut.
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Publication Date: 1993-12-01 PubMed ID: 8294287DOI: 10.2527/1993.71123350xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support
  • U.S. Gov't
  • Non-P.H.S.

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article examines the impact of diet and hindgut defaunation on digestion in horses, focusing particularly on bacterial and fungal concentrations in the hindgut.

Research Objectives

  • The study’s main objectives were two-fold. The first was to study the effects of diet and hindgut defaunation (a process that involves the removal of small unicellular organisms or protozoa from the hindgut) on diet digestibility in horses. The second was to examine the impact of these factors on bacterial and fungal concentrations in the cecum and colon of horses.

Research Trials and Methods

  • The research was organized into two trials. The first trial (Trial 1) assessed the effects of defaunation and diet on the digestibility of the diets given to the horses. The second trial (Trial 2) studied the concentrations of bacteria and fungi in the cecum and colon of the horses.
  • Two types of diets were administered: a high-forage (HF) diet, consisting of 90% Alfalfa hay and 10% concentrate, and a higher-concentrate (HC) diet made up of 60% Alfalfa hay and 40% concentrate.

Findings

  • Trial 1 findings: Defaunation led to a minor reduction in Dry Matter (DM) digestibility. However, it had no effect on cellulose digestibility. Furthermore, the available data demonstrated higher DM digestibility on the HC diet compared to the HF diet. Also, defaunation did not affect protozoan concentrations in the cecum and colon significantly.
  • Trial 2 findings: Defaunation did not influence the total bacterial or cellulolytic bacterial concentrations in the cecum or colon. However, higher total bacterial concentrations were found in the colon when horses were given the HC diet. By contrast, defaunation didn’t affect total fungal concentrations in the cecum but led to slight increases in the colon. The diet given did not affect the total or cellulolytic fungal concentrations.

Conclusion

  • The research concludes that defaunation does not significantly affect the functionality of the equine hindgut, meaning that protozoa do not perform a critical role in the fermentation of feedstuffs in the equine hindgut. Furthermore, diet composition (ratio of hay to concentrate) did not notably affect cellulose digestion or fungal concentrations.

Cite This Article

APA
Moore BE, Dehority BA. (1993). Effects of diet and hindgut defaunation on diet digestibility and microbial concentrations in the cecum and colon of the horse. J Anim Sci, 71(12), 3350-3358. https://doi.org/10.2527/1993.71123350x

Publication

Journal of animal science
ISSN: 0021-8812
NlmUniqueID: 8003002
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 71
Issue: 12
Pages: 3350-3358

Researcher Affiliations

Moore, B E
  • Department of Animal Science, Ohio State University, Wooster 44691-4096.
Dehority, B A

    MeSH Terms

    • Animal Feed
    • Animals
    • Bacteria / growth & development
    • Cecum / microbiology
    • Cecum / parasitology
    • Cellulose / metabolism
    • Colon / microbiology
    • Colon / parasitology
    • Digestion
    • Eukaryota / physiology
    • Fungi / growth & development
    • Horses / microbiology
    • Horses / parasitology
    • Horses / physiology
    • Male
    • Random Allocation

    Citations

    This article has been cited 15 times.
    1. Wunderlich G, Bull M, Ross T, Rose M, Chapman B. Understanding the microbial fibre degrading communities & processes in the equine gut.. Anim Microbiome 2023 Jan 12;5(1):3.
      doi: 10.1186/s42523-022-00224-6pubmed: 36635784google scholar: lookup
    2. Li XB, Huang XX, Li Q, Li XY, Li JH, Li C, He LJ, Jing HX, Yang KL. Effects of different grains on bacterial diversity and enzyme activity associated with digestion of starch in the foal stomach.. BMC Vet Res 2022 Nov 17;18(1):407.
      doi: 10.1186/s12917-022-03510-2pubmed: 36397114google scholar: lookup
    3. Fernandes KA, Rogers CW, Gee EK, Kittelmann S, Bolwell CF, Bermingham EN, Biggs PJ, Thomas DG. Resilience of Faecal Microbiota in Stabled Thoroughbred Horses Following Abrupt Dietary Transition between Freshly Cut Pasture and Three Forage-Based Diets.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Sep 6;11(9).
      doi: 10.3390/ani11092611pubmed: 34573577google scholar: lookup
    4. Muhonen S, Sadet-Bourgeteau S, Julliand V. Effects of Differences in Fibre Composition and Maturity of Forage-Based Diets on the Microbial Ecosystem and Its Activity in Equine Caecum and Colon Digesta and Faeces.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Aug 8;11(8).
      doi: 10.3390/ani11082337pubmed: 34438794google scholar: lookup
    5. Kinoshita Y, Niwa H, Uchida-Fujii E, Nukada T. Establishment and assessment of an amplicon sequencing method targeting the 16S-ITS-23S rRNA operon for analysis of the equine gut microbiome.. Sci Rep 2021 Jun 4;11(1):11884.
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    6. Edwards JE, Shetty SA, van den Berg P, Burden F, van Doorn DA, Pellikaan WF, Dijkstra J, Smidt H. Multi-kingdom characterization of the core equine fecal microbiota based on multiple equine (sub)species.. Anim Microbiome 2020 Feb 12;2(1):6.
      doi: 10.1186/s42523-020-0023-1pubmed: 33499982google scholar: lookup
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    10. Coleman MC, Whitfield-Cargile C, Cohen ND, Goldsby JL, Davidson L, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Ivanov I, Eades S, Ing N, Chapkin RS. Non-invasive evaluation of the equine gastrointestinal mucosal transcriptome.. PLoS One 2020;15(3):e0229797.
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    15. Julliand V, de Vaux A, Millet L, Fonty G. Identification of Ruminococcus flavefaciens as the predominant cellulolytic bacterial species of the equine cecum.. Appl Environ Microbiol 1999 Aug;65(8):3738-41.
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