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Journal of animal science2020; 98(3); skaa050; doi: 10.1093/jas/skaa050

Evaluation of equine rectal inoculum as representative of the microbial activities within the horse hindgut using a fully automated in vitro gas production technique system.

Abstract: The in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT) has been a valuable tool in ruminant nutrition research for decades and has more recently been used in horse nutrition studies to investigate fermentation activities of the equine hindgut though primarily using feces as inoculum. This study was conducted to evaluate the use of equine rectal content in the IVGPT system as a viable inoculum that can be considered representative of the activities throughout the equine hindgut. Additionally, the study was conducted to measure the effects on fermentation kinetics and end-product production using inoculum from horses fed supplemental levels of coated sodium butyrate in an IVGPT system. Eight warmblood horses were fed a diet consisting of haylage (1% DM intake based on ideal body weight [BW]) and a mash concentrate formulated to provide 2.5 g nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC)/kg BW per meal. The diet was intended to create a NSC challenge to the microbial populations of the hindgut. The horses were randomly assigned to treatment or control group and after a 1-wk diet-adaptation period, the treatment group received 0.4 g/kg BW per day of a coated sodium butyrate supplement, while the control group received a placebo (coating only). After a 3-wk treatment period, the animals were sacrificed and digesta from the cecum, left ventral colon, right dorsal colon, and the rectum were collected within 30 min postmortem and used as inocula for the IVGPT trial. Haylage and concentrates fed to the test animals were also used as substrates in vitro. Sodium butyrate supplementation was not significant for gas production parameters or VFA measured suggesting no effect of sodium butyrate supplementation on the extent or kinetics of gas production or microbial end-product production (P ≥ 0.073). Differences in inocula were significant for organic matter corrected cumulative gas production (P = 0.0001), asymptotic gas production of the second phase (A2) (P < 0.0001); and maximal rate of OM degradation of the second phase (Rmax2) (P = 0.002). Inocula had a significant effect on total VFA (P = 0.0002), butyrate (Bu) (P = 0.015), branched chain fatty acids (P < 0.0001), pH (P < 0.0001), and ammonia (NH3) (P = 0.0024). In conclusion, based on observed results from this study, total tract digestibility may be overestimated if using rectal content inoculum to evaluate forage-based feeds in an IVGPT system.
© The Author(s) 2020. 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.
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Publication Date: 2020-02-23 PubMed ID: 32076715PubMed Central: PMC7097714DOI: 10.1093/jas/skaa050Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research article studies the use of the in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT) in horse nutrition research, specifically to investigate the fermentation activities within the equine hindgut. Through the evaluation of rectal inoculum from horses, the study measures the effects of sodium butyrate supplementation on fermentation kinetics and end-product production, and concludes that total tract digestibility may be overestimated if the rectal content is used as an inoculum.

Objective and Methodology of the Research

  • The study aimed at evaluating if an equine’s rectal content, when used with an in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT), could represent the activities within the horse’s hindgut. It also investigated the impact of sodium butyrate supplement when included in the horse’s diet on fermentation kinetics and end-product production.
  • Eight warmblood horses were selected, where they were served haylage and a mash concentrate to challenge the microbial populations in the hindgut. Later, they were randomized into two groups, one which received a sodium butyrate supplement, and a control group given a placebo.
  • After three weeks, the horses were sacrificed and their organisms’ digestive content, from the cecum, left ventral colon, right dorsal colon, and the rectum, were collected for the IVGPT trial.

Findings of the Study

  • The study found that sodium butyrate supplementation had no significant effect on gas production parameters, voluntary feed intake, or the extent or kinetics of gas production and microbial end-product production.
  • Significant differences were noted in the organic matter corrected cumulative gas production, asymptotic gas production, and the maximal rate of organic matter degradation between the different inocula gathered.
  • The inocula also had a significant influence on total volatile fatty acids, butyrate, branched chain fatty acids, pH, and ammonia.
  • The research concluded that if rectal content inoculum is used to evaluate forage-based feeds in an IVGPT system, there could be an overestimation of total tract digestibility.

Significance and Conclusions

  • This research is significant as it throws light on the validity and effectiveness of yield results when using rectal inoculum in the in vitro gas production technique system. It also helps understand the influence of sodium butyrate supplementation on the equine diet.
  • While the inclusion of sodium butyrate does not markedly alter fermentation kinetics, rectal content inoculum could possibly give an overestimated measure of the entire tract’s digestibility in an IVGPT system.

Cite This Article

APA
Kujawa TJ, van Doorn DA, Wambacq WA, Hesta M, Pellikaan WF. (2020). Evaluation of equine rectal inoculum as representative of the microbial activities within the horse hindgut using a fully automated in vitro gas production technique system. J Anim Sci, 98(3), skaa050. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa050

Publication

Journal of animal science
ISSN: 1525-3163
NlmUniqueID: 8003002
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 98
Issue: 3
PII: skaa050

Researcher Affiliations

Kujawa, Theresa J
  • Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
  • Department of Animal Sciences, Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
van Doorn, David A
  • Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
  • Department of Equine Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Wambacq, Wendy A
  • Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Hesta, Myriam
  • Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Pellikaan, Wilbert F
  • Department of Animal Sciences, Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Butyric Acid / analysis
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Dietary Supplements / analysis
  • Digestion
  • Fatty Acids, Volatile / analysis
  • Fatty Acids, Volatile / metabolism
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Fermentation
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / physiology
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / metabolism
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / microbiology
  • Horses / metabolism
  • Horses / microbiology
  • In Vitro Techniques / veterinary
  • Random Allocation
  • Rectum / metabolism
  • Rectum / microbiology

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Kara K, Altınsoy A. Comparison of forages’ digestion levels for different in vitro digestion techniques in horses. Vet Med Sci 2024 Mar;10(2):e31373.
    doi: 10.1002/vms3.1373pubmed: 38369823google scholar: lookup
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