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Home / Equine Research Bank / PLoS One / Faecal microbiota of forage-fed horses in New Zealand and th...
PloS one2014; 9(11); e112846; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112846

Faecal microbiota of forage-fed horses in New Zealand and the population dynamics of microbial communities following dietary change.

Abstract: The effects of abrupt dietary transition on the faecal microbiota of forage-fed horses over a 3-week period were investigated. Yearling Thoroughbred fillies reared as a cohort were exclusively fed on either an ensiled conserved forage-grain diet ("Group A"; n = 6) or pasture ("Group B"; n = 6) for three weeks prior to the study. After the Day 0 faecal samples were collected, horses of Group A were abruptly transitioned to pasture. Both groups continued to graze similar pasture for three weeks, with faecal samples collected at 4-day intervals. DNA was isolated from the faeces and microbial 16S and 18S rRNA gene amplicons were generated and analysed by pyrosequencing. The faecal bacterial communities of both groups of horses were highly diverse (Simpson's index of diversity > 0.8), with differences between the two groups on Day 0 (P < 0.017 adjusted for multiple comparisons). There were differences between Groups A and B in the relative abundances of four genera, BF311 (family Bacteroidaceae; P = 0.003), CF231 (family Paraprevotellaceae; P = 0.004), and currently unclassified members within the order Clostridiales (P = 0.003) and within the family Lachnospiraceae (P = 0.006). The bacterial community of Group A horses became similar to Group B within four days of feeding on pasture, whereas the structure of the archaeal community remained constant pre- and post-dietary change. The community structure of the faecal microbiota (bacteria, archaea and ciliate protozoa) of pasture-fed horses was also identified. The initial differences observed appeared to be linked to recent dietary history, with the bacterial community of the forage-fed horses responding rapidly to abrupt dietary change.
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Publication Date: 2014-11-10 PubMed ID: 25383707PubMed Central: PMC4226576DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112846Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

The study investigates how a sudden change in diet affects the faecal microbiota of forage-fed horses over a span of three weeks. It concludes that the bacterial community in horses’ faecal matter quickly responds to abrupt dietary changes, while the archaeal community remains constant.

Research Methodology

  • The study used year-old Thoroughbred fillies reared together and fed either on an ensiled conserved forage-grain diet (Group A, six horses) or pasture (Group B, six horses) for three weeks prior to the start of the experiment.
  • After initial faecal samples were collected (Day 0), Group A was suddenly switched to a pasture diet. Both groups then continued to graze the same pasture for the next three weeks, with faecal samples collected every four days.
  • DNA was extracted from the faecal samples and microbial 16S and 18S rRNA gene amplicons were produced and studied using pyrosequencing.

Findings

  • Bacterial communities in both groups were highly diverse, with noticeable differences observed between the two groups at the start (Day 0), more prevalent in Group A.
  • Four genera showed differences in their relative abundances between the two groups: BF311 (family Bacteroidaceae), CF231 (family Paraprevotellaceae), and yet-to-be classified members within the order Clostridiales and the family Lachnospiraceae.
  • The bacterial community in Group A horses quickly became like Group B’s within four days of switching to the pasture diet.
  • Despite the dietary change, the structure of the archaeal community, a type of microorganism different from bacteria, stayed the same before and after the dietary changes.

Conclusions

  • The faecal microbiota, which includes bacteria, archaea, and ciliate protozoa, of pasture-fed horses had been identified along the course of the study.
  • The observed initial differences were associated with recent dietary habits, showing that the bacterial community in forage-fed horses’ faecal matter quickly responds to abrupt dietary changes.

Cite This Article

APA
Fernandes KA, Kittelmann S, Rogers CW, Gee EK, Bolwell CF, Bermingham EN, Thomas DG. (2014). Faecal microbiota of forage-fed horses in New Zealand and the population dynamics of microbial communities following dietary change. PLoS One, 9(11), e112846. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0112846

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 11
Pages: e112846
PII: e112846

Researcher Affiliations

Fernandes, Karlette A
  • Institute of Veterinary, Animal, and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Kittelmann, Sandra
  • AgResearch Ltd, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Rogers, Christopher W
  • Institute of Veterinary, Animal, and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Gee, Erica K
  • Institute of Veterinary, Animal, and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Bolwell, Charlotte F
  • Institute of Veterinary, Animal, and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Bermingham, Emma N
  • AgResearch Ltd, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Thomas, David G
  • Institute of Veterinary, Animal, and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Feed / analysis
  • Animals
  • Archaea / classification
  • Archaea / genetics
  • Bacteria / classification
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Horses
  • Microbiota
  • New Zealand
  • Population Dynamics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Citations

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