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Home / Equine Research Bank / Sci Rep / High-starch diets alter equine faecal microbiota and increas...
Scientific reports2019; 9(1); 18621; doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-54039-8

High-starch diets alter equine faecal microbiota and increase behavioural reactivity.

Abstract: Gut microbiota have been associated with health, disease and behaviour in several species and are an important link in gut-brain axis communication. Diet plays a key role in affecting the composition of gut microbiota. In horses, high-starch diets alter the hindgut microbiota. High-starch diets are also associated with increased behavioural reactivity in horses. These changes in microbiota and behaviour may be associated. This study compares the faecal microbiota and behaviour of 10 naïve ponies. A cross-over design was used with experimental groups fed high-starch (HS) or high-fibre (HF) diets. Results showed that ponies were more reactive and less settled when being fed the HS diet compared to the HF diet. Irrespective of diet, the bacterial profile was dominated by two main phyla, Firmicutes, closely followed by Bacteroidetes. However, at lower taxonomic levels multivariate analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data showed diet affected faecal microbial community structure. The abundance of 85 OTUs differed significantly related to diet. Correlative relationships exist between dietary induced alterations to faecal microbiota and behaviour. Results demonstrate a clear link between diet, faecal microbial community composition and behaviour. Dietary induced alterations to gut microbiota play a role in affecting the behaviour of the host.
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Publication Date: 2019-12-09 PubMed ID: 31819069PubMed Central: PMC6901590DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54039-8Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 study investigates the relationship between high-starch diets, changes in gut microbiota and increased behavioural reactivity in horses. The findings suggest that diet plays a key role in affecting both the gut microbiota and the behaviour of the host.

Research Design and Methods

  • The study involved comparing the faecal microbiota and behaviour of 10 unexposed ponies.
  • A cross-over design was used, meaning each pony was subjected to both experimental conditions at different times.
  • The two experimental conditions included being fed a high-starch (HS) diet and a high-fibre (HF) diet.

Findings

  • The study found that ponies exhibited more reactive behaviour and appeared less settled when on the HS diet as compared to the HF diet.
  • The analysis of the bacterial profile, irrespective of the dietary regime, showed that it was dominated by two main phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes.
  • However, a multivariate analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data demonstrated diet-specific faecal microbial community structures at lower taxonomic levels.
  • There were 85 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) whose abundance significantly differed in relation to the diet.
  • The study thus found relationships between dietary-induced changes in the faecal microbiota and changes in behaviour.

Conclusion

  • The research uncovered a substantial link between diet, faecal microbial community composition and behaviour. The dietary-induced modifications to the gut microbiota seem to significantly influence the behaviour of the host.
  • This points to a potential role of diet, through its effect on gut microbiota, in influencing behaviours related to stress reactivity in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Bulmer LS, Murray JA, Burns NM, Garber A, Wemelsfelder F, McEwan NR, Hastie PM. (2019). High-starch diets alter equine faecal microbiota and increase behavioural reactivity. Sci Rep, 9(1), 18621. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54039-8

Publication

Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Pages: 18621
PII: 18621

Researcher Affiliations

Bulmer, Louise S
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK. l.bulmer.1@research.gla.ac.uk.
Murray, Jo-Anne
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
Burns, Neil M
  • Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
Garber, Anna
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
Wemelsfelder, Francoise
  • Animal and Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, Roslin Institute Building, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.
McEwan, Neil R
  • School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK.
Hastie, Peter M
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Feed
  • Animals
  • Bacteroidetes
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Dietary Fiber
  • Feces
  • Firmicutes
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects
  • Horses
  • Intestines / physiology
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Starch / administration & dosage

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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