Impact of Storage Conditions on Equine Fecal Inoculum for Estimating In Vitro Digestibility.
Abstract: This study evaluated the effect of storage conditions of equine fecal material on the viability of microbial inoculum used for in vitro equine digestibility trials. Pooled fecal material from three mature Quarter Horse geldings was stored at 39 °C anaerobically for 15 min (control), while aerobic samples were stored at 22 °C for 6 h (SC1), 3 °C for 6 h (SC2), and -18 °C for 24 h (SC3). Following storage, the feces were utilized to prepare microbial inoculum for the digestion of six different forages using the Daisy II Incubator. After incubation, DM, NDF, and ADF compositions were determined and used to calculate DMD, NDFD, and ADFD. Analysis using the OLS regression model for differences in DMD, NDFD, and ADFD across the storage conditions found significant interactions between the forage sample and the storage condition ( < 0.05). The results between the control and SC1, SC2, and SC3 were not different ( < 0.8). Fecal material stored aerobically for six hours at 22 °C provided similar digestibility estimates compared to the control, while DMD decreased by 3.86% in SC2 and by 4.08% in SC3.
Publication Date: 2021-11-09 PubMed ID: 34827926PubMed Central: PMC8614252DOI: 10.3390/ani11113195Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
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 evaluates how different storage conditions for horse manure influence its viability for use as microbial inoculum in in-vitro digestion tests. The results indicate that storing manure at room temperature, under aerated conditions, for six hours rendered similar digestion estimates to the control sample, whereas cold storage led to decreased levels of dry matter digestibility.
Understanding the Research
- The research sought to understand the impact of different storage conditions on horse manure used in in vitro digestibility tests. Digestibility tests help comprehend how efficiently an animal digests its feed, which contributes to the animal’s health and performance.
- The study used samples pooled from three mature Quarter Horse geldings. These samples were subjected to different storage conditions.
- In the control group, the samples were stored at 39 °C, a temperature close to internal equine body temperatures, without access to air (anaerobically) for 15 minutes.
- In other set of experiments, fecal samples were exposed to air (aerobic) and stored at room temperature (22 °C) for 6 hours (SC1), at 3° Celsius, roughly refrigerator temperature, for 6 hours (SC2), and at -18° Celsius, a typical freezer temperature, for 24 hours (SC3)
Experimental Method
- After the storage period, these fecal samples were used in preparing microbial inoculum to simulate digestion of six different plant feeds using the Daisy II Incubator – a machine used for simulating digestion in a lab setting.
- Once the incubation process ended, Dry Matter (DM), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) compositions were determined as they are significant in evaluating quality of feed. These values were used to calculate Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD), Neutral Detergent Fiber Digestibility (NDFD) and Acid Detergent Fiber Digestibility (ADFD) – key indicators of digestibility efficiency.
- A statistical method called OLS (ordinary least squares) regression model was used to analyze the results. This method helped determine any significant differences in DMD, NDFD, and ADFD across the various storage conditions.
Interpreting the Results
- The analysis revealed significant interactions between the type of plant feed being ‘digested’ and the storage conditions.
- However, the difference between the control group and the other three storage conditions was not statistically significant.
- Fecal material that was stored at room temperature for six hours (SC1) provided similar measures of feed digestibility estimates compared to the control group.
- Nevertheless, a decrease in DMD was observed for fecal material stored at refrigerator (3.86% decrease) and freezer temperatures (4.08% decrease).
</assistant
Cite This Article
APA
O'Donnell D, Sukovaty L, Webb G.
(2021).
Impact of Storage Conditions on Equine Fecal Inoculum for Estimating In Vitro Digestibility.
Animals (Basel), 11(11), 3195.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11113195 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, William H Darr College of Agriculture, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO 65897, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, William H Darr College of Agriculture, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO 65897, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, William H Darr College of Agriculture, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO 65897, USA.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
This article includes 21 references
- Lowman RS, Theodorou MK, Hyslop JJ, Dhanoa MS, Cí·¯ord D. Evaluation of an in vitro batch culture technique for estimating the in vivo digestibility and digestible energy content of equine feeds using equine faeces as the source of microbial inoculum.. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 1999;80:11–27.
- Lattimer JM, Cooper SR, Freeman DW, Lalman DL. Effect of yeast culture on in vitro fermentation of a high-concentrate or high-fiber diet using equine fecal inoculum in a Daisy II incubator.. J Anim Sci 2007 Oct;85(10):2484-91.
- Earing JE, Cassill BD, Hayes SH, Vanzant ES, Lawrence LM. Comparison of in vitro digestibility estimates using the DaisyII incubator with in vivo digestibility estimates in horses.. J Anim Sci 2010 Dec;88(12):3954-63.
- Tassone S, Renna M, Barbera S, Valle E, Fortina R. In Vitro Digestibility Measurement of Feedstuffs in Donkeys Using the Daisy(II) Incubator.. J Equine Vet Sci 2019 Apr;75:122-126.
- Schaafstra FJWC, van Doorn DA, Schonewille JT, van den Boom R, Verschuur M, Blok MC, Hendriks WH. Evaluation of titanium dioxide and chromic oxide as digestibility markers in ponies fed alfalfa hay in relation to marker dosing frequency.. Animal 2019 Apr;13(4):702-708.
- Abdouli H, Attia SB. Evaluation of a two-stage in vitro technique for estimating digestibility of equine feeds using horse faeces as the source of microbial inoculum.. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 2007;132:155–162.
- Desrousseaux G, Santos AS, Pellikaan WF, Van der Poel AFB, Cone JW, Guedes CMV, Ferreira LMM, Rodrigues MAM. Effect of collection time on the fermentative activity of microbes in equine faeces.. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 2012;178:183–189.
- Franzan BC, Franco TW, Stefani G, Pereira MM, de Almeida FQ, Silva VP. Equine fecal inoculum optimization in in vitro fermentation assays of dehydrated roughage.. Rev. Bras. Zootec. 2018;47.
- Murray J-AMD, McMullin P, Handel I, Hastie PM. The effect of freezing on the fermentative activity of equine faecal inocula for use in an in vitro gas production technique.. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 2012;178:175–182.
- Harlow BE, Lawrence LM, Flythe MD. Sample-handling factors affecting the enumeration of lactobacilli and cellulolytic bacteria in equine feces.. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 2015;35:744–748.
- Julliand V, Grimm P. HORSE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM: The microbiome of the horse hindgut: History and current knowledge.. J Anim Sci 2016 Jun;94(6):2262-74.
- Martin de Bustamante M, Plummer C, MacNicol J, Gomez D. Impact of Ambient Temperature Sample Storage on the Equine Fecal Microbiota.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Mar 15;11(3).
- Denek N, Can AA, Avci MM. Frozen rumen fluid as microbial inoculum in the two-stage in vitro digestibility assay of ruminant feeds.. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci. 2010;40:251–256.
- Robinson PH, Mathews MC, Fadel JG. Influence of storage time and temperature on in vitro digestion of neutral detergent fibre at 48h, and comparison to 48h in sacco neutral detergent fibre digestion.. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 1999;80:257–266.
- Chaudhry AS, Mohamed RAI. Fresh or frozen rumen contents from slaughtered cattle to estimate in vitro degradation of two contrasting feeds.. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2012;57:265–273.
- Spanghero M, Chiaravalli M, Colombini S, Fabro C, Froldi F, Mason F, Moschini M, Sarnataro C, Schiavon S, Tagliapietra F. Rumen Inoculum Collected from Cows at Slaughter or from a Continuous Fermenter and Preserved in Warm, Refrigerated, Chilled or Freeze-Dried Environments for In Vitro Tests.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Oct 16;9(10).
- Hervás G, Frutos P, Giráldez FJ, Mora MJ, Fernández B, Mantecón AR. Effect of preservation on fermentative activity of rumen fluid inoculum for in vitro gas production techniques.. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 2005;123:107–118.
- Sutcliffe IC. A phylum level perspective on bacterial cell envelope architecture.. Trends Microbiol 2010 Oct;18(10):464-70.
- Hristov AN, McAllister TA, Cheng KJ. Effect of diet, digesta processing, freezing and extraction procedure on some polysaccharide-degrading activities of ruminal contents.. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 1999;79:73–81.
- Miyamoto-Shinohara Y, Imaizumi T, Sukenobe J, Murakami Y, Kawamura S, Komatsu Y. Survival rate of microbes after freeze-drying and long-term storage.. Cryobiology 2000 Nov;41(3):251-5.
- Ray B, Speck ML. Freeze-injury in bacteria.. CRC Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 1973 Aug;4(2):161-213.
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- MacNicol JL, Renwick S, Ganobis CM, Allen-Vercoe E, Weese JS, Pearson W. A Comparison of Methods to Maintain the Equine Cecal Microbial Environment In Vitro Utilizing Cecal and Fecal Material. Animals (Basel) 2022 Aug 8;12(15).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
