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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Anim Sci / Influence of short-term dietary starch inclusion on the equi...
Journal of animal science2018; 95(11); 5077-5090; doi: 10.2527/jas2017.1754

Influence of short-term dietary starch inclusion on the equine cecal microbiome.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine bacterial community profiles of the equine cecum in response to abrupt inclusion of varying levels of dietary starch. Seven cecally cannulated Quarter Horse geldings (497 to 580 kg) were used in a crossover design with two 28-d periods and a 28-d washout between each. Horses were randomly assigned to dietary treatments consisting of a commercial concentrate offered as fed at either 0.6 (low starch [LS]) or 1.2% BW (high starch [HS]) daily that was divided into 2 meals at 12-h intervals. Prior to the start of each period, horses were allowed ad libitum access to coastal bermudagrass () hay. Concentrate was fed on d 1 with no adaptation. Cecal fluid was collected on d 1 at h 0 and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 h relative to the initial concentrate meal on d 1. Additional samples were collected 6 h after feeding on d 2, 3, and 7 of each period. Cecal contents were used to determine pH and VFA concentrations and extract microbial DNA. The V4 through V6 region of 16S rRNA gene was amplified using PCR and sequenced on the Roche 454 FLX platform. Sequence analysis was performed with QIIME, and data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Cecal pH tended to decrease ( = 0.09) in horses fed HS in the first 12 h after the first concentrate meal and remained lower ( ≤ 0.05) the following 7 d. Total VFA were greater ( ≤ 0.05) in horses fed HS in the initial 12 h and 7 d after addition of concentrate. Species richness determined using the Chao1 index was unchanged ( > 0.20) over the initial 12 h and decreased ( = 0.01) over 7 d for both treatments. Community diversity determined using the Shannon index tended to decrease ( = 0.06) over the 7 d. Relative abundances of Paraprevotellaceae were greater ( ≤ 0.05) in HS in the first 12 h. Over 7 d, relative abundances of Paraprevotellaceae, Veillonellaceae, and Succinivibrionaceae were greater ( ≤ 0.05) in HS compared with LS. Abrupt and short-term exposure to dietary starch does alter cecal fermentation and microbial community structure in horses, but the impact on horse health is unknown.
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Publication Date: 2018-01-03 PubMed ID: 29293739PubMed Central: PMC6095290DOI: 10.2527/jas2017.1754Google 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.

This study investigated how sudden changes to dietary starch levels alter the bacterial community in the cecum of horses. Using seven Quarter Horse geldings, the study found that an abrupt influx of dietary starch shifts microbial fermentation and modifies the cecal microbiome composition.

Methods and Experimental Design

The research involved seven Quarter Horse geldings all fitted with cecal cannulas. The horses alternated between two diet regimes in a crossover design. These involved a 28-day period of low starch (LS) and high starch (HS) diets with a 28-day washout phase in between each cycle.

  • The LS diet comprised of a commercial feed comprising 0.6% bodyweight of starch fed in two meals per day.
  • The HS diet consisted of the same commercial feed but at 1.2% bodyweight of starch in two meals each day.
  • Before each diet cycle, the horses had unrestricted access to coastal bermudagrass hay.

At specific intervals over seven days, researchers collected cecal fluid samples to analyze the changes in the bacterial communities.

Findings

The researchers used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the 16S rRNA gene regions in microbial DNA from the fluid samples. They then sequenced the genes and analyzed the sequences with Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) software. This analysis led to the following findings:

  • There was a tendency for the cecal pH to drop in the HS-fed horses within the first 12 hours of feeding. This lower pH remained constant for 7 days.
  • Researchers noted higher total VFA (volatile fatty acids) concentrations initially and over seven days in horses on the HS diet.
  • Species richness, indicated using the Chao1 index, remained unchanged within the first 12 hours but registered a decrease over the 7-day period for both diet groups.
  • The study observed a significant increase in the abundance of certain bacteria, such as Paraprevotellaceae, Veillonellaceae, and Succinivibrionaceae in horses on the HS diet.

Conclusion

The study concluded that the abrupt introduction of dietary starch can transform the microbial fermentation and the structure of the cecal bacterial community in horses. However, the potential effects that these changes may have on the health of the horse remain unclear.

Cite This Article

APA
Warzecha CM, Coverdale JA, Janecka JE, Leatherwood JL, Pinchak WE, Wickersham TA, McCann JC. (2018). Influence of short-term dietary starch inclusion on the equine cecal microbiome. J Anim Sci, 95(11), 5077-5090. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas2017.1754

Publication

Journal of animal science
ISSN: 1525-3163
NlmUniqueID: 8003002
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 95
Issue: 11
Pages: 5077-5090

Researcher Affiliations

Warzecha, C M
    Coverdale, J A
      Janecka, J E
        Leatherwood, J L
          Pinchak, W E
            Wickersham, T A
              McCann, J C

                MeSH Terms

                • Animal Feed / analysis
                • Animals
                • Bacteria / classification
                • Bacteria / genetics
                • Cecum / microbiology
                • Diet / veterinary
                • Dietary Carbohydrates / administration & dosage
                • Digestion
                • Fatty Acids, Volatile / metabolism
                • Fermentation
                • Horses / physiology
                • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
                • Male
                • Microbiota
                • Starch / administration & dosage

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