Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
In Vitro Digestibility Measurement of Feedstuffs in Donkeys Using the DaisyII Incubator.
Abstract: Successful studies on in vitro digestibility measurement of feedstuffs with fecal inoculum have been reported for horses, whereas data on donkeys are currently lacking. In this study, we evaluated the use of the Daisy Incubator for in vitro digestibility measurement of feedstuffs using donkey feces as source of microbial inoculum. The method was tested using seven feedstuffs commonly used in donkey diets (alfalfa, bromegrass, ryegrass, and timothy hays; wheat bran and wheat straw; barley grains). Feces were obtained from four female donkeys, and incubations were carried out at 1-week intervals for four consecutive weeks. Two bags of each feedstuff were incubated in digestion vessels containing a buffer/feces solution (90:10). In vitro apparent dry matter digestibility (DMD), true dry matter digestibility (IVTD), and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) were evaluated at four incubation times: 30, 48, 60, and 72 hours. All digestibility parameters significantly increased from 30 to 72 hours of incubation. At 72 hours of incubation, the within-laboratory repeatability and reproducibility of the method were 2.7% and 5.0% for DMD and 1.6% and 3.9% for IVTD, respectively. The method was less repeatable and reproducible for NDFD (4.5% and 10.4%, respectively).
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2019-02-14 PubMed ID: 31002085DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2019.02.002Google 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
- Research Support
- 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 research article investigates the use of a Daisy Incubator in assessing the in-vitro digestibility of various feedstuffs for donkeys. The study examines the incubation process over four intervals and evaluates the repeatability and reproducibility of the method.
Methodology of the Research
- The researchers used seven types of feedstuffs typically found in donkey diets; these were alfalfa, bromegrass, ryegrass, timothy hays, wheat bran, wheat straw, and barley grains.
- The feces providing the microbial inoculum were collected from four female donkeys.
- Each feedstuff was tested through four incubation sessions, with sessions occurring at 1-week intervals over a four-week period.
- For each session, two bags of each feedstuff were incubated in digestion containers holding a buffer/feces solution in a ratio of 90:10.
Measurement Parameters
- Three digestibility parameters were measured at incubation intervals of 30, 48, 60, and 72 hours: apparent dry matter digestibility (DMD), true dry matter digestibility (IVTD), and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD).
Results of the Study
- For all feedstuffs, all digestibility parameters rose significantly, from 30 hours up to 72 hours incubation.
- At the 72 hours point, the within-laboratory repeatability and reproducibility of the method exhibited respective scores of 2.7% and 5.0% for DMD and 1.6% and 3.9% for IVTD.
- For NDFD, the method provided less repeatability (4.5%) and reproducibility (10.4%).
Based on these results, the study concludes that the Daisy Incubator can be effectively used for in-vitro digestibility measurements of feedstuffs for donkeys, with the measurement reliability improving over longer incubation periods. However, for neutral detergent fiber digestibility, the method was found to be less reliable.
Cite This Article
APA
Tassone S, Renna M, Barbera S, Valle E, Fortina R.
(2019).
In Vitro Digestibility Measurement of Feedstuffs in Donkeys Using the DaisyII Incubator.
J Equine Vet Sci, 75, 122-126.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2019.02.002 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy. Electronic address: manuela.renna@unito.it.
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed / analysis
- Animals
- Digestion
- Equidae
- Female
- Horses
- Incubators
- Reproducibility of Results
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Chaucheyras-Durand F, Sacy A, Karges K, Apper E. Gastro-Intestinal Microbiota in Equines and Its Role in Health and Disease: The Black Box Opens. Microorganisms 2022 Dec 19;10(12).
- Tassone S, Fortina R, Mabrouki S, Hachana Y, Barbera S. Comparison of In Vivo and In Vitro Digestibility in Rabbits. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 15;11(11).
- O'Donnell D, Sukovaty L, Webb G. Impact of Storage Conditions on Equine Fecal Inoculum for Estimating In Vitro Digestibility. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 9;11(11).
- Gandarillas M, Keim JP, Gapp EM. Associative Effects between Forages and Concentrates on In Vitro Fermentation of Working Equine Diets. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 26;11(8).
- Tassone S, Fortina R, Valle E, Cavallarin L, Raspa F, Boggero S, Bergero D, Giammarino M, Renna M. Comparison of In Vivo and In Vitro Digestibility in Donkeys. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 12;10(11).
- Battelli M, Rapetti L, Rota Graziosi A, Colombini S, Crovetto GM, Galassi G. Use of Undigested NDF for Estimation of Diet Digestibility in Growing Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 31;10(11).
- Tassone S, Fortina R, Peiretti PG. In Vitro Techniques Using the Daisy(II) Incubator for the Assessment of Digestibility: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2020 Apr 29;10(5).
- Shebeko SK, Drobot HY, Koshchaev AG, Todorov SD, Ermakov AM. Application of Artificial Gastrointestinal Tract Models in Veterinary Medicine. Animals (Basel) 2025 Apr 26;15(9).
- 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.
- Springer RW, Cherry NM, Raub RH, Wellmann KB, Jones TN. Estimation of In Vitro True Digestibility and Fiber Degradation from Feedstuff Fiber Composition When Incubated in Equine Fecal Inoculum. Animals (Basel) 2023 Nov 29;13(23).
- Foster JL, Smith WB, Rouquette FM, Tedeschi LO. Forages and pastures symposium: an update on in vitro and in situ experimental techniques for approximation of ruminal fiber degradation. J Anim Sci 2023 Jan 3;101.
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
