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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2021; 11(9); doi: 10.3390/ani11092611

Resilience of Faecal Microbiota in Stabled Thoroughbred Horses Following Abrupt Dietary Transition between Freshly Cut Pasture and Three Forage-Based Diets.

Abstract: The management of competition horses in New Zealand often involves rotations of short periods of stall confinement and concentrate feeding, with periods of time at pasture. Under these systems, horses may undergo abrupt dietary changes, with the incorporation of grains or concentrate feeds to the diet to meet performance needs, or sudden changes in the type of forage fed in response to a lack of fresh or conserved forage. Abrupt changes in dietary management are a risk factor for gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances, potentially due to the negative effects observed on the population of GI microbiota. In the present study, the faecal microbiota of horses was investigated to determine how quickly the bacterial communities; (1) responded to dietary change, and (2) stabilised following abrupt dietary transition. Six Thoroughbred mares were stabled for six weeks, consuming freshly cut pasture (weeks 1, 3 and 5), before being abruptly transitioned to conserved forage-based diets, both offered ad libitum. Intestinal markers were administered to measure digesta transit time immediately before each diet change. The conserved forage-based diets were fed according to a 3 × 3 Latin square design (weeks 2, 4 and 6), and comprised a chopped ensiled forage fed exclusively (Diet FE) or with whole oats (Diet FE + O), and perennial ryegrass hay fed with whole oats (Diet H + O). Faecal samples were collected at regular intervals from each horse following the diet changes. High throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to evaluate the faecal microbiota. There were significant differences in alpha diversity across diets (p < 0.001), and a significant effect of diet on the beta diversity (ANOSIM, p = 0.001), with clustering of samples observed by diet group. There were differences in the bacterial phyla across diets (p < 0.003), with the highest relative abundances observed for Firmicutes (62-64%) in the two diets containing chopped ensiled forage, Bacteroidetes (32-38%) in the pasture diets, and Spirochaetes (17%) in the diet containing hay. Major changes in relative abundances of faecal bacteria appeared to correspond with the cumulative percentage of intestinal markers retrieved in the faeces as the increasing amounts of digesta from each new diet transited the animals. A stable faecal microbiota profile was observed in the samples from 96 h after abrupt transition to the treatment diets containing ensiled chopped forage. The present study confirmed that the diversity and community structure of the faecal bacteria in horses is diet-specific and resilient following dietary transition and emphasised the need to have modern horse feeding management that reflects the ecological niche, particularly by incorporating large proportions of forage into equine diets.
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Publication Date: 2021-09-06 PubMed ID: 34573577PubMed Central: PMC8471312DOI: 10.3390/ani11092611Google 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 explores how sudden changes in diet can impact the gut bacteria in horses, specifically Thoroughbred mares, investigating how quickly this bacterial ecosystem adapts to and stabilizes after an abrupt dietary shift. The findings suggest that the horse’s gut microbiota demonstrates resilience in response to different feeding patterns and underscore the importance of including large amounts of forage in the horse’s diet.

Study Methodology

  • Six Thoroughbred mares were kept in stables for six weeks and fed freshly cut pasture during the 1st, 3rd, and 5th weeks.
  • The horses were abruptly switched to conserved forage-based diets (a chopped ensiled forage fed exclusively or with whole oats, and perennial ryegrass hay fed with whole oats) during the 2nd, 4th, and 6th weeks following a 3×3 Latin square design.
  • High throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, a technique used for analyzing bacterial diversity, was employed to study the fecal microbiota collected at regular intervals after diet modifications.
  • Intestinal markers were introduced in the horses’ diet to measure transit time of digested food before each diet change.

Key Findings

  • There were significant differences in bacterial diversity, known as alpha diversity, across diets.
  • The study also noted a significant impact on beta diversity, indicating distinct clustering of samples based on their diet group.
  • Response and stabilization of gut bacteria following abrupt dietary changes seemed to align with observable changes in fecal matter related with the passage of new diet through the horses’ system.
  • The bacterial phylum showed substantial variations across diets with Bacteroidetes exhibiting highest abundance in pasture diets, Firmicutes in diets containing chopped ensiled forage, and Spirochaetes in the diet with hay.
  • A stable fecal microbiota profile was observed around 96 hours after transitioning the horses to treatment diets containing ensiled chopped forage.

Implications and Conclusion

  • The findings affirm that the fecal bacteria in horses are diet-specific and can rapidly adapt to dietary transitions.
  • This resilience of gut microbiota to abrupt changes in diet supports the argument for a horse feeding management approach that includes large quantities of forage, which aligns with the horse’s natural feeding ecology.
  • The study emphasizes a better understanding of horse gut microbiota’s response to different diets, which can aid in designing healthier feeding strategies, thereby reducing risk of dietary-induced gastrointestinal ailments.

Cite This Article

APA
Fernandes KA, Rogers CW, Gee EK, Kittelmann S, Bolwell CF, Bermingham EN, Biggs PJ, Thomas DG. (2021). Resilience of Faecal Microbiota in Stabled Thoroughbred Horses Following Abrupt Dietary Transition between Freshly Cut Pasture and Three Forage-Based Diets. Animals (Basel), 11(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092611

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 9

Researcher Affiliations

Fernandes, Karlette A
  • School of Agriculture and Environment, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Rogers, Chris W
  • School of Agriculture and Environment, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
  • School of Veterinary Science, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Gee, Erica K
  • School of Veterinary Science, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Kittelmann, Sandra
  • AgResearch Ltd., Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Bolwell, Charlotte F
  • School of Veterinary Science, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Bermingham, Emma N
  • AgResearch Ltd., Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Biggs, Patrick J
  • School of Veterinary Science, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
Thomas, David G
  • School of Agriculture and Environment, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.

Grant Funding

  • FFFL1003 / Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors confirm that there are no relevant financial or non-financial competing interests to report.

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Citations

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