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Home / Equine Research Bank / Front Microbiol / The Effect of Ryegrass Silage Feeding on Equine Fecal Microb...
Frontiers in microbiology2021; 12; 715709; doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.715709

The Effect of Ryegrass Silage Feeding on Equine Fecal Microbiota and Blood Metabolite Profile.

Abstract: Silage is fed to horses in China and other areas in the world, however, knowledge about the impact of feeding silage on horse health is still limited. In the current study, 12 horses were assigned into two groups and fed ryegrass silage and ryegrass hay, respectively, for 8 weeks. High-throughput sequencing was applied to analyze fecal microbiota, while liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based metabolomics technique was used for blood metabolite profile to investigate the influence of feeding ryegrass silage (group S) compared to feeding ryegrass hay (group H) on equine intestinal and systemic health. Horses in group S had significantly different fecal microbiota and blood metabolomes from horses in group H. The results showed that Verrucomicrobia was significantly less abundant which plays important role in maintaining the mucus layer of the hindgut. and were markedly more abundant in group S and may be associated with some gut diseases and obesity. The metabolomics analysis demonstrated that ryegrass silage feeding significantly affected lipid metabolism and insulin resistance in horses, which might be associated with metabolic dysfunction. Furthermore, Pearson's correlation analysis revealed some correlations between bacterial taxa and blood metabolites, which added more evidence to diet-fecal microbiota-health relationship. Overall, ryegrass silage feeding impacted systemic metabolic pathways in horses, especially lipid metabolism. This study provides evidence of effects of feeding ryegrass silage on horses, which may affect fat metabolism and potentially increase risk of insulin resistance. Further investigation will be promoted to provide insight into the relationship of a silage-based diet and equine health.
Copyright © 2021 Zhu, Wang, Liu, Yi, Zhao, Deng, Holyoak and Li.
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Publication Date: 2021-08-23 PubMed ID: 34497595PubMed Central: PMC8419423DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.715709Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • 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.

The research investigates how feeding horses with ryegrass silage as opposed to ryegrass hay affects their intestinal health and metabolic body functions. The study found that ryegrass silage feeding impacted the horse’s fecal microbiota, blood metabolites, and the systemic metabolic pathways, especially affecting lipid metabolism.

Research Overview

  • The study was aimed at understanding the impact of feeding silage, specifically ryegrass silage, on the health of horses. Though silage is commonly fed to horses in China and other parts of the world, comprehensive knowledge about its effects on horse health has been lacking.
  • To investigate this, the researchers divided twelve horses into two groups. One group was fed ryegrass silage while the other was given ryegrass hay for an experimental period of eight weeks.
  • The researchers utilized high-throughput sequencing to analyze the fecal microbiota of the horses. They also used a metabolomics technique based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to examine the blood metabolite profile of the horses.

Key Findings

  • The study found that horses fed with ryegrass silage had significantly different fecal microbiota and blood metabolomes compared to those fed ryegrass hay.
  • The abundance of Verrucomicrobia, a type of bacteria essential for maintaining the mucus layer of the hindgut, was significantly reduced in horses from the silage group. On the other hand, were more abundant in the silage group. These bacteria are reportedly associated with gut diseases and obesity in horses.
  • Using metabolomics analysis, the researchers discovered that ryegrass silage feeding significantly impacted lipid metabolism and insulin resistance in horses, suggesting the occurrence of metabolic dysfunction.
  • Pearson’s correlation analysis showed several associations between bacterial taxa and blood metabolites, reinforcing the diet-fecal microbiota-health relationship.

Implications

  • This study revealed that feeding horses with ryegrass silage can have implications for their metabolic behavior and overall systemic health, particularly on lipid metabolism, which may increase the risk of insulin resistance.
  • It also highlighted a potential link between diet, especially one based on silage, fecal microbiota, and health outcomes in horses.
  • These findings call for further research to better comprehend the potential health risks associated with a silage-based diet in these equine species.

Cite This Article

APA
Zhu Y, Wang X, Liu B, Yi Z, Zhao Y, Deng L, Holyoak R, Li J. (2021). The Effect of Ryegrass Silage Feeding on Equine Fecal Microbiota and Blood Metabolite Profile. Front Microbiol, 12, 715709. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.715709

Publication

Frontiers in microbiology
ISSN: 1664-302X
NlmUniqueID: 101548977
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Pages: 715709
PII: 715709

Researcher Affiliations

Zhu, Yiping
  • Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Wang, Xuefan
  • Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Liu, Bo
  • Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Yi, Ziwen
  • Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Zhao, Yufei
  • Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Deng, Liang
  • College of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.
Holyoak, Reed
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
Li, Jing
  • Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Citations

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