Effect of a preparation of on microbial profiles and fermentation patterns in the large intestine of horses fed a high fiber or a high starch diet

Abstract

Eight horses were allotted into pairs consisting of one cecum- and right ventral colon-fistulated animal and one cecum-fistulated animal. They were fed daily at the same level of intake either a high-fiber (HF) or a high-starch (HS) diet without or with 10 g of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae preparation, in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. The HS diet provided a starch overload (i.e., 3.4 g starch x kg(-1) BW x meal(-1)) while maintaining a high amount of fiber intake (i.e., dietary NDF/starch ratio was 1.0). A 21-d period of adaptation to the treatments occurred before cecal and colonic contents were withdrawn 4 h after the morning meal to count total anaerobic, cellulolytic, and lactic acid-utilizing bacteria, lactobacilli, and streptococci. Lactic acid, volatile fatty acids, ammonia concentrations, and pH were measured on cecal and colonic fluid samples collected hourly during the first 12-h postfeeding. When the HS diet was fed, the concentration of total anaerobic and lactic acid-utilizing bacteria increased (P < 0.001), whereas that of cellulolytic bacteria decreased (P < 0.05) in the cecum. The concentration of lactobacilli and streptococci increased (P < 0.001) in the cecal and colonic contents. These alterations of the microbial profiles were associated with decreases (P < 0.001) of pH, (acetate + butyrate)/propionate ratio and with an increase (P < 0.001) of lactic acid concentration. Supplementing the S. cerevisiae preparation increased (P < 0.01) the concentration of viable yeast cells, averaging 4.3 x 10(6) and 4.5 x 10(4) cfu/mL in the cecal and colonic contents, respectively. Yeast supplementation had almost no effect on microbial counts in the cecum and colon. The supplementation of S. cerevisiae appeared to modify (P < 0.05) pH, concentrations of lactic acid and ammonia, molar percentages of acetate and butyrate with the HS diet and [(acetate + butyrate)/propionate] ratio when the HF diet was fed. The effects of the S. cerevisiae preparation were greater in the cecum than in the colon, which coincided with the abundance of yeast cells. When the digestion of starch in the small intestine was saturated, the effect of the addition of a S. cerevisiae preparation appeared to limit the extent of undesirable changes in the intestinal ecosystem of the horse.

The use of Probiotics in Horses with Gastrointestinal Disease

“…Both studies were done on 8 cecum-and colonfistulated horses, fed a high fiber or a high starch diet. Saccharomyces cerevisiae survived, but failed to colonize large intestine in both studies (Medina et al, 2002;Jouany et al, 2008), although it reduced the decrease in pH and the after feeding increase in lactic acid in horses fed starchy diets. Furthermore, it also appeared to limit the extent of undesirable changes in the intestinal ecosystem of the horse when the small intestine was saturated with starch (Medina et al, 2002).…”

“…Saccharomyces cerevisiae survived, but failed to colonize large intestine in both studies (Medina et al, 2002;Jouany et al, 2008), although it reduced the decrease in pH and the after feeding increase in lactic acid in horses fed starchy diets. Furthermore, it also appeared to limit the extent of undesirable changes in the intestinal ecosystem of the horse when the small intestine was saturated with starch (Medina et al, 2002). Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementation used in both, high starch and high fiber diets, significantly improved cellulose fraction digestibility (Jouany et al, 2008).…”

“…Two studies on Saccharomyces cerevisiae influence on digestion and gut health showed promising results (Medina et al, 2002;Jouany et al, 2008). One study monitored S. cerevisiae impact on microbial profiles and fermentation patterns in the large intestine (Medina et al, 2002) and the other was focused on digesta flow rate and apparent digestibility measurements (Jouany et al, 2008). Both studies were done on 8 cecum-and colonfistulated horses, fed a high fiber or a high starch diet.…”

“…Clinical studies are mainly performed on healthy animals (Medina et al, 2002;Ward et al, 2004;Landes et al, 2008;Tanabe et al, 2014), but it is possible to foresee that probiotic preparations are more often needed for the sick animals. It is than questionable whether the same probiotic organisms have any beneficial effect on gut health at the time of microbiota dysbiosis, or whether they can cause greater damage in these cases (Weese and Rousseau, 2005).…”

The Beneficial Role of Probiotics in Monogastric Animal Nutrition and Health

“…Fiber digestibility increased in the horse colon and modulated the balance of hindgut bacterial communities through supplementation with live yeast, consequently decreased risk of lactic acidosis. 255,256 Agazzi el al. 51 also reported that the administration of S. Cerevisiae to mature horses fed high-fiber diet increased apparent nutrient digestion rate.…”