Fungal and chemical diversity in hay and wrapped haylage for equine feed

Andersen, Birgitte; Phippen, Christopher B. W.; Frisvad, Jens Christian; Emery, Sue; Eustace, Robert A.

doi:10.1007/s12550-019-00377-5

Cited by 10 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…The marked richness and diversity of the equine GI mycobiota likely reflects the richness and diversity of the environmental fungi present in the plants, soil and water that are ingested by grazing horses. Consistent with this, the diversity of fungal species in equine faeces was considered to reflect the different forage types fed to stabled horses [ 39 ]. Similarly, most of the fungi detected in human faeces are derived from the consumption of different foods, which contain, as a whole, more unique fungi than the population colonising the GI tract [ 40 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further work is therefore required to determine whether any of the key phylotypes contribute to EGS aetiology or whether their association with EGS is a consequence of the disease. None of the key phylotypes has been previously associated with a pasture neuromycotoxicosis resembling EGS, however many of them are predicted to produce cytotoxic and/or neurotoxic extrolites, including brefeldin, communiols, cytochalasans, d-lysergic acid amide, gliotoxin, L-DOPA, polyketides, preussins, sesquiterpenoids, trichothecenes, tyrosinase and walleminol [ 39 , 57 – 59 ]. In addition, antibacterial and antifungal activities of fungal extrolites within the GI tract [ 60 ] could potentially induce the marked GI bacterial dysbiosis which occurs in EGS [ 61 ] and contribute to the changes in mycobiota reported herein.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Equine grass sickness (a multiple systems neuropathy) is associated with alterations in the gastrointestinal mycobiome

et al. 2021

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Background Equine grass sickness (EGS) is a multiple systems neuropathy of grazing horses of unknown aetiology. An apparently identical disease occurs in cats, dogs, rabbits, hares, sheep, alpacas and llamas. Many of the risk factors for EGS are consistent with it being a pasture mycotoxicosis. To identify potential causal fungi, the gastrointestinal mycobiota of EGS horses were evaluated using targeted amplicon sequencing, and compared with those of two control groups. Samples were collected post mortem from up to 5 sites in the gastrointestinal tracts of EGS horses (EGS group; 150 samples from 54 horses) and from control horses that were not grazing EGS pastures and that had been euthanased for reasons other than neurologic and gastrointestinal diseases (CTRL group; 67 samples from 31 horses). Faecal samples were also collected from healthy control horses that were co-grazing pastures with EGS horses at disease onset (CoG group; 48 samples from 48 horses). Results Mycobiota at all 5 gastrointestinal sites comprised large numbers of fungi exhibiting diverse taxonomy, growth morphology, trophic mode and ecological guild. FUNGuild analysis parsed most phylotypes as ingested environmental microfungi, agaricoids and yeasts, with only 1% as gastrointestinal adapted animal endosymbionts. Mycobiota richness varied throughout the gastrointestinal tract and was greater in EGS horses. There were significant inter-group and inter-site differences in mycobiota structure. A large number of phylotypes were differentially abundant among groups. Key phylotypes (n = 56) associated with EGS were identified that had high abundance and high prevalence in EGS samples, significantly increased abundance in EGS samples, and were important determinants of the inter-group differences in mycobiota structure. Many key phylotypes were extremophiles and/or were predicted to produce cytotoxic and/or neurotoxic extrolites. Conclusions This is the first reported molecular characterisation of the gastrointestinal mycobiota of grazing horses. Key phylotypes associated with EGS were identified. Further work is required to determine whether neurotoxic extrolites from key phylotypes contribute to EGS aetiology or whether the association of key phylotypes and EGS is a consequence of disease or is non-causal.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Equine grass sickness (a multiple systems neuropathy) is associated with alterations in the gastrointestinal mycobiome

et al. 2021

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show abstract

“…The marked richness and diversity of the equine GI mycobiota likely re ects the richness and diversity of the environmental fungi present in the plants, soil and water that are ingested by grazing horses. Consistent with this, the diversity of fungal species in equine faeces was considered to re ect the different forage types fed to stabled horses [39]. Similarly, most of the fungi detected in human faeces are derived from the consumption of different foods, which contain, as a whole, more unique fungi than the population colonising the GI tract [40].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further work is therefore required to determine whether any of the key phylotypes contribute to EGS aetiology or whether their association with EGS is a consequence of the disease. None of the key phylotypes has been previously associated with a pasture neuromycotoxicosis resembling EGS, however many of them are predicted to produce cytotoxic and/or neurotoxic extrolites, including brefeldin, communiols, cytochalasans, d-lysergic acid amide, gliotoxin, L-DOPA, polyketides, preussins, sesquiterpenoids, trichothecenes, tyrosinase and walleminol [39,[57][58][59]. In addition, antibacterial and antifungal activities of fungal extrolites within the GI tract [60] could potentially induce the marked GI bacterial dysbiosis which occurs in EGS [61] and contribute to the changes in mycobiota reported herein.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Equine Grass Sickness (A Multiple Systems Neuropathy) is Associated with Alterations in the Gastrointestinal Mycobiome

McGorum

Chen

Glendinning

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: Equine grass sickness (EGS) is a multiple systems neuropathy of grazing horses of unknown aetiology. An apparently identical disease occurs in cats, dogs, rabbits, hares, sheep, alpacas and llamas. Many of the risk factors for EGS are consistent with it being a pasture mycotoxicosis. To identify potential causal fungi, the gastrointestinal mycobiota of EGS horses were evaluated using targeted amplicon sequencing, and compared with those of two control groups. Samples were collected post mortem from up to 5 sites in the gastrointestinal tracts of EGS horses (EGS group; 150 samples from 54 horses) and from control horses that were not grazing EGS pastures and that had been euthanased for reasons other than neurologic and gastrointestinal diseases (CTRL group; 67 samples from 31 horses). Faecal samples were also collected from healthy control horses that were co-grazing pastures with EGS horses at disease onset (CoG group; 48 samples from 48 horses). Results: Mycobiota at all 5 gastrointestinal sites comprised large numbers of fungi exhibiting diverse taxonomy, growth morphology, trophic mode and ecological guild. FUNGuild analysis parsed most phylotypes as ingested environmental microfungi, agaricoids and yeasts, with only 1% as gastrointestinal adapted animal endosymbionts. Indices of alpha-diversity indicated that mycobiota richness and diversity varied throughout the gastrointestinal tract and were greater in EGS horses. There were significant inter-group and inter-site differences in mycobiota structure. A large number of phylotypes were differentially abundant among groups. Key phylotypes (n=56) associated with EGS were identified that had high abundance and high prevalence in EGS samples, significantly increased abundance in EGS samples, and were important determinants of the inter-group differences in mycobiota structure. Many key phylotypes were extremophiles and/or were predicted to produce cytotoxic and/or neurotoxic extrolites. Conclusions: This is the first reported molecular characterisation of the gastrointestinal mycobiota of grazing horses. Key phylotypes associated with EGS were identified. Further work is required to determine whether neurotoxic extrolites from key phylotypes contribute to EGS aetiology or whether the association of key phylotypes and EGS is a consequence of disease or is non-causal.

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“…Mycotoxins are among one of the most significant hazards to the feed supply chain and pose a threat to feed industries worldwide with a direct impact on feed safety, animal health and productivity, human health via animal by-products, economies and international trade [ 4 – 6 ]. These toxic compounds are commonly detected as natural contaminants in a variety of agricultural commodities of plant origin, especially in cereal grains, and are therefore often detected in animal feeds containing corn, soybean, and wheat [ 5 , 7 – 9 ], but can also be present in silage, haylage and pasture [ 10 – 12 ]. Major mycotoxins can also be found in animal-derived products such as eggs, meat, milk and milk by-products with varying residual concentrations due to carry-over from animals that have consumed contaminated feeds [ 13 , 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutritional impact of mycotoxins in food animal production and strategies for mitigation

Kiarie

Yiannikouris

et al. 2022

J Animal Sci Biotechnol

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Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi that are commonly detected as natural contaminants in agricultural commodities worldwide. Mycotoxin exposure can lead to mycotoxicosis in both animals and humans when found in animal feeds and food products, and at lower concentrations can affect animal performance by disrupting nutrient digestion, absorption, metabolism, and animal physiology. Thus, mycotoxin contamination of animal feeds represents a significant issue to the livestock industry and is a health threat to food animals. Since prevention of mycotoxin formation is difficult to undertake to avoid contamination, mitigation strategies are needed. This review explores how the mycotoxins aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisins and ochratoxin A impose nutritional and metabolic effects on food animals and summarizes mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of mycotoxicity.

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Fungal and chemical diversity in hay and wrapped haylage for equine feed

Cited by 10 publications

References 89 publications

Equine grass sickness (a multiple systems neuropathy) is associated with alterations in the gastrointestinal mycobiome

Equine grass sickness (a multiple systems neuropathy) is associated with alterations in the gastrointestinal mycobiome

Equine Grass Sickness (A Multiple Systems Neuropathy) is Associated with Alterations in the Gastrointestinal Mycobiome

Nutritional impact of mycotoxins in food animal production and strategies for mitigation

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