Gastric content technique collection for in vitro degradation and gas production in horses supplemented with live yeast and protected yeast

ABSTRACT Due to the difficulty in acessing certain sites of fermentation and possible starch digestion, studies show the need for equine gastric digestive fisiology evaluation. The aim of this experiment was to assess horses supplemented with live yeast and protected live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae NCYC Sc 47) to validate a new procedure of gastric content collection for determination of pH, latic acid, short chain fatty acids and gas production and degradation to be used in further in vitro fermentative studies. The experimental design used was a the latin square (4x4) for 4 periods and 1 day of gastric content collection, with 15 days of rest between it. The groups were divided in control (CTRL), non protected live yeast (NPYEA), protected live yeast (PYEA) and a combination of live yeast + protected yeast (COMB). Treatment means were compared using orthogonal contrasts (C1: CTRL versus NPYEA, PYEA and COMB; C2: COMB versus NPYEA and PYEA; C3: NPYEA versus PYEA) and Tukey´s test was used at a 5% significance level. The procedure was highly tolerated and provided great accuracy of the collection site. The live yeast supplementation increased the concentration of acetic acid at the horses’ stomachs. When gastric content was used as inoculum for in vitro fermentation, the protected live yeast produced less gas

Physical and electrocardiographic evaluation of horses used for wagon traction

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate the electrocardiogram (ECG) of horses used for wagon traction and to compare the results with the parameters obtained from inactive horses or horses submitted to a training routine. Fifty-six 3-15-year-old healthy horses (22 females and 34 males) were divided into three groups: control (without a work routine; N=21), wagon traction (N=25) and athlete (N=10) and submitted to physical examination and ECG (at rest). The rhythm, heart rate (HR), amplitude and duration of ECG waveforms and intervals were obtained from the frontal plane and base-apex leads. Heart score (HS) was calculated using the arithmetic mean of QRS duration in LI, LII and LIII. Measurements of ECG waves were smaller in control group, in comparison with wagon traction and athlete groups, suggesting that exercise can change ECG. Similar results were observed in the wagon traction and athlete groups, but the electrophysiological adjustments to exercise were not the same for these groups

Effects of different amounts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementation on apparent digestibility and faecal parameters in horses fed high-roughage and high-concentrate diets

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different amounts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) supplementation in high-roughage (HR) and high-concentrate (HC) diets on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), faecal microbial profile and faecal pH. Eight gelding miniature horses, about 36-months-old with an average weight of 113±12 kg were randomly assigned into a double 4×4 Latin Square. Two distinct experiments of 4 periods each were conducted with SC-supplementation of 0 (control), 10, 20 and 30 g (5×10 cfu/g), per animal per day. Experiment 1 used a HR diet (70% grass hay, 30% concentrate) and experiment 2 used a HC diet (30% grass hay, 70% concentrate). Each experimental period consisted of 23 days: 15 adaptation days, 5 days for data collection and a 3-day-wash-out interval between periods. Nutrient digestibility was evaluated by total faecal collection for each animal. The cellulolytic and lactic acid bacteria populations in faeces were calculated and faecal pH was measured. In the HR diet, S. cerevisiae supplementation was not associated with any changes in ATTD of nutrients, microbial profile in faeces and did not increase faecal pH values. In the HC diet, only the addition of 20 g SC reduced crude protein digestibility when compared with the control group and 30 g SC. For the other variables of digestibility the amounts of SC supplementation did not differ from control group. Furthermore, the microbial profile in faeces and faecal pH were not affected by S. cerevisiae supplementation. The present study showed that the S. cerevisiae strain used was not able to induce any changes in the equine hindgut and did not improve the fibrolytic activity with high-roughage and high-concentrate diets

Influência das pontas excessivas de esmalte dentário na digestibilidade e nutrientes de dietas de eqüinos Influence of excessive enamel points on nutrients digestibility in diets of horses

Para avaliar a influência das pontas excessivas de esmalte dentário na digestibilidade dos nutrientes de dietas de eqüinos, utilizaram-se 13 animais alimentados com capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum) e ração comercial. Foram analisadas matéria seca, proteína bruta, energia bruta, fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, hemicelulose e celulose nas fezes antes e duas semanas após o desgaste corretivo das pontas excessivas de esmalte. A digestibilidade aumentou (PThe influence of excessive enamel points on structural carbohydrates digestibility in horses was evaluated. Thirteen horses were fed on elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and concentrate. Dry matter, crude protein, gross energy, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose and cellulose were measured in the feces before and two weeks after floating of the excessive enamel points. The apparent digestibility of all nutrients was increased (P<0.001) after the treatment