Effects of diets containing organic and inorganic zinc sources on hair characteristics, zinc concentration in blood and hair, and the immune response of dogs

Background: There are two commercial forms of zinc, organic and inorganic, and its form may infl uence absorption and utilization by the animals. The inorganic form dissociates to Zn2+ in the gastrointestinal tract and can interact with other substances that the animal cannot absorb. The interest in using organic minerals has increased because of the reported potential of higher bioavailability compared to inorganic sources. In dogs, little research has been done concerning the bioavailability of organic and inorganic mineral sources. This study compared the effects of diets containing organic and inorganic zinc on hair characteristics, zinc concentration in blood and hair, and the infl uence of organic minerals on the immune response of dogs. Materials, Methods & Results: Eighteen healthy adult dogs of different breeds (Labrador, German Shepherd, Malinois Shepherd, and Rottweiler) were separated into two groups of nine animals per treatment and fed diets for 30 days. Two diets were used: an inorganic mineral source diet (IMSD) and an organic mineral source diet (OMSD). Four parameters were evaluated (days -14, 0, 10, 20, 30) to determine the hair characteristics: brightness, texture, looseness, and greasiness. On days 0 and 30, two blood samples were taken and two hair samples were collected to measure zinc concentrations. On the 10th day of the trial period, the animals received an injection of 4 mL of a 10% solution of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) subcutaneously as a stimulus to assess the humoral response. Blood samples were taken prior to injection as well as on days 10 and 20 post-injection for antibody titer. All dogs consumed adequate amount of the diets and body weight did not change during the experiment. The daily dry matter, energy, and zinc consumption did not differ between groups The zinc concentration in the blood remained stable throughout the experiment in animals fed the OMSD but decreased signifi cantly in the animals fed the IMSD (P = 0.0145). The zinc concentration in hair increased (P = 0.0075) in dogs fed the OMSD, while the dogs fed the IMSD had no difference. The consumption of the OMSD resulted in higher brightness in the hair of the face, muzzle, armpit, back, abdomen, and tail compared with the IMSD. The animals fed the chelated mineral-supplemented diet also showed better texture in hair of the abdomen (P = 0.0327), chest (P = 0.0335), and tail (P = 0.0291). The parameters looseness and greasiness showed no signifi cant differences. No differences were observed in the production of antibodies against SRBC between groups; however, the antibody concentration was maintained throughout the experiment in the animals supplemented with OMSD, in contrast to the animals supplemented with IMSD, which reduced their antibody concentration. Discussion: There is controversy in the literature regarding the benefi ts of organic over inorganic zinc source. This may be due to two factors: the time of zinc supplementation, and the levels of zinc included in the diets, which varies in each experiment. In the present study, both criteria were adequate for the responses evaluated and the results suggest that organic zinc is suitable for supplementation into the commercial dog foods and could enhance the hair characteristics of adult dogs. Moreover, the improvement in immune status, although subtle, must be taken into account. It should be noted that the diets were formulated with high levels of minerals, especially calcium, which increases the possibility of interactions and competition in the absorptive process, increasing the challenge and impairing absorption of divalent minerals

Effects of obesity, energy restriction and neutering on the faecal microbiota of cats

Surveys report that 25–57 % of cats are overweight or obese. The most evinced cause is neutering. Weight loss often fails; thus, new strategies are needed. Obesity has been associated with altered gut bacterial populations and increases in microbial dietary energy extraction, body weight and adiposity. This study aimed to determine whether alterations in intestinal bacteria were associated with obesity, energy restriction and neutering by characterising faecal microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing in eight lean intact, eight lean neutered and eight obese neutered cats before and after 6 weeks of energy restriction. Lean neutered cats had a bacterial profile similar to obese rodents and humans, with a greater abundance (P<0·05) of Firmicutes and lower abundance (P <0·05) of Bacteroidetes compared with the other groups. The greater abundance of Firmicutes in lean neutered cats was due to a bloom in Peptostreptococcaceae. Obese cats had an 18 % reduction in fat mass after energy restriction (P<0·05). Energy reduction was concurrent with significant shifts in two low-abundance bacterial genera and trends in four additional genera. The greatest change was a reduction in the Firmicutes genus, Sarcina, from 4·54 to 0·65 % abundance after energy restriction. The short duration of energy restriction may explain why few bacterial changes were observed in the obese cats. Additional work is needed to understand how neutering, obesity and weight loss are related to changes in feline microbiota and how these microbial shifts affect host physiology

Influence of obesity, energy restriction and neutering on the gut microbiota of dogs and cats

Os métodos de tratamento para a obesidade em cães e gatos focam na restrição calórica, seja restringindo a ingestão de alimento ou alimentando o animal com dietas hipocalóricas. Entretanto, esses métodos frequentemente falham, sendo necessárias estratégias alternativas para promover a perda de peso. O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar as diferenças na microbiota fecal entre animais magros e obesos e determinar se a castração e/ou a perda de peso estão associadas com mudanças na população microbiana. No primeiro experimento, a composição da microbiota fecal foi avaliada nos gatos magros inteiros, magros castrados e obesos castrados, antes e depois da perda de peso. Os gatos obesos foram submetidos a seis semanas de restrição energética e apresentaram redução na massa gorda após a perda de peso (P<0,001), embora o peso corporal não tenha mudado (P>0,05). Firmicutes, seguido de Bacteroidetes foram os filos predominantes em todos os grupos. O grupo dos magros castrados tiveram o perfil de bactérias que era esperado para os obesos, com maior abundância de Firmicutes e menor de Bacteroidetes (P<0,05). Não foram observadas diferenças entre os grupos magros inteiros e obesos castrados. A população microbiana dos gatos obesos mostrou poucas alterações com a perda de peso. No segundo experimento, o teste foi realizado quando os cães estavam magros, após consumo ad libitum para promover o ganho de peso e após a perda de peso. As seguintes concentrações séricas foram analisadas: glicose, colesterol, triglicerídeos, albumina, creatinina, fosfatase alcalina (FA), alanina aminotransferase (ALT), proteínas totais (PT), insulina e leptina. As amostras de fezes foram analisadas para determinar a abundância de Bacteroidetes e Firmicutes. As concentrações de triglicerídeos, colesterol, albumina, FA, ALT e PT foram maiores (P<0,05) nos cães obesos quando comparados aos magros. Bacteroidetes foi mais abundante (P<0,001) nos magros e Firmicutes não diferiu entre os grupos (P>0,05). Após a perda de peso, os níveis de colesterol e PT e a abundância de Bacteroidetes permaneceram inalteradas estatisticamente. Conclui-se então que, nos modelos testados, há diferenças na microbiota fecal entre os grupos dos estudos realizados. Entretanto, no estudo com os gatos a obesidade pareceu não influenciar o crescimento das diferentes populações de microorganismos.Treatment methods for obesity in dogs and cats focus on calorie restriction, either by restricting the calorie intake of the animal, or by feeding energy diluted diets. However, these methods often fail, requiring additional strategies to promote weight loss. The objective of this study was to investigate differences in the gut microbiota between lean and obese animals and determine whether neutering and/or weight loss are associated with changes in the microbial populations. In the first experiment, the composition of the faecal microbiota was evaluated in lean intact, lean neutered and obese neutered cats, before and after weight loss. The obese cats were submitted to six weeks of energy restriction and showed less fat body mass after weight loss (p<0.001), although the body weight has not changed (P>0.05). Firmicutes followed by Bacteroidetes were the predominant bacterial phyla in all groups. The lean neutered cats had a bacterial profile of what one would expect from the obese cats, with greater abundance (P<0.05) of Firmicutes and lower abundance (P<0.05) of Bacteroidetes. There were no significant differences between lean intact and obese neutered. The microbe populations of obese cats showed very few changes with weight loss. In the second experiment, testing was performed when the dogs were lean, after ad libitum feeding to promote weight gain and after weight loss. Serum concentrations were analyzed: glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, albumin, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total proteins (TP), insulin and leptin. Faecal samples were analyzed to determine the abundances of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Triglycerides, cholesterol, albumin, PA, ALT and TP were greater (P<0.05) in obese dogs when compared to the lean. The abundance of Bacteroidetes was greater (P<0.001) in the lean group and the phylum Firmicutes showed no differences among the groups (P>0.05). After weight loss, the levels of cholesterol and TP and the abundance of Bacteroidetes remained unchanged statistically. In conclusion, differences in the faecal microbiota were observed among the groups of both studies. However, in the study with cats, obesity seems not to influence the growth of diverse populations of microrganisms

Effects of different fiber sources on nutrient digestibility, postprandial metabolic responses and intestinal health in cats

Atualmente se busca formular dietas que além de desempenhar o papel nutritivo, promova benefícios à saúde dos animais de companhia. O estudo da fibra na dieta para animais carnívoros é recente e a literatura escassa. Para investigar os efeitos da fibra dietética na dieta de gatos, foi realizado um experimento no qual foram avaliadas a digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes; as respostas pós-prandiais de glicose, colesterol e triglicerídeos; os efeitos sobre as características fecais e alguns parâmetros de saúde intestinal, como concentração de ácidos graxos de cadeia curta nas fezes e histologia da mucosa do cólon. Foram formuladas uma dieta controle e três dietas contendo diferentes fontes de fibra: polpa de beterraba, farelo de trigo e fibra de cana-de-açúcar. As dietas com adição de fibras foram formuladas para conter níveis semelhantes de FDT. O estudo seguiu um delineamento em blocos casualizados, sendo os blocos representados pelos dois períodos experimentais, cada um constituído por 3 gatos e 4 dietas, totalizando 24 gatos. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente da MS, MO e EB foram menores nas dietas com fibra (P < 0,05). A polpa de beterraba e o farelo de trigo não afetaram a digestibilidade da PB, sendo que a polpa de beterraba também não diminuiu a digestibilidade do EE. A dieta com fibra de cana-de-açúcar provocou redução significativa nos coeficientes de digestibilidade da MS, MO, PB, EE e EB (P < 0,05). A concentração média e a área abaixo da curva da glicose foram estatisticamente menores no grupo da fibra de cana-de-açúcar (P < 0,05) em relação às demais dietas. A dieta com polpa de beterraba foi a que produziu maiores concentrações de acetato (P = 0,0117) propionato (P = 0,0005), lactato (P = 0,0051) e ácidos graxos totais (P = 0,0008). A análise morfométrica da mucosa do cólon nos quatro grupos não foi diferente estatisticamente. A digestibilidade dos nutrientes foi menos prejudicada com a inclusão da polpa de beterraba e mais prejudicada com a adição da fibra de cana-de-açúcar. Por outro lado, a dieta com fibra de cana-de-açúcar demonstrou características promissoras no controle da glicemia. A polpa de beterraba causou efeitos desejáveis no cólon, através da produção de ácidos graxos de cadeia curta, embora não tenha alterado as características histológicas da mucosa colônica dos gatos em curto prazo.Currently, one seeks to formulate diets which perform the nutritive role and also promote health benefits to companion animals. The study on fiber in carnivorous animals’ diets is recent and the literature is scarce. In the purpose to investigate the effects of dietary fiber on cats’ diets, it has been realized an experiment which assessed the apparent nutrient digestibility; the glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides postprandial responses; the effects on fecal features, and also some intestinal health parameters such as short-chain fatty acids concentration in faeces and colonic mucosa histology. It was formulated a control diet and three diets containing different fiber sources, beet pulp, wheat bran and sugar cane fiber. The addition of fiber were formulated to contain similar level of TDF. The study followed a randomized block design, with the blocks represented by the two experimental periods, each consisting of three cats and four diets, totaling 24 cats. The apparent digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, and GE were lower in diets which contained fiber (P < 0.05). The beet pulp and wheat bran did not affect the digestibility of CP, and beet pulp did not decrease the EE. The diet with sugar cane fiber caused significant reduction in digestibility of DM, OM, CP and EB (P < 0.05). The average concentration of glucose and the area under the glucose curve were statistically lower in the group of sugar cane fiber (P < 0.05). The diet with beet pulp was the one which produced the biggest acetate (P = 0.0117), propionate (P = 0.0005), and lactate concentrations (P = 0.0051), even as total fatty acids (P = 0.0008). Morphometric analysis of colonic mucosa in the four groups was not statistically different. Nutrient digestibility was less impaired by the inclusion of beet pulp and most affected by the addition of sugar cane fiber. On the other hand, the diet with sugar cane fiber has shown promising features to control blood glucose. The beet pulp caused effects in the colon, through the production of short chain fatty acids, altough did not alter the histological features of colonic mucosa of cats in the short term

Effects of different fiber sources on nutrient digestibility, postprandial metabolic responses and intestinal health in cats

Atualmente se busca formular dietas que além de desempenhar o papel nutritivo, promova benefícios à saúde dos animais de companhia. O estudo da fibra na dieta para animais carnívoros é recente e a literatura escassa. Para investigar os efeitos da fibra dietética na dieta de gatos, foi realizado um experimento no qual foram avaliadas a digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes; as respostas pós-prandiais de glicose, colesterol e triglicerídeos; os efeitos sobre as características fecais e alguns parâmetros de saúde intestinal, como concentração de ácidos graxos de cadeia curta nas fezes e histologia da mucosa do cólon. Foram formuladas uma dieta controle e três dietas contendo diferentes fontes de fibra: polpa de beterraba, farelo de trigo e fibra de cana-de-açúcar. As dietas com adição de fibras foram formuladas para conter níveis semelhantes de FDT. O estudo seguiu um delineamento em blocos casualizados, sendo os blocos representados pelos dois períodos experimentais, cada um constituído por 3 gatos e 4 dietas, totalizando 24 gatos. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente da MS, MO e EB foram menores nas dietas com fibra (P < 0,05). A polpa de beterraba e o farelo de trigo não afetaram a digestibilidade da PB, sendo que a polpa de beterraba também não diminuiu a digestibilidade do EE. A dieta com fibra de cana-de-açúcar provocou redução significativa nos coeficientes de digestibilidade da MS, MO, PB, EE e EB (P < 0,05). A concentração média e a área abaixo da curva da glicose foram estatisticamente menores no grupo da fibra de cana-de-açúcar (P < 0,05) em relação às demais dietas. A dieta com polpa de beterraba foi a que produziu maiores concentrações de acetato (P = 0,0117) propionato (P = 0,0005), lactato (P = 0,0051) e ácidos graxos totais (P = 0,0008). A análise morfométrica da mucosa do cólon nos quatro grupos não foi diferente estatisticamente. A digestibilidade dos nutrientes foi menos prejudicada com a inclusão da polpa de beterraba e mais prejudicada com a adição da fibra de cana-de-açúcar. Por outro lado, a dieta com fibra de cana-de-açúcar demonstrou características promissoras no controle da glicemia. A polpa de beterraba causou efeitos desejáveis no cólon, através da produção de ácidos graxos de cadeia curta, embora não tenha alterado as características histológicas da mucosa colônica dos gatos em curto prazo.Currently, one seeks to formulate diets which perform the nutritive role and also promote health benefits to companion animals. The study on fiber in carnivorous animals’ diets is recent and the literature is scarce. In the purpose to investigate the effects of dietary fiber on cats’ diets, it has been realized an experiment which assessed the apparent nutrient digestibility; the glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides postprandial responses; the effects on fecal features, and also some intestinal health parameters such as short-chain fatty acids concentration in faeces and colonic mucosa histology. It was formulated a control diet and three diets containing different fiber sources, beet pulp, wheat bran and sugar cane fiber. The addition of fiber were formulated to contain similar level of TDF. The study followed a randomized block design, with the blocks represented by the two experimental periods, each consisting of three cats and four diets, totaling 24 cats. The apparent digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, and GE were lower in diets which contained fiber (P < 0.05). The beet pulp and wheat bran did not affect the digestibility of CP, and beet pulp did not decrease the EE. The diet with sugar cane fiber caused significant reduction in digestibility of DM, OM, CP and EB (P < 0.05). The average concentration of glucose and the area under the glucose curve were statistically lower in the group of sugar cane fiber (P < 0.05). The diet with beet pulp was the one which produced the biggest acetate (P = 0.0117), propionate (P = 0.0005), and lactate concentrations (P = 0.0051), even as total fatty acids (P = 0.0008). Morphometric analysis of colonic mucosa in the four groups was not statistically different. Nutrient digestibility was less impaired by the inclusion of beet pulp and most affected by the addition of sugar cane fiber. On the other hand, the diet with sugar cane fiber has shown promising features to control blood glucose. The beet pulp caused effects in the colon, through the production of short chain fatty acids, altough did not alter the histological features of colonic mucosa of cats in the short term

Increased urinary losses in piglets fed diets containing high levels of glycerin

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the nutritional value of glycerin added to diets of weaned piglets and its effects on animal performance and urinary losses. Weaned piglets were individually housed in metabolic cages and fed diets in which a basal diet containing lactose (Gly0) was replaced by 50 (Gly50), 100 (Gly100), or 150 g kg−1 (Gly150) of glycerin; or a diet in which 100 g kg−1 of the lactose in the basal diet was replaced by glycerin (Gly100Lac0). Diets were offered for two periods of 12 days (phase I and phase II). Performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen retention (NR), and urinary production were measured. Digestible (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) of glycerin were calculated using substitution method and compared to iso-nutritional diets formulated with or without glycerin. No significant differences on average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were found. Glycerin inclusion caused a linear increase in urinary production. Piglets fed Gly100Lac0 diet had higher urinary production, compared with piglets fed Gly0. Glycerin had no significant effects on total tract apparent digestibility (TTAD) coefficients of dry matter (DM), crude protein, and gross energy (GE). Also, no significant effects were found in total tract apparent metabolizability (TTAM) coefficient of GE, NR coefficient, DE, ME, and fecal GE losses. Urinary production and GE in urine increased linearly and quadratically, respectively, with increased levels of glycerin in diets. The Gly100Lac0 diet resulted in lower DM TTAD and GE TTAM and higher GE losses in urine and feces compared with Gly0. The nutritional value of glycerin allows its inclusion at up to 100 g kg−1 in diets of weaned piglets without impairing animal performance and metabolism. Also, glycerin can replace 100 g kg−1 of lactose without impairing performance

Effects of diets containing organic and inorganic zinc sources on hair characteristics, zinc concentration in blood and hair, and the immune response of dogs

Background: There are two commercial forms of zinc, organic and inorganic, and its form may infl uence absorption and utilization by the animals. The inorganic form dissociates to Zn2+ in the gastrointestinal tract and can interact with other substances that the animal cannot absorb. The interest in using organic minerals has increased because of the reported potential of higher bioavailability compared to inorganic sources. In dogs, little research has been done concerning the bioavailability of organic and inorganic mineral sources. This study compared the effects of diets containing organic and inorganic zinc on hair characteristics, zinc concentration in blood and hair, and the infl uence of organic minerals on the immune response of dogs. Materials, Methods & Results: Eighteen healthy adult dogs of different breeds (Labrador, German Shepherd, Malinois Shepherd, and Rottweiler) were separated into two groups of nine animals per treatment and fed diets for 30 days. Two diets were used: an inorganic mineral source diet (IMSD) and an organic mineral source diet (OMSD). Four parameters were evaluated (days -14, 0, 10, 20, 30) to determine the hair characteristics: brightness, texture, looseness, and greasiness. On days 0 and 30, two blood samples were taken and two hair samples were collected to measure zinc concentrations. On the 10th day of the trial period, the animals received an injection of 4 mL of a 10% solution of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) subcutaneously as a stimulus to assess the humoral response. Blood samples were taken prior to injection as well as on days 10 and 20 post-injection for antibody titer. All dogs consumed adequate amount of the diets and body weight did not change during the experiment. The daily dry matter, energy, and zinc consumption did not differ between groups The zinc concentration in the blood remained stable throughout the experiment in animals fed the OMSD but decreased signifi cantly in the animals fed the IMSD (P = 0.0145). The zinc concentration in hair increased (P = 0.0075) in dogs fed the OMSD, while the dogs fed the IMSD had no difference. The consumption of the OMSD resulted in higher brightness in the hair of the face, muzzle, armpit, back, abdomen, and tail compared with the IMSD. The animals fed the chelated mineral-supplemented diet also showed better texture in hair of the abdomen (P = 0.0327), chest (P = 0.0335), and tail (P = 0.0291). The parameters looseness and greasiness showed no signifi cant differences. No differences were observed in the production of antibodies against SRBC between groups; however, the antibody concentration was maintained throughout the experiment in the animals supplemented with OMSD, in contrast to the animals supplemented with IMSD, which reduced their antibody concentration. Discussion: There is controversy in the literature regarding the benefi ts of organic over inorganic zinc source. This may be due to two factors: the time of zinc supplementation, and the levels of zinc included in the diets, which varies in each experiment. In the present study, both criteria were adequate for the responses evaluated and the results suggest that organic zinc is suitable for supplementation into the commercial dog foods and could enhance the hair characteristics of adult dogs. Moreover, the improvement in immune status, although subtle, must be taken into account. It should be noted that the diets were formulated with high levels of minerals, especially calcium, which increases the possibility of interactions and competition in the absorptive process, increasing the challenge and impairing absorption of divalent minerals