Shepherd Megan L, Ponder Monica A, Burk Amy O, Milton Stewart C, Swecker William S
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences , Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech , Duck Pond Drive (0442), Blacksburg, VA 24061 , USA.
Department of Food Science and Technology , Virginia Tech , Blacksburg, VA 24061 , USA.
J Nutr Sci. 2014 May 7;3:e10. doi: 10.1017/jns.2014.8. eCollection 2014.
The purpose of the present study was to compare digestibility of grass hay, faecal and plasma volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, and faecal bacterial abundance in overweight and moderate-condition mares. Five overweight adult mixed-breed mares and five adult mixed-breed mares in moderate condition were housed individually and limit-fed orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) hay at 20 g/kg body weight (as fed) daily for 14 d. Forage DM and fibre digestibility were determined using AOAC methods; digestible energy was measured using bomb calorimetry; plasma and faecal VFA concentrations were determined by use of GC and MS; faecal Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and total bacteria abundance was determined by quantitative real-time PCR using previously designed phylum-specific 16S ribosomal RNA gene primers. No differences in hay digestibility, faecal VFA concentrations or faecal bacterial abundance were detected between overweight and moderate-condition mares. Mean plasma acetate concentrations were higher (P = 0·03) in overweight (1·55 (range 1·43-1·65) mmol/l) v. moderate-condition (1·39 (range 1·22-1·47) mmol/l) mares. We conclude that the higher plasma acetate in overweight mares should be further investigated as a potential link between gut microbes and obesity in horses.
本研究的目的是比较超重母马和中等体况母马的禾本科干草消化率、粪便和血浆挥发性脂肪酸（VFA）浓度以及粪便细菌丰度。将5匹超重成年杂种母马和5匹中等体况成年杂种母马单独饲养，每天按20 g/kg体重（风干基础）限量饲喂果园草（鸭茅）干草，持续14天。采用美国官方分析化学师协会（AOAC）方法测定饲草干物质和纤维消化率；使用弹式量热法测量消化能；通过气相色谱（GC）和质谱（MS）测定血浆和粪便VFA浓度；使用先前设计的门特异性16S核糖体RNA基因引物，通过定量实时PCR测定粪便厚壁菌门、拟杆菌门、琥珀酸纤维杆菌、黄化瘤胃球菌和总细菌丰度。在超重母马和中等体况母马之间，未检测到干草消化率、粪便VFA浓度或粪便细菌丰度的差异。超重母马（1.55（范围1.43 - 1.65）mmol/l）的平均血浆乙酸盐浓度高于中等体况母马（1.39（范围1.22 - 1.47）mmol/l）（P = 0.03）。我们得出结论，超重母马较高的血浆乙酸盐水平作为马匹肠道微生物与肥胖之间的潜在联系应进一步研究。
