Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, Grugliasco, 10095, Turin, Italy.
Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics, Faculty of Leipzig, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany.
BMC Vet Res. 2022 Sep 8;18(1):338. doi: 10.1186/s12917-022-03433-y.
The conventional feeding management of horses is still characterized by high starch and low fibre diets, which can negatively affect horse's gastrointestinal health. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of a high-starch (HS) vs. a high-fibre (HF) diet on gut health in horses. A total of 19 Bardigiano horses destined for slaughter and aged 14.3 ± 0.7 months were randomly allotted to two dietary groups: HS (5 fillies and 4 colts,) and HF group (7 fillies and 3 colts). They received the same first-cut meadow hay but different complementary feeds for 72 days: HS group was fed 8 kg/animal/day of a starch-rich complementary feed while HF group was fed 3.5 kg/animal/day of a fibre-rich complementary feed. At slaughter, stomachs were separated and washed for the evaluation of the glandular and squamous regions. Also, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, apex of the caecum, sternal flexure, pelvic flexure, right dorsal colon, rectum and liver were excised and submitted to histomorphometrical evaluation.
The glandular region of HS group presented more severe gastric mucosa lesions compared to the HF group (P = 0.006). Moreover, a statistical tendency (P = 0.060) was found for the squamous region, presenting a higher score in HS than HF diet. Regarding morphometry, in jejunum villus height to crypt depth (Cd) ratio was influenced by sex, being greater in males than in females (P = 0.037) while in ileum Cd depended on interaction between sex and diet, being greater in males of HS group (P = 0.029). Moreover, in the duodenum and right dorsal colon the severity of the inflammation depended on sex (P = 0.024 and 0.050), being greater in females than in males. On the contrary, in the jejunum and in the pelvic flexure, inflammation was influenced by diet, being more severe in HS than in HF group (P = 0.024 and 0.052).
These results suggested that HS diet provoked more severe mucosa lesions in the glandular region of the stomach and a higher inflammation both in the jejunum and pelvic flexure. The present study can represent a starting point for further investigations on gut health in horses.
马的传统饲养管理仍以高淀粉、低纤维饮食为特征，这会对马的胃肠道健康产生负面影响。因此，本研究旨在比较高淀粉（HS）和高纤维（HF）饮食对马肠道健康的影响。共有 19 匹 Bardigiano 马被屠宰，年龄为 14.3±0.7 个月，随机分为两组：HS 组（5 匹母马和 4 匹公马）和 HF 组（7 匹母马和 3 匹公马）。两组均喂食相同的首茬草地干草，但补充饲料不同：HS 组每天每头动物喂食 8 公斤富含淀粉的补充饲料，而 HF 组每天每头动物喂食 3.5 公斤富含纤维的补充饲料。屠宰时，将胃分离并清洗，以评估胃的腺状和鳞状区域。此外，还切除十二指肠、空肠、回肠、盲肠顶端、胸骨弯曲部、骨盆弯曲部、右背结肠、直肠和肝脏，并进行组织形态学评估。
与 HF 组相比，HS 组的腺状区胃黏膜病变更严重（P=0.006）。此外，在鳞状区也发现了统计学趋势（P=0.060），HS 组的评分高于 HF 组。关于形态计量学，空肠绒毛高度与隐窝深度（Cd）的比值受性别影响，雄性大于雌性（P=0.037），而回肠 Cd 取决于性别和饮食的相互作用，HS 组雄性大于雌性（P=0.029）。此外，在十二指肠和右背结肠，炎症的严重程度取决于性别（P=0.024 和 0.050），雌性大于雄性。相反，在空肠和骨盆弯曲部，炎症受饮食影响，HS 组比 HF 组更严重（P=0.024 和 0.052）。
这些结果表明，HS 饮食会导致胃腺状区更严重的黏膜病变，以及空肠和骨盆弯曲部更严重的炎症。本研究可为进一步研究马的肠道健康提供起点。
