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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #124879
Title: THE EFFECT OF A MICROBIAL SUPPLEMENT (HORSE-BAC) CONTAINING LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS ON THE MICROBIAL AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE CECUM IN THE SEDENTARY HORSE

Author
item BOOTH, J - IOWA STATE UNIV., AMES
item MILLER-AUWERDA, P - IOWA STATE UNIV., AMES
item Rasmussen, Mark

Submitted to: Equine Nutrition and Physiology Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The bacterial population of the equine cecum is a vital component of the digestive system. Probiotics have showed promise as a way to manipulate populations of digestive microbes. Lactobacillus products are commonly used as probiotics. Five cecally fistulated Quarter Horse geldings, aged 4-8 years, were used in a switchback design. Diets consisted of a pelleted feed fed at 0.75% of body weight daily and alfalfa-bromegrass hay fed at 1.0% of body weight daily. Each horse received treatments of 0, 10, or 20 ml of a liquid microbial supplement containing Lactobacillus acidophilus. The investigation was divided into 4 periods in which the horses were administered the randomly designated treatment for 4 wk. Samples of cecal contents were taken on days 0 (baseline), 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84, 112, and 126 of the experiment. Cecal samples were analyzed for pH, concentration of lactate and cellulose-utilizing bacteria, and volatile fatty acids (VFA). Concentrations of acetic, propionic, butyric, and lactic acid were determined. Least square mean values for concentration of lactate and cellulose-utilizing bacteria did not differ among treatments. The pH of the cecal contents also was not affected by treatment. Mean values of acetate tended to decrease with increasing treatment concentrations. The concentration of acetate was highest when the animals received no supplementation of Horse-Bac. Concentrations of butyrate also decreased significantly with increases in supplement doses. There were no significant changes propionate on lactate degradation in relationship to treatment. It appears that supplementation with Horse-Bac has little effect on the bacteria that degrade lactate and produce propionate.