The equine gastrointestinal microbiome: impacts of weight-loss
Abstract Background Obesity is an important equine welfare issue. Whilst dietary restriction is the most effective weight-loss tool, individual animals range in their weight-loss propensity. Gastrointestinal-derived bacteria play a fundamental role in host-health and have been associated with obesit...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2020-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Veterinary Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12917-020-02295-6 |
| _version_ | 1811295874409562112 |
|---|---|
| author | Philippa K. Morrison Charles J. Newbold Eleanor Jones Hilary J. Worgan Dai H. Grove-White Alexandra H. Dugdale Clare Barfoot Patricia A. Harris Caroline McGregor Argo |
| author_facet | Philippa K. Morrison Charles J. Newbold Eleanor Jones Hilary J. Worgan Dai H. Grove-White Alexandra H. Dugdale Clare Barfoot Patricia A. Harris Caroline McGregor Argo |
| author_sort | Philippa K. Morrison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Obesity is an important equine welfare issue. Whilst dietary restriction is the most effective weight-loss tool, individual animals range in their weight-loss propensity. Gastrointestinal-derived bacteria play a fundamental role in host-health and have been associated with obesity and weight-loss in other species. This study evaluated the faecal microbiome (next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes) of 15 obese Welsh Mountain pony mares, in the same 11-week period across 2 years (n = 8 Year 1; n = 7 Year 2). Following a 4-week acclimation period (pre-diet phase) during which time individuals were fed the same hay to maintenance (2% body mass (BM) as daily dry matter (DM) intake), animals underwent a 7-week period of dietary restriction (1% BM hay as daily DM intake). Faeces were sampled on the final 3 days of the pre-diet phase and the final 3 days of the dietary restriction phase. Bacterial communities were determined using Next Generation Sequencing of amplified V1-V2 hypervariable regions of bacterial 16S rRNA. Results Losses in body mass ranged from 7.11 to 11.59%. Changes in the faecal microbiome composition following weight-loss included a reduction in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Tenericutes and a reduction in indices of bacterial diversity. Pre-diet diversity was negatively associated with weight-loss. Pre-diet faecal acetate concentration was a strong predictor of subsequent weight-loss and negatively associated with Sphaerochaeta (Spirochaetes phylum) abundance. When animals were divided into 3 groups (high, mid, low) based overall weight loss, pre-diet bacterial community structure was found to have the greatest divergence between the high and low weight-loss groups (R = 0.67, p < 0.01), following PERMANOVA and ANOSIM analysis. Conclusions Weight-loss in this group of ponies was associated with lower pre-diet faecal bacterial diversity and greater pre-diet acetate concentration. Overall, these data support a role for the faecal microbiome in weight-loss propensity in ponies and provide a baseline for research evaluating elements of the faecal microbiome in predicting weight-loss success in larger cohorts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:40:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10f40d91936945f88b5c45835fe48ec3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1746-6148 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:40:02Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-10f40d91936945f88b5c45835fe48ec32022-12-22T03:00:07ZengBMCBMC Veterinary Research1746-61482020-03-0116111810.1186/s12917-020-02295-6The equine gastrointestinal microbiome: impacts of weight-lossPhilippa K. Morrison0Charles J. Newbold1Eleanor Jones2Hilary J. Worgan3Dai H. Grove-White4Alexandra H. Dugdale5Clare Barfoot6Patricia A. Harris7Caroline McGregor Argo8Scotland’s Rural College, Craibstone EstateScotland’s Rural College, Kings BuildingsAberystwyth University, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwyth University, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityUniversity of Liverpool, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Leahurst CampusChesterGates Veterinary Specialists CVS (UK) Ltd.MARS Horsecare UK Ltd, Old WolvertonWALTHAM Petcare Science Institute, Freeby lane, Waltham-on-the-WoldsScotland’s Rural College, Craibstone EstateAbstract Background Obesity is an important equine welfare issue. Whilst dietary restriction is the most effective weight-loss tool, individual animals range in their weight-loss propensity. Gastrointestinal-derived bacteria play a fundamental role in host-health and have been associated with obesity and weight-loss in other species. This study evaluated the faecal microbiome (next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes) of 15 obese Welsh Mountain pony mares, in the same 11-week period across 2 years (n = 8 Year 1; n = 7 Year 2). Following a 4-week acclimation period (pre-diet phase) during which time individuals were fed the same hay to maintenance (2% body mass (BM) as daily dry matter (DM) intake), animals underwent a 7-week period of dietary restriction (1% BM hay as daily DM intake). Faeces were sampled on the final 3 days of the pre-diet phase and the final 3 days of the dietary restriction phase. Bacterial communities were determined using Next Generation Sequencing of amplified V1-V2 hypervariable regions of bacterial 16S rRNA. Results Losses in body mass ranged from 7.11 to 11.59%. Changes in the faecal microbiome composition following weight-loss included a reduction in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Tenericutes and a reduction in indices of bacterial diversity. Pre-diet diversity was negatively associated with weight-loss. Pre-diet faecal acetate concentration was a strong predictor of subsequent weight-loss and negatively associated with Sphaerochaeta (Spirochaetes phylum) abundance. When animals were divided into 3 groups (high, mid, low) based overall weight loss, pre-diet bacterial community structure was found to have the greatest divergence between the high and low weight-loss groups (R = 0.67, p < 0.01), following PERMANOVA and ANOSIM analysis. Conclusions Weight-loss in this group of ponies was associated with lower pre-diet faecal bacterial diversity and greater pre-diet acetate concentration. Overall, these data support a role for the faecal microbiome in weight-loss propensity in ponies and provide a baseline for research evaluating elements of the faecal microbiome in predicting weight-loss success in larger cohorts.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12917-020-02295-6Equine, equine obesityWeight-lossInsulin dysregulationFaecal microbiomeApparent digestibilityVolatile fatty acid |
| spellingShingle | Philippa K. Morrison Charles J. Newbold Eleanor Jones Hilary J. Worgan Dai H. Grove-White Alexandra H. Dugdale Clare Barfoot Patricia A. Harris Caroline McGregor Argo The equine gastrointestinal microbiome: impacts of weight-loss BMC Veterinary Research Equine, equine obesity Weight-loss Insulin dysregulation Faecal microbiome Apparent digestibility Volatile fatty acid |
| title | The equine gastrointestinal microbiome: impacts of weight-loss |
| title_full | The equine gastrointestinal microbiome: impacts of weight-loss |
| title_fullStr | The equine gastrointestinal microbiome: impacts of weight-loss |
| title_full_unstemmed | The equine gastrointestinal microbiome: impacts of weight-loss |
| title_short | The equine gastrointestinal microbiome: impacts of weight-loss |
| title_sort | equine gastrointestinal microbiome impacts of weight loss |
| topic | Equine, equine obesity Weight-loss Insulin dysregulation Faecal microbiome Apparent digestibility Volatile fatty acid |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12917-020-02295-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT philippakmorrison theequinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT charlesjnewbold theequinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT eleanorjones theequinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT hilaryjworgan theequinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT daihgrovewhite theequinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT alexandrahdugdale theequinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT clarebarfoot theequinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT patriciaaharris theequinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT carolinemcgregorargo theequinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT philippakmorrison equinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT charlesjnewbold equinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT eleanorjones equinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT hilaryjworgan equinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT daihgrovewhite equinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT alexandrahdugdale equinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT clarebarfoot equinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT patriciaaharris equinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss AT carolinemcgregorargo equinegastrointestinalmicrobiomeimpactsofweightloss |