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Effects of Maternal Dietary Yeast Supplementation on Foal Growth and Microbial Diversity of the Hindgut in Quarter Horse Mares and Their Offspring

Share, Elizabeth R

Abstract Details

2015, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Animal Sciences.
Microbial populations in the hindgut of horses can be influenced by dietary yeast supplementation. Influencing the microbiome of the mares may have an effect on the gastrointestinal microflora of their foals and contribute to the colonization and development of their naive gastrointestinal microbial ecosystem which is important to the overall health and well-being of the foal. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a maternal dietary live yeast supplement on the diversity of the gastrointestinal microflora in the hindgut of Quarter Horse mares and the growth and development of their offspring. In this study, eight Quarter Horse mares (14.5 ± 7.5 yr) were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: yeast or control. All mares received a basal diet consisting of 0.5% BW of a 16% CP pelleted concentrate, with water and mixed grass hay ad libitum. Mares in the yeast treatment group were fed a targeted dose of 1 g (4.5 x 109 cfu)/45.4 kg of BW per day of a live culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from d 250 of gestation to 90 d post-parturition. Mare fecal samples were collected monthly from d 250 of gestation to d 180 post-parturition. Foal fecal samples were collected within 2 hr of birth, at 12 and 24 hr after birth and monthly post-parturition until d 240. Fecal samples were pooled by production status, treatment and day. Pooled fecal samples were subjected to PCR to ascertain the presence or absence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using primers specific to the ITS2 rRNA gene sequences of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was not detected in any of the fecal samples. Pooled fecal samples were also subjected to PCR with universal, Firmicutes, and Streptococcus primers specific to 16S rRNA bacterial gene sequences, and subsequent denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses were performed so that any changes in bacterial diversity could be observed and analyzed. Images were captured and analyzed with Bionumerics software and subjected to Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) to compare microbial profiles. DGGE and MDS analysis using all primers revealed clusters due to yeast supplementation in the microbial profiles of the mares in this study. Statistical analysis of band counts observed from the microbial profiles of the mares revealed a significant difference due to treatment using universal primers on d 30 to d120 (P < 0.05). There were no statistical differences in mare band counts due to treatment when Firmicutes or Streptococcus primers were used. Differences between foal treatment groups were found within the first 24 h after birth based on the qualitative analyses of dendrograms and MDS using all of the bacterial primers. Statistical analysis of band counts from foal microbial profiles revealed a significant difference due to treatment on d 90 (P = 0.048) using universal primers. Significant differences in band counts between foals due to treatment with live yeast were also observed using Firmicutes primers on d 0.5 and d 1 (P < 0.05). Bacterial DNA was detected in the meconium samples using universal and Streptococcus primers. The microbial profiles of the foal fecal samples appeared to proliferate and diversify with the age of the foal based on DGGE-PCR results. There were no differences in foal growth due to live yeast supplementation of the maternal diet. Overall, supplementation of the maternal diet with live yeast did not impact foal growth but did influence the microbial profiles in the hindgut of mares and their offspring.
Kimberly Cole, Dr. (Advisor)

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Citations

  • Share, E. R. (2015). Effects of Maternal Dietary Yeast Supplementation on Foal Growth and Microbial Diversity of the Hindgut in Quarter Horse Mares and Their Offspring [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429838808

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Share, Elizabeth. Effects of Maternal Dietary Yeast Supplementation on Foal Growth and Microbial Diversity of the Hindgut in Quarter Horse Mares and Their Offspring. 2015. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429838808.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Share, Elizabeth. "Effects of Maternal Dietary Yeast Supplementation on Foal Growth and Microbial Diversity of the Hindgut in Quarter Horse Mares and Their Offspring." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429838808

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)