Action of diets with different energy sources on the digestive system and immunomodulation in horses

• Grant number: 20/12753-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2021
• End date: July 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Roberta Ariboni Brandi
• Grantee: Roberta Ariboni Brandi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Júlio Cesar de Carvalho Balieiro ; Paulo Aléscio Canola ; Ricardo Luiz Moro de Sousa ; Roberta Carvalho Basile

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect of diets rich in fiber and oil and rich in soluble carbohydrate, on digestibility, microbial composition of the cecum and feces, energy metabolism, and immunomodulation in horses, six healthy horses will be used, with cecum sutured to the abdominal wall. The apparent digestibility of the diets will be determined using the external marker LIPE ®. For the determination of the microbiota present in the cecum and feces, the sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene will be performed, using Illumina ® sequencing. Energy metabolism will be studied by measuring the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in blood, feces, cecal fluid and by assessing blood glucose and insulinemia curves. The inflammatory profile will be described by the concentration of interleukin 1B and by the alpha globulin protein fraction, and the immunological profile will be evaluated by means of the leukogram, immunoglobulins G, A and butyrate. The experimental design to be used is a contemporary Latin double square. The data of digestibility, immunological and inflammatory profile of the diets will be analyzed by a general mixed model and the variables of SCFA concentration in feces, cecal fluid, glycemic and insulinemic curves, pH and buffering capacity (BC), will be analyzed considering a factorial scheme (treatment, time and treatment x time). For the analysis of the microbiome, a generalized linear mixed model with a logistical link function will be used. Diets rich in fiber and oil will have digestibility similar to the diet based on soluble carbohydrates, with higher immune responses and lower inflammatory responses and greater production of SCFA. (AU)