Fine cassava fibre utilization as a dietary fibre source for dogs: Effects on kibble characteristics, diet digestibility and palatability, faecal metabolites and microbiota.

The objective was to evaluate through three experiments the effects of a fine cassava fibre (CA: 106 µm) on kibble characteristics, coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of macronutrients, diet palatability and faecal metabolites and microbiota of dogs. Dietary treatments consisted of a control diet (CO), without an added fibre source and with 4.3% total dietary fibre (TDF), and a diet with 9.6% CA (106 µm), with 8.4% TDF. Experiment I evaluated the physical characteristics of the kibbles. The palatability test was evaluated in experiment II, which compared the diets CO versus CA. In experiment III, 12 adult dogs were randomly assigned to one of the two dietary treatments for 15 days, totalling six replicates/treatment, to assess the CTTAD of macronutrients; faecal characteristics, faecal metabolites and microbiota. The expansion index, kibble size and friability of diets with CA were higher than the CO (p < 0.05). Additionally, the CA diet presented higher palatability than the CO (p < 0.05) but did not affect CTTAD except for those of fibre (p > 0.05). Moreover, a greater faecal concentration of acetate, butyrate and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and a lower faecal concentration of phenol, indole and isobutyrate were observed in dogs fed the CA diet (p < 0.05). Dogs fed with the CA diet presented a greater bacterial diversity and richness and a greater abundance of genera considered to be beneficial for gut health, such as Blautia, Faecalibacterium and Fusobacterium when compared to the CO group (p < 0.05). The inclusion of 9.6% of a fine CA improves the expansion of kibbles and diet palatability without affecting most of the CTTAD of nutrients. Besides, it improves the production of some SCFA and modulates the faecal microbiota of dogs.

Effects of two dietary fiber levels on nutrient digestibility and intestinal fermentation products in captive brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba).

Herbivorous primates present a selective consumption profile and morphological adaptations to use the fibrous fraction of their diets. Brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba) are generalist herbivores; however, when kept under human care, they usually receive diets rich in fruits and with insufficient amounts of fiber. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two levels of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in howlers on apparent total tract digestibility coefficients (ATTDC), fecal consistency, and intestinal fermentation products. A group of 26 adult howler monkeys, 13 males and 13 females, were fed two diets formulated to have 33% or 40% NDF for 11 days, according to a randomized block design (N = 26). The block factor was the enclosures with one, two, or three individuals (each enclosure corresponded to an experimental unit), totaling in eight replicates per treatment. There were no differences in dry matter and nutrients intake between treatments (p > 0.05). The diet with 33% NDF resulted in higher (p < 0.05) ATTDC of crude protein and crude energy. However, lower fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and dry matter were observed in the treatment with 33% NDF in contrast to the 40% NDF group (p < 0.05). We recommend the inclusion of higher fiber levels (40% NDF) in the diet of howler monkeys since there is evidence of greater production of SCFA and improvement in fecal consistency.

Endogenous fat losses and true and apparent fat digestibility in adult and growing dogs fed diets containing poultry offal fat.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of dietary nutrients, endogenous fat loss (EFL), dietary metabolizable energy (ME) content, coefficient of true digestibility (CTD) of fat and faecal parameters of dogs. A total of 16 puppies and 8 adult dogs were distributed according to a double Latin square experimental design. A basal diet was formulated, to which increasing levels (60, 120 and 180 g/kg) of poultry offal fat oil were added. EFL was estimated using hyperbolic and linear regression as a function of LW/day and dry matter (DM) intake, respectively, and the CTD of fat was calculated. The CTTAD of acid-hydrolysis ether extract (AHEE) and ME content increased as dietary poultry offal fat level increased both in adult dogs and in puppies (p < .05). The CTTAD of DM and crude protein were higher in adult dogs than in puppies. EFL was estimated by hyperbolic regression as y = 98.1094 - 13.6202/x and y = 99.1280 - 26.1366/x, where y = CTTAD of AHEE (%) and x = AHEE intake/kg BW, for adult dogs and puppies, respectively, which yielded EFL values of 138 and 262 mg AHEE per kg BW per day for adult dogs and puppies respectively. The EFL estimated by linear regression was 7.89 g and 8.97 g/kg DM intake for adult dogs and puppies respectively. The CTD estimated by both methodologies was higher in puppies than in adults (p < .05). Lower faecal DM and score, and higher ammonia production were obtained in puppies than adult dogs (p < .05). The results indicate good fat utilization and that fat digestibility is underestimated, as the CTTAD of AHEE does not take into account EFL, particularly at low-fat inclusion levels and in growing dogs, which have greater EFL than adult dogs.