Effect of Different Fiber Sources as Additives to Wet Food for Beagle Dogs on Diet Acceptance, Digestibility, and Fecal Quality.

In order to enhance the health and welfare of obese dogs and to facilitate the required loss of body weight, commercial diets are produced with fibrous ingredients. Cellulose is a common dietary fiber used mainly in powdered form. However, other processing forms and fibers are available as fibrous additives. This work aimed to test the effects of different fiber sources on apparent total tract digestibility and fecal quality in dogs. Four diets were fed to eight dogs (experimental design: 4 × 4 Latin square) for a 14-day period each. In addition to a basal diet (CO), three experimental diets varying in fiber sources were used: powdered cellulose (CE), granulated cellulose (GC), and lignocellulose (LC). Dogs fed the CO had lower crude fiber digestibility than those fed the other experimental diets (p < 0.0033). Dogs fed diets supplemented with fiber sources had lower gross energy digestibility (range: 76.2-77.3%) compared with those fed the CO (84.4%). In all groups, the fecal score (consistency and shape) ranged within the optimal values; solely wet fecal output was increased for the fiber groups compared with those on the CO. This study demonstrated that various sources of fiber such as GC and LC can be used as alternatives to CE without restrictions.

Nitrogen output in the urban environment using a vegetarian canine diet.

Pet owners are increasingly concerned about the links between health status, animal welfare, environmental impacts, climate change and consumption of animal products. Accordingly, many owners are increasingly interested in vegetarian diets for themselves and their companion animals. However, such diets should be investigated nutritionally regards digestibility as well as on fecal quality and nitrogen output. In light of this trend, six Beagle dogs were included in a cross-over experimental design and offered a vegetarian diet containing wheat gluten (8.81%), rice protein (8.81%) and sunflower oil (6.84%) or an meat-based diet containing poultry meal (19.5%) and poultry fat (5.23%). The dogs received extruded complete diets for 12 days (adaptation and collection period, each 6 days). The dogs fed both diets showed a high and identical palatability (scoring of food intake) of the experimental diets. No significant differences occurred regarding digestibility of organic matter, crude protein and crude fat between vegetarian and meat-based diets. However, dogs fed the meat-based diet had higher (p < 0.05) nitrogen-free extract digestibility (89.5%) compared to those fed the vegetarian diet (88.6%). The amount of nitrogen excreted in feces (g)/kg BW0.75 was slightly, but not significantly, higher for dogs fed the vegetarian diet compared to those fed the meat-based diet (0.88 vs 0.79). The fecal consistency scores were considered to be within an acceptable range (well formed and firm). The mass of the feces between both groups were similar (62.9 g wet feces/100 g dry matter food) for vegetarian and meat-based diets. Additionally, the fecal dry matter content was comparable between both groups (29.0% and 29.6% for vegetarian and meat-based diets, respectively). In conclusion, the results of this study appear to indicate that virtually the only significant difference between the two diets was lower nitrogen-free extract digestibility in the vegetarian diet. However, the vegetarian diet did not result in a significant difference in amount of nitrogen excreted in feces.

Influence of Different Methionine Sources on Performance and Slaughter Characteristics of Broilers.

Sustainably produced poultry meat with consideration of animal health poses a challenge for broiler production. Low protein diets with high amounts of synthetic amino acids (AAs) like methionine (Met) are the consequence. In a five-week feeding trial, 360 broilers (Ross 308) assigned to four feeding groups were offered protein-reduced complete diets (starter: 20% crude protein (CP); grower: 18.5% CP; finisher: 17.5% CP), supplemented with essential AAs. The "MHA" group received DL-2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid (DL-HMTBA; trade name: MHA®), groups "L" and "DL" the respective Met source in equivalent concentrations each exceeding the nutritional recommendations. "R-MHA" ("R" for "reduced") received the minimum required level (using MHA as Met source). Performance exceeded performance goals without differences between the groups. The average feed conversion ratio (FCR) amounted to 1.35. The carcass/body weight ratio of R-MHA was significantly lower (0.782) compared to DL (0.808) and L (0.809). Breast meat of R-MHA contained significantly more fat (144 g/kg dry matter (DM)) compared to L (104 g/kg DM) and significantly lower CP content (R-MHA: 838 g/kg DM; L: 875 g/kg DM). The results indicated possible improvement in slaughter yield by protein-reduced diets supplemented with L-Met, thus recommending further research focusing on the Met influence.