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Impact of Storage Conditions on Equine Fecal Inoculum for Estimating In Vitro Digestibility
Delaney O'Donnell1, Lacy Sukovaty1, Gary Webb1
1Department of Animal Science, William H Darr College of Agriculture, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO 65897, USA.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|November 27, 2021
Summary
Equine fecal storage conditions minimally impact in vitro digestibility trials. Aerobic storage at 22°C for 6 hours yielded similar results to anaerobic control, preserving microbial inoculum viability for accurate equine nutrition research.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Microbiology
Background:
- In vitro digestibility trials are crucial for evaluating equine feedstuffs.
- Accurate microbial inoculum is essential for reliable in vitro digestibility results.
- Equine fecal material is a common source for microbial inoculum.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of various storage conditions on equine fecal microbial inoculum viability.
- To determine if different storage methods affect in vitro digestibility measurements (DMD, NDFD, ADFD).
- To identify optimal storage protocols for equine fecal samples used in digestibility assays.
Main Methods:
- Equine fecal samples were subjected to four storage conditions: anaerobic control (39°C, 15 min), aerobic at 22°C for 6h (SC1), 3°C for 6h (SC2), and -18°C for 24h (SC3).
- Microbial inoculum was prepared from stored feces for in vitro digestion of six forages using the Daisy II Incubator.
- Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD), Neutral Detergent Fiber Digestibility (NDFD), and Acid Detergent Fiber Digestibility (ADFD) were determined.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in digestibility estimates were observed between the anaerobic control and aerobic storage at 22°C for 6 hours (SC1).
- Storage conditions SC2 (3°C, 6h) and SC3 (-18°C, 24h) showed a decrease in DMD by 3.86% and 4.08%, respectively, compared to the control.
- Significant interactions between forage sample and storage condition were noted (p < 0.05), indicating variable effects on different forages.
Conclusions:
- Aerobic storage of equine fecal material at 22°C for up to 6 hours is a viable option for preparing microbial inoculum for in vitro digestibility trials.
- Refrigerated and frozen storage conditions (SC2 and SC3) may slightly reduce the accuracy of in vitro digestibility estimates, particularly DMD.
- Careful consideration of storage duration and temperature is necessary to maintain the integrity of equine fecal microbial inoculum for reliable nutritional evaluations.
