Browsing by Author "Butowski CF"

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    In Vitro Assessment of Hydrolysed Collagen Fermentation Using Domestic Cat (Felis catus) Faecal Inocula
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-02-17) Butowski CF; Thomas DG; Cave NJ; Bermingham EN; Rosendale DI; Hea S-Y; Stoklosinski HM; Young W; Ebani VV
    The gastrointestinal microbiome has a range of roles in the host, including the production of beneficial fermentation end products such as butyrate, which are typically associated with fermentation of plant fibres. However, domestic cats are obligate carnivores and do not require carbohydrates. It has been hypothesised that in the wild, collagenous parts of prey-the so-called animal-derived fermentable substrates (ADFS) such as tendons and cartilage-may be fermented by the cat's gastrointestinal microbiome. However, little research has been conducted on ADFS in the domestic cat. Faecal inoculum was obtained from domestic cats either consuming a high carbohydrate (protein:fat:carbohydrate ratio of 35:20:28 (% dry matter basis)) or high protein (protein:fat:carbohydrate ratio of 75:19:1 (% dry matter basis)) diet. ADFS (hydrolysed collagen, cat hair, and cartilage) were used in a series of static in vitro digestions and fermentations. Concentrations of organic acids and ammonia were measured after 24 h of fermentation, and the culture community of microbes was characterised. The type of inoculum used affected the fermentation profile produced by the ADFS. Butyrate concentrations were highest when hydrolysed collagen was fermented with high protein inoculum (p < 0.05). In contrast, butyrate was not detectable when hydrolysed collagen was fermented in high carbohydrate inoculum (p < 0.05). The microbiome of the domestic cat may be able to ferment ADFS to provide beneficial concentrations of butyrate.
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    Nutritional needs and health outcomes of ageing cats and dogs: is it time for updated nutrient guidelines?
    (Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science, 2024-06-20) Bermingham EN; Patterson KA; Shoveller AK; Fraser K; Butowski CF; Thomas DG
    Implications • While cats are classed as senior at 10 years of chronological age, physiological and health changes occur from 8 years of age and it appears that diet may influence the ageing process. • Dogs are classed as senior at 12 years for smaller dogs and 10 years for larger breeds. Due to differences in longevity associated with breed size a definite age that dogs start to experience changes is difficult to establish. • Despite our pets ageing, living in extreme cases to 30 + years, there are no explicit nutritional guidelines for feeding ageing animals. Increased scientific knowledge around the specific nutritional requirements of ageing cats and dogs is required. • Many of the underlying physiological processes (e.g., immune function) and age-associated health conditions (e.g., cognitive decline) respond to nutritional intervention. This suggests that nutritional and regulatory guidelines, should consider recommendations for ‘senior+’ pets. • Due to the unique nutritional requirements of cats and dogs, more specific knowledge around the mechanisms of ageing is required.
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    Using meta-analysis to understand the impacts of dietary protein and fat content on the composition of fecal microbiota of domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris): A pilot study
    (John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2024-04) Phimister FD; Anderson RC; Thomas DG; Farquhar MJ; Maclean P; Jauregui R; Young W; Butowski CF; Bermingham EN
    The interplay between diet and fecal microbiota composition is garnering increased interest across various host species, including domestic dogs. While the influence of dietary macronutrients and their associated microbial communities have been extensively reviewed, these reviews are descriptive and do not account for differences in microbial community analysis, nor do they standardize macronutrient content across studies. To address this, a meta-analysis was performed to assess the impact of dietary crude protein ("protein") and dietary crude fat ("fat") on the fecal microbiota composition in healthy dogs. Sixteen publications met the eligibility criteria for the meta-analysis, yielding a final data set of 314 dogs. Diets were classed as low, moderate, high, or supra in terms of protein or fat content. Sequence data from each publication were retrieved from public databases and reanalyzed using consistent bioinformatic pipelines. Analysis of community diversity indices and unsupervised clustering of the data with principal coordinate analysis revealed a small effect size and complete overlap between protein and fat levels at the overall community level. Supervised clustering through random forest analysis and partial least squares-discriminant analysis indicated alterations in the fecal microbiota composition at a more individual taxonomic level, corresponding to the levels of protein or fat. The Prevotellaceae Ga6A1 group and Enterococcus were associated with increasing levels of protein, while Allobaculum and Clostridium sensu stricto 13 were associated with increasing levels of fat. Interestingly, the random forest analyses revealed that Sharpea, despite its low relative abundance in the dog's fecal microbiome, was primarily responsible for the separation of the microbiome for both protein and fat. Future research should focus on validating and understanding the functional roles of these relatively low-abundant genera.