High-starch diets alter equine faecal microbiota and increase behavioural reactivity

Bulmer, L. S., Murray, J.-A. , Burns, N. M. , Garber, A. , Wemelsfelder, F., McEwan, N. R. and Hastie, P. M. (2019) High-starch diets alter equine faecal microbiota and increase behavioural reactivity. Scientific Reports, 9, 18621. (doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-54039-8) (PMID:31819069) (PMCID:PMC6901590)

Abstract

Gut microbiota have been associated with health, disease and behaviour in several species and are an important link in gut-brain axis communication. Diet plays a key role in affecting the composition of gut microbiota. In horses, high-starch diets alter the hindgut microbiota. High-starch diets are also associated with increased behavioural reactivity in horses. These changes in microbiota and behaviour may be associated. This study compares the faecal microbiota and behaviour of 10 naïve ponies. A cross-over design was used with experimental groups fed high-starch (HS) or high-fibre (HF) diets. Results showed that ponies were more reactive and less settled when being fed the HS diet compared to the HF diet. Irrespective of diet, the bacterial profile was dominated by two main phyla, Firmicutes, closely followed by Bacteroidetes. However, at lower taxonomic levels multivariate analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data showed diet affected faecal microbial community structure. The abundance of 85 OTUs differed significantly related to diet. Correlative relationships exist between dietary induced alterations to faecal microbiota and behaviour. Results demonstrate a clear link between diet, faecal microbial community composition and behaviour. Dietary induced alterations to gut microbiota play a role in affecting the behaviour of the host.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Burns, Dr Neil and Hastie, Professor Peter and Bulmer, Louise and Murray, Professor Jo-Anne and Garber, Dr Anna and McEwan, Dr Neil
• Authors: Bulmer, L. S., Murray, J.-A., Burns, N. M., Garber, A., Wemelsfelder, F., McEwan, N. R., and Hastie, P. M.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Scientific Reports
• Publisher: Nature Research
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• ISSN (Online): 2045-2322
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Scientific Reports 9:18621
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License
• Data DOI: 10.5525/gla.researchdata.804