The diversity of the equine fecal bacterial community was evaluated using pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Fecal samples were obtained from horses fed cool-season grass hay. Fecal bacteria were characterized by amplifying the V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Of 5898 mean unique sequences, a mean of 1510 operational taxonomic units were identified in the four fecal samples. Equine fecal bacterial richness was higher than that reported in humans, but lower than that reported in either cattle feces or soil. Bacterial classified sequences were assigned to 16 phyla, of which 10 were present in all samples. The largest number of reads belonged to Firmicutes (43.7% of total bacterial sequences), Verrucomicrobia (4.1%), Proteobacteria (3.8%), and Bacteroidetes (3.7%). The less abundant Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and TM7 phyla presented here have not been previously described in the gut contents or feces of horses. Unclassified sequences represented 38.1% of total bacterial sequences; therefore, the equine fecal microbiome diversity is likely greater than that described. This is the first study to characterize the fecal bacterial community in horses by the use of 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing, expanding our knowledge of the fecal microbiota of forage-fed horses.

BackgroundThe practice of feeding of diets containing raw animal products (RAP) to pets (dogs and cats) is discouraged by veterinary organizations and governmental public health organizations. Nevertheless, the practice of feeding RAP to pets is increasing in popularity. Pet owner motivations for feeding RAP diets to pets have not been explored and the benefits of RAP diets remain largely anecdotal. We hypothesized that pet owners feeding RAP diets would not rely on veterinary advice in choosing their pet’s diet. We also hypothesized that these owners would have lower levels of trust in veterinary advice with respect to nutrition relative to pet owners not feeding RAP.MethodsAn anonymous web-based survey was developed to identify pet owner motivations for feeding RAP diets, and to characterize the veterinarian-client relationships of individuals feeding RAP diets.ResultsThere were 2,337 respondents and 2,171 completed surveys. Of survey respondents, 804 reported feeding RAP at the time of the survey. While 20% of pet owners feeding RAP relied on online resources to determine what or how much RAP to feed, only 9% reported consulting with a veterinarian in making decisions about feeding RAP. Pet owners feeding RAP reported lower levels of trust in veterinary advice both ‘in general’ and ‘with respect to nutrition’ than pet owners not feeding RAP. Most pet owners reported that a discussion regarding their pet’s nutrition does not occur at every veterinary appointment.DiscussionPet owners feeding a RAP diet have lower trust in veterinary advice than pet owners not feeding a RAP diet. Owners feeding RAP are more reliant on online resources than their own veterinarian in deciding what and how much RAP to feed. Pet owners perceive that nutrition is not discussed at most veterinary appointments. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the veterinarian-client communication with regards to nutrition.

We generated a neonatal pig model with human infant gut microbiota (HGM) to study the effect of a probiotic on the composition of the transplanted microbiota following rotavirus vaccination and challenge. All the HGM-transplanted pigs received two doses of an oral attenuated rotavirus vaccine. The gut microbiota of vaccinated pigs were investigated for effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) supplement and homotypic virulent human rotavirus (HRV) challenge. High-throughput sequencing of V4 region of 16S rRNA genes demonstrated that HGM-transplanted pigs carried microbiota similar to that of the C-section delivered baby. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria represented over 98% of total bacteria in the human donor and the recipient pigs. HRV challenge caused a phylum-level shift from Firmicutes to Proteobacteria. LGG supplement prevented the changes in microbial communities caused by HRV challenge. In particular, members of Enterococcus in LGG-supplemented pigs were kept at the baseline level, while they were enriched in HRV challenged pigs. Taken together, our results suggested that HGM pigs are valuable for testing the microbiota’s response to probiotic interventions for treating infantile HRV infection.

The purpose of the present study was to compare digestibility of grass hay, faecal and plasma volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, and faecal bacterial abundance in overweight and moderate-condition mares. Five overweight adult mixed-breed mares and five adult mixed-breed mares in moderate condition were housed individually and limit-fed orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) hay at 20 g/kg body weight (as fed) daily for 14 d. Forage DM and fibre digestibility were determined using AOAC methods; digestible energy was measured using bomb calorimetry; plasma and faecal VFA concentrations were determined by use of GC and MS; faecal Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and total bacteria abundance was determined by quantitative real-time PCR using previously designed phylum-specific 16S ribosomal RNA gene primers. No differences in hay digestibility, faecal VFA concentrations or faecal bacterial abundance were detected between overweight and moderate-condition mares. Mean plasma acetate concentrations were higher (P = 0·03) in overweight (1·55 (range 1·43–1·65) mmol/l) v. moderate-condition (1·39 (range 1·22–1·47) mmol/l) mares. We conclude that the higher plasma acetate in overweight mares should be further investigated as a potential link between gut microbes and obesity in horses.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of high and moderate non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) hay on insulin, glucose, triglyceride, and leptin concentrations in overweight Arabian geldings. Eight adult overweight (average BCS 7 [9-point scale]) Arabian geldings were fed each of two orchardgrass hays, high NSC (18% DM) and moderate NSC (12% DM), in a cross over design during two 28-day periods. Body weight and body condition score assessment along with blood sampling to measure insulin, glucose, leptin, and triglyceride concentrations were performed on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 of each period. Effects of hay, period, day, and day*hay on plasma glucose and serum leptin were not detected. Serum insulin was influenced by hay (p = 0.001), day (p = 0.03), and day*hay (p = 0.04). Insulin concentrations were higher on day 7 in the high NSC group (15.6 μIU/ml) than the moderate NSC group (9.5 μIU/ml), but not by day 14 (p = 0.0007). Plasma triglyceride was influenced by period (p = 0.0003), day*period (p < 0.0001), and day*hay (p = 0.02). Hyperinsulinaemia was not observed in the overweight Arabian geldings fed either a moderate or high NSC hay.

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Reforming graduate medical, nursing and health administrators' education to include the core competencies of interdisciplinary teamwork and quality improvement (QI) techniques is a key strategy to improve quality in hospital settings. Practicing clinicians are best positioned in these settings to understand systems issues and craft potential solutions. The authors describe how, in ten months during 2004 and 2005 the school of medicine, the school of nursing, and an administrative residency program, all at Johns Hopkins University, implemented and evaluated the Achieving Competency Today II Program (ACT II), a structured and interdisciplinary approach to learning QI that was piloted at various sites around the United States. Six teams of learners participated, each consisting of a medical, nursing, and administrative resident. The importance of interdisciplinary participation in planning QI projects, the value of the patient's perspective on systems issues, and the value of a system's perspective in crafting solutions to issues all proved to be valuable lessons. Challenges were encountered throughout the program, such as (1) participants' difficulties in balancing competing academic, personal and clinical responsibilities, (2) difficulties in achieving the intended goals of a broad curriculum, (3) barriers to openly discussing interdisciplinary team process and dynamics, and (4) the need to develop faculty expertise in systems thinking and QI. In spite of these challenges steps have been identified to further enhance and develop interdisciplinary education within this academic setting.