Dietary fiber for dogs: I. Effects of graded levels of dietary beet pulp on nutrient intake, digestibility, metabolizable energy and digesta mean retention time

Abstract

The optimal level of beet pulp (BP) inclusion in a meat-based dog diet and the effects of graded levels of dietary BP on fecal excretion responses and mean retention time of marked fiber in the gastrointestinal tract of the dog were evaluated using 30 female English Pointers assigned to isonitrogenous diets containing 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 or 12.5% BP (DM basis). Beet pulp replaced portions of dietary cornstarch. Digestibilities of DM and OM decreased by an average of 6% when comparing diets containing BP to the control diet, and quadratic and cubic responses were noted in digestibilities of fiber constituents (lower values at the 7.5 and 10.0% levels, higher values at the 2.5, 5.0 and 12.5% levels). Digestible energy (DE) and ME intakes (kcal/d) were not affected by treatment, but when expressed as a percentage of GE, values decreased (4.8% for DE; 6.2% for ME) linearly with increasing BP levels. Wet weight of feces increased (from 117 to 374 g/d) linearly as percentage of dietary BP increased. Frequency of defecation was higher (P less than .05) for dogs fed the diet containing 12.5% BP than for dogs fed the other diets (5.2 vs mean value of 2.8/24 h). Mean retention time of marked fiber decreased linearly (high value of 23.4 h for the 2.5% BP treatment, low value of 13.0 h for the 10.0% BP treatment) with increased level of BP. Beet pulp levels up to 7.5% of diet DM appear acceptable as a dietary fiber source in a meat-based canine diet.

Replacing wheat bran by corn gluten feed without steep water in complete dog food

“…Little variation was observed in the faecal DM (g/kg) by Guevara et al (2008), who considered the corn fibre to be a potential source of dietary fibre in dog food. The results of the present study confirm previous studies that have showed significant effects of dietary fibre on DM and moisture in dog faeces (Fahey et al 1990a;Fahey et al 1990b). The ammonia nitrogen was quantified to analyse the effect of the diets with different level of corn gluten inclusion on faeces odour, and there was no effect (p > .05) of the diets.…”

“…These results differed from those found by Fahey et al (1990b), S a (2011), Kawauchi et al (2011) and Burkhalter et al (2001) who observed an increase (p < .05) in faecal weight with fibre inclusion, and may be attributed to the similar digestibility of Table 2. Mean apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients, digestible and metabolisable energy, and the physicochemical characteristics of dog faeces as a result of consuming complete food with the partial replacement of wheat bran by corn gluten without steep water.…”

“…For this study, the formulated diets maintained similar NDF and ADF values (Table 1), unlike in Fahey et al (1992). The digestibility of GE was higher than that observed by Fahey et al (1990b) and Cole et al (1999), which may be because their diets had higher energy concentration and lesser EE concentration as observed in the diets from this study.…”

“…Therefore, it can be suggested that the treatments may have had a prebiotic effect, which is desired in complete foods for dogs, and can be supported by the lower in vitro and in situ gas production ( Table 2). The amount of faecal DM had an effect (p < .05) with drier faeces at 90 g/kg corn gluten feed and wetter faeces at 60 g/kg, which differed from Fahey et al (1990b) who observed a linear decrease (p < .05) in faecal DM with the inclusion of beet pulp. Little variation was observed in the faecal DM (g/kg) by Guevara et al (2008), who considered the corn fibre to be a potential source of dietary fibre in dog food.…”

Effect of Dietary Polydextrose on Feces Consistency and Macronutrient Digestibility in Healthy Dogs

“…This phenomenon may also hold for dogs. Fahey et al (1990) reported that increasing levels of beet pulp up to 12.5 % in a dry dog food cause a dose-dependent decrease in apparent fat digestibility. Beet pulp contains about 20% of the viscous, gelforming fiber pectin, which explains its effect on fat digestibility.…”