Effect of feeding insoluble fiber on the microbiota and metabolites of the caecum and feces of rabbits recovering from epizootic rabbit enteropathy relative to non-infected rabbits.

Pu�n-Pel�ez, Xiao-Haitzi Daniel; McEwan, Neil Ross; �lvarez-Mart�nez, Roberto Carlos; Mariscal-Land�n, Gerardo; Nava-Morales, Gerardo Manuel; Mosqueda, Juan; Olvera-Ram�rez, Andrea Margarita

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of feeding insoluble fiber on the microbiota and metabolites of the caecum and feces of rabbits recovering from epizootic rabbit enteropathy relative to non-infected rabbits. Rabbits that had either recovered from epizootic rabbit enteropathy or ones that had never had epizootic rabbit enteropathy were fed on a diet of 32% or 36% neutral detergent fiber until they were 70 days of age. At this point, the short-chain fatty acid and ammonia levels were measured in caecotroph and fecal samples and compared using 2 × 2 ANOVA. The microbial composition of the samples was also analyzed using next-generation sequencing and compared by PERMANOVA. Caecotrophic samples from previously affected rabbits on lower fiber diets had higher short-chain fatty acid contents and higher species diversity index values for some indices (p [less than] 0.05), although the fecal samples showed lower species diversity levels (p [less than] 0.05). In addition, the PERMANOVA analyses demonstrated that differences were detected in the microbial composition of both fecal and caecotrophic samples, depending on the disease status at the outset of the experiment (p [less than] 0.05). The results of this work show that, although there is some potential in the use of high-fiber diets for the treatment of rabbits that have had epizootic rabbit enteropathy, they are not able to produce the same digestive tract properties as those seen in rabbits that have never had the condition. This is true even after the rabbits have recovered from epizootic rabbit enteropathy.

Citation

PUÓN-PELÁEZ, X.-H.D., MCEWAN, N.R., ÁLVAREZ-MARTÍNEZ, R.C., MARISCAL-LANDÍN, G., NAVA-MORALES, G.M., MOSQUEDA, J. and OLVERA-RAMÍREZ, A.M. 2022. Effect of feeding insoluble fiber on the microbiota and metabolites of the caecum and feces of rabbits recovering from epizootic rabbit enteropathy relative to non-infected rabbits. Pathogens [online], 11(5), article 571. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11050571

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 20, 2022
• Online Publication Date: May 12, 2022
• Publication Date: May 31, 2022
• Deposit Date: May 13, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: May 27, 2022
• Journal: Pathogens
• Electronic ISSN: 2076-0817
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 5
• Article Number: 571
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11050571
• Keywords: Infectious Diseases; Microbiology (medical); General Immunology and Microbiology; Molecular Biology; Immunology and Allergy
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1664790
• Related Public URLs: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1674814