Particle size distribution of diet, feces, and change from diet to feces, as well as apparent digestibility (aDig, %) of selected nutrients, and novel fecal microbiome identification of mature female leopard tortoises (Stigmochelys pardalis, n = 16) fed exclusively one of three, nutritionally complete, pelleted diets were evaluated in a blind, complete randomized design study. Two diets included insoluble fiber (powdered cellulose) consisting of either 2.0 mm or 0.2 mm length. Insoluble fiber provides nutritional and physical benefits to both the animal host and the microorganisms that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. Insoluble fiber length was used as a means of evaluating a physically effective fiber (peNDF) definition for hindgut-fermenting vertebrates. Numerical trends of each diet particle size distribution indicated a greater amount of particle recovery on the 2.0 mm sieve for the 2.0 mm diet, and a greater particle recovery on the 0.125 mm sieve for the 0.2 mm diet, both as expected based on the added fiber lengths. Fecal particle size distributions were not different between diets, however, distributions of the change in particle size from diet to feces were different between diets. Similar fecal particle size distributions across diets suggests both cellulose lengths are below the peNDF threshold of the leopard tortoise. Apparent digestibility (aDig, %) of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) was not different based on diet, method, or a diet and method interaction; aDig (%) of neutral detergent fiber (aNDF) and sequential acid detergent fiber (sADF) was different based only on diet. These results suggest that while aDig (%) of OM did not change, the source of OM digestibility shifted, as both aNDF and sADF digestibility increased with the cellulose-added diets compared to the control diet. An increase in insoluble fiber digestibility suggests an "effectiveness" of the cellulose lengths. At both bacterial phyla and genera levels, fecal microbiomes were more similar between tortoises fed the cellulose-added diets versus the control diet, suggesting that the hindgut microbial communities adjusted in the hindgut of the tortoises fed the cellulose-added diets by shifting proportions of microbes, based on their role in the hindgut (i.e., cellulose digestion), to accommodate for the addition of cellulose in the two treatment diets. This may explain the similarity among fecal particle size distributions, and suggests that adaptability of the hindgut microbial communities should be considered when defining peNDF for hindgut-fermenting vertebrates.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2014-10-09T13:45:17Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Douglas de Almeida Lima - 2011.pdf: 787713 bytes, checksum: 9d4fa1fdcf2f6c61556740302d7ed8c4 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2014-10-09T14:42:11Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Douglas de Almeida Lima - 2011.pdf: 787713 bytes, checksum: 9d4fa1fdcf2f6c61556740302d7ed8c4 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:42:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Douglas de Almeida Lima - 2011.pdf: 787713 bytes, checksum: 9d4fa1fdcf2f6c61556740302d7ed8c4 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-26 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / This trial was realized in the veterinary and animal science school at Universidade Federal de Goias. The objective was to evaluate five diets, four of these diets was composed by ground corn with different fiber sources for each ration and one control treatment with whole corn (MI) without fiber source. The fiber sources used was sugar cane bagass (BIN), industrial corn residue silage (RM), soybean hulls (CS), cotton seed (CA). Five castrated Nellore steers with an average of 195 kg of body weight and with rumen fistulae, were used in this trial. The animals were distributed in individual pen provided of individual covered feeder and water tank for each two animals. Each period spent 19 days, with 10 days for food adaptation and nine days for collect of data. During the interval of collects were evaluated: feed behavior, ruminal pH, ammoniacal nitrogen, short chain of fatty acids, total counting of protozoa, fecal pH, total digestibility and dry mater, crude protein (PB), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (FDN) and acid detergent fiber (FDA) intakes. Latin square and Duncan test for 5% of probability were used for statistical analysis. The treatment BIN had the highest dry matter intake, although CA had the lowest value. The ether extract intake was highest for MI treatment, followed by CA and the CS had the lowest value. The highest values for FDN and FDA intakes were in treatment BIN. It was observed some rejection of cotton seed by the animals. The values for total digestibility for CA, RM, BIN, CS and MI treatments were 68.50; 66.19; 65.87; 64.20 e 56.15. The treatment CA showed greater DMD than CS (P<0.05). The treatments RM and BIN spent more time for ruminating and chewing activity. The value of ruminal pH in treatment BIN was greater than RM and CS (P<0.05). The treatments MI and CA weren´t different from RM and CS (P>0.05). In protozoa counting the highest numbers were observed for CS and BIN treatments. Although the lowest numbers for protozoa counting was founded for CA. Animal differences were noted in protozoa counting. The highest values for total short chain fatty acids were founded for CS, that was the same of RM (P>0.05), although BIN, MI and CA had the lowest value. Highest xiv values for propionate and acetate were found in CS treatment. The acetate:propionate ratios were higher in BIN, but for the others treatments the value didn´t differed between them (P>0.05). Butyrate, ammonia nitrogen and fecal pH any differences were found (P>0.05). It was concluded that sugar cane bagasse was the fiber source that keep a good result for ruminal pH, protozoa counting, dry matter intake and the total digestibility wasn´t different from the others. According to that we can conclude that sugar cane bagasse showed more efficient than the others fiber sources in the tested levels. / O objetivo deste ensaio foi avaliar cinco dietas, sendo quatro delas compostas por milho moído fino e com fontes distintas de fibra para cada ração e um tratamento com milho inteiro (MI). As fontes de fibras utilizadas foram: 1) bagaço de cana in natura (BIN); 2) resíduo de milho verde (RM); 3) casca de soja (CS) e 4) caroço de algodão (CA). Foram utilizados cinco animais castrados da raça Nelore, com peso médio de 195 kg e com fístula ruminal. Os animais foram distribuídos em baias individuais cobertas dotadas de comedouros individuais e bebedouros para cada duas baias. O período experimental teve duração de dezenove dias com dez dias de adaptação e nove dias de coletas. Durante o intervalo de coletas foram avaliados o comportamento ingestivo, o pH ruminal, o nitrogênio amoniacal, os ácidos graxos de cadeia curta, a contagem total de protozoários ruminais, o pH fecal, a digestibilidade no trato total, bem como o consumo de MS, PB, EE, FDN e FDA. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o quadrado latino 5x5 e para comparações de médias foi utilizados o teste Duncan a 5% de probabilidade. O tratamento BIN teve maior CMS que RM, CS e CA (P<0,05). O consumo de EE do tratamento MI foi maior que CS e RM (P<0,05), porém não diferiu de CA (P>0,05). O maior consumo de FDN foi para o tratamento BIN. O consumo de FDA foram maiores para BIN e RM. Observou-se certa rejeição do caroço de algodão pelos animais, comprovado pelo menor consumo de FDN e FDA no tratamento CA (P<0,05) se igualando ao controle MI (P>0,05). O tratamento CA apresentou uma maior DMS que CS (P<0,05), enquanto que os demais tratamentos não diferiram entre si (P>0,05). Quanto ao comportamento ingestivo, os tratamentos RM e BIN foram os que obtiveram os maiores tempos de atividade mastigatória (p<0,05). O tratamento BIN teve um maior tempo de ruminação que os tratamentos CS e CA (P<0,05). Os valores de pH ruminal para BIN foi maior que RM e CS (P<0,05), porém, não diferiu de MI e CA (P>0,05). Os tratamentos MI e CA não diferiram de RM e CS (P>0,05), quanto ao pH ruminal. Na contagem de protozoários os maiores números foram observados pelos tratamentos CS (P<0,05). Enquanto que o menor número de protozoários foi encontrado no tratamento CA (P<0,05). Houve influência do xii animal nos resultados de contagem de protozoários. Os maiores valores para os ácidos graxos de cadeia curta totais foram encontrados para o tratamento CS, que não diferiu de RM, enquanto que BIN, MI e Ca tiveram as menores produções de ácidos graxos de cadeia curta totais. Foi em CS que encontrou maiores valores de propionato e acetato. Quanto à relação acetato: propionato foi maior para BIN, enquanto que para os demais tratamentos não houve diferença entre si (P>0,05). Quanto ao butirato, ao nitrogênio amoniacal e ao pH fecal não foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os tratamentos (P>0,05). Conclui-se que o bagaço de cana foi a fonte de fibra que conseguiu manter um bom valor de pH, de contagem de protozoários, além de maior consumo de matéria seca e digestibilidade semelhante aos demais tratamentos. Portanto nos níveis testados o tratamento BIN se mostrou igual ao controle MI, no entanto foi mais eficiente quando comparado das demais fontes de fibras.