Effect of live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) administration on apparent digestibility of horses.

摘要

Six mares were divided into two groups of three subjects each in a crossover design on the basis of body weight and age: Control (C) fed a basal diet, Treatment (T) fed a basal diet and 2 g/head/d of live yeast (S. cerevisiae 4.6x1010 CFU/day). The experimental design was divided into two periods named period 1 and period 2 respectively of 35 d each, and consisting of 3 different phases. During each period all animals were subject to an adaptation phase of 14 d (phase1); during phase 2 (18 d) and phase 3 live yeast was administered (T) or not (C). Phase 3 consisted in a three days individual fecal collection period all the groups, in order to determine dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fat, NDF and ADF apparent digestion rates using acid insoluble ash (AIA) as internal marker (Bergero et al., 2005). Results obtained evidenced as the administration of S. cerevisiae to mature horses resulted in increased digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, NDF, and ADF.