Grain free diets for utility dogs during training work: Evaluation of the nutrient digestibility and faecal characteristics

作     者：Biagina Chiofalo Giulia De Vita Vittorio Lo Presti Salvatore Cucinotta Gabriella Gaglio Francesco Leone Ambra R.Di Rosa 

作者机构：Department of Veterinary Sciences University of Messina Polo Universitario Annunziata 

出 版 物：《Animal Nutrition》 (动物营养（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2019年第5卷第3期

页      面：297-306页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 0905[农学-畜牧学] 0906[农学-兽医学] 09[农学] 

基　　金：supported by the Farmina Pet Foods/Russo mangimi S.p.A.(Via Nazionale delle Puglie,80035 Nola-NA,Italy)grant Project"The importance of the feeding management for dog’s performance.Evaluation of the nutritional,metabolic and welfare condition in utility dogs fed Farmina N&D Low Grain and N&D Grain Free".Authors thank the President,Dr Giuseppe Terranova,and the guide dog trainers of the Regional Centre Helen Keller of the Italian Blind and Guide Dog School Union in Messina for the continuing support 

主　　题：Utility dog Grain free diet Nutrient digestibility Faecal quality Training work 

摘      要：Two different diets characterized by the absence of cereals or by the presence of conventional cereals were evaluated on the nutrient digestibility and faecal characteristics and faecal fermentative endproduct concentrations of 8 neutered adult Labrador retrievers housed at the Regional Centre Helen Keller(Messina,Italy)during the training work for the service guide for the ***(age = 17 ± 1 months,initial body weight [BW]= 26.3 ± 1 *** body condition score [BCS]= 4.5 ± 0.11)were divided into 2 homogeneous groups for sex(half males and half females).Dogs in the grain free(GF)group were fed a commercial diet characterized by the absence of grain cereals,and dogs in the control(CTR)group were fed a super-premium pet food characterized by conventional grains as the carbohydrate *** trial lasted 84 *** by a 7-d of adaption *** examination,*** faecal characteristics were *** statistical model included the effects of diet(GF ***),time(from d 0 to *** of the trial)and the interaction(diet x time).The high-protein,lowcarbohydrate dry diet(GF)offered higher apparent nutrient digestibility of protein(+10%;P =0.002)and fat(+7%;P0.001)and more stable large intestinal fermentation of carbohydrate compared to the commercial high-carbohydrate dry diet,enabling dogs to use nutrients from the diet more efficiently and thus requiring less food(-13%)to satisfy their nutrient requirements,producing less excrement(-33%;P= 0.033).and reaching a higher final BW(+8%;P0.0001)and a higher final BCS(+15%;P= 0.003).Therefore,the GF diet appears the nutritional plan most suitable for these animals taking due account not only of the training work done by animals with their increased nutrient and energy needs,but also of the gastrointestinal disorders consequent to stress coming from work and life in kennels,which cause in the Labrador retrievers an unusual weight loss.