This study aimed to evaluate the effects of yeast extract on the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, metabolisable energy (ME), and palatability of diet, and on intestinal fermentative products in dogs. In addition, we also evaluated the ATTD and ME of yeast extract in dogs. Four diets containing 0, 40, 80, and 120 g/kg of yeast extract were evaluated. Diet digestibility, faecal characteristics, and intestinal fermentative products were evaluated in 12 adult Beagle dogs distributed in a randomised block design, with two periods of 10 days each. Yeast extract digestibility was obtained by regression analysis. Sixteen adult dogs were used for the palatability test to compare the diets: 0 vs. 40 g/kg yeast extract. The yeast extract presented ATTD of dry matter = 77.3%, crude protein (CP) = 55.7%, acid-hydrolysed ether extract (AHEE) = 73.8%, and ME = 4947.3 kcal/kg. There was a linear reduction in ATTD of CP and AHEE in the diets with yeast extract inclusion (p <.05). There was a linear increase in faecal concentration of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and a linear reduction in faecal pH with the dietary inclusion of yeast extract (p <.05). Dogs preferred the 40 g/kg over the 0 g/kg yeast extract diet (p <.001). The dietary inclusion of up to 120 g/kg yeast extract led to lower ATTD of CP and AHEE, and higher faecal concentration of SCFA. Furthermore, a diet with yeast extract was more palatable to dogs.

The objective was to evaluate the coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) and metabolisable energy (ME) of raw soybeans (RSB) in extruded diets for dogs by three methods (difference, regression and substitution). We also evaluated the urease and trypsin inhibitor (TI) activity, CTTAD, ME and faecal characteristics of adult dogs fed diets containing increasing RSB levels. Six dogs, distributed in a 6 × 6 Latin square design, were fed extruded diets containing 0, 60, 120, 180, 240 or 300 g of RSB/kg. Urease and TI were reduced in all diets after extrusion (p < .01), but TI was not completely inactivated. The inclusion of RSB linearly reduced (p < .01) the digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter and crude protein (CP) and linearly increased (p < .05) the digestibility of fat and gross energy and the ME of diets. The CTTAD of DM, CP and fat, and ME of RSB, predicted by the substitution method were: 0.767, 0.758, 0.960 and 20.7 MJ/kg, respectively. The dietary inclusion of RSB reduced faecal DM content and promoted a quadratic increase (p < .01) of pH and ammonia. Increasing RSB in diet reduced CTTAD estimate errors (p < .05). When 300 g of RSB were added per kg of diet, CTTAD of RSB estimated by the three methods did not differ (p>.05). The three methods can be used to determine RSB digestibility. Diet extrusion may not be able to completely deactivate the protease inhibitors present in the RSB.

This study aimed to verify the relationship between parameters of physicochemical composition, microbiological quality, and volume of milk delivered to a dairy in the northern region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, at four different times in 2020. For this purpose, the parameters volume, protein, fat, lactose, total solids, somatic cell count (SCC), and standard plate count (SPC) were evaluated. The data were collected in January, April, July, and October from 1634 dairy farms located in the northern region of Rio Grande do Sul. The data were evaluated using Pearson’s correlation, while the means were compared using Tukey’s test, both at a 5% significance. Milk fat and protein contents were higher during fall (4.02 and 3.35%) and winter (3.90 and 3.36%, respectively), contributing to a higher concentration of solids. The microbiological quality of milk, especially SCC, is compromised during the warmer months due to the thermal stress suffered by the animals, challenging their immune system and increasing their susceptibility to diseases. The highest milk SPC in the winter (247.12 CFU/mL) refers to the transfer of contamination from the teat to the tank due to the inefficiency of pre-milking procedures. Therefore, the microbiological quality of milk was variable between the studied periods, and fat and protein contents suffered reductions during the summer, reflecting lower remuneration for quality given the high SCC in the same season.

We aimed to evaluate the effects of an herbal source of choline on the coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD), diet palatability, fecal characteristics, blood variables, liver morphology, and cardiac function of dogs. Sixteen adult dogs were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 8) which were fed two different diets for 45 days: control, containing 0.28% choline chloride 60, and test, containing 0.14% of an herbal source of choline. Feces were collected between days 39 and 44 to determine nutrient CTTAD and fecal characteristics. On days 0 and 45, blood samples were collected and the liver morphology was evaluated. Cardiac function, in turn, was evaluated only on day 45, and the palatability test was performed on two consecutive days (n = 32). There were no changes in nutrient CTTAD, diet palatability, or fecal characteristics of dogs fed the test diet (p > 0.05). However, on day 45, dogs fed the test diet showed lower (p < 0.05) serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, and alanine aminotransferase when compared to the control group. We concluded that the herbal source of choline can be a possible substitute for choline chloride in dog nutrition.

Pet food companies often use fibres in extruded diets as a strategy to improve intestinal functionality and reduce energy density, but studies evaluating the effect of fibres on the extrusion process, kibble characteristics, and palatability of dog diets are scarce. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of cassava fibre (CA) levels and conventional fibre sources on the extrusion process, kibble characteristics, and palatability of diets. Seven diets were evaluated: control diet (CO), without the inclusion of fibre sources; three diets with increasing levels of CA—4, 8, and 12% (totalling 6.1, 7.2, and 8.3% total dietary fibre—TDF, respectively); diet with 3.8% cellulose (CE); diet with 6% beet pulp (BP); and diet with 3.8% lignocellulose (LC). Diets 12% CA, CE, BP, and LC presented approximately 8.0% TDF. Diet palatability was evaluated in 16 adult beagle dogs in a completely randomised design. Seven paired tests were conducted, with two consecutive days per test, totalling 32 repetitions. Diets with fibre sources had lower kibble density than the CO diet (p = .004). The inclusion of increasing dietary CA levels resulted in a linear increase in the kibble expansion index (p = .0001). Dogs preferred the 12% CA diet to the CO (p = .032) or BP diets (p = .0001). The evaluated insoluble fibre sources resulted in greater expansion and lower density kibbles than the CO diet. Furthermore, 12% of CA positively affected diet palatability in dogs.

Cães de canis experimentais ficam alojados individualmente no período de experimentação, podendo causar assim, alguns problemas comportamentais, os quais prejudicam seu bem-estar. Com isso, uma ferramenta que pode ser utilizada para minimizar esses efeitos e melhorar o bem-estar dos animais é o enriquecimento ambiental. Assim, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento de cães de canil experimental e a digestibilidade da dieta, com e sem enriquecimento ambiental. Foram utilizados oito cães adultos, os quais permaneceram 10 dias sem enriquecimento ambiental, seguidos por 10 dias com, totalizando 20 dias de experimento. O enriquecimento utilizado foi uma esfera oca, contendo furos, na qual o alimento era liberado conforme manipulação pelos cães. A dieta foi fornecida duas vezes ao dia. Foram realizados dois ensaios de digestibilidade, com a mesma dieta, sendo um no período sem enriquecimento e outro com. Cada ensaio de digestibilidade teve cinco dias de adaptação à dieta, seguido por cinco dias de coleta total de fezes. Foram observados os comportamentos dos cães durante o início e final de cada período. Houve aumento no tempo comendo (0,3% para 1,2%) e no comportamento exploratório (0,3% para 1,7%) dos cães no período que foi utilizado enriquecimento ambiental (P>0,05). Houve diminuição da coprofagia (1 vez para 0) no final do período que os animais estavam com enriquecimento (P0,05). Não houve diferença na digestibilidade da dieta mensurada sem e com enriquecimento (P>0,05). Com isso, o enriquecimento ambiental melhora alguns comportamentos, auxiliando no bem-estar de cães de canil experimental, sem interferir na mensuração da digestibilidade da dieta.