Background: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis, affects several species of wild and domesticated mammals, including horses. We used direct and indirect methods to compare and evaluate exposure toA. phagocytophilumin horses in northern Tunisia.Methods: Serum from 60 horses was tested by IFA for antibodies toA. phagocytophilum, and whole blood was tested forA. phagocytophilum16S rRNA gene using a nested-PCR. To examine the risk ofA. phagocytophilumtransmission, 154 ticks that had been collected from horses were examined for the presence ofA. phagocytophilumby nested-PCR targeting 16S rRNA gene.Results: This is the first time thatA. phagocytophilumhas been detected in horses in Tunisia, with an overall seroprevalence of 40/60 (67%). Six of the seroreactive samples (10%) had an IFA titer of 1:80, 14 (23%) of 1:160, 8 (13%) of 1:320 and 12 (20%) a titer 1 ≥ 640. The seroprevalence revealed no significant regional and sex differences. In contrast, a significant difference was observed between breeds. Eight (13%) of the horses were positive forA. phagocytophilumin the PCR, with no significant breed and age differences.Hyalomma marginatumwas a predominant tick species (130/154),and 3 were infected byA. phagocytophilum(a prevalence of 2.3%). The concordance rate ofA. phagocytophilumdetection between IFA and PCR had akvalue of −0.07.Conclusions: The results presented in this study suggest that horses infested by ticks in Tunisia are exposed toA. phagocytophilum.

This study aims to provide possible utilization of sunflower head byproduct (SFH) as a feedstuff by implementing chemical pretreatments (4% sodium hydroxide (SFH_NaOH) or 4% urea (SFH_urea) and supplementation with either exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) or functional feed additive (FFA). The experimental EFE was a complex (1:1, v/v) of two enzyme products with high activity of β-1,3-1,4-glucanase and endo-1,4-β-D-xylanase and applied at 0 (SFH_out), 1, 2, 5, and 10 µL/ gdry matter, while FFA was a fermentation byproduct rich in cellulase and xylanase activities, applied at 0 (SFH_out), 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg/g DM. SFH_urea had the highest (p < 0.05) crude protein (CP) content compared to other SFH substrates. Linear enhancements (p < 0.05) in kinetics of gas production (GP), metabolizable energy (ME), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentrations were observed for all SFH substrates supplemented with EFE. The SFH_out had the highest (p < 0.05) potential GP, maximum rate (Rmax) of GP, ME, OMD and SCFAs. Supplementation of EFE was more pronounced than FFA in affecting the kinetic parameters of in vitro GP for all SFH substrates. SFH_out supplemented with EFE seems to be the most promising substrate to enhance microbial fermentation in vitro.