title: Effect of feeding a selected combination of galacto-oligosaccharides and a strain of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum on the intestinal microbiota of cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the growth kinetics of a strain of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum (BP) on 4 oligo- or polysaccharides and the effect of feeding a selected probiotic-prebiotic combination on intestinal microbiota in cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 healthy adult cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Growth kinetics of a strain of cat-origin BP (BP-B82) on fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), lactitol, or pectins was determined, and the combination of GOS and BP-B82 was selected. Cats received supplemental once-daily feeding of 1% GOS-BP-B82 (10(10) CFUs/d) for 15 days; fecal samples were collected for analysis the day before (day 0) and 1 and 10 days after the feeding period (day 16 and 25, respectively).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the prefeeding value, mean fecal ammonia concentration was significantly lower on days 16 and 25 (288 and 281 μmol/g of fecal dry matter [fDM], respectively, vs 353 μmol/g of fDM); fecal acetic acid concentration was higher on day 16 (171 μmol/g of fDM vs 132 μmol/g of fDM). On day 16, fecal concentrations of lactic, n-valeric, and isovaleric acids (3.61, 1.52, and 3.55 μmol/g of fDM, respectively) were significantly lower than on days 0 (5.08, 18.4, and 6.48 μmol/g of fDM, respectively) and 25 (4.24, 17.3, and 6.17 μmol/g of fDM, respectively). A significant increase in fecal bifidobacteria content was observed on days 16 and 25 (7.98 and 7.52 log(10) CFUs/g of fDM, respectively), compared with the prefeeding value (5.63 log(10) CFUs/g of fDM).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggested that feeding 1% GOS-BP-B82 combination had some positive effects on the intestinal microbiota in cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy. giacomo.biagi@unibo.it
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biagi
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cipollini
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonaldo
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grandi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pompei
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanelli
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zaghini
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002415:Cats / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000662:veterinary; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056692:Prebiotics; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D009844:Oligosaccharides; D011134:Polysaccharides; D056692:Prebiotics