title: [Diarrhoea and oedema in two show horses after feeding a pelleted supplemental feed for horses according to VDLUFA's perspective of microbial quality classified as safe for use in horses].
abstract: A new batch of a supplemental feed was fed as pellets (diameter 8 mm) to two Warmblood-type horses. One horse developed watery diarrhoea within two days. Pronounced oedema due to hypalbuminemia was seen about ten days later. The feed was replaced by pellets of identical composition and mixing process, but lower diameter (5 mm). After one week of feeding, oedema regressed and faeces were normally formed. At refeeding the larger sized pellets, the symptoms recurred, but now both horses were affected. After a change to the smaller pellets, the horses recovered soon. Water activity (aw-value) of the larger and the smaller sized pellets was 0.68 and 0.56, respectively. In the larger sized pellets crude fat increased, whereas crude protein and nitrogen-free extracts decreased, giving a hint to microbial activity. Samples of both pellets were examined by VDLUFA methods and the microbial quality was classified in quality step 1. Though the quality parameters complied with recommendations for the product, it contained large numbers of spoilage indicating bacteria. The content of sulfite-reducing clostridia was higher in the 8 mm pellets than in the 5 mm pellets, with 3.3 x 10(2) and 1.1 x 10(2) colony forming units, respectively. The larger sized pellets produced remarkable quantities of gas. Bacillus cereus of non probiotic origin was identified.
authors.affiliation: Agrar- und Umweltwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität Rostock. kirsten.buesing@uni-rostock.de
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Büsing
authors.forename: Henriette
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mietke-Hofmann
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dibbert
authors.forename: Dietz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Donandt
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeyner
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000382:microbiology; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006736:Horses; D010316:Particle Size