Short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS) and
galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are non-digestible oligosaccharides that result
in a prebiotic effect in some animal species; however, the cat has not been well
studied in this regard. This experiment evaluated scFOS and GOS supplementation
on nutrient digestibility, fermentative end-product production and fecal
microbial ecology of cats.
Eight healthy adult cats were fed diets containing no
prebiotic, 0.5% scFOS, 0.5% GOS or 0.5% scFOS + 0.5% GOS (scFOS + GOS).
Apparent total tract crude protein digestibility was decreased with the scFOS +
GOS diet compared to the other treatments.
Cats fed scFOS, GOS and scFOS + GOS supplemented diets had
greater fecal Bifidobacterium spp.
populations compared to cats fed the control diet. Fecal pH was lower for cats
fed the scFOS+GOS supplemented diet compared to the control. Butyrate and
valerate concentrations were higher when cats consumed the scFOS + GOS diet.
Acetate tended to be greater when cats were fed the scFOS + GOS diet, as did total
SCFA and total BCFA concentrations.
Low level supplementation of scFOS, GOS and their
combination exert positive effects on select indices of gut health in cats.
Source: K.
Kanakupt et al., 2011. Effects of
short-chain fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides, individually
and in combination, on nutrient digestibility, fecal fermentative metabolite
concentrations, and large bowel microbial ecology of healthy adults cats. J. Anim Sci. 1910 online January 2011.
doi:10.2527/jas.2010-3201