Acidifying and yeast extract in diets for adults cats

• Published in: Animal science journal Vol. 85; no. 5; pp. 555 - 561
• Main Authors: Ogoshi, Rosana C. S, Zangeronimo, Márcio G, Dos Reis, Jéssica S, França, Janine, Santos, João P. F, Pires, Carolina P, Chizzotti, Ana F, Costa, Adriano C, Ferreira, Lívia G, Saad, Flávia M. O. B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Blackwell 01-05-2014; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: additives; adults; Aging; Animals; cages; Cats; Cats - physiology; Diet; Diet - standards; digestibility; dry matter intake; felines; Female; Food Additives; fosforic acid; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Male; phosphoric acid; Phosphoric Acids - pharmacology; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; urinay pH; urine; Yeast; yeast extract; Yeasts; urinay pH; felines; additives; digestibility; fosforic acid
• ISSN: 1344-3941; 1740-0929
• DOI: 10.1111/asj.12166

This study evaluated the effects of adding an acidifying agent based on phosphoric acid (A), a yeast extract from a specific strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (Y) and the combination of these two additives in food for adult cats. A test was conducted with 24 animals (mean 3.5 years old), mixed breed, weighing 3.72 ± 0.74 kg, kept in individual metabolic cages and distributed in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial design (with or without A 0.6% of dry matter, with or without Y 1.5% of dry matter) totalling four treatments and six replicates of each condition. The experimental period was 15 days. The A or the Y reduced (P < 0.01) the dry matter intake, but the effect was not observed when they were associated. The association improved (P < 0.05) the digestibility of dry matter and ashes. The A reduced urine pH (P = 0.05) regardless of the presence of the Y. There was no effect (P > 0.09) on other parameters evaluated. Results of this study show that the isolated use of 0.6% A or 1.5% Y in diets for cats is not recommended. However, the association of these two additives was beneficial in increasing nutrient digestibility.