Four cecally-cannulated horses were utilized in a 4 x 4 Latin square to evaluate dosage levels of LIPC on the same opportunistic bacteria stated in experiment 1 and to evaluate cecal characteristics. Horses were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: 1) no LIPC, (0); 2) 15 g of 500 mg/g of LIPC, recommended level (15); 3) 25 g of 500 mg/g of LIPC (25); or 4) 35 g of 500 mg/g of LIPC (35). Horses were fed 2-3 lbs of Strategy® (Purina Mills, St. Louis, MO), once a day at 0600 and treatment was top-dressed on the grain. Strategy was used for treatment delivery and to maintain a BCS of a 5-6. Horses were then turned out to pasture (predominantly K31 Tall Fescue) and allowed to graze until 1600, at which time they were stalled and fed hay…show more content… Cecal fluid was analyzed for VFA concentrations [17] using a Shimadzu GC-2010 gas chromatograph (Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc., Columbia, MD) equipped with a flame-ionization detector and 30-m SP-2560 fused silica capillary column (Restek Stabil WAX DA column, Bellefonte, PA). The helium carrier gas was maintained at a linear velocity of 23 cm/s. The oven temperature was programmed to 65º C for 3 min, increased at 12º C/min to a final temperature of 225º C, which was held for 9 min. The column temperature was maintained at 65º C and flame ionization detector temperature at 225º…show more content… Additionally, all blood work was within normal ranges, suggesting no negative effect. Interestingly, a numerically basis suggested that, 35 had the least amount of inflammation detected on the ESR test on d 8. The acclimation period of eight days may not have been long enough to show a significant improvement on inflammation blood parameters and range of motion (data not shown). Therefore, further research needs to be conducted using LIPC over an extended period of time, such as 30 days, when looking at potential for decreasing inflammation parameters. A longer acclimation period may give the body enough time to respond to the anti-inflammatory inhibiting properties and may yield a noticeable change in lameness, stiffness/soreness, and inflammation
