302 Microgreen and sprouted sorghum as ingredients in raw meat diets for healthy adult cats

Abstract Germination has the potential to naturally enhance the nutritional value of grains, enabling its inclusion in raw diets without compromising their raw status. Germinated sorghum may offer additional value compared with other grains as a sustainable, gluten-free and non-genetically modified option. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of incorporating two forms of germinated sorghum, sprouted and microgreens, into raw diets on the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of macronutrients and energy, and fecal characteristics of adult cats. Four complete and balanced raw diets were formulated based on a basal ration (70%), comprised of whole raw chicken, vitamins and minerals, with the addition of sorghum (30%) in four different forms: raw (SR), cooked (boiled; SC), sprouted (SS), and microgreens (SM). Diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isonutritive; however, they were found to be slightly different in energy and protein content due to changes in nutrient composition during processing of the sorghum grain. Healthy adult shorthair cats [n = 11; 5.1 ± 1.0 kg, average body weight (BW)] were enrolled in an incomplete 4×4 Latin square design. Each experimental period consisted of a 5-d adaptation phase followed by a 5-d collection phase, during which total fecal collection and assessment of fecal score were performed. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with diet as fixed effect, and cat(square), square and period as random effects. One cat was removed from the study due to reasons unrelated to the treatments, while two cats refused to eat the SM diet. Cats fed the SM and SC diets exhibited less (P < 0.05) wet fecal output compared to those fed the SS and SR. Fecal score was affected by diet (P < 0.05), with loose stools (16.37%) observed in cats fed SS and both diarrhea (11.6%) and loose stools (20%) observed in those fed SR, which were absent in those fed the other treatments. Protein ATTD (average 90%) did not differ (P > 0.05) among dietary treatments. Dry matter, organic matter, and gross energy ATTD were 3 to 6% greater (P < 0.05) in cats fed the SC diet compared with those fed the other treatments; but digestibility coefficients remained within acceptable ranges (> 80%). Fat ATTD was affected P < 0.05) by diet, with cats fed SS having the greatest value and those fed the SC the least; however, the numerical differences (< 2%) were unlikely to have biological relevance. In conclusion, the inclusion of microgreen and sprouted sorghum at 30% in raw meat cat diets did not improve the ATTD of energy and macronutrients compared with when sorghum was added in its raw form. Nevertheless, microgreen sorghum led to an improvement in fecal quality in cats compared with when sorghum was provided in its raw form.