Effects of a single-cell protein source from

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a single-cell protein (SCP) source from Materials and methods: Five extruded diets containing 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16% of SCP were manufactured. To isolate the metabolizable energy (ME) and the ATTD of the SCP, an additional test diet was manufactured containing 80% of the 0% diet and 20% of SCP. In Experiment I, 15 adult Beagle dogs were distributed in a randomized block design with 5 diets (0 to 16% SCP) and two periods of 21 days each, totaling 6 repetitions/treatment. In Experiment II, for the palatability test, 16 adult dogs were used, comparing the diets: 0 vs. 4% SCP; 0% vs. 8% SCP; and 4% vs. 16% SCP. In Experiment III, the SCP digestibility was estimated by the substitution method with 12 adult Beagle dogs. Results: The SCP presented ATTD of dry matter (DM) = 64.3%; ATTD of crude protein = 83.9%; ATTD of acid-hydrolyzed ether extract = 78.3%; and ME of 3843.3 kcal/kg. The ATTD of DM, organic matter, gross energy and the ME of the diets decreased linearly as the dietary inclusion of SCP increased (0 to 16% SCP; Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the dietary inclusion of 4 and 8% SCP promotes less impact on diet digestibility and may beneficially modulate the fecal microbiome and its metabolites in dogs, without affecting diet palatability.