Impact of Two High‐Fiber Dietary Transitions on Fecal Consistency and Microbiota Composition in Captive Dromedary Camels ( Camelus dromedarius ) With Chronic Recurrent Diarrhea: A Pilot Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Dietary fiber is a central driver of gut function in camelids, yet empirical data on how specific fiber sources shape hind‐gut ecology remain scarce. This longitudinal pilot study assessed the impact of two sequential high‐fiber dietary transitions on fecal consistency and microbiota in five captive dromedary camels ( Camelus dromedarius ). Over 63 days, straw was offered ad libitum alongside hay; this was followed by a 25‐day phased replacement of a lower‐fiber concentrate with a high‐fiber pellet. Daily fecal scores were recorded, and 98 samples (74 fecal and 24 environmental swab samples) were analyzed using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, with PICRUSt2 used to predict functional profiles from fecal microbiota data. Straw supplementation did not noticeably change group‐level fecal consistency, although individual responses were pronounced, with some camels showing increases of up to +2.5 score units. In contrast, high‐fiber pellets softened feces at the group level, with a median increase in score of +1.2 and the largest effects observed in two animals. Fecal scores were positively correlated with ambient temperature (Pearson's r up to 0.67). Alpha diversity remained stable or rose slightly during the straw phase but declined transiently during pellet transition, returning to baseline by Day 25. Core hind‐gut families (Oscillospiraceae, Rikenellaceae, and Christensenellaceae) persisted throughout; pellet feeding prompted short‐lived blooms of Monoglobaceae and Methanocorpusculaceae. Despite taxonomic shifts, functional profiles were dominated by amino‐acid, nucleotide, and vitamin biosynthesis, with only modest, reversible increases in polysaccharide‐degradation pathways during pellet feeding. Follow‐up sampling approximately one year later revealed a relatively stable microbial community during the control period. Collectively, these findings suggest that incremental fiber enrichment may elicit distinct, animal‐specific gastrointestinal and microbial adjustments in dromedaries, but metabolic functions remain apparently resilient. These findings suggest individualized dietary management when deploying fiber‐based strategies to mitigate diarrhea in captive camelids.
Source: Zoo Biology
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.70124
Language: English
Topic: Gut microbiota and health
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,920
OpenAlex ID: W7223467684