A cross‐over dietary intervention in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus): Investigating the effects of glycine supplementation on blood parameters

• Published in: Zoo biology 2024-01, Vol.43 (1), p.32-41
• Main Authors: Boom, Kathryn M., Kohn, Tertius A., Tordiffe, Adrian S. W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acinonyx - physiology; Alkaline phosphatase; amino acid; Amino acids; Animals; Animals, Zoo - physiology; Blood; Body measurements; Body weight; Captivity; Collagen; Conjugation; Design; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Eosinophils; exotic felid; Fermentation; Glycine; Glycine - pharmacology; Hematology; Horsemeat; Leukocytes (basophilic); Leukocytes (eosinophilic); Meat; Nutrient deficiency; nutrition; Oxidation; Parameters; Serum albumin; Supplements
• ISSN: 0733-3188; 1098-2361
• DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21803

Captive cheetahs are prone to unusual diseases which may be attributed to their high muscle meat, collagen deficient captive diet. Glycine is a simple amino acid that is abundant in collagen rich tissues and has many physiological functions, specifically in collagen synthesis and in the conjugation of detrimental by‐products produced during gut bacterial fermentation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a 4 week glycine supplementation on the body measurements, haematology and serum blood parameters of 10 captive cheetahs using a randomised controlled cross‐over design. This approach has not yet been used to investigate the effect of diet in captive cheetahs. Cheetahs were randomly assigned to a control diet (horse meat only) or a glycine diet (30 g glycine per 1 kg meat) for 4 weeks before being crossed over. Blood was collected at baseline and after each intervention. The glycine diet resulted in a decreased serum albumin, alkaline phosphatase and total calcium concentration and increases in eosinophils and basophils counts compared to the control diet. Body weight also decreased on the glycine diet which may be due to increased β‐oxidation and fat loss. This was the first study to investigate the effect of glycine supplementation, which resulted in slight body and blood changes, in captive cheetahs using a cross‐over design and this approach should be utilised for future dietary studies. Captive cheetahs are prone to unusual diseases which may be attributed to their high muscle meat, collagen deficient captive diet. Glycine is the most abundant amino acid in collagen. Utilising a randomised controlled cross‐over design to investigate the effect of glycine supplementation in captive cheetahs found slight changes in body and blood measurements. Therefore, glycine may be a useful supplementation tool when dietary collagen is limit. This study approach should be used for future dietary studies in exotic felids and captive animals. Research Highlights Four week glycine diet in captive cheetahs caused body weight and blood changes. First to explore this in exotic felids, important when dietary collagen is limited. Randomised controlled cross‐over design is a useful method to study diets in captivity.