The hindgut microbiome is balanced between beneficial microbes and harmful bacteria, and this healthy balance can easily be damaged by several factors.
Why do horses experience gastrointestinal ailments?
Horses are hindgut fermenters, meaning they utilize a population of beneficial bacteria and other microbes to help digest the bulk of their feed. Fiber, the main component of forages, is broken down by these microorganisms in the cecum to produce nutrients that are absorbed through the horse’s colon. The Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs) produced and absorbed in this process provide the horse with as much as 70% of its energy requirements, so it is important that all the beneficial bacteria are in place to provide the horse with its main source of energy.
The hindgut microbiome is delicately balanced between beneficial microbes and harmful bacteria, and this healthy balance can easily be damaged by several factors. This includes diet alterations (a change in feed or feeding patterns), environmental stressors (training, travel, competition, illness), and, as in humans, oral antibiotic use.
What are common symptoms of gastrointestinal ailments?
A horse’s overall health is reliant upon optimal functioning of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Therefore, external symptoms could indicate an underlying GI tract issue. This includes generally poor condition, inability to gain weight, dull coat, mild colic, and diarrhea. The main goal of administering probiotics is to manipulate the normal intestinal microflora in such a way that is beneficial to the overall health of the horse, allowing their condition to improve.
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