New gene technology makes it possible to predict future performance of young horses. From a simple faecal test.
Easy Keepers if you have one you will know they gain weight easily even when fed a sparse diet.
This suggests they process food differently.
In a recent research paper, Easy Keepers were shown to process protein and carbs differently from medium to hard keepers.
The Easy Keepers did not produce the ‘bloom’ of bacteria called gamma proteobacteria that the Hard and Medium keepers did when fed cornmeal, soya meal or a mix of both.
In the horse, two members Gammaproteobacteria were identified. The first is aeromonadales, which are nitrogen fixers and assist in the biosynthesis (manufacture) of amino acids.
Two groups of horses appear to manufacture amino acids when supplied with corn and soya meal and the third group (EK) did not, suggesting that Easy Keepers need and process less of these nutrients.
The second group is Vibrionaceae, commensal pathogens that cause gastric infections and neurotoxins. The Easy Keeper appears to have an inbuilt protective mechanism to help prevent the onset of diseases and dysfunctions caused by these pathogens, perhaps a throwback to its survivalist genes.
If your horse is susceptible to gastric infections we can help, contact [email protected]
Alexa C B Johnson, Amy S Biddle, 218 Hard and Easy Keeper Microbiomes Reveal Unique Microbial Responses to Carbohydrate and Protein Sources, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 100, Issue Supplement_3, October 2022, Pages 96–97
Easy Keepers if you have one you will know they gain weight easily even when fed a sparse diet.
This suggests they process food differently.
In a recent research paper, Easy Keepers were shown to process protein and carbs differently from medium to hard keepers.
The Easy Keepers did not produce the ‘bloom’ of bacteria called gamma proteobacteria that the Hard and Medium keepers did when fed cornmeal, soya meal or a mix of both.
In the horse, two members Gammaproteobacteria were identified. The first is aeromonadales, which are nitrogen fixers and assist in the biosynthesis (manufacture) of amino acids.
Two groups of horses appear to manufacture amino acids when supplied with corn and soya meal and the third group (EK) did not, suggesting that Easy Keepers need and process less of these nutrients.
The second group is Vibrionaceae, commensal pathogens that cause gastric infections and neurotoxins. The Easy Keeper appears to have an inbuilt protective mechanism to help prevent the onset of diseases and dysfunctions caused by these pathogens, perhaps a throwback to its survivalist genes.
If your horse is susceptible to gastric infections we can help, contact [email protected]
Alexa C B Johnson, Amy S Biddle, 218 Hard and Easy Keeper Microbiomes Reveal Unique Microbial Responses to Carbohydrate and Protein Sources, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 100, Issue Supplement_3, October 2022, Pages 96–97
Watery diarrhea is a symptom of colitis. A recent paper analysed the changes in the microbiome of horses with this type of diarrhea.
Some of the horses then went on to develop laminitis and severe colitis, these horses had a different microbiome profile with higher percentages of specific bacteria.
The onset of laminitis has long been associated with a change in the microbial community, an increase in the permeability of the gut wall (intestinal mucosa) allowing microbial toxins to be absorbed across the membrane.
A feature of colitis and laminitis is an increase in Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Enterobacteriaceae, creating a change in the pH and an increase in lactate.
During a laminitis event, Enterobacteria increase sharply and then die off equally as quickly causing the release of endotoxins, mucosal damage, and translocation of toxic bacteria byproducts that induce lamellar separation and laminitis.
Feeding probiotics containing lactobacillus at this time is likely to be contra-indicative as the horse already has high levels of this bacteria.
The study suggests that some bacteria are associated with the onset of laminitis and chronic colitis and that diarrhea is the triggering event.
It is possible to rebalance the microbiome if you can identify exactly what bacteria are in the gut community a simple faecal test is all you need to do.
Ayoub, C., Arroyo, L. G., MacNicol, J. L., Renaud, D., Weese, J. S., & Gomez, D. E. (2022). Fecal microbiota of horses with colitis and its association with laminitis and survival during hospitalization. Journal of veterinary internal medicine, 36(6), 2213-2223.
