A Comprehensive Review of the Equine Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease.

Overview

• This research article offers a comprehensive review of the equine gut microbiome, emphasizing its development, function, and influence on horse health and disease.
• It highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in digestion and overall performance, explores factors affecting it, and evaluates treatments targeting the microbiome in horses.

Developmental Trajectory of the Foal Gut Microbiome

• The article discusses how the gut microbiome in foals develops from birth, including early microbial colonization and maturation processes.
• It details how early life factors shape the establishment and stability of gut microbial communities crucial for health.

Taxonomic Composition and Core Functions

• The review identifies the key bacterial taxa that constitute the core microbiome in the equine gastrointestinal tract.
• It outlines primary microbiome functions such as fermentation of fibrous dietary components leading to nutrient absorption and energy production.
• The article explains how these microbial activities support host physiology, including immune modulation and gut barrier integrity.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Influencing the Equine Microbiome

• Intrinsic factors such as genetics and age influence the composition and function of the gut microbiome.
• Extrinsic factors include diet composition, feeding practices, and the use of dietary supplements which can beneficially or adversely affect the microbiome.
• The authors highlight the critical role of diet, including forage quality and supplemental prebiotics or probiotics, in maintaining microbiome health.

Impact of Disease and Pharmacological Interventions

• The review summarizes evidence linking gastrointestinal diseases like colic and colitis to dysbiosis or disruption of the normal microbiome.
• It covers the relationships between extraintestinal conditions such as obesity and laminitis and alterations in microbial populations.
• The article evaluates how treatments such as antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can negatively affect gut microbiota balance, potentially leading to further health problems.

Therapies Targeting the Gut Microbiome

• The efficacy and research status of probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiome transplantation as therapeutic modalities are critically analyzed.
• The article discusses how these interventions aim to restore or maintain a healthy and balanced microbiome in diseased or at-risk horses.
• It assesses current challenges and knowledge gaps in developing microbiome-targeted treatments in equine medicine.

Conclusions: Natural Behavior and Human Management

• The authors highlight the link between natural wild equine behaviors, such as grazing patterns and social interactions, and the health of the gut microbiome.
• They discuss how human management practices, including diet formulation, housing, and medical interventions, impact microbiome composition and horse health.
• The article suggests that aligning management strategies more closely with natural behaviors could promote a healthier microbiome and improved equine welfare.