Coprophagy by foals: effect of age and possible functions.
Abstract: In colts and fillies observed from birth to 24 weeks old, coprophagy occurred from Weeks 1 to 19. Its frequency was greatest during the first two months. Coprophagy was rarely observed in mares and stallions. Foals usually ate the faeces of their mother but were observed to eat their own and those of a stallion and another unrelated mare. Urination by the foal occurred before, during or after 26 per cent of the coprophagy incidents. It is hypothesised that foals may consume faeces in response to a maternal pheromone which signals the presence of deoxycholic acid or other acids which the foal may be deficient in and which it may require for gut immuno-competence myelination of the nervous system. Such a pheromone may also serve to accelerate growth and sexual maturation. Coprophagy may also provide nutrients and introduce normal bacterial flora to the gut.
Publication Date: 1985-01-01 PubMed ID: 4038939DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1985.tb02030.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research paper is focused on exploring the behavior of coprophagy (consumption of feces) in young horses, its possible motivations, and potential benefits, such as providing missing nutrients and fostering robust gut flora.
Introduction and Methodology
- The study was conducted by observing the behavior of young horses (colts and fillies), specifically from birth until they were 24 weeks of age. The observed behavior here is the act of coprophagy, or the consumption of feces.
- The researchers monitored the occurrence of coprophagy, noting the timeframe in which it was observed the most, and whose feces the foals were consuming (their mother, their own, a stallion, or an unrelated mare).
Observations
- Coprophagy was observed to occur from week 1 to week 19, with its frequency being the greatest during the first two months.
- The act was rarely observed in adult horses (mares and stallions), implying that it’s mostly a behavior specific to foals.
- The young horses were observed to frequently consume the feces of their mother, but also ate their own or those of a stallion or another unrelated mare.
- In 26% of the coprophagy incidents, the foal urinated either before, during or after the act.
Hypotheses and Implications
- Based on these observations, the researchers hypothesized that foals might engage in coprophagy as a response to a maternal pheromone signaling the presence of certain acids, such as deoxycholic acid, which might be lacking in the foal and needed for gut immunity and nervous system myelination.
- This pheromone, if present, might also serve to hasten growth and sexual maturation.
- Alternatively, or in addition, the consumption of feces might be providing essential nutrients to the foal and helping establish normal bacterial flora in the gut, thus boosting their immunity and digestive health.
Cite This Article
APA
Crowell-Davis SL, Houpt KA.
(1985).
Coprophagy by foals: effect of age and possible functions.
Equine Vet J, 17(1), 17-19.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1985.tb02030.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Aging
- Animals
- Coprophagia
- Deoxycholic Acid / physiology
- Female
- Horse Diseases / physiopathology
- Horses
- Humans
- Male
- Pheromones / physiology
- Time Factors
- Urination
Citations
This article has been cited 16 times.- Pyles M, Agbana M, Hayes S, Flythe M, Lawrence L. The Establishment of Fibrolytic Bacteria in the Foal Gastrointestinal Tract Is Related to the Occurrence of Coprophagy by Foals.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Aug 26;13(17).
- Wunderlich G, Bull M, Ross T, Rose M, Chapman B. Understanding the microbial fibre degrading communities & processes in the equine gut.. Anim Microbiome 2023 Jan 12;5(1):3.
- Li Y, Liu Y, Ma Y, Ge X, Zhang X, Cai C, Yang Y, Lu C, Liang G, Guo X, Cao G, Li B, Gao P. Effects of Maternal Factors and Postpartum Environment on Early Colonization of Intestinal Microbiota in Piglets.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:815944.
- Cohen ND, Kahn SK, Bordin AI, Gonzales GM, da Silveira BP, Bray JM, Legere RM, Ramirez-Cortez SC. Association of pneumonia with concentrations of virulent Rhodococcus equi in fecal swabs of foals before and after intrabronchial infection with virulent R. equi.. J Vet Intern Med 2022 May;36(3):1139-1145.
- Dubost JM, Kongchack P, Deharo E, Sysay P, Her C, Vichith L, Sébastien D, Krief S. Zootherapeutic uses of animals excreta: the case of elephant dung and urine use in Sayaboury province, Laos.. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2021 Oct 28;17(1):62.
- Dayaram A, Seeber PA, Greenwood AD. Environmental Detection and Potential Transmission of Equine Herpesviruses.. Pathogens 2021 Apr 1;10(4).
- Bo TB, Kohl KD. Stabilization and optimization of host-microbe-environment interactions as a potential reason for the behavior of natal philopatry.. Anim Microbiome 2021 Mar 30;3(1):26.
- Henry S, Sigurjónsdóttir H, Klapper A, Joubert J, Montier G, Hausberger M. Domestic Foal Weaning: Need for Re-Thinking Breeding Practices?. Animals (Basel) 2020 Feb 23;10(2).
- David I, Canario L, Combes S, Demars J. Intergenerational Transmission of Characters Through Genetics, Epigenetics, Microbiota, and Learning in Livestock.. Front Genet 2019;10:1058.
- Lindenberg F, Krych L, Kot W, Fielden J, Frøkiær H, van Galen G, Nielsen DS, Hansen AK. Development of the equine gut microbiota.. Sci Rep 2019 Oct 8;9(1):14427.
- Kobayashi A, Tsuchida S, Ueda A, Yamada T, Murata K, Nakamura H, Ushida K. Role of coprophagy in the cecal microbiome development of an herbivorous bird Japanese rock ptarmigan.. J Vet Med Sci 2019 Oct 10;81(9):1389-1399.
- Achard CS, Dupouy V, Siviglia S, Arpaillange N, Cauquil L, Bousquet-Mélou A, Zemb O. Variability of the Ability of Complex Microbial Communities to Exclude Microbes Carrying Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Rabbits.. Front Microbiol 2019;10:1503.
- Aviles-Rosa EO, Rakhshandeh A, McGlone JJ. Preliminary Study: Depriving Piglets of Maternal Feces for the First Seven Days Post-Partum Changes Piglet Physiology and Performance before and after Weaning.. Animals (Basel) 2019 May 23;9(5).
- De La Torre U, Henderson JD, Furtado KL, Pedroja M, Elenamarie O, Mora A, Pechanec MY, Maga EA, Mienaltowski MJ. Utilizing the fecal microbiota to understand foal gut transitions from birth to weaning.. PLoS One 2019;14(4):e0216211.
- Seeber PA, Dayaram A, Sicks F, Osterrieder N, Franz M, Greenwood AD. Noninvasive Detection of Equid Herpesviruses in Fecal Samples.. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019 Feb 1;85(3).
- Lyons ET, Kuzmina TA, Tolliver SC, Collins SS. Observations on development of natural infection and species composition of small strongyles in young equids in Kentucky.. Parasitol Res 2011 Dec;109(6):1529-35.
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