Effect of physical training on nutrient digestibility and faecal fermentative parameters in Standardbred horses.

This study investigated the effects of a 5-week exercise program on nutrient digestion and gut health in Standardbred horses. The findings suggest that this physical training enhances both nutrient digestion and the production of beneficial gut bacteria.

Research Objective

The researchers aimed to evaluate how a 5-week exercise training program would affect nutrient digestibility (how well a horse can break down and absorb nutrients from its diet) and faecal fermentative parameters (which show bacteria levels in a horse’s gut) in formerly inactive Standardbred horses. The researchers hypothesized that the horses would show improved nutrient digestibility and increased beneficial gut bacteria following the training, in line with previous findings on trained endurance horses.

Methodology

• Eight untrained Standardbred horses underwent a dietary adaptation period of three weeks before the beginning of the study.
• The study started with a digestibility trial (DT1), with a faecal sample collected on the second day to determine faecal fermentative parameters.
• Six of the eight horses then underwent a 5-week exercise training program, after which they repeated the DT and FFP tests (DT2). The second tests began after three days of inactivity following the exercise program.
• Throughout the study, the horses were fed the same diet of natural meadow hay and pelleted complementary feed in a 55:45 ratio.
• The horses’ body weights and condition scores remained constant throughout the study.

Results

• The study found a significant increase in the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fibre, hemicellulose, crude protein, and gross energy during the second digestibility trial (DT2), suggesting improved nutrient absorption following five weeks of exercise.
• Similarly, concentrations of total volatile fatty acids (VFA), acetate, and propionate in the horses’ feces were significantly higher at DT2 than at DT1, indicating increased levels of beneficial gut bacteria after the exercise training.

Implications

The study concluded that a 5-week exercise program had a positive impact on nutrient digestibility and faecal fermentative parameters in Standardbreds horses. These findings suggest that exercise might enhance a horse’s ability to utilize dietary energy, particularly through increased production of beneficial gut bacteria in the hindgut. The potential improvement in digestive efficiency provided by exercise should be considered when creating nutritional recommendations for horses, especially for those performing light work.