Fecal microbiome and functional prediction profiles of horses with and without crib-biting behavior: A comparative study.

This research looks at the gut microbiome in horses which exhibit the ‘crib-biting’ behaviour, comparing it to horses which do not exhibit this behaviour. Significant differences were identified in the bacterial communities between the two groups of horses, which has potential consequences for our understanding of how such behaviours develop.

Understanding the Research

The research focused on a behavior called ‘crib-biting’ in horses, where a horse repeatedly bites on a hard item like a fence or crib, often swallowing large amounts of air (aerophagia). While the cause of this behaviour isn’t entirely understood, it’s known to be a problem in the equine community. This study expanded upon existing knowledge by studying the gut bacteria of horses who engage in crib-biting, comparing it to those who don’t.

• The study sampled 12 Colombian Creole Horses, with half displaying crib-biting behaviour and half not. This provided an equal comparison group for the study to compare the microbiomes of horses with and without this behavioural issue.
• DNA was extracted from fecal samples for analysis rather than relying on observational data, leading to a more objective measure of gut microbiome composition.

Differences in Microbiome

The study found that the gut microbiomes of crib-biting horses significantly differed from non-crib biting horses.

• Specifically, crib-biting horses showed a decrease in Bacteroidales, and an increase in Bacillota and Clostridia – these changes in bacterial families were not seen in the non-crib biting horses.
• These changes were consistent with findings from previous studies.

Implications and Future Research

The differences found in the gut microbiome of crib-biting horses suggests that the gut-brain axis may play a role in the development and manifestation of this behaviour.

• The results suggest a potential metabolic profile change in the bacterial communities between horses with and without crib-biting behaviour.
• This possibly highlights a link between gut microbiota and animal behaviour, tying this study’s results to human studies that have shown changes in gut bacteria can have behavioral effects.
• Though further research is required, these findings hint towards possible interventions if the causal link between the microbiota and crib-biting behaviour can be solidified.