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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract / The bacterial community of the horse gastrointestinal tract ...
The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice2009; 25(2); 199-215; doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2009.04.005

The bacterial community of the horse gastrointestinal tract and its relation to fermentative acidosis, laminitis, colic, and stomach ulcers.

Abstract: The gastrointestinal tract of the horse has unique characteristics that make it well suited for the ingestion and utilization of roughage. The horse is considered a simple-stomached herbivore and is classed as a hindgut fermenter. The upper segments of the gastrointestinal tract resemble those of a typical simple-stomached animal. The lower have undergone modification to become voluminous and host to a large number of microbial populations similar to those of the compartmental stomach of ruminant animals. The main advantage of this arrangement is the ability of the horse to extract valuable nutrients from the diet before digesta reaches the hindgut where the rigid structural components that resisted enzymatic digestion at the small intestinal level undergo extensive fermentation processes.
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Publication Date: 2009-07-08 PubMed ID: 19580934DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2009.04.005Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article examines the diverse bacterial community in the horse’s gastrointestinal tract, and its relationship to various health issues such as fermentative acidosis, laminitis, colic, and stomach ulcers.

Understanding the Horse’s Gastrointestinal Tract

  • The study began by analyzing the unique characteristics of a horse’s gastrointestinal tract. The structure is such that it is ideal for intake and use of roughage, making the horse a simple-stomached herbivore and a hindgut fermenter.
  • The researchers compared the upper segments of the horse’s gastrointestinal tract to those of a standard simple-stomached animal. However, they also highlighted the lower sections’ modifications, making them large and host to many microbial populations. This is similar to the compartmental stomach seen in ruminant animals.

Significance of the Gastrointestinal Tract Composition

  • The study emphasized the benefits of the horse’s gastrointestinal tract arrangement. The primary advantage is the horse’s ability to extract nutritious elements from its diet before the food enters the hindgut.
  • The hindgut handles the more rigid structural components of the food, which resisted enzymatic digestion at the small intestinal level. These components would then undergo extensive fermentation processes.

Correlation with Health Issues

  • The research paper delves into the relationship between the bacterial community of the horse’s gastrointestinal tract and certain health conditions. These conditions are fermentative acidosis, laminitis, colic, and stomach ulcers.
  • The objective was to understand how the bacterial ecosystem within the horse’s gastrointestinal tract could influence or be affected by these health issues. The outcome could profoundly impact the ways these conditions are prevented or treated in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Al Jassim RA, Andrews FM. (2009). The bacterial community of the horse gastrointestinal tract and its relation to fermentative acidosis, laminitis, colic, and stomach ulcers. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 25(2), 199-215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2009.04.005

Publication

The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice
ISSN: 1558-4224
NlmUniqueID: 8511904
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 25
Issue: 2
Pages: 199-215

Researcher Affiliations

Al Jassim, Rafat A M
  • School of Animal Studies, The Faculty of Natural Resources, Agricultural and Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Queensland 4343, Australia. r.aljassim@uq.edu.au
Andrews, Frank M

    MeSH Terms

    • Acidosis / microbiology
    • Acidosis / pathology
    • Acidosis / veterinary
    • Animals
    • Colic / microbiology
    • Colic / pathology
    • Colic / veterinary
    • Digestion / physiology
    • Digestive System Surgical Procedures / veterinary
    • Foot Diseases / microbiology
    • Foot Diseases / pathology
    • Foot Diseases / veterinary
    • Gastrointestinal Tract / anatomy & histology
    • Gastrointestinal Tract / microbiology
    • Horse Diseases / microbiology
    • Horse Diseases / pathology
    • Horses
    • Stomach Ulcer / microbiology
    • Stomach Ulcer / pathology
    • Stomach Ulcer / veterinary

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