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Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience2011; 5(1); 48-56; doi: 10.1017/S1751731110001588

Understanding the equine cecum-colon ecosystem: current knowledge and future perspectives.

Abstract: Having evolved as a grazing animal, a horse's digestive physiology is characterized by rapid gastric transit, a rapid but intense enzymatic digestion along the small intestine, and a long and intense microbial fermentation in the large intestine. The process of understanding and describing feed degradation mechanisms in the equine digestive system in general, and in the hindgut ecosystem in particular, is essential. Regardless of its importance for the nutritional status of the host, the significance of the cecum-colon ecosystem has not yet been fully understood, and few reports have focused deeply on the contribution of the hindgut microbial population to the nitrogen and energy requirements of the horse. Compared to ruminal activity, very little is known about hindgut ecosystem activity in the horse. Information concerning the metabolism of this microbial population and its requirements is lacking. The use of internal bacterial markers for quantifying microbial outflow in ruminants is widely reported. These techniques can be applied to cecum-colon microbial quantification, contributing to a better characterization of this ecosystem. It is likely wrong to believe that the optimization strategy in the hindgut is similar to what happens in the rumen - that is, to maximize microbial growth and, therefore, fermentation. If we consider the type of substrate that, in normal conditions, arrives in the hindgut, we can expect it to be nitrogen limiting, providing limited nitrogen-based substrates for microbial fermentation. In this review paper, we intend to gather existing information on the equine ecosystem and to provide future perspectives of research.
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Publication Date: 2011-01-01 PubMed ID: 22440701DOI: 10.1017/S1751731110001588Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research article seeks to further the understanding of the cecum-colon ecosystem in horses and how it contributes to their nutritional needs. Despite its importance, this specific aspect of horse digestion is currently not well-understood or studied in depth.

Introduction

  • The Paper aims to explore the workings of the equine digestive system, particularly the cecum-colon ecosystem, that plays a vital role in the nutritional status of horses.
  • The authors note the limited existing research on the activity of the hindgut ecosystem in horses, as compared to the widely reported research on ruminal activity in ruminants.

Importance of Understanding the Cecum-Colon Ecosystem

  • The ecosystem of the large intestine, including the cecum and colon, is important for understanding the overall digestive health of grazing animals like horses.
  • Detailed knowledge about feed degradation mechanisms and hindgut microbial population in horses is essential in order to optimize their nutrient consumption and energy extraction.

Lack of Prior Research on the Hindgut Ecosystem

  • Details about the metabolism of the hindgut microbial population and its requirements are scarce due to the limited research conducted in this field.
  • The authors point out that currently, it is often incorrectly assumed that the optimization strategy in the hindgut of horses should mimic what happens in the rumen of other ruminants—maximizing microbial growth and hence, fermentation.

Seizing the Potential of Bacterial Markers

  • The use of internal bacterial markers is commonly practiced to quantify microbial outflow in ruminants. The authors propose that such techniques can be invaluable in studying the cecum-colon microbial ecosystem in horses.
  • The authors argue that this can lead to a better characterization of the cecum-colon ecosystem in horses.

Future Perspectives

  • This review aims to gather all existing information on the equine cecum-colon ecosystem and spark interest in future research within this scientific community.
  • With more research, existing gaps in knowledge can be closed, and better strategies can be developed to optimize the nutritional status of horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Santos AS, Rodrigues MA, Bessa RJ, Ferreira LM, Martin-Rosset W. (2011). Understanding the equine cecum-colon ecosystem: current knowledge and future perspectives. Animal, 5(1), 48-56. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731110001588

Publication

Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience
ISSN: 1751-732X
NlmUniqueID: 101303270
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 5
Issue: 1
Pages: 48-56

Researcher Affiliations

Santos, A S
  • Animal Production Group, Animal and Veterinary Research Center, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801, Vila Real, Portugal. assantos@utad.pt
Rodrigues, M A M
    Bessa, R J B
      Ferreira, L M
        Martin-Rosset, W

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