The Importance of Probiotics in Horses
Almost every article you read about probiotics will tell you that the word itself literally, means “for life”. Probiotics is defined as: Live microbial feed supplements, which beneficially affect the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance. Antibiotics and other related compounds are not included in this definition. Probiotics is a term used to denote this naturally occurring group of organisms that is the beneficial “friendly” flora. The two dominant strains of probiotic microflora are Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum.
Bifidobacterium bifidum inhibits the growth of E. Coli in the small intestine and Lactobacillus acidophilus is an significant probiotic that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals, including horses. This “beneficial bacteria” create an acidic environment that inhibits the intestinal growth of pathogenic bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Probiotics produces a natural antibiotic-like substance called bactericine, which helps to eliminate unwanted coliforms. Thus, a horse’s normal bacterial flora develops an effective defense mechanism against infection and illness. The end result is a healthy, viable intestinal lining that can maintain optimal nutrient absorption capabilities and ultimately fight disease.
Horses are exposed to many stresses that can result lack of appetite, diarrhea and other intestinal upset. A probiotic supplement for horses can help to:
• Keep the digestive system in balance
• Reduce the risk of digestive upset caused by change of diet
• Promote efficient digestion and reduce cost of feed
• Protect against gastric problems caused by pathogenic bacteria
• Reduce unwanted side-effects from antibiotics
• Antibiotic Therapy: antibiotics can destroy pathogenic micro-organisms as well as the beneficial bacteria that are normally found in animal’s digestive tract
• Reduce the incidence of persistent and sporadic colic
• Maintain overall good health and condition
• Transportation: some horses can become extremely agitated when traveling by car or plane, which can cause loss of appetite or diarrhea
• Competition horses: the excitement of the competition, along with traveling, and exposure to strange horses and people, can create a nervous stress, frequently manifested by reduced appetite, vomiting and diarrhea
• Keep the immune system boosted
• Increase milk production from lactating mares and increase early growth in foals.
The horse digestive system has evolved to process large quantities of high fiber forage on an almost continuous basis. Due to the requirements of competition and modern management the horses has to utilize high energy diets. In order to break this down to digestible products it relies on the assistance of billions of beneficial micro-organisms produce enzymes that convert food into its basic constituents which can be readily absorbed through the horses gut wall.
A probiotic presentation should comprise up to seven strains of naturally occurring micro-organisms including yeasts. These have been chosen to survive the acidity of the stomach and for their ability to multiply quickly, colonize the gut and replace micro-flora which has been removed through illness or stress. Probiotics promotes efficient digestion and ensures optimum use of the horses feed. Use of a probiotic has been shown to increase digestibility of essential B group vitamins, biotin, folic acid and minerals such as calcium and zinc.
To be fully beneficial, probiotics should be fed continuously. The best way to do that is mix with feed. Paste forms re-seed the intestine quickly and are used when the horse’s intestine has experienced shock from colic or surgery.
The maintenance of a healthy micro-flora in the horses gut will improve general health, appearance, performance and temperament. Efficient hind gut fermentation can help reduce the incidence of laminitis, azotoria, colics and other digestive disturbances. Probiotics are natural and entirely safe, have no known overdose levels, no unwanted side effects.
