Equine Hindgut Microbiome

Question 1

what is the caecum volume of a horse (l)?

Answer 1

80l

Question 2

describe the mobility of the large colon?

Answer 2

it is freely mobile

Question 3

describe the right ventral colon?

Answer 3

voluminous

Question 4

more fibrous and less nutritious diet?

Answer 4

horses can survive on this diet more than any ruminants

Question 5

what do carbs/starchs/sugars provide?

Answer 5

up to 80% of the energy requirements of performance horses

Question 6

higher level of concentrate fed =

Answer 6

higher risk of colic

Question 7

what’s bad for horses guts?

Answer 7

change and high levels of concentrates

Question 8

in terms of genes, what part human and what part bacteria are we?

Answer 8

we are 1 part human and 150 parts bacteria

Question 9

in terms of cells, what part bacteria and what part human are we?

Answer 9

1 part human and 10 parts bacteria

Question 10

when does a stable gut bacterial population establish in a foal?

Answer 10

about a month old

Question 11

higher bacterial diversity?

Answer 11

lower risk of disease

Question 12

what is the response to starch? (horses) (cereal and grain that is high in carbs)

Answer 12

starch –> acidity –> changed community

Question 13

giving antibiotics to a foal too early in life?

Answer 13

depressed gut bacterial diversity