Digestion - digestion resources
Yeasts, pre- and probiotics
More and more, we realize that “the whole horse is in its intestine”. The idea of good intestinal functioning and the usefulness of yeasts and pre- and probiotics is beginning to be accepted, both by owners, trainers, riders and veterinarians.
Yeasts
Yea-Sacc1026 is a culture of live yeasts of the strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1026. It is not a usual host of the horse's digestive tract but it is absolutely not a doping substance for the horse.
Yea-Sacc causes a strong increase in the total bacterial population and more particularly in the population of cellulolytic bacteria. Any excess starch in the cecum induces excessive fermentations with a drop in pH and production of lactic acid.
Yea-Sacc maintains a high pH favorable to the digestion of cellulose (greater than 6.5), resulting in better utilization of the food as well as a more regular passage through the large intestine.
Yea-Sacc, administered to pregnant and then lactating mares, allows an increase in the digestibility of the food and its constituents (calcium and phosphorus); the milk is then richer in amino acids as well as lysine and valine, important for the growth of the foal and we see an increase in milk production and its nutrient concentration, therefore an increase in the supply of available nutrients resulting in, for the foal, through better growth.
In sports horses, Yea-Sacc limits the appearance of declines in form and ensures better preparation for periods of stress such as transport, competition, change of diet, etc. A food with a high energy density combined with limited access to fodder increases the risk of the appearance of pathologies such as colic or laminitis. These diseases appear to be due to dysfunctions of the intestinal ecosystem, appearing with rations providing more than 350 g of starch per 100 kg of live weight per meal, which is common in working horses. The capacity of the small intestine to break down starch is then saturated. In horses fed a feed rich in barley, the concentration of lactate-using bacteria in the colon increases significantly with Yea-Sacc, preventing a drop in pH and digestive disorder.
Probiotics
The phrase “pro biotic” comes from the Greek pro (for) and bios (life). Probiotics are cultures of live lactic acid bacteria which aim to balance the micro-organisms in the intestine in order to restore and stabilize the natural intestinal flora, essential to the good health and proper functioning of your horse.
In the stomach and intestine there are "good" (non-pathogenic) and "bad" bacteria (pathogenic), among the former we find lacto-bacilli, bifidus, E-faecum, among the latter clostridium , salmonella. In a balanced intestinal flora, the good ones dominate the bad ones.
At the start of digestion, in the stomach and small intestine, the “good” bacteria form a barrier against any pathogenic attacker. In the stomach the pH is high, the further away you go, the lower the pH. Most bacteria, including pathogens, grow easily at pH 7. E-faecum lowers the pH to 5 or 6, lacto bacilli even take it up to 4 and thus limit the proliferation of bacteria. pathogens.
How do they work?
They help with digestion, participate in the synthesis of certain vitamins, protect against infections, play an important role in the immune system and maintain a suitable acidity level in the intestine.
The intestinal flora can be damaged by:
*the use of certain medications including some antibiotics in particular. Diarrhea following antibiotic use is often caused by clostridia;
*unbalanced food, in too large quantities, not divided during the day. Always feed hay before pellets or cereals;
*poor quality food (hay, industrial food);
*stress in all its forms disrupts the intestines;
*illnesses, fatigue, extreme cold or heat, fear, prolonged stay in the box, heavy training.
If horses shed many micro-organisms in their excrement, normal bacterial multiplication is enough to maintain its population level. In the event of an increase in fecal exoneration, common during travel and competitions, the reduction in flora can be real and damaging.
In insufficient or weakened numbers, the "good" bacteria are immediately replaced by pathogenic bacteria which will cause digestive disorders, dull hair, thinness, colic, various infectious diseases, laminitis. We then speak of dys-biosis. The liver of a horse affected by dysbiosis is very overloaded, numerous free radicals are formed which will in turn damage the intestines, we are in the presence of a vicious circle that can be broken thanks to probiotics.
Prebiotics
These are “sugars”, oligosaccharides, most often fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), which serve as a substrate for the growth of microorganisms in the digestive lumen. They ensure the trophic supply necessary for the proliferation of “good” bacteria (notably lactobacilli and bifido) by allowing them to “occupy the ground” and supplant pathogenic bacterial strains. They support cellular health in the gastrointestinal mucosa, which leads to better absorption of nutrients.
Thus, the horse digests better, the quality and odor of the droppings will be improved, the liver will be less burdened and the risk of colic will be reduced.
Prebiotics are not broken down by enzymatic processes, they will arrive intact in the large intestine.
When to administer pre- and probiotics?
*generally after the use of medication, following an illness, when a horse is a little "soft", when he does not seem comfortable in his skin;
*for pregnant mares, the last month before giving birth and the first two months of lactation.
Biotics visibly has a positive influence on childbirth and milk quality;
*for the foal, just after birth if it does not eat its mother's droppings, if it is orphaned, if it has diarrhea;
*for broodmares after a difficult birth or if the foal appears to be in poor condition;
*for racing or competition horses, during heavy training, transport, numerous competitions, change of environment or food or training routine.