Your foals gut: How the equine gut microbiome develops

Now that your foal has arrived, it’s common to look at the outside of your beautiful young foal, but what is happening on the inside?

The diverse microbiome in the hindgut (cecum and colon) of a horse is essential for fibre breakdown and digestion along with maintaining a strong immune system against toxins and bad bacteria. The foal’s gut is not fully developed to digest anything other than milk at this point and the microbiome is not that of an adult horse.

Early development of the foal’s microbiome starts with the mare as current research has shown small amounts of bacteria in the foal’s gut at birth. It is unclear whether they are present before birth or are a deposited in the foal’s system because of the birth process as research has shown some vaginal and fecal bacteria of the mare is present in the foal’s microbiota 1

Factors that affect early life microbiome are colostrum, milk, diet and health status of the foal. 

The first meal your foal will get is colostrum which is filled with many nutritional components such as protein, fats, vitamins and of course beneficial IgGs antibodies to assist in fighting disease and building its immune system. Along with many other health-promoting compounds and growth factors that help the foals gut microbiota.

Foals on antibiotics or are suffering from health challenges may also have a poorly started microbiota colonization and have changes to the gut that lead to more health challenges such as scours and decreased digestion and lower immune responses. These foals require supplementation with a digestive supplement containing probiotic and prebiotics to help with conization and growth of beneficial bacteria and enhancing the foal’s immune system in their gut. 

As the days and months pass the foal’s gut develops as the composition of mom’s milk changes and the foal is starting to eat solid feeds along with picking up bacteria from their environment. Major changes in the foal’s microbiota seem to happen around pre-weaning to weaning period as the hind gut is transitioning to a grain and forage diet from milk. This is the time when microbiota matures, and your foals gut immune system is shaped. 2

Manipulation of the foal’s gut using digestive supplements containing multiple strains of bacteria along with prebiotics, live yeast, and vitamins and amino acid will enhance the digestive and immune system of your foal from day one. 

Getting your foal off digestive system on the right start can set them up for good growth, development and able to fight disease. 

Equine Choice Prebiotic + Probiotic supplements from day one gives your growing foal the boost it needs to develop and maintain a healthy gut and enhance their immune responses.

Your foal faces many challenges, get them off on the right start with Equine Choice.

 1.Husso, J. Jalanka. 2020. Composition of the perinatal intestinal microbiota in the horse. 

2.Koenig, J. E. et al. Succession of microbial consortia in the developing infant gut microbiome. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108(2011).