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Update: Amount Of Lignin In Alfalfa Impacts Horse Microbiome

Horses are hindgut fermenters with a small stomach and larger cecum and colon harboring millions of microorganisms. These microorganisms help make up the microbiome and are the sole contributors to the degradation and fermentation of forage cell wall components, including lignin. Alfalfa is commonly fed to horses, but can contain significant amounts of lignin which can reduce feeding value, microbial degradation, and digestion. Cultivars of reduced lignin alfalfa are now commercially available, but have not been evaluated in the horse diet. Therefore, the objective of this study, conducted at the University of Minnesota, was to evaluate equine fecal microbiome composition when feeding reduced lignin or conventional alfalfa hay to adult horses.

Reduced lignin and conventional alfalfa were fed to six adult horses, and included a 5 day total fecal collection period, during which horses were housed in individual box stalls and manure was removed on a continuous 24-hour basis. At 12-hour intervals, manure was mixed, frozen, and processed for sequencing to evaluate the microbiome.

Reduced lignin alfalfa did not shift microbiome composition equally across all horses; however, each horse's microbiome responded to hay lignin content in an individualized manner. Horse-specific associations between individual gut microbiome traits and characteristics of the digested alfalfa were also observed, mainly in regards to dry matter digestibility and average fecal particle size. These findings emphasize the importance of considering individual and historical factors when designing or evaluating feeding programs for horses. Future research should focus on uncovering what these individualized microbiome patterns mean from a functional perspective and physiological response of horses to feed. More information on this research can be found by reading the abstract.

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Excessive Drinking May Indicate Ill Health

Horses that urinate excessively suffer from polyuria (PU); to remain adequately hydrated, the horse must increase his drinking, called polydipsia (PD). These conditions, which often go hand-in-hand, can indicate disease or a behavior problem, or be a consequence of diet, says Dr. Harold Schott of Michigan State University.

A horse's kidneys filter waste products from the blood and eliminate them from the body in the form of urine. They also regulate the volume of water in the body by concentrating or diluting urine. Nearly 100 percent of water filtered from the blood is reabsorbed by the kidney tubules. A small decrease in water reabsorption can result in a large increase in urine production.

Diet affects urine output in distinct ways. A foal drinking his dam's milk may ingest as much as five times as much water as an adult horse and produce clear urine 10 to 12 times a day. A mature horse on an all-hay diet may only pass dark yellow urine two or three times a day. Horses fed mainly alfalfa may have wetter stalls with fewer manure piles; this is because legume hay is higher in protein and calcium, and is more digestible than grass hay.

Excessive urination can be caused by chronic kidney disease (CKD), where the kidneys can no longer produce concentrated urine. A horse suspected of having this disease will need blood drawn to test its nitrogen and creatinine concentrations, which will be higher if the horse has CKD.

If urine samples collected from the affected horse show nothing out of the ordinary, the horse may be drinking excessive amounts of water out of boredom. This occurs most often in horses that are confined to stalls most of the day. This behavior can be modified by allowing the horse more turnout time or limiting his water supply to two five-gallon buckets a day.

Equine Enteroliths: A Difficult Diagnosis

A horse that ingests a foreign object like a pebble, baling twine or metal may not colic immediately upon eating the inedible item. Instead, his body may hold onto the object and coat it with minerals that form a flat, round or triangular stone inside the bowel. Called enteroliths, these are generally found in the large colon, where they can remain for years before potentially causing an issue.

Though it isn't clear why some horses develop enteroliths, breed disposition, management practices and certain diets (like those high in magnesium and protein) may contribute to enterolith formation. Geography does seem to play a role, with more cases in California and Florida than elsewhere in the United States. Though these stones can occur in all breeds, Morgans, Saddlebreds, Arabians and Arabian crosses are often affected.

Enterolith formation is believed to be affected by gut pH and motility, as well as by the availability of certain minerals. Horses can form both large and small stones; the small stones may be excreted with manure, but the large stones may create an obstruction that leads to colic.

Horses with enteroliths will present differently depending on how many enteroliths there are and where they are located. A horse with a big enterolith in the large colon may have chronic colic symptoms. Horses with smaller stones that move around may show signs of acute colic when something is obstructed. Before the horse exhibits any colic signs, he may have loose manure, weight loss, be reluctant to move or have an attitude change.

Diagnosing enteroliths can be challenging as many of the signs are not specific. X-rays are often used, but they are not always able to definitively diagnose stones not located in the large colon. Early diagnosis is important so that complete obstruction doesn't occur. The only treatment for horses that colic from enteroliths is surgery to remove the stones. Horses that have enteroliths removed should not have any alfalfa in their diets.

Enteroliths can be prevented by offering as much grazing time as possible, increasing the number of meals fed each day, exercising consistently and supplementing with psyllium.

44,000 Pounds Of Free Horse Feed Available In Texas

The Humane Society of North Texas (HSNT) is giving away 44,000 pounds of alfalfa cubes for any horse owner needing assistance in feeding their animals because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The feed, available through a partnership with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), is available to anyone, regardless of which county or city the owner lives in.

Generously donated by Standlee Premium Western Forage Products, owners can receive up to four bags per horse (for five horses total) while supplies last. Product can be picked up at the HSNT Equine Ranch at 1033 County Road 910 in Joshua, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday. No reservations are required.

Read more at NBCDRF and visit the HSNT Facebook page.

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