Researchers are working to better understand the role of various species of microorganisms throughout the equine intestinal system. The collective groups of microbes, their genomes and how they interact is referred to as the microbiome.
Source: The Horse, August 2016, page 26.
Studying the equine intestinal microbiome is important because horses are hindgut fermenters,” says Scott Weese, DVM, DVSc, Dipl. ACVIM a professor at the University of Guelph”s Ontario Veterinary College. “Changes in the microbiome can result in disease such as colic, colitis and laminitis, which are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in horses.”
Dr. Weese says, “Continued research in this field will revolutionize our understanding of the role of the microbiome in health and disease.”