Cause of Nutrient Deficiencies in Horses:  Lack of Nutrients in Feed or Lack of Proper Digestion?

Many of the nutrients needed by horses are manufactured in their gut or are released from a bound form when the gut is working efficiently.

The large intestine and caecum of the horse is a fermentation vat that breaks down feed and converts it to organic acids, microbial protein, B-complex vitamins such as biotin, and gases.  This is not simple enzymatic digestion that reduces complex molecules to their simpler components, such as starch to sugar, but is the creation of new nutrients which are more nutritous than those in fee.  This process is called fermentation.

The fermenting microorganisms are bacteria, yeast, and protozoa.  Their most important contributions are the breakdown of fiber which the horses' enzymatic digestion is incapable of digesting.  The fermented fiber supplies organic acids which supply energy to the horse.  In the process, the bacteria, yeast, and protozoa multiply, and then a good portion of these new microbial cells are degraded to amino acids and used by the horse in its protein nutrition.  This microbial protein is high quality protein, with a high content of the limiting amino acids lysine and methionine for the horse.

The large intestine is the major site of phosphorus digestion in the horse.  The efficiency of the absorption from natural feedstuffs, particularly grain, is poor largely because it is in an insoluble phytate form.  However, intestinal microorganisms secrete phytase enzyme, which breaks off the phytate, to liberate absorbably phosphorus.

The type and balance of microorganisms in the hind gut determines how efficient his hind gut fermentation will be.  The most efficient microorganisms that are very beneficial to the horse are easily killed off if the environment in the hind gut is not conducive to their growth.  These efficeint microorganisms help keep incidence of colic low because they keep down the buildup of gases and acids in the gut.

The probiotic bacteria cultures, fungal cultures, and feed grade fermentation products in Dr. Pitzen Nutrition brand products increase the population of efficeint bacteria and yeast cells in the caecum and large intestine.  The nutrient content from this product alone cannot explain the significant improvement in the overall condition of the horses that receive it.  It is the stimulation it gives to promoting a stable efficient hind gut fermentation that results in the improved nutrition of the horse. 

In summary, some of this improved "in-horse manufactured" nutrition from the hind gut are:

1.     Better hoof growth and hardness due to more hoof building protein (amino acids) from digested mircrobial cells and the manufacturing of essential biotin by the bacteria in the gut.  Biotin deficiency may really result from a deficiency in gut activity, not a deficiency in feedstuffs.

2.     More energy and well-being for the horse while needing less high grain levels via sweet feed.

3.     Better bone development and density due to improved phosphorus digestion.  A research trial also found increased calcium digestion when probiotic fungal cultures were fed although the method of aciton is not completely understood.

4.     The horse may be calmer as a result of better B-vitamin nutrition and improved utilization of numerous nutrients.

5.     Better growth rates due to improved energy and protein nutrition.

6.     Reduced incidence of colic as discussed above.

Good feeding management is also necessary to maintain a stable efficient hind gut fermentation.  The microorganisms in the gut take time to adapt to major feed changes, particularly to increased grain amounts.  so increase or decrease daily grain amounts gradually, not more than one pound changer per consecutive day.  Too much grain entering the large intestine in a short time results in rapid increase in fermentation, producing high levels of acids which kill off the good microorganisms.  then bad toxin-producing bacteria proliferate causing laminitis (founder), colic, and poor appetite.  Don't feed over five pounds in one feeding of a large adult horse.  A good hind gut fermentation requires plenty of fresh water and at least 1% of the horse's body weight daily in good quality hay or pasture dry matter.  Good digestion of good hay and pasture means that those high grain amounts may no longer be needed.

If your horse doesn't seem to be getting the nutrition it needs, maybe you need to get microorganisms in its hind gut to perform better and work harder.