The digestive system
The digestive system consists of several parts: the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.
When you feed a horse, you want the digestion of this food to be optimal, and it is good to know which food is digested in which place.
In this piece you will read more about digestion in the small and large intestines.
The small intestine:
Most of a horse’s ration consists of fiber.
If we look at the small intestine, the intestine where food comes first after the stomach, we see that only sugars, starches and amino acids are absorbed here.
The small intestine cannot digest fiber.
The colon:
Fermentation, digestion, of fiber occurs in the large intestine.
The large intestine contains a complex ecosystem of bacteria, yeasts and other microorganisms.
The end product of this fermentation is volatile fatty acids that are absorbed through the intestinal wall and are an important energy provider for the horse.
Stable acidity:
For optimal function of the intestinal flora, it is crucial that acidity remains stable.
Acidosis in the large intestine is mainly caused by an excess of sugars and starches that pass through from the small intestine because they can no longer be absorbed there.
In the colon, they then cause increased lactic acid levels.
Impaired digestion:
The result of acidification in the colon is disrupted fermentation of fiber and damage to the microbiome.
Dying bacteria produce toxins that can damage the gut wall and cause a variety of
inflammatory reactions in the body.
The link between nutrition and performance:
It is now common knowledge that there is a link between nutrition and performance.
Research shows that there are clear links to be made between nutrition and stress, immunity, health and performance.
A gut flora in good condition delivers top performance daily, it keeps our horse healthy and energetic and is indispensable for a functioning immune system.
Florian has developed products that contain a variety of fibers that boost digestibility.
Read more here.
Florian blended roughage optimizes intestinal flora by offering a wide variety of fiber.
Digest Comfort is a natural aid for disturbed digestion.
Author: Hilde Vrancken
Veterinary specialist
