A study from the University of Surrey shows that the gut bacteria of Thoroughbred racehorses at one month old can predict their future performance and health.
By analyzing fecal samples from 52 foals, researchers found that those with higher bacterial diversity excelled in races and had fewer health issues. Additionally, the study highlights the negative effects of early antibiotic treatment on both the gut microbiome and race performance, suggesting the need for responsible antibiotic use and further research into probiotics.
The composition of gut bacteria of Thoroughbred racehorses at one month old can predict their future athletic performance, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. Foals with lower bacterial diversity at 28 days old also had a significantly increased risk of respiratory disease later in life.
Comprehensive Study on Foal Health and Performance
Researchers from Surrey’s School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Bioscience, led by Professor Chris Proudman, investigated the composition of gut bacteria in Thoroughbred foals bred for flat racing and its impact on their long-term health and athletic performance.
To investigate this, 438 fecal samples from 52 foals were analyzed and respiratory, gastrointestinal, orthopedic and soft-tissue health issues were tracked from birth to age three. In addition, the team analyzed information regarding finishing position, official rating, and total prize money earnings as measures of athletic performance.
Link Between Gut Health and Racehorse Welfare
Professor Chris Proudman, Professor of Veterinary Clinical Science at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, said:
“Minimizing the risk of disease and injury is important for the welfare of racehorses, and maximizing their athletic potential is important for their owners. We have found that gut health, in particular the health of gut bacterial communities very early in life, exerts a profound and enduring impact on racehorse health and performance.”
Researchers found that the athletic performance of the foals was positively associated with higher faecal bacterial diversity at one month old. They identified that a higher abundance of the bacteria Anaeroplasmataceae was associated with a higher official rating (an evaluation of a horse based on its past performances), and increased levels of Bacillaceae at 28 days old were linked to higher race placings.
The Impact of Early Antibiotic Use on Foals
The team also investigated the long-term impact of foals receiving antibiotics during the first month of life. It was found that these foals had significantly lower fecal bacterial diversity at 28 days old compared to other foals who did not receive such treatments. Further analysis revealed that these foals won significantly lower prize money earnings (an indicator of athletic performance) in their subsequent racing careers. In addition, foals who received antibiotics during their first 28 days of life had a significantly increased rate of developing a respiratory disease compared to their counterparts.
Professor Roberto La Ragione, co-investigator from the School of Bioscience at the University of Surrey, said:
“Antibiotics are vital in treating infections and protecting the long-term health of foals; they do, however, need to be used responsibly. Our study demonstrates that treatment with antibiotics can disrupt the healthy gut microbiome with long-term impacts on health and performance. The next part of our study will examine how we can minimize disruption of gut bacteria when antibiotics have to be used to treat infections.”
Future Directions in Gut Health Research
Interestingly, researchers also identified that low gut bacterial diversity in early life is associated with an increased risk of soft tissue and orthopedic issues developing later in life. Researchers believe that the health impacts of low gut bacterial diversity in early life are likely to be related to immunological priming. The reasons underlying the observed negative impacts on racehorse performance are currently not understood.
Dr. Kirsten Rausing, Chairman of the International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation and, through her ALBORADA Trust, study sponsor, commented
“This ground-breaking study has identified the importance of gut health in our very young foals. As breeders, if we can get this right, we will produce foals that will be healthier, and that will grow into more successful racehorses.”
Work is currently underway to develop novel probiotics that will enhance the gut health of foals in early life and to investigate how antibiotics can be used whilst preserving gut health.
This study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Notes
- Due to the nature of the study-specific horses, their official race positions or training yards cannot be identified
- Foals came from 5 stud farms and were in training at 27 different training yards across the country
Reference: “Early-life gut bacterial community structure predicts disease risk and athletic performance in horses bred for racing” by J. Leng, C. Moller-Levet, R. I. Mansergh, R. O’Flaherty, R. Cooke, P. Sells, C. Pinkham, O. Pynn, C. Smith, Z. Wise, R. Ellis, A. Couto Alves, R. La Ragione and C. Proudman, 7 August 2024, Scientific Reports.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64657-6