The digestive systemof horses is adapted to a high-fiber diet consumed in small amounts over a long time.However,
during training, high-starch and low-fiber diets are usually fed which may induce hindgut microbial disturbances
and intestinal pain. These diets can be described as alimentary stress. The aimof the present studywas to investigate
to what extent changes in behavior are associated with alimentary stress andmicrobial composition changes of the
cecal or colonic ecosystem. Six fistulated horses were used. The alimentary stress was a modification of diet from a
high-fiber diet (100% hay) to a progressive low-fiber and high-starch diet (from 90% hay and 10% barley to 57% hay
and 43% barley in 5 days). Cecal and colonic total anaerobic, cellulolytic, amylolytic and lactate-utilizing bacteria
were enumerated three times (twice on high-fiber diet and once on 57% hay and 43% barley diet). The behavior
of horses was assessed from continuous video recording over an 18-h time period. In addition two personality traits
were measured: neophobia (assessed from the reaction to the presence of a novel object placed near a feeder in a
test arena) and sociability (assessed from the reaction to an unfamiliar horse in a stall). Video recordings were
analyzed by scan sampling every 10 min using the following behavioral categories: lying, resting, feeding and
being vigilant. In addition, we recorded time spent feeding and time spent in vigilance during the neophobia test,
and time spent in vigilance and time spent in interactions with the unfamiliar horse during the sociability test.
The alimentary stress induced significant increases of colonic total anaerobic bacteria, lactate-utilizing bacteria
and amylolytic bacteria concentrations. When horses were fed the 57% hay–43% barley diet, time spent in vigilance
tended to be positively correlated with cecal and colonic amylolytic bacteria concentrations during the sociability
test and with cecal lactate-utilizing and colonic amylolytic bacteria concentrations during the neophobia test.
These correlations suggested that dietary-induced modulation of the microbiota may affect horse behavior and
that behavioral cues may be used as non-invasive indicators of alimentary stress. It might prove useful to prevent
intestinal pain of horses on farms.
The digestive systemof horses is adapted to a high-fiber diet consumed in small amounts over a long time.However,during training, high-starch and low-fiber diets are usually fed which may induce hindgut microbial disturbancesand intestinal pain. These diets can be described as alimentary stress. The aimof the present studywas to investigateto what extent changes in behavior are associated with alimentary stress andmicrobial composition changes of thececal or colonic ecosystem. Six fistulated horses were used. The alimentary stress was a modification of diet from ahigh-fiber diet (100% hay) to a progressive low-fiber and high-starch diet (from 90% hay and 10% barley to 57% hayand 43% barley in 5 days). Cecal and colonic total anaerobic, cellulolytic, amylolytic and lactate-utilizing bacteriawere enumerated three times (twice on high-fiber diet and once on 57% hay and 43% barley diet). The behaviorof horses was assessed from continuous video recording over an 18-h time period. In addition two personality traitswere measured: neophobia (assessed from the reaction to the presence of a novel object placed near a feeder in atest arena) and sociability (assessed from the reaction to an unfamiliar horse in a stall). Video recordings wereanalyzed by scan sampling every 10 min using the following behavioral categories: lying, resting, feeding andbeing vigilant. In addition, we recorded time spent feeding and time spent in vigilance during the neophobia test,and time spent in vigilance and time spent in interactions with the unfamiliar horse during the sociability test.The alimentary stress induced significant increases of colonic total anaerobic bacteria, lactate-utilizing bacteriaand amylolytic bacteria concentrations. When horses were fed the 57% hay–43% barley diet, time spent in vigilancetended to be positively correlated with cecal and colonic amylolytic bacteria concentrations during the sociabilitytest and with cecal lactate-utilizing and colonic amylolytic bacteria concentrations during the neophobia test.These correlations suggested that dietary-induced modulation of the microbiota may affect horse behavior andthat behavioral cues may be used as non-invasive indicators of alimentary stress. It might prove useful to preventintestinal pain of horses on farms.
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