Feed the Research — Digestion

The problem: The gastrointestinal tract of the horse is not designed to process large amounts of starch and sugar in its hindgut. From a physiological perspective, starch and sugar are best digested in the small intestine. However, when the small intestine becomes overwhelmed and cannot process a deluge of starch and sugar it passes on to the cecum and colon (collectively known as the hindgut). Digestion of these nutrients in the hindgut causes a disturbance in the resident microflora population, leading to a decrease in environmental pH and a condition called hindgut acidosis. If severe enough, hindgut acidosis can lead to...