Faecal analysis can predict racehorse success, study finds
Antibiotic usage in foals also impacted their future performance.
A new study has proven an association between the results of a racehorse’s faecal analysis and its future success on the race track.
Racehorses that had been discovered to have higher bacterial gut diversity at one month old appeared to have more successful racing careers. Meanwhile, foals which had lower bacterial diversity in the first month of their life had a much higher risk of developing a respiratory disease later in life.
The study, conducted by the University of Surrey, saw researchers analyse 438 faecal samples from 52 foals. They also tracked the respiratory, gastrointestinal, orthopaedic and soft tissue health conditions that were diagnosed from birth to age three.
Alongside this, researchers recorded information on the horses’ finishing positions, official ratings and total prize money earnings to ascertain their athletic performance.
The results suggested a positive association between the athletic performance of a horse and its faecal bacteria diversity at one month old. High levels of the bacteria Anaeroplasmataceae was linked to a higher official rating, while Bacillaceae was linked to higher race placings.
The study also assessed the long-term impact of antibiotics on a foal’s future racing outcomes.
Foals which had been treated with antibiotics during the first month of their life were found to have significantly lower faecal bacterial diversity at 28 days old than those that did not. These foals also won lower prize money awards, and had a much higher rate of developing a respiratory disease.
Researchers also found that a lower gut bacterial diversity in early life was linked to foals developing soft tissue and orthopaedic issues in future. This is believed to be due to bacterial diversity being linked with immunological priming.
Chris Proudman, a professor of veterinary clinical science at the University of Surrey, said: "Minimising the risk of disease and injury is important for the welfare of racehorses, and maximising 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."
Roberto La Ragione, a 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 minimise disruption of gut bacteria when antibiotics have to be used to treat infections."
The full study can be found in the journal Scientific Reports.
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Joanne Webster, a professor of parasitic diseases at the RVC, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
