A high-starch vs. high-fibre diet: effects on the gut environment of the different intestinal compartments of the horse digestive tract.
Authors: Raspa Federica, Vervuert Ingrid, Capucchio Maria Teresa, Colombino Elena, Bergero Domenico, Forte Claudio, Greppi Martina, Cavallarin Laura, Giribaldi Marzia, Antoniazzi Sara, Cavallini Damiano, Valvassori Ermenegildo, Valle Emanuela
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary Despite evidence supporting fibre-based feeding for optimal equine gut health, many horses still receive diets high in starch; this 2022 Italian research examined how these contrasting nutritional approaches affect the chemical and physical environment across different compartments of the equine digestive tract. The researchers fed horses either high-starch (HS) or high-fibre (HF) diets and measured multiple parameters including dry matter, organic matter and ash content, particle size distribution, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) composition at various points along the gastrointestinal tract. Compared with the HS diet, the HF feeding resulted in substantially different gut conditions—notably altered VFA profiles, particle size characteristics, and compositional differences in organic and mineral content across the stomach, small intestine, caecum and colon. These findings provide quantifiable evidence of how dietary starch levels fundamentally reshape the microbial environment and fermentation patterns throughout the tract, with direct implications for practitioners selecting feeds and managing conditions linked to starch overload, such as gastric ulceration, hindgut acidosis and metabolic disorders. For farriers, vets and nutritionists alike, the data strengthens the scientific case for recommending fibre-predominant diets as a cornerstone of preventative health management rather than relying on convenient grain-based supplementation.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Consider shifting away from high-starch concentrates toward fibre-based feeding to support digestive health and reduce colic and gastric ulcer risk
- •High-fibre diets produce more favourable volatile fatty acid profiles that support hindgut health and microbial stability
- •Diet composition significantly affects gastrointestinal function across all compartments—nutritional strategy should prioritize forage quality and quantity over grain-based feeds
Key Findings
- •High-starch diets alter volatile fatty acid composition and dry matter content across multiple intestinal compartments compared to high-fibre diets
- •High-fibre diets promote a more favourable gut environment and better promote equine welfare
- •Particle size distribution differs significantly between high-starch and high-fibre fed horses throughout the digestive tract
- •Organic matter and ash content vary across intestinal compartments depending on diet type