The Contribution of Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Equine Gut Health

Maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is crucial for supporting horses' overall health and performance. Various factors, including diet composition, feeding practices, therapeutic antimicrobials, and exposure to biotic and abiotic stressors influence the balance of the GIT

The Contribution of Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Equine Gut Health

Maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is crucial for supporting horses' overall health and performance. Various factors, including diet composition, feeding practices, therapeutic antimicrobials, and exposure to biotic and abiotic stressors influence the balance of the GIT. Various feed additives are utilized to promote gut health, with yeast being one of the most commonly used supplements in horse nutrition. Recent research has demonstrated that incorporating yeast into equine diets can improve nutrient digestibility by influencing intestinal microbial populations. Probiotic yeasts enhance the capacity of cellulolytic bacteria in the hindgut to break down available fiber fractions and improve feed efficiency. Among the various yeasts available, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most commonly used in equine nutrition. S. cerevisiae fermentation products (SCFPs) are distinctive micro-ecological substances comprising yeast biomass (including residual viable cells, dead cells, and yeast cell wall fragments), fermentation metabolites, and leftover growth medium. Studies have demonstrated that SCFPs when used as a nutraceutical in horse diets, exert an immunomodulatory effect that operates independently of significant changes to the gastrointestinal tract’s microbiota.