Gastrointestinal microbiota play a key role in the nutrients digestion and hence maintaining animal health and welfare. The diet offered to the animals in captivity may differ considerably from that on natural pastures. In a stabled maintenance system, horses have a limited choice of habitat and feed. Time spend for feeding is relevant for equine welfare because the reduction of the time devoted for foraging may be responsible for inducing gastric inflammation and ulceration. Therefore, in the present study, it was hypothesized that fecal bacterial fermentative processes differ between free-roaming and stabled Konik Polski Horses (KPHs) with respect to microbial enzymatic activity, and thus the fecal concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which can be further utilized for assessing the feeding behavior and welfare in free-roaming versus stabled horses. The SCFA concentration and profile, as well as the extracellular and intracellular activities of selected bacterial enzymes, were characterized in horse feces collected during the winter and summer feeding seasons. The results showed higher enzymatic activity and SCFA production in the feces excreted by free-roaming versus stabled horses, especially during summer. An increase in pasture plant diversity may be beneficial for the gastrointestinal microbiota and hence for maintaining health and welfare.

中文翻译：

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Konik Polski 马的维护系统调查及其对冬季和夏季粪便微生物群活动的影响

胃肠道微生物群在营养物质消化和维持动物健康和福利方面发挥着关键作用。提供给圈养动物的饮食可能与天然牧场上的动物有很大不同。在稳定的维护系统中，马匹的栖息地和饲料选择有限。花在喂食上的时间与马的福利有关，因为用于觅食的时间减少可能会导致胃部炎症和溃疡。因此，在本研究中，假设自由漫游和稳定的 Konik Polski 马 (KPH) 的粪便细菌发酵过程在微生物酶活性方面存在差异，因此短链脂肪酸 (SCFA) 的粪便浓度也不同，可进一步用于评估自由漫游马匹与稳定马匹的喂养行为和福利。在冬季和夏季喂养季节收集的马粪便中的 SCFA 浓度和分布，以及选定细菌酶的细胞外和细胞内活性的特征。结果显示，与圈养的马相比，自由漫游的马排泄的粪便中酶活性和 SCFA 产量更高，尤其是在夏季。牧场植物多样性的增加可能有利于胃肠道微生物群，从而有利于维持健康和福利。结果显示，与圈养的马相比，自由漫游的马排泄的粪便中酶活性和 SCFA 产量更高，尤其是在夏季。牧场植物多样性的增加可能有利于胃肠道微生物群，从而有利于维持健康和福利。结果显示，与圈养的马相比，自由漫游的马排泄的粪便中酶活性和 SCFA 产量更高，尤其是在夏季。牧场植物多样性的增加可能有利于胃肠道微生物群，从而有利于维持健康和福利。