Effects of acute or chronic exercise on the intestinal microbiota of overweight horses

• Grant number: 23/10337-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Augusto Araújo Valadão
• Grantee: Thayná da Cruz Paduan Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

It is believed that physical conditioning associated with body mass loss can alter the microbiota of equine feces, affecting food digestion and nutrient absorption and influencing the animal's immune response. This project aims to evaluate the microbiota of the feces of overweight horses submitted to a submaximal physical conditioning program. The evaluation will be carried out by collecting samples of equine feces before and after physical training and analyzing the composition of the microbiota present in these samples. Possible changes in the composition of the microbiota after conditioning and the implications of these changes for the health and performance of the animals will be evaluated. The realization of this study can contribute to understanding the effects of training on the microbiota of horses and help in adopting measures to improve the health and performance of these animals