Responses in Fecal pH from Low to High Starch Intakes in Healthy Horses
C. Whitehouse, J.D. Pagan, R.J. Coleman, Responses in fecal pH from low to high starch intakes in healthy horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Volume 33, Issue 5, Pages 358-359. (Proceedings of the 2013 Equine Science Society Symposium)
Fecal pH is often used as an indicator of the hindgut environment. The relationship between cecal, colon and fecal fermentation end products is limited especially when comparing grain induced changes. Recent findings comparing hindgut sampling sites have found lower fecal pH values compared to colon [1, 2]. The aim of this study was to investigate if and when we could detect a change in the hindgut environment by measuring fecal pH and the level of starch needed to cause a detectable change. Cracked corn was chosen based on its low prececal starch digestibility resulting in starch overflow into the hindgut causing a change in hindgut pH.