Effect of Zn on equine fecal microbiota

Zinc supplements are often used in equine nutrition to support skin and hoof quality or the immune function. However, no data on the effects of dietary zinc on the intestinal microbiota of horses and ponies are available so far. In the present study, varying dietary zinc concentrations (4/120/240 mg/kg BW0.75) were achieved by the supplementation of either zinc chloride hydroxide or zinc methionine (6 treatment periods of 4 weeks each). Eight healthy adult ponies and 2 healthy adult horses were included, and faecal samples were collected at the end of each treatment period to analyse the microbiota (16S rDNA sequencing).