NE2202: The Equine Microbiome

(Multistate Research Project)

Status: Active

Project Menu

SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[12/05/2023] [09/06/2024] [07/23/2025]

Date of Annual Report: 12/05/2023

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 06/06/2023 - 06/09/2023
Period the Report Covers: 11/01/2022 - 12/05/2023

Participants

Amy Biddle University of Delaware
Jen Nadeau University of Connecticut
Carissa Wickens University of Florida
Sara Mastellar The Ohio State University
Amanda Barberry Montana State University
Carrie Hammer North Dakota State University
Laurie Lawrence University of Kentucky
Morgan Pyles University of Minnesota
Devon Catalano Colorado State University

Brief Summary of Minutes

ESS Workshop given at the Equine Science Symposium, 6/6/2023 - 6/9/2023

Goals:

To share the current state, challenges and potential of microbiome science.

To encourage participation in the Equine Microbiome Multistate Research Project as a community of stakeholders

To build confidence about the availability of resources/ expertise for folks that are new to this topic

To hear concerns, suggestions… as the Equine Microbiome Multistate Research Project gets started.

To build/ strengthen network for future collaborations, grant proposals, samples/ data sharing, training…

To enable data sharing and collaboration through clear guidelines for sampling, metadata collection, reporting…

Accomplishments:

Packed room: Approximately 118 (based on full seats/calculation factoring number and arrangement of chairs with a few folks standing in the back of the room).

Lively, frank discussion: People generous with suggestions, concerns, ideas moving forward…

35 people interested in joining/partnering with the Equine Microbiome Multistate Research Project. Slides and information sent via email to everyone on the list. If you did not receive this email, please let me know: some were blocked or difficult to read.

104 survey responses

Suggestions:

Importance of partnering with international researchers, veterinarians (others?)

Need a repository of existing/previous literature (accessible bibliography)

Need for multifaceted approaches (culture-based, metabolomics…) to get at questions of function, host-microbe interactions, microbe-microbe interactions

Accomplishments

Short-term Outcomes: Followup meeting 8/28/2023 to discuss ESS workshop results, Microbiome Standards, Higher Education Challenge grant proposal.   Outputs: Presentations  Equine Microbiome Multistate Research Group (NE2202)—Amy Biddle, Jenifer Nadeau, Stephen Coleman, Carissa Wickens, Samantha Brooks, Amanda Bradbery, Carrie Hammer, and Sara Mastellar:  Equine Microbiome: Present and Future, Equine Science Society, Grapevine, TX, June 7-9 2023. Miller A., Nadeau J., Gonzalez N., Johnson J., Amalaradjou M., Govoni K., Aborn S., Nulton L. The effect of parasitic load on the equine microbiome, hematological parameters, and overall body condition. Equine Science Society, Grapevine, TX, June 7-9 2023. Hobert K., Biddle A., Characterization of the bacterial and protozoal communities within the equine hindgut using molecular methods. Equine Science Society, Grapevine, TX, June 7-9 2023.   Publications Pyles M., Agbana M., Hayes S., Flythe M., Lawrence L. 2023.The Establishment of Fibrolytic Bacteria in the Foal Gastrointestinal Tract Is Related to the Occurrence of Coprophagy by Foals. animals. Volume 13, Issue 17, DOI 10.3390/ani13172718   Activities: (Biddle) Participation in National Microbiome Data Collaborative meeting (JGI, 8/24/2023) to learn about microbiome standard development  (Biddle) Participation in Omnigene-Gut conference, 8/15/2023 (Brooks)  Curriculum development in Equine Health Management course for undergraduates (ANS 3217c) to increase the knowledge of, and comfort with, the topic of the microbiome in the next generation of industry professionals.    Milestones: Clarity of goals and needs through the Microbiome Workshop survey results. Establishment of revised goals during followup meeting 8/28/2023

Publications

Abstracts  Equine Microbiome Multistate Research Group (NE2202)—Amy Biddle, Jenifer Nadeau, Stephen Coleman, Carissa Wickens, Samantha Brooks, Amanda Bradbery, Carrie Hammer, and Sara Mastellar:  Equine Microbiome: Present and Future, Equine Science Society, Grapevine, TX, June 7-9 2023. Miller A., Nadeau J., Gonzalez N., Johnson J., Amalaradjou M., Govoni K., Aborn S., Nulton L. The effect of parasitic load on the equine microbiome, hematological parameters, and overall body condition. Equine Science Society, Grapevine, TX, June 7-9 2023. Hobert K., Biddle A., Characterization of the bacterial and protozoal communities within the equine hindgut using molecular methods. Equine Science Society, Grapevine, TX, June 7-9 2023.   Publications Pyles M., Agbana M., Hayes S., Flythe M., Lawrence L. 2023.The Establishment of Fibrolytic Bacteria in the Foal Gastrointestinal Tract Is Related to the Occurrence of Coprophagy by Foals. animals. Volume 13, Issue 17, DOI 10.3390/ani13172718

Impact Statements

A network for training students, and communication between researchers, veterinary and equine industry partners was initiated.

Date of Annual Report: 09/06/2024

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 08/07/2024 - 08/07/2024
Period the Report Covers: 06/09/2023 - 08/07/2024

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 07/23/2025

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 06/06/2025 - 06/06/2025
Period the Report Covers: 08/31/2025 - 07/31/2025

Participants

Annual Meeting Participants:

Coleman, Stephen Colorado State University;
Bradbery, Amanda Montana State University;
MacNicol, Jennifer jmacnico@uoguelph.ca University of Guelph;
Metamelo, Leticia leticia.metamelo@tarleton.edu Tarleton State University;
Martinez, Rafael, rmartinez@tarleton.edu Tarleton State University;
Morgan Pyles University of Minnesota-Crookston;
Wickens,Carissa University of Florida;
Sara Mastellar Ohio State University;
Metcalf,Jessica Colorado State University;
Coleman, Robert University of Kentucky;
Lawrence, Laurie, llawrenc@uky.edu University of Kentucky;
Not in attendance: Samantha Brooks, University of Florida

Brief Summary of Minutes

After introductions, the group discussed the workshop that the NE 2202 members organized at the Equine Science Society meeting. All agreed it was well attended, generated good discussion and attracted several new people to the annual meeting.

For the upcoming year, Drs. Lawrence, Bradbery, and Coleman (Stephen) agreed to continue as the coordinators for the coming year. Laurie will submit the annual report.

We planned a couple of logistical goals/milestones. These were:

To establish a OneDrive folder accessible to the group, where we can start sharing and collecting information. This would include methods, terms, and concepts that would help us have a standard reference and provide material for scientific review, extension, and teaching materials.

Our next milestone was to plan for our next meeting (virtual) for early August.

We discussed several goals to work on/accomplish this year. These were:

Add terms and definitions to our glossary for discussion at the August meeting – Due August 1^st, 2025

Get Amy Biddle’s notes/outline for a methodology review paper. If available, these could be added to the OneDrive.

At the August meeting, we will discuss the glossary and review article, as well as plan for the next annual business meeting.

Some other ideas discussed: STEM education resources, Extension publications, and Webinars. We also discussed how we might structure our group as a consortium for the future to advance the equine microbiome, using the Earth microbiome or gut microbiome projects as a guide. We decided to focus on the goals listed above because they are perhaps more tangible and should give us a chance to build our group so that we can tackle these other objectives.

Accomplishments

Short Term Outcome: Additional scientists participated in the annual meeting   Outputs:  Publications:    Carter MM, Leatherwood JL, Paris BL, Moore GE, George JM, Martinez RE, Karges K, Cox JR, Arnold CE, Glass KG, Bradbery AN, Rodiles A, Wickersham TA.  Influence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 on the fecal pH, markers of gut permeability, fecal microbiota, and markers of systemic inflammation in sedentary horses fed a high-starch diet. J Anim Sci. 2025 Jan 4;103:skaf005.  <a href="https://doi:10.1093">https://doi:10.1093/jas/skaf005</a>.   Geisheimer, C., Bennett-Wimbush and Mastellar, S. 2025. Does trailer loading stress influence horse fecal pH? J. Equine Vet. Sci. 148:97. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105521">https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105521</a>   Lee, A., Endfinger, A., Hayes S., and Lawrence, L. 2025. Effect of inulin on in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility using equine fecal inoculum. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 148:74. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105498">https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105498</a>   Mork, M., Conrad, M.B., Trauner, A., Hull, J., Hawkins, M, Robley, B., Larson, P., Pinkham, N., Wolfe, T, Wang, Q., Walk, S. and Bradbery, A. 2025. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 148:88. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105512">https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105512</a>   Moss CD, Wilson AL, Reed KJ, Jennings KJ, Kunz IGZ, Landolt GA, Metcalf J, Engle TE, Coleman SJ.  Gene expression analysis before and after the pelvic flexure in the epithelium of the equine hindgut. Animals (Basel). 2024 Aug 8;14(16):2303.<a href="https://doi:10.3390">https://doi:10.3390/ani14162303</a>.   Whitehouse, C. and Lawrence, L. 2025. Age related effects on fecal particle size and composition. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 148:85. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105509">https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105509</a>    Accomplishments Workshop at Equine Science Symposium, Friday June 6, 2025. Ft. Collins CO   Straight from the horse’s mouth (gut, skin, reproductive tract, etc.): Investigating the equine microbiome.   Moderator: S. Coleman, Colorado State University   Panelists: C. Arnold, Texas Tech University, TX; J. Sones, and J. Metcalf, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, US   Each panelist introduced their research areas related to the equine microbiome. Dr. Metcalf described the Colorado State Microbiome Group, which encompasses animals and plants and offers a graduate certificate. The program coordinates workshops and centralizes laboratory resources across campus to facilitate data generation.   Dr. Sones’ program focuses on the microbiome of the reproductive tract in mares. She is actively investigating the equine uterine, placental and vaginal microbiomes, but also uses other animal models in her work.  Her interests include the use of prebiotics and probiotics as potential interventions in sub-fertile mares.   Dr. Arnold’s research involves the role of the microbiome in relation to colitis, antibiotic associated diarrhea and other gastrointestinal disturbances in horses. She is interested in characterizing both the normal and abnormal communities, as well as the immunological interactions between microbes and their host.   Approximately 50 industry professionals, research scientists, graduate students and undergraduate students participated in the workshop. Participants posed a variety of questions and comments that generated discussion among panelist and attendees. Main themes included the importance of pairing accurate metadata with standardized sample collection, increasing understanding of basic microbial ecology, increasing the number of microbes that are identifiable and also defining their functional roles. The ability to characterize normal/typical communities as well as non-normal/atypical communities was emphasized. The factors that may result in variation within a community were discussed as possible research targets (diet, geographical region, age, etc). Clarity in terminology and communication with the public was also emphasized.    Milestones A 2025 workshop was organized and held

Publications

Carter MM, Leatherwood JL, Paris BL, Moore GE, George JM, Martinez RE, Karges K, Cox JR, Arnold CE, Glass KG, Bradbery AN, Rodiles A, Wickersham TA.  Influence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 on the fecal pH, markers of gut permeability, fecal microbiota, and markers of systemic inflammation in sedentary horses fed a high-starch diet. J Anim Sci. 2025 Jan 4;103:skaf005.  <a href="https://doi:10.1093">https://doi:10.1093/jas/skaf005</a>.   Geisheimer, C., Bennett-Wimbush and Mastellar, S. 2025. Does trailer loading stress influence horse fecal pH? J. Equine Vet. Sci. 148:97. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105521">https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105521</a>   Lee, A., Endfinger, A., Hayes S., and Lawrence, L. 2025. Effect of inulin on in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility using equine fecal inoculum. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 148:74. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105498">https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105498</a>   Mork, M., Conrad, M.B., Trauner, A., Hull, J., Hawkins, M, Robley, B., Larson, P., Pinkham, N., Wolfe, T, Wang, Q., Walk, S. and Bradbery, A. 2025. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 148:88. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105512">https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105512</a>   Moss CD, Wilson AL, Reed KJ, Jennings KJ, Kunz IGZ, Landolt GA, Metcalf J, Engle TE, Coleman SJ.  Gene expression analysis before and after the pelvic flexure in the epithelium of the equine hindgut. Animals (Basel). 2024 Aug 8;14(16):2303.<a href="https://doi:10.3390">https://doi:10.3390/ani14162303</a>.   Whitehouse, C. and Lawrence, L. 2025. Age related effects on fecal particle size and composition. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 148:85. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105509">https://doi.org/10.1016/jevs.2025.105509</a>

Impact Statements

The organized workshop engaged approximately 50 individuals from academia and industry and educated scientists and students on methods associated with researching the equine microbiome.