Racehorse poo analysis predicts future success

[Still Waters]

The future success of a racehorse can be detected in the animal’s gut when it is just one month old, research suggests.

A recent veterinary study analysed horses' poo, measuring the bacteria in the digestive systems of more than 50 thoroughbred foals over the first three years of their lives.

The study found the more types of gut microbes a foal had at just four weeks old directly correlates to its future health, and its success on the racecourse.

The findings, published  in the journal Scientific Reports, add to an emerging biological picture regarding the importance of the trillions of microbes that live inside young animals’ digestive systems - and their role in long-term health.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1d75eqkdq5o