RISKS OF FEEDSTUFFS LOADED BY MITES, MOLD S, BACTERIA AND OR TOXINS IN HORSES/

Field studies as well as investigations in laboratories on the quality of feedstuff for horses (hay, straw, concentrates) are indicating the frequent occurence of deviations in the hygienic quality of feeds and bedding material used in horse stables. loads by mites and moulds (ha y, straw, eventually cereals and complete leeds, too) are well to the fore, in a lower frequency a higher contamination by yeasts (silages, molassed oats, sometimes concentrates) or bacteria (especially in oats ) gave rise to objection. Besides the negative effects of these loads on nutritive value and the palatability the first main risk - due to i ngestion - lies in producing digestive disorders (enhanced gastrointes tinal gas forming by yeasts and further gas producing microorganisms, reduced fiber digestion in the hind gut due to dysbiotic changes in th e flora). Besides the effects of active germs detrimental influences o f toxins produced by bacteria (for example Clostridium botulinum) or b y different species of moulds (Claviceps purpurea; Acremonium; Fusariu m Aspergillus, Penicillium) should not be neglected, too. In recent ye ars a further risk is considered more and more: During ingestion of lo aded feedstuffs and roughage the respiratory tract of horses is expose d to mites, infectious microorganisms (risk of mycosis) and toxins. Fu rthermore the quality of the air within stables is influenced negative ly (dust containing fine fractions of feeds and bedding material). Eve n in young horses housed within stables for one period only antibodies against mites and moulds can be measured normally. There are indicati ons that the repeated, eventually continuous confrontation of young ho rses to dust containing antigenes may result in allergic reactions in later years. Therefore optimizing conditions of feed production and st oring (including the straw used as bedding material) is an essential f or undisturbed development of young horses as well as for maintaining the health in adult horses.