Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hi Suzanne,
Great question! Ration Plus does not contain any live microbials; it contains fermentation products of many bacteria so it actually feeds the existing bacteria, making them healthier and therefore, better able to to their "job." So, in this sense, it is a prebiotic because it is a precursor to more bacterial growth.
A "probiotic" has two basic definitions. First, it can refer to a product that contains live microbes that add to the general microbial population in the hind gut. So, Ration Plus would not fit this definition.
However, another definition of a probiotic is anything that promotes the presence of bacteria in the hindgut, whether it be live microbes or a nutrients that feed existing bacteria. So, using this definition, Ration Plus could also be considered a probiotic. Yeast is a probiotic, as well, but could also, by definition be a prebiotic.
So, bottom line -- Ration Plus and other products that feed existing bacteria are prebiotics, but also fit the definition of a probiotic.
Supplements that provide live microbes to the diet are strictly probiotics, since they are already microbes.
Hope this eases the confusion! The only time I suggest adding a probiotic that contains live microbials is when the number of bacteria in the hind gut has been severely reduced. This can occur during laminitis, or when a horse is taking antibiotics (which kill all bacteria, the bad with the good).
But, to keep the digestive system and its bacterial population, healthy, I like a product that feeds the existing bacteria, such as Ration Plus. It's a prebiotic because it feeds these bacteria, and it's also a probiotic because it promotes the growth of more bacteria.
Best regards,
Dr. Getty
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO