MicrobeWorld

Lately, we have seen commercials that promote striking the balance of "good bugs" in our own gastrointestinal (GI) tracts. Our local grocery likely has a variety of colorfully packaged yogurts boasting "live and active cultures." These products are designed to keep the good microflora happy and reduce the amount of detrimental bugs in our guts, but the jury is largely still out on their efficacy. Similarly, horses' GI tracts also need to reach this balance, but since these animals have a unique digestive system that enables them to process and utilize forages, different types of bugs are required.