This 2024 study by scientists Rosemary Waring, T. Forcht Dagi, and John Hunter looks at a new way to help animals digest their food better using ERME™, a special extract made from malted barley. The researchers, working at the University of Birmingham, Mayo Alix College of Medicine and Science, and Addenbrookes Hospital, focused on horses and dogs because both often have digestive problems - horses because they eat lots of starchy food at once, and dogs because they don't naturally produce enough enzymes to break down the carbohydrates in modern pet food.
For eight weeks, they gave ERME™ to horses and dogs and collected fecal samples before and after to see what changed. They used advanced scientific tools to analyze both the chemicals in the feces and the types of bacteria living in the animals' guts.
The results were positive for both types of animals. In horses, they found more of the good acids that help digest food and less of the harmful chemicals that can cause problems. The mix of bacteria in their guts also improved, with fewer potentially harmful bacteria and more of the good kinds that help with digestion. Dogs showed similar improvements - they had less toxic substances in their systems and more helpful acids. Like the horses, their gut bacteria changed for the better, with more of the good kinds of bacteria that help keep their digestive systems healthy.
This research, published in December 2024 in the Journal of Modern Agriculture and Biotechnology, indicates that adding ERME™ to animal food might be a better way to help with digestion than using probiotics or other supplements. It works in two ways: it provides extra enzymes to help break down food, and it contains natural compounds that help good bacteria grow in the gut. This could be a helpful tool for veterinarians and pet owners dealing with animal digestive problems.
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