Dr Simon Daniels

Biography 

Associate Professor of Equine Science.

Simon is the programme leader for BSc (Hons) Equine Science and Business and oversees all of the equine provision at the RAU. Simon is also the academic lead for teaching, learning and assessment across the university. 

Simon has been involved with horses for the past 30 years starting out as a childhood hobby.

After completion of his undergraduate degree, Simon spent time in industry working as a nutritionist at an animal feed company specialising in equine nutrition. Following on from this role, he took a position working for the University of Liverpool as part of the School of Veterinary Medicine working with an industry partner to design and implement a parasitology diagnostic laboratory service.

This brought about the opportunity to undertake a part-time PhD in the efficacy of equine anthelmintics and their effects on intestinal health which was completed at the University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine.  Completion of the diagnostic parasitology project with the University of Liverpool led to Simon's move back to full time academia.

In 2014, he joined the RAU within Equine Management and Science. Simon's main areas of interest remain within health of the equine gastrointestinal tract.

For further information please visit: https://dr-simon-daniels.co.uk/

University responsibilities

Simon is the programme leader for BSc (Hons) Equine Science and Business

Professional memberships

  • British Society of Animal Science
  • Royal Society of Biology
  • World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • European Workshop on Equine Nutrition (EWEN) 

Research

Research keywords

Microbiome, Metabolomics, Nutrition, Parasitology, in vitro, in vivo.

Research ID

https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=Gs6ricQAAAAJ&hl=en

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5270-0218

Current research projects

  • Developing an equine total tract in vitro digestion model.  
  • The equine gut-brain axis, considering both  metabolic and phenotypic behavioural outputs. 
  • What is haylage? Differing haylage profiles and how they influence digestibility and the equine metabolome.

Previous research projects

  • The haybiome – characterising the microbiome on dry, soaked and steamed hay
  • The effect of differing feedstuffs on oral pH in horses
  • Developing a total fibre mixed ration for horses

Current PhD students

  • Daisy Taylor – Refining an Equine Total Tract In vitro model
  • Emma Briggs – Haylage for horses: A system for accurate on-farm assessment of quality and determining how ‘quality’ may reflect nutrient profile
  • Nicola Ruscoe - Development of an online resource for both professional and non-professional equestrians to study Equine Nutrition  

MScR

  • Emma Taylor - The effect of Bentonite and Psyllium husk on the gut microbiome of horses who have displayed free faecal water
  • Ella Scott – Determining energy requirements in ponies

Completed PhD students

Dr Mark Ebert – Calculating accurate energy expenditure in performance horses

Completed MScR students

  • Caitlin Wilmington – The effect of yeast of the equid gut brain axis
  • Ellie Hedges – The effect of Metazone supplementation on the stride characteristic of sound horses
  • Taylor Hill – The effect of synobiotics on the equine gut brain axis
  • Jacob Hepworth – The effect of steaming and soaking on the bacterial community profile of hays
  • Abby Hooky – The WSC profile of differing hays after soaking and steaming

PhD examining experience

PhD 1, MScR 4

Teaching

  • 1447 Introduction to the UK Equine Industry
  • 1448 Introduction to Equine Health and Disease
  • 1450 Introduction to Equine Nutrition
  • 2388 Sustainable Forage and Turf Management
  • 3344 Advance in Equine Nutrition 

Publications

Journal articles peer reviewed:

  • Daniels, Simon, Whiteside, Emily, Martin, Susan, Moore-Colyer, Meriel and Harris, Pat (2024) Straight from the horse’s mouth: The effect of different feedstuffs on oral pH in horses and ponies. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (105181). ISSN 0737-0806 Item availability may be restricted.
  • Moore-Colyer, Meriel, Westacott, Amy, Rousson, Lucile, Harris, Pat and Daniels, Simon (2023) Where Are We Now? Feeds, Feeding Systems and Current Knowledge of UK Horse Owners When Feeding Haylage to Their Horses. Animals, 13 (8). ISSN 2076-2615
  • Daniels, S.P., Hepworth, J. And Moore-Colyer, M.J.S. (2020). The haybiome: Characterising the viable bacterial community profile of four different hays for horses following different pre-feeding regimens. PLoS One. https://doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0242373  
  • Daniels, S.P., Leng, J., Swann, J. And Proudman, C.J. (2020). Bugs and drugs: a systems biology approach to characterising the effect of moxidectin on the horse’s faecal microbiome. Animal Microbiome. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-020-00056-2
  • Salem, S.E., Abd El-Ghany, Hamad, M.H., Abdelaal, A.M., Elsheikh, H.A,. Hamid, A.A., Saud, M.A., Daniels, S.P., Ras, R. (2020). Prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes, parasite control practices and anthelmintic resistance patterns in a working horse population in Egypt. Equine Veterinary Journal. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13325
  • Moore-Colyer, M., Tuthill, P., Bannister, I. And Daniels, S.P. (2020). Growth Rates of Thoroughbred Foals and In Vitro Gut Health Parameters When Fed a Cereal or an All-Fiber Creep Feed. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2020.10319
  • Daniels, S.P. (2019). Friend or foe? Intestinal parasites of horses and sustainable worm control mechanisms. Veterinary Nursing Journal, 34:(3), 72-77.
  • Daniels, S.P., Scott, L., De Lavis, I., Linekar, A. and Hemmings, A.J. (2019). Crib Biting and Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome: do horses that display oral stereotypies have altered gastric anatomy and physiology? Journal of Veterinary Behavior. 30: 110-113.
  • Daniels, S.P. and Proudman, C.J. (2016) Shortened egg reappearance after ivermectin and moxidectin use in horses in the UK. The Veterinary Journal. 218: 36-39.
  • Daniels, S.P. and Proudman, C.J. (2016) Ovicidal efficacy of fenbendazole after treatment of horses naturally infected with cyathostomins. Veterinary Parasitology, 227: 151-156.

Conference contributions, peer reviewed:

  • Burgess, S. and Daniels, S.P. (2018). The effect of traditional bandages & breathable polo boots on the skin surface temperature of the distal forelimb during exercise in polo ponies. Proceedings of the 14th International Society of Equitation Science Conference. 21st-24th September, Rome Italy.
  • Hepworth, J., Daniels, S.P. and Moore-Colyer, M.J.S. (2018). The haybiome: characterising microbiota profiles of dry, soaked and high temperature steamed hays. Proceedings of the 9th European Workshop on Equine Nutrition, 16-18th August, Uppsala Sweden.
  • Hooky, A., Daniels, S.P. and Moore-Colyer, M.J.S. (2018). The effect of different steaming treatments on water soluble carbohydrate content in UK produced Timothy, Meadow and Perennial Ryegrass hays. Proceedings of the 9th European Workshop on Equine Nutrition, 16-18th August, Uppsala Sweden.
  • Tuthill, P., Daniels, S.P. and Moore-Colyer, M.J.S. (2018). The effect of a concentrate based diet or total fibre mixed ration (TMFR) on growth rates in Thoroughbred foals. Proceedings of the 9th European Workshop on Equine Nutrition, 16-18th August, Uppsala Sweden.
  • Bannister, I., Daniels, S.P. and Moore-Colyer, M.J.S. (2018). The effect of a concentrate based diet or total fibre mixed ration (TMFR) on in vitro stomach and hindgut health. Proceedings of the 9th European Workshop on Equine Nutrition, 16-18th August, Uppsala Sweden.
  • Linaker, A. and Daniels, S.P. (2018). Crib biting and equine gastric ulceration syndrome, is there a physiological link? Proceedings of the BSAS annual conference 2018, 9th -11th April 2018, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Daniels, S.P., Leng, J., Ellis, R., Swann, J., Moore-Colyer, M.J.S. and Proudman, C.J. (2017). The effect of moxidectin treatment on the equine hindgut microbiome, metabonome and feed fermentation kinetics in horses with very low parasite burdens. Proceedings of the 12th Colic Research Symposium, Lexington Kentucky published in Equine Veterinary Education. 29 (S8) 6.
  • Scott, L., de Lavis, I. and Daniels, S.P. (2017). Crib biting and equine gastric ulceration syndrome, is there an anatomical link? Proceedings of the 12th Colic Research Symposium, Lexington Kentucky published in Equine Veterinary Education. 29 (S8) 11.
  • Dolman, S. and Daniels, S. (2016). Anatomical differences in the equine pineal gland between gender and breed: a pilot study. Proceedings of the BSAS annual meeting 2016, Animal science for a sustainable future. 6th -7th April 2016, Chester.
  • Daniels, S. and Proudman, C.J. (2015) Trends in ivermectin and moxidectin egg reappearance in client owned horses over a four year period: a retrospective study. Proceedings of the WAAVP 2015 conference.16th-20th August 2015, Liverpool pg 367 [online] available from: http://www.waavp.org/content/waavp-proceedings [27/10/2015] 
  • Daniels, S. and Proudman, C.J. (2014). Macrocyclic lactone efficacy in client owned horses: a retrospective study 2008-2011. Proceedings of the eleventh International Colic Research Symposium, July 2014, Dublin.

Journal articles non peer reviewed:

  • Daniels, S.P., Neyroud, E. and Buchan, J. (2013). Fit not fat, start as you mean to continue… Equine Health.13: 14-16.

Lay press communications:

  • Daniels, S.P., (2012) Sustainable worming. Rider Magazine
  • Daniels, S.P., (2012) The value of faecal egg counts. Absolute Horse Magazine
  • Daniels, S.P., (2012) Sustainable worming. Central Horse News Magazine
  • Daniels, S.P., and others (2009) Dear Dietician Q & A. Horse and Hound Magazine

External engagement and impact

External Examiners – BVSc Veterinary Medicine – University of Nottingham

External Examiner – MSc Animal Nutrition – University of Glasgow

CANTER (Controlling ANTiparasitic resistance in Equines Responsibly) – research working group and CANTER Guidelines Author

European Workshop on Equine Nutrition (EWEN) Scientific Committee Member

British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) Memberships committee and Chair of undergraduate thesis of the year committee

Editor ASM Microbiology Spectrum