Made to Graze

Few horse owners prioritize grazing and forage management. Money is wasted by feeding more supplemental feed, and the appearance of the grazing area is undesirable. Lack of expertise and prioritizing of forage management may be the most frequently occurring mismanagement practice.

How can horse owners control grazing of horses so they get the “best” out of pastures, and keep them from “tearing up” a pasture? 

Follow the link below for the rest of this great article from Oklahoma State Cooperative Extension

 http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2084/ANSI-3981web.pdf

Take Measures Now to Protect Yourself and Your Horse from Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)

With July coming upon us soon and while most people are thinking about barbecuing and fireworks, rainfall over recent weeks is a good reminder to think about mosquitoes and protecting not only ourselves but also pets.  In 2013, we had 13 veterinary cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in a cluster of six southeastern counties.  Eight of those cases occurred from July-early August.  Brunswick County recorded the first case (confirmed in mid-July) but Cumberland county led the way with six cases and Pender County had three.   In 2012, Cumberland and Brunswick County recorded the only cases but they were recorded closer to September.  What this tells us is that we can't predict where and when the disease might occur.

Horse owners may want to check their inoculation records to make sure that their horses' inoculations are still effective (which they should be if the horses were inoculated in the spring) but remember that a booster inoculation is important about 6 months later.

Despite the name, the disease affects not just horses but people as well.   Unlike some other disease-causing viruses of medical importance, you can't get EEE from contact with an infected person or horse.   Mosquitoes become infected when they bite an infected bird and those mosquito species then feed on other birds which increases the reservoir of virus in the bird population during the course of the summer.  Other mosquito species acquire the virus when they bite infected birds and then act as "bridges" by passing the virus to horses or people on whom they subsequently feed and which then become infected.  

Children and the elderly are the biggest concern, so make sure to take appropriate protective measures and use insect repellents (see http://insects.ncsu.edu/Urban/repellents.htm).  We still recommend the usual measures of emptying rain-filled containers and other objects as well as unclogging gutters, drainage ditches, etc.  However, mosquitoes that can transmit EEE will also breed in floodwaters and salt marshes and for that reason personal protection is critical. Many of these mosquitoes are active at dawn and dusk and so altering our activity times can help (but are not a guarantee against mosquito bites).  Again, we also urge horse owners to consult with their veterinarian about vaccinating their animals against these mosquito-borne diseases.

I would also add that people with dogs that spend a great deal of time outdoors need to make sure they are keeping up their pet's monthly medications since some of the same mosquito species that are increasing in numbers can also transmit dog heartworm.  

Written by: Mike Waldvogel, NC State University Extension Specialist- Entomology

Face Flies and Horses

Multiple fly species may be present in and around equine facilities. Some of the more common pests include house flies, stable flies, horse flies, deer flies, face flies, and horn flies. Problems that may occur with our horses vary from minor itching, skin reactions, possible hair loss, extreme annoyance, and even blood loss and fatigue in excessive fly population situations. In our area the face flies have been noticeably more numerous and annoying than in recent years.

The face fly is a non-biting fly that feeds on animal secretions which quickly draws the pest to the horse’s face to feed on tears around the eyes and mucous around the nose and muzzle.  Their activity around the animals’ eyes allows face flies to serve as vectors of eye disorders such as pinkeye which may cause permanent damage and vision loss if unnoticed and left untreated. Extreme annoyance and agitation may also be noticed in animals that have numerous face flies present. They are also “facultative blood feeders,” which means that they do not bite and cause bleeding but may gather around wounds caused by mechanical damage or biting fly activity to feed on blood and other wound secretions.

Insecticidal control options for face flies include sprays and wipes. These usually provide rapid relief with varying lengths of control time. Masks have proven to be an effective barrier from face fly attacks for horses but should be monitored closely for fit and routine maintenance and allow for a breakaway feature such as velcro in case the horse decides to scratch and gets it caught on something.

An inclusive article on equine fly control that covers multiple fly species and management options can be found at the following link: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/PDFs/XF0276.pdf

Written by: Steve Lemons

Horse Health, Diseases, and Vaccinations for the New Owner

Over the past few months in the northeastern part of the state there has been an increase in new beginning horse enthusiast’s that are interested in owning a horse. Some of these new owners want to use their horse for trail riding and others want to get into the show aspect of the horse industry. Each of these new horse owners have all asked the same questions before they purchased their horse and those questions are can you give us a few healthcare suggestions and what are some of the diseases that affect horses? For all new horse owners I give them this extension publication and it can be found at: http://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/fsa-3059.pdf.

Written by: Jared Harrell