Buying Horse Hay

   Winter is coming, warm season grasses are beginning to decline, and livestock owners will soon be in their heaviest hay feeding season. Below is a link to an excellent article on Buying Horse Hay. The article includes information on nutritional needs of horses, factors affecting hay quality and many other considerations.
   Also remember that hay can be tested by the NCDA&CS Forage Lab for quality (energy, protein, minerals, etc.) and for nitrate levels, which can be deadly. Your Extension Agent can assist you in sampling and submitting hay samples for testing. A complete analysis costs $10, while a nitrate-only test is free.
   The article can be downloaded at the link below.
http://www.caes.uga.edu/commodities/fieldcrops/forages/events/SHC11/Buying%20horse%20hay.pdf

Bot Flies are Buzzing

You know fall is definitely around the corner when the bot flies are out.  With the nice cooler temperatures and decline of some insects, we can’t have everything in our favor!  If you haven’t seen the bot fly buzzing around and hovering over your horse, you might have seen the yellow eggs they left on your horse.  The bot fly, which resembles a honey bee, has non-functional mouthparts and does not bite the horse, but can cause significant internal damage to the digestive system. The eggs of the bot fly are what we are more concerned with, since they contain the bot larvae that can be dangerous to your horse’s digestive tract.   Bot flies usually lay eggs on the horse’s legs, flank and belly area, but sometimes even in the mane, neck, chest, throat and other areas.  There actually are three types of bot flies: the common horse bot fly (Gastrophilis intestinalis), the throat bot fly (G. nasalis) and the nose horse bot fly (G. haemorrhoidalis).  The common and throat bot flies are found throughout the U.S., but the nose bot fly is more common in the northern and Midwestern states.  The female bot fly can lay between 150-500 eggs in her 7-10 day life cycle.  What’s most important is that the eggs are removed promptly, before the horse licks them and the larvae are allowed to enter the mouth and start causing problems. 

Bot eggs require two things to hatch: friction and moisture.  The horse provides both of these if they lick or scratch an area with their mouth.  The small bot larvae will attach to the horse’s tongue, burrowing into the tissues of the mouth.  Some of the bot larvae found closer to the head will even emerge and migrate on their own without the horse’s help.  It takes about one to five days for the egg to incubate before hatching, so its best to remove the eggs as soon as you see new ones on your horse.  After about three weeks, they will leave the mouth area and travel to the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine.  The cycle is complete when the fully grown larvae pass through the horse feces and burrow in the soil to pupate, then emerge as flies after a couple months. 

Damages caused by bot larvae can be extensive.  Horses may lose weight due to the inability to graze because of the pain in their mouth from the burrowing larvae in the tongue, gum, or lips.   They may rub or bite at objects to relieve pain from the burrowing and injure themselves.  In the stomach, the larvae can cause obstruction of the flow of food, colic, or even perforations of the stomach or small intestine wall.  Ulcers, peritonitis, esophageal paralysis, and even rupture of the stomach can occur in very severe cases. 

Controlling bots is not hard, but routine inspection for eggs and frequent removal is required to minimize their effects.  Breaking the life cycle is the key.  Sponging affected areas of the horse with warm water will cause the eggs to hatch, and including an insecticide with the water will kill any eggs exposed once hatched. If you’d rather not use them, a quick method of removal is to either use a bot knife or clip the area.  Oral treatment and in most cases prevention of the horse from bot infestation is done through certain deworming products.  Dichlorvos, ivermectin, trichlorfon, and moxidectin are all effective for bots. It is recommended to deworm both in the late summer and immediately after a killing frost for best results.     

Written by Eileen Coite, Sampson County Extension Director

Recommendations for the use of chemicals are included in this publication as a convenience to the reader.  The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services in this publication does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned.  Individuals  who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label.  Be sure to obtain current information about usage and examine a current product label before applying any chemical.  For assistance, contact an agent of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension in your county.

Hoof Abscess

Due to the wet weather we have had, there is an increased potential for some hoof problems.  An earlier blog discussed thrush.  This article will discuss abscess in hooves.  Abscess is an infection of the sensitive structures of the horse’s foot.  It is seen most commonly in the sole or white line area. Abscesses can cause lameness and can be severe causing the horse to become lame overnight.  Abscesses occur when bacteria enter the sensitive structures of the hoof through a wound, thrush, poor hoof quality due to genetics or unfavorable environmental conditions, and other factors.  Some of the symptoms include pain, swelling, hot hoof wall and increased pulse in the hoof and pastern area.

                             

        Photo from Hoof Abscess – University of Minnesota Horse Extension           
     

                                                        

                                        Parts of the hoof

Picture from Care of Your Horse’s Feet - University of Missouri Extension

An abscess will take the path of least resistance and may move and break out at the coronary band.  Once the abscess begins to drain, lameness and pain will usually decrease.  Contact your veterinarian or farrier for their advice and help in reliving and treating the abscess.  Use a hoof tester to determine the area of the sole where the abscess is located.  Recommendations are to open and drain the abscess by using a paring knife to thin the sole over the abscess.  The less hoof removed, the quicker the horse will recover and be active.  Soaking the hoof in warm water with epsom salt may encourage drainage.  Thoroughly clean the hoof and flush the abscess with a germicide (iodine or betadine) and use an antiseptic dressing to clean and pack the abscess.  Horses should be kept in a clean, dry area while healing.  In some cases, waterproof bandages may be used to cover the area. Mutiple days of soaking the hoof is not recommended because of the potential to weaken the hoof.

Some tips to prevent future problems include keeping a clean, dry environment for the horse, routine farrier care, remove sharp objects from the area to minimize risk of wounds, and to talk to your vet or farrier about ways to protect the hoof wall in wet conditions.

Body Condition and Reproductive Performance in Mares

A lot of research has been done on the nutrition requirements of mares.  There are recommendations for proper nutrition for maintenance, for early gestation, mid-gestation, late gestation, early lactation, mid-lactation, late lactation, and for levels of activity or work.  Since this article focuses on reproduction and breeding, we won’t discuss the needs for a working horse.

A tool that horse breeders can use when making nutrition decisions is Body Condition Scoring (BCS).  A nine-point scale is used in horses that ranges from a very thin, walking sack of bones that would score 1 on the scale to a roly-poly, extremely fat horse scored a 9 that can roll downhill faster than she can run.  Extremely fat horses have other problems, including physiological disorders resulting from hormonal imbalances and abnormal endocrine function.  Body condition scores give a clear picture of just where a horse fits on that scale, and give a good indication of whether a mare will re-breed on schedule, or will be delayed.

Consider these points.  In a study done at Texas A&M University:

·  Mares foaling in thin condition had poor reproductive performance during rebreeding, even when the ration was balanced to meet early lactation needs.

·  Increasing the energy fed to thin mares during lactation improved rebreeding efficiency, but increases the risk of colic and costs a lot more.

·  Fat mares that foaled used stored body fat for efficient reproduction and lactation even if they lost weight after foaling. They did not have problems during foaling and had high rebreeding efficiency.

·  Open mares, maiden mares, and foaling mares entering the breeding season in moderate or higher condition achieved or maintained higher reproductive efficiency than mares scored as thin.

·  Increasing body condition above moderate levels before the breeding season did not impair reproductive performance, but was generally of no benefit unless the mares were losing weight during the breeding season.

In general, mares with moderate or higher energy stores cycled earlier, had higher pregnancy rates, had fewer cycles per conception, and sustained more pregnancies than thin mares.  With that in mind, mares should enter the breeding season in a moderate condition (BCS 5), be maintained in moderate to fleshy condition (BCS 6 to 7), and foal in fleshy condition ( BCS 7).  Don’t let the mare get to a BCS over 8 at any time.

Since mares in early lactation are using more energy to produce a high volume of milk than they can metabolize from feed, it makes sense that a mare that has some energy reserves will recover from parturition more quickly and have fewer problems than a thin mare that has to provide milk for a foal, then rebuild body tissues and reserves to reach the point where she is physiologically ready to rebreed.

There are six places on a mare to evaluate body condition.  These are the neck, withers, loin, tailhead, ribs, and shoulder.  The BCS evaluation is a blend of visual cues and light palpation of fat deposits in these areas.  To use an example of what a moderate condition score (BCS 5) is, consider the following descriptions of the six areas:

·  Neck – Blends smoothly into the body

·  Withers – Are rounded over the spinous processes

·  Loin – Back is level

·  Tailhead – Fat around the tailhead is beginning to feel spongy

·  Ribs – Cannot be visually distinguished but can easily be felt

·  Shoulder – Blends smoothly into the body

For a more complete description of the Body Condition Scoring System for horses, the NCSU factsheet ”Body Condition Scoring: A Management Tool for the Broodmare Owner” give a complete description of what a horse owner should look for in each of the six areas of evaluation for body condition.  It can be downloaded from http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/PDF Files/Mare and Foal Nutrition BCS FACT SHEET.pdf.

Body Condition Scoring is not just for use on broodmares.  Any horse owner can learn to use this tool to decide when adjustments to the ration should be made.  Keeping the horse in moderate condition – remember that is a BCS 5 – helps the owner or manager reduce or avoid nutrition-related problems.

Impaction Colic in Horses

 One of the most worrisome diseases in horses can be colic.  Colic can be unpredictable in some animals and can go from mild to emergency surgery very quickly.  The article below summarizes the main causes of impaction colic and some of the actions you can take as a horse owner to minimize the risk to your animals.

 Click on the link below for the article:
Michigan State University CVM- Impaction Colic in Horses

Water Tips for Traveling

If you have ever traveled with your horse you may have experienced your horse refusing to drink water. Horses that weigh 1,000 pounds need to drink 8-10 gallons of water each day.  When horses are traveling they may become stressed and not drink enough water for their daily requirements.  This can lead to poor performance, dehydration, and even colic.  Here are some helpful tips to encourage your horse to drink that the University of Minnesota Extension put together:

• Take water with you from home.
• Add 20 ounces of clear soda to new water.
• Add electrolytes to new water.
• Carry electrolyte gel/paste and administer as needed.
• Add a small amount of salt to grain.
• Wash buckets with a little added Listerine; horses like the minty taste!

When adding soda to water, it needs to be soda that does NOT contain caffeine. Caffeine is illegal, and can possibly trigger a positive drug test under AQHA & USEF drug testing programs and in racing jurisdictions.

Link to original article: http://www1.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/care/water-tips-for-traveling/

Management of the Broodmare

Adapted and shortened from “MARE AND FOAL NUTRITION. Feeding Management of the Broodmare” by Dr. Bob Mowrey, North Carolina State University.

One of the most important parts of managing a mare so she can produce a foal is nutrition. Mares can be broken down into three management groups: 1- open mares pre-breeding 2- pregnant / gestating mares and 3-lactating mares. In this article, we will discuss several different nutritional points on how to properly feed your broodmare.

Open and Maiden Mares

An open mare is a mare that has foaled in years past but did not conceive during the current season. A maiden mare is a mare that has never been bred. Horse owners should not feed open and maiden mares together; their nutrient requirements are totally different. For example, the maiden mare’s requirements are much higher (than an open mare) because she is still growing. An incorrect feeding program for either open or maiden mares can cause decreased growth, decreased pregnancy rates, and decreased fertility in maiden mares. Make sure you have a way to separate the two groups of mares in your pastures.

Open Mares – Horse owners can feed maiden mares the same diet they would feed a mature horse at a maintenance level. Good quality pastures need to be present and will likely meet the nutrient requirements for a mature open mare’s nutrient requirements.

Maiden Mares – They require a more nutrient-dense diet based on their body weight. Their diets must be supplemented with concentrates to meet protein, vitamin, mineral and energy requirements. Since maiden mares are still growing, calcium and phosphorus (minerals) are very important. Typically, good-quality pastures and high-quality hays are not enough to satisfy their nutrient requirements.

Body Condition

Mares that are a moderate to fleshy body condition score have been found to have reproductive efficiency similar to those in thrifty condition and actually rebreed more efficiently. Mares that have a higher body condition score do not need as much feed during lactation. This reduces feed costs as well as colic and founder. It is less of a health problem for maiden and open mares to have excessive fat deposition than it is for them to have a nutrient deficiency. Thin mares will supply their own nutrient requirements before their body will meet the needs of their foal. If there is a severe nutrient deficiency, the mare could possibly abort and have breeding problems in the future.

 

Preparing Open mares for Breeding

Mares that have an adequate body condition are able to have better conception rates. Body condition of a mare can be altered by changing their energy intake. For an excessively obese mare you can exercise the mare, reduce grain intake, increase levels of protein, vitamins and minerals in grain, or try a dry lot.

Feeding the Pregnant Mare

These mares are typically grouped into two categories: 1- mares in their first two trimesters and 2- mares in their last trimester of pregnancy. The foal does not grow rapidly during the first eight months. However, during the last trimester, the foal is rapidly growing and needs additional nutrients from the mare. Be careful with the amount of copper found in the mare’s diet in late pregnancy. Research has shown mares in late pregnancy whose diet contains copper may have an affect on foal bone development.

Fescue Toxicosis

During the mare’s last semester, they should be removed from areas that contain fungus-infected fescue hay and pasture. When mares are in their last trimester and are allowed to graze this type of pasture, they will likely have severe complications during foaling. If you are concerned your fescue pasture contains endophyte-infected fescue, you can sample your forage and send it to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to be sampled. There is a small fee for this.

Nutritionally Managing a Lactating Mare

Their nutrient requirements are already elevated and will increase during lactation. The mare must consume additional nutrients to make up for this increase. Also, during the first 30 days of lactation, the foal’s nutrient requirements drastically increase. It is important to reduce as much stress on the mare as possible during this time, as they are experiencing nutritional stress as well as psychological stress. Make sure to take equally as good of care with your foal’s nutrient requirements and health once it’s born!

For more information on feeding management of broodmares, contact Margaret A. Bell at the Craven or Jones Counties Cooperative Extension Office at (252) 633.1477.