Getting the Paperwork Right

By: Tiffanee Conrad-Acuña, Richmond County Livestock Agent

Registries were invented to insure that a horses' lines are recorded and to allow them to be identified and perpetuated. Registering your horse can be easy; there are just a few things you need to know before you start. According to the American Quarter Horse Association AQHA, each year 75% of the horse registration applications submitted glide through the process without any hitches. That leaves 25% that stall out. Of those, about 20% are delayed due to simple problems such as missing information. I was figuring up how many paperwork problems I have had registering my horses over the years, and realized that I fall into the 57% stall out figure. The biggest problem I have run into is previous owners not transferring the horse into their name.

When transfer issues arise, you have to track down the owners and pay the transfer fee for them. Because of my experience, I recommend to people who are thinking of buying a registered horse that they ask to see the paperwork. If the current owner on the registration form is not the person you are negotiating with, you may want to run for the hills. It once took me 2 years to get a horse into my name because the breeder had passed away and I had to track down his next of kin. I felt like a police detective and it took a lot of money and time. If everything looks to be in order, the day you pick up the horse before any money is exchanged, you need to have a transfer report with ALL the information filled out. If the owner leaves off their id number or signature, it can be a big problem. There could be many reasons why paperwork is not in order, such as a horse being stolen, fees were not paid, procrastination, paperwork not double checked, etc.

The AQHA website has a guide to registering a quarter horse, they offer some hints to make sure your horse’s registration gets through the first time, whether you choose to complete your application online or by mail. You can get detailed information on what you need before you begin your paperwork. They even include a checklist with dates, photos and other important information you’ll need to speed the registration process along. You can find this information at: http://www.aqha.com/en.aspx

It’s a good idea to register your horse right away, because as time goes by paperwork can get lost and memories fade. It’s also cheaper to register foals when they are younger. If you own a stallion, it is cheaper to get your stallion breeding report in on time by November 30th every year. Late fees can be quite hefty if you have several animals.

If you own another breed such as a Paint, Appaloosa, Arabian, or Thoroughbred, you need to check with that breed association to figure out how to do their paperwork and understand their rules. For example, if you want to register your foal as a quarter horse, but your mare was a thoroughbred, you have to make sure to get the mare a T number with the Jockey Club before she is put on a quarter horse stallion breeding report. You can call the AQHA at 1-806-376-4811 to get help with your questions. They are very knowledgeable in providing solutions to help you register your horse. You may also need to purchase special kits such as a parentage verification kit or an HYPP kit if for example your horse is of Impressive bloodlines or you want to race them. To register a foal, you will need:

• Date foaled
• Breeding method
• Embryo transfer date & number
• Dam's name and/or registration number
• Current breeding reports
• Foal description including 5 photos
• Six foal name choices
• Other foal information
• Tax ID or social security number
• For transfers: date of sale, buyer's name, AQHA ID number, address, phone number, and e-mail address

Feeding your Pregnant Mare

Nutritional requirements can vary greatly depending on your horse’s stage of development, level of activity, and especially if they are pregnant or lactating. When considering what to feed your broodmare, there are several things you need to take into consideration. It is important to know your mare’s body condition, the nutrient content of the feed, and most importantly what stage of her pregnancy she is in. When looking for the body condition score of your mare, you need to know which locations to look in. Pay attention to the crest of the neck, behind the shoulder, ribs, withers, crease along the back, and the tailhead. These areas will be particularly large in a horse that is more overweight, or can be sunken in on a horse that is underweight.

A broodmare’s nutritional requirements begin before the mare is even bred, and can even differ depending on whether she is a maiden or mature mare. In maiden and barren mares you want to be sure you prevent obesity and regulate their body condition so it is steady for your best chances of conception. Maiden mares that are younger (2 to 3 years old) will have higher requirements of protein, calcium, phosphorous, and vitamin A. Mature mares will usually only need a maintenance diet, unless they are hard keepers. Mares that have a good body condition before breeding will have better chances of conception. They should not be losing weight but should not be obese either.

Once your mare is pregnant, consider her nutritional requirements in three stages. The first stage is the first two-thirds of her pregnancy. During this time, the fetal size does not increase significantly and your mare should still be on a maintenance diet. Her body condition should stay constant, again without losing or becoming obese. A mare that is losing weight will have a hard time re-breeding, and an obese mare will have more trouble foaling due to weak muscles and condition. If necessary, this stage of pregnancy is the best time to adjust body condition because they can increase energy stores while nutrient demands are relatively low.

The second stage of your mare’s pregnancy is the last three months. In this time, the fetus increases about one pound per day, accounting for two-thirds of fecal growth. Energy, protein, calcium, and phosphorous requirements increase. When your mare is on a maintenance diet, good hays and grasses or legumes will usually be enough. Once into her last three months, it is a good idea to consider supplementing with concentrated feed sources.

The third stage of pregnancy is lactation. This stage requires by far the most nutrients and is a time of great physiological stress. The only other time that any horse’s nutritional requirements would be as high as during lactation is if they are in very intensive training. During this time your mare has to recover from the stress of parturition, produce milk, and often re-breed. All of her nutritional requirements will increase. During lactation, a healthy mare will produce 3% of her body weight in milk per day for the first three months, then 2% of her body weight in milk per day towards the end of lactation. If her nutritional needs are not met during lactation, her body condition will be affected the most. In extreme nutrient deficiency, milk production can decrease as well. As your mare’s milk production decreases, her feed intake should be adjusted as needed. At weaning, feed intake should be gradually decreased, allowing the mare to “dry up” faster and will prevent obesity. You should allow 7-10 days for mares to adjust to intake changes.

It is important to consult your veterinarian before any nutritional changes in your mare’s diet, and your veterinarian should be actively involved in your mare’s pregnancy. You can also contact your local Cooperative Extension office with any questions.

Gibbs, Pete G., and Karen E. Davison. "Nutritional Management of Pregnant and Lactating Mares." Texas A&M University Department of Animal Science Equine Sciences Program. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. http://animalscience.tamu.edu/images/pdf/nutrition/nutriton-nutr-mgmt-pregnant-mares.pdf
"Nutrition of the Broodmare." University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/pubs/asc112.pdf.

Laura Smith, NCSU Intern

Preventing Impaction Colic

PREVENTION!!

AVOIDING IMPACTION COLIC

posted by

Marti Day

NC Cooperative Extension Agent

Chatham County

While we all love our veterinarian, there are times we’d sure rather not have to call him or her.  Veterinary emergencies are costly and worrisome as they mean our riding buddy is in trouble.  One of the most common emergencies in the winter is impaction colic.  Impaction colic is caused by a blockage that forms due to a feed material obstruction in the large colon.  Water consumption is a significant factor in impactions. If feed material is too dry as it moves through the digestive system, it is more likely to cause a blockage.  Individual horses vary, but the rule of thumb is that a 1000-pound, idle horse should consume a minimum of 10 to 12 gallons of water per day.  The average adult horse produces about 10 gallons of saliva a day to help soften and lubricate food.   If water consumption drops, then saliva production decreases also.                                                                                                            

During winter months, horses are less inclined to drink enough because they don’t feel as thirsty and their water is most likely colder that they would prefer.  You should provide water for your horses at a temperature between 40 and 60 degrees.  Water that is colder than this will cause your horses to drink less and of course if the water is frozen, they can’t drink at all.   Water is easily kept within this preferred temperature range with the use of heating devices such as electric buckets, stock tank heaters and/or insulation of the water container.  Extreme care must be taken to prevent horses from playing with the heating device or chewing the electrical cord.

The common meal-feeding practice of many horse owners is contrary to the horse’s natural eating habits.  Horses in their natural state are continuous eaters which ensures  plentiful saliva production and a steady flow of feed stuff through their intestinal tract.   While the horse produces saliva almost non-stop, a horse that spends more time chewing produces more saliva. The more we change their normal eating patterns, the more we set them up for digestive disorders.  Feeding plenty of hay – enough to last most of the time span between meals – will help to offset the pitfalls of meal feeding.  In truth, the average pleasure horse could do right well not getting any meals of grain - just having a steady supply of decent quality forage available throughout the day.   But that’s a nutrition topic for another day…
Another nutrition and management option to help you avoid impaction colic is green grass.  This time of the year, it may be hard to come by unless you have made a plan for winter grazing.   If you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to plant winter annuals in the fall or stockpile some fescue, a few hours of that green grass a day is a wonderful laxative for horse.  With its high moisture content and readily digestible fiber, green grass will really keep a horse’s intestines moving!   If you don’t have planned winter grazing, you may be able to find a patch of something green to hand graze your horse in.  Even a few minutes a day might keep you from an unplanned visit with your vet.
                                                                                                                                                     
It's also important to keep a mineralized salt available to your horses in the winter.  While they may not be sweating out as many electrolytes as in the summer, the minerals are still important for balancing their intake requirements and the salt will encourage them to drink more water.  It is not advisable to force feed salt by adding it to a horse’s grain ration as this could prevent them from consuming enough mineralized salt. 

Adequate parasite control is also necessary for the health and normal activity of the intestinal tract. Internal parasites can irritate the intestinal tract, cause an intestinal blockage, or compromise the blood supply to the intestine.  Deworming frequency will depend on the age of your horses and the stocking rate of your pastures so consult your veterinarian for the best deworming strategy for you and your horses.

Warm water, a steady supply of mineralized salt and green grass - the combination should keep your horse and your vet visits nice and "regular"!!

Warm Season Grazing Options

Eve H. Honeycutt

Extension Livestock Agent, Lenoir and Greene Counties

For those of you who may be considering updating your pastures, there are many options to consider. We don’t have many choices for cool season grasses in Eastern NC, but when it starts getting warmer, your options for summer grazing are numerous.

Before we get started, just remember that anything you plant from seed should be planted after the last frost into a well prepared seedbed. Ideally, you should have already taken soil samples to determine if the land needed any lime or micronutrients like phosphorus and potassium.

Annual Grasses are plants that usually only survive one growing season. They are usually cheaper than perennial grasses for that reason. Perennial grasses are more expensive, but if given the right management, these will establish well and can potentially give you a lifetime of excellent grass production.

Annuals:

Pearl Millet: Millet is a great choice for most grazing animals due to it’s fast growth. It resembles the corn plant in its early and vegetative stages, but with much more leaves. Millet should be allowed to grow about 18 inches before grazing, and then don’t allow animals to graze it lower than six inches. Grazing below this point will cause the plant to have poor re-growth and your stand will suffer. Planting rate: Broadcast: 20-25 lbs/ac; Drilled: 15-20 lbs/ac; depth of .5-1.5 inch; plant between April 20- June 20

Sorghum/Sorghum Sudans: These grasses are very similar in look and growth to Millet. The same recommendations for grazing heights for Millet also apply to these. One big difference is that members of the Sorghum family contain dhurrin, a glucoside that breaks down to release hydrocyanic acid also known as prussic acid. This acid is released after the plant is stressed, such as in a drought or after a frost. Prussic acid can be deadly so care should be taken when grazing this type of forage. Planting rate: Broadcast: 35-40 lbs/ac; Drilled: 20-30 lbs/ac; depth of .5-1 inch; plant between April 20- June 20

Perennials:

Bahiagrass: This common grass is frequently found along roadsides because of its fast growth. However, some good varieties do exist that are better for hay and pasture, such as TifQuick, Tifton 9, and Pensacola. After planting, bahiagrass should be allowed to grow 6-8 inches before grazing, and not grazed below 2-3 inches. Planting rate: Broadcast: 15-25 lbs/ac; Drilled: 10-20 lbs/ac; depth of .25-.5 inches; plant between Feb 1 and March 31.

Crabgrass: I know it sounds strange to plant crabgrass, but it is a highly nutritious forage that grows fast and is very tasty to livestock. Crabgrass also produces “runners” or stolons just like bermudagrass, so it will tolerate continuous grazing. Crabgrass seed is very inexpensive but usually has to be ordered over the phone or on the internet from seed companies in the mid-west. After planting, crabgrass should be allowed to grow 6-8 inches before grazing, and not grazed below 2-3 inches. Planting rate: 1-5 pounds per acre at shallow depth 0-.25 inches; plant after last frost through early May.

Bermudagrass: Probably the most common pasture grass in Eastern NC, bermudagrass has a lot of research behind it to help you choose a good variety. Seeded bermudagrass can be expensive because of it’s popularity, but is overall a good choice for all livestock. It tolerates close, continuous grazing because it stores it’s energy in the “runners” and rhizomes under the ground. After planting, bermudagrass should be allowed to grow 6-8 inches before grazing, and not grazed below 2-3 inches. Planting rate: Broadcast 6-8 lbs/ac; Drilled 10-20 lbs/ac; depth .25-.5 inches; plant by April 15- or through July if irrigated.

These are a few options for warm season grazing. If you have any questions, please call your local Extension office.