Monday, April 30, 2012
Modern Breeding Techniques
With all the new breeding techniques available for equines, you would think the conception success rate would be higher than 50%. Click here to learn more about modern techniques such as artificial insemination, forced ovulation, and embryo transfer.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Choking Horses: Prevention & Treatment
Your horse is always happy to see you approaching with a feed scoop in your hand. He's polite enough not to trample you as you enter his stall, but he dances from leg to leg right behind you as you dump the feed. As you turn away, he can barely wait to get his head into the feed tub, mouth wide-open for the biggest bite he can get. In no time at all, his feeder is licked clean, and he's eagerly peering out of his stall to see whether, by chance, there's another meal on the way. Is this a familiar scenario at your barn? If so, your horse might be at risk for choke, the term used to describe esophageal obstruction caused by food or foreign matter.
What are the signs of choke?
A choking horse may suddenly back away from the feed tub and appear anxious or worried. He might extend his neck, stand with his head down and legs spread wider than normal, and repeatedly snort, cough, or make gagging noises. If the condition is not resolved within a few minutes, saliva may begin to drip from the horse's mouth and nostrils. This may appear as a greenish or brownish frothy discharge, often containing particles of grain.
What causes this condition?
Swallowing too much material too quickly (“bolting”), or swallowing anything that has not been thoroughly chewed and moistened with saliva, are the major causes of choke. While concentrated feed is the most common material to cause choke, horses can also have problems if they swallow corncobs, carrots, apples, or other treats without chewing them. Tough, fibrous plants encountered while grazing or eating hay may occasionally lead to choke. In addition, some horses pick up rocks, sticks, or other objects in the pasture, whether intending to eat them or just play with them, and these objects may become lodged in the esophagus if the horse swallows them.
Is choke a serious problem?
Why is a blocked esophagus an immediate problem for the horse? After all, horses can't breathe through their mouths the way people can, so the blockage should only inhibit further swallowing, right? While it's true that choking horses are not in danger of suffocation, the situation can become serious if the obstruction is not removed. If enough saliva is lost and the horse is unable to drink, dehydration is a possibility.
Esophageal tissues at the blockage site begin to swell and may become so irritated that they ulcerate. Scar tissue from this type of injury greatly increases the chance that the horse will choke again.
Possibly the most serious complication occurs when saliva backs up behind the obstruction and then is pushed into the trachea, or windpipe. Normally, the horse's head-down eating position keeps this from occurring, but when the esophagus is blocked, saliva and food particles may be forced past the epiglottis, a flap of cartilage that keeps swallowed food and water out of the trachea. In a horse with choke, some of the saliva drains harmlessly from the nostrils, but saliva and grain particles may also be drawn into the lungs, and pneumonia is the common result.
What treatment is necessary?
A choking horse should not be allowed to eat or drink, and should be kept as calm as possible until the obstruction can be cleared. Some chokes resolve without treatment, but in many cases a veterinarian must administer sedatives or muscle relaxants to loosen contractions of the esophagus. Water or other lubricants may be given by nasogastric tube to flush the material out of place. If this procedure is done incorrectly, it can complicate the problem, so this is not a “home remedy” option. Surgery is usually not necessary, but may be performed as a treatment of last resort. When the obstruction is cleared, the veterinarian will decide whether to administer antibiotics to prevent infection of the throat or lungs. He may also prescribe a diet of wet mashes for a few days to give the swollen esophagus time to heal.
Do certain types of feed cause a horse to choke?
It would be nice if the answer to this question were “yes.” If that were the case, feed manufacturers could simply stop manufacturing that type of feed, and choke would be eliminated forever. The truth is that ANYTHING the horse ingests—straight grains, cracked corn, sweet feed, pellets, chunks of apples or carrots—can theoretically cause choke if the material is too large or too dry to pass easily along the esophagus. Some people believe that pelleted or extruded feeds are the most frequent culprits, but many farms have used these products for years and have never had a horse choke. Clearly other risk factors need to be considered.
How can this problem be prevented?
Owners can make several management changes to help prevent choke. The time-honored custom of placing several large, smooth rocks in the horse's feed tub is one way to keep a hungry horse from getting too much grain in one mouthful, but this step fails to attack the problem at its roots. Why is the horse swallowing large quantities of dry material? And how can the situation be reversed so the horse ingests small bites of moistened food? When the problem is mostly related to a horse bolting his feed, owners need to determine why this is happening.
If the horse is fed in a group where he must eat quickly to avoid competition, isolating him at feeding time may help. Making sure the horse is not quite so hungry at mealtime, either by feeding some hay before grain or by feeding smaller meals more frequently, may slow the greedy eater.
Inadequate saliva is often linked to choke. If a horse is uncomfortable when chewing because his teeth need to be floated (filed smooth), he will chew less and therefore may not produce enough saliva to moisten his food. Teeth should be checked once or twice a year. Minor corrections can increase comfort and encourage the horse to chew grain more thoroughly.
Low saliva production and dry throat membranes may also be related to dehydration, which can occur as a result of prolonged exercise, heavy lactation, competition for water supply, low intake of salt, or poor water quality. Water tank heaters, while keeping tanks ice-free, may also lead to dehydration. So-called “stray voltage” is hard to detect, but levels too low for a human to feel will back thirsty horses away from a defective tank heater. If owners suspect this problem, an electrician can evaluate the power supply and suggest ways to eliminate shocking horses as they try to drink.
Horses that are ill or exhausted may not have the energy to chew their food well, and wet feeds can reduce the risk that these horses will choke. Owners can soak beet pulp and hay before feeding, and can add water to dry feeds such as pellets and alfalfa cubes.
What are the signs of choke?
A choking horse may suddenly back away from the feed tub and appear anxious or worried. He might extend his neck, stand with his head down and legs spread wider than normal, and repeatedly snort, cough, or make gagging noises. If the condition is not resolved within a few minutes, saliva may begin to drip from the horse's mouth and nostrils. This may appear as a greenish or brownish frothy discharge, often containing particles of grain.
What causes this condition?
Swallowing too much material too quickly (“bolting”), or swallowing anything that has not been thoroughly chewed and moistened with saliva, are the major causes of choke. While concentrated feed is the most common material to cause choke, horses can also have problems if they swallow corncobs, carrots, apples, or other treats without chewing them. Tough, fibrous plants encountered while grazing or eating hay may occasionally lead to choke. In addition, some horses pick up rocks, sticks, or other objects in the pasture, whether intending to eat them or just play with them, and these objects may become lodged in the esophagus if the horse swallows them.
Is choke a serious problem?
Why is a blocked esophagus an immediate problem for the horse? After all, horses can't breathe through their mouths the way people can, so the blockage should only inhibit further swallowing, right? While it's true that choking horses are not in danger of suffocation, the situation can become serious if the obstruction is not removed. If enough saliva is lost and the horse is unable to drink, dehydration is a possibility.
Esophageal tissues at the blockage site begin to swell and may become so irritated that they ulcerate. Scar tissue from this type of injury greatly increases the chance that the horse will choke again.
Possibly the most serious complication occurs when saliva backs up behind the obstruction and then is pushed into the trachea, or windpipe. Normally, the horse's head-down eating position keeps this from occurring, but when the esophagus is blocked, saliva and food particles may be forced past the epiglottis, a flap of cartilage that keeps swallowed food and water out of the trachea. In a horse with choke, some of the saliva drains harmlessly from the nostrils, but saliva and grain particles may also be drawn into the lungs, and pneumonia is the common result.
What treatment is necessary?
A choking horse should not be allowed to eat or drink, and should be kept as calm as possible until the obstruction can be cleared. Some chokes resolve without treatment, but in many cases a veterinarian must administer sedatives or muscle relaxants to loosen contractions of the esophagus. Water or other lubricants may be given by nasogastric tube to flush the material out of place. If this procedure is done incorrectly, it can complicate the problem, so this is not a “home remedy” option. Surgery is usually not necessary, but may be performed as a treatment of last resort. When the obstruction is cleared, the veterinarian will decide whether to administer antibiotics to prevent infection of the throat or lungs. He may also prescribe a diet of wet mashes for a few days to give the swollen esophagus time to heal.
Do certain types of feed cause a horse to choke?
It would be nice if the answer to this question were “yes.” If that were the case, feed manufacturers could simply stop manufacturing that type of feed, and choke would be eliminated forever. The truth is that ANYTHING the horse ingests—straight grains, cracked corn, sweet feed, pellets, chunks of apples or carrots—can theoretically cause choke if the material is too large or too dry to pass easily along the esophagus. Some people believe that pelleted or extruded feeds are the most frequent culprits, but many farms have used these products for years and have never had a horse choke. Clearly other risk factors need to be considered.
How can this problem be prevented?
Owners can make several management changes to help prevent choke. The time-honored custom of placing several large, smooth rocks in the horse's feed tub is one way to keep a hungry horse from getting too much grain in one mouthful, but this step fails to attack the problem at its roots. Why is the horse swallowing large quantities of dry material? And how can the situation be reversed so the horse ingests small bites of moistened food? When the problem is mostly related to a horse bolting his feed, owners need to determine why this is happening.
If the horse is fed in a group where he must eat quickly to avoid competition, isolating him at feeding time may help. Making sure the horse is not quite so hungry at mealtime, either by feeding some hay before grain or by feeding smaller meals more frequently, may slow the greedy eater.
Inadequate saliva is often linked to choke. If a horse is uncomfortable when chewing because his teeth need to be floated (filed smooth), he will chew less and therefore may not produce enough saliva to moisten his food. Teeth should be checked once or twice a year. Minor corrections can increase comfort and encourage the horse to chew grain more thoroughly.
Low saliva production and dry throat membranes may also be related to dehydration, which can occur as a result of prolonged exercise, heavy lactation, competition for water supply, low intake of salt, or poor water quality. Water tank heaters, while keeping tanks ice-free, may also lead to dehydration. So-called “stray voltage” is hard to detect, but levels too low for a human to feel will back thirsty horses away from a defective tank heater. If owners suspect this problem, an electrician can evaluate the power supply and suggest ways to eliminate shocking horses as they try to drink.
Horses that are ill or exhausted may not have the energy to chew their food well, and wet feeds can reduce the risk that these horses will choke. Owners can soak beet pulp and hay before feeding, and can add water to dry feeds such as pellets and alfalfa cubes.
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff· October 25, 2008
http://www.equinews.com/article/choking-horses-prevention-and-treatment
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Horses and Horseflies
Paul Westfall
Granville County Extension Agent
With the taste of summer that we have enjoyed instead of a “normal” spring, thoughts turn to things like growing grass in pastures, getting ready to cut hay, and enjoying the spring blossoms. We also may start to think about controlling some external parasites. One of those parasites in particular is really hard to control and causes great distress to horses, dogs, cats, cows, and people. That insect is the horsefly. I’ll include deer flies and other species of large, biting flies in the same category.
There just are not many ways to effectively control these types of flies as they only stay around the horse long enough to bite through the skin and get a meal, then they fly off. They just don’t stay around long enough for contact insecticides to be effective. The Agricultural Chemicals Manual says that permethrins may give some protection for short periods of time. Unfortunately, most of the horseflies are still around after that short period of time.
I was visiting a horse farm recently and discovered a horse fly control method that the farm owner states has dramatically reduced the number of horseflies and deer flies bothering their horses. That method is to use a horse fly trap. Even though I’ve been an Extension agent for a while, I had never seen one of these traps. I thought I would share the basic concept.
After a bit of research, I’ve found that there are actually two different kinds of traps – one is kind of a pyramid and the other is the type I will describe because I’ve seen it in action on a farm. Both types are commercially available, but I think this one is easier to build at home. The biting fly trap requires four metal T posts and a couple of yards of black canvas or rubberized canvas or tarp material. This is used to create a large, dark solid area between the posts. Black plastic can probably be used but is not recommended, as it will have to be replaced frequently due to the wind or horses ripping and tearing the plastic. A couple of trays containing water are mounted below pieces of safety glass or similar material that are placed at about a 45-degree angle above the trays. The trays contain water with dish soap. I’m told that plexiglass won’t work in this trap. It reflects light differently than glass and the flies evidently think that a sheet of plexiglass is solid and won’t fly into it. They don’t see the glass and try to fly through the clear area.
The theory is that the dark plastic or canvas pieces contrast with the surroundings, mimicking a large animal standing still waiting to be bitten. The clear glass represents zones where the horsefly would normally fly while selecting a site to land and feed. The fly tries to fly through the angled glass and bounces into the dishwater, gets wet, can’t fly away, and remains in the tray for disposal. An aquarium net is recommended to remove the dead flies 3 or 4 times per week.
I can’t say how the pyramid traps work, but I have seen the results of this type being placed in a sunny area of a pasture or in a lane next to a pasture known for horsefly activity. The horses are content to be there.
One note of caution – some owners don’t like to have the trap in the pasture with the horses. They tend to lean on the posts, bending them, or it is possible for a horse to step on a sharp edge of a post at ground level if the posts aren’t pounded far enough into the ground.
I have to say that I am not endorsing any particular brand of trap, just saying that one may be something worth trying. A trap can be constructed at home using materials that are likely already on hand on most farms, so the cost shouldn’t be too high. No insecticides are used, just soapy water, so the horses should be safe on the environmental front, too.
I’ve posted a couple of pictures. One shows what the assembled trap looks like, and the other shows the glass installed in a catch pan.
I’ve posted a couple of pictures. One shows what the assembled trap looks like, and the other shows the glass installed in a catch pan.
So I Tested My Hay. . .Now What?
You had your hay tested to make sure it will meet the nutritional needs of your animals . . .now what? What do all those numbers mean? Hopefully this will help!
Dry Matter (DM) is the amount of dry matter in the forage. It should be at least 80% but 85% and above is preferable to prevent heating during storage, forage deterioration and combustion.
Crude Protein (CP) is the amount of Nitrogen. It varies depending on species, stage of maturity and fertilization but is generally between 15-23% for legumes and 8-18% for grasses.
Unavailable Protein is the portion of protein that is bound and therefore un-useable by the animal. Small percentages of unavailable protein are normal.
Adjusted Crude Protein is the value used to evaluate the forage and balance rations. It will usually be the same as the Crude Protein value, unless significant heat damage has occurred.
Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) uses 2 of the fiber components of the cell wall - lignin and cellulose, to determine how well the animal will be able to digest the forage. The higher the ADF, the lower the digestibility will be.
Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) is the total cell wall – lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose and is used to determine how much dry matter the animal can eat. As NDF increases, the dry matter intake usually decreases. This could affect the ability of the equine to eat enough feed to meet the daily nutritional requirements.
Digestive Energy (DE) is just a hint of what the actual amount of energy the animal has available for use might be. It is the gross energy in the forage minus the energy that is lost in feces.
Total Digestive Nutrients (TDN) is the sum of the digestible portions of protein, fat, fiber and other nutrients and gives us an approximate energy value of a forage. The higher the TDN, the better quality forage.
Non Fiber Carbohydrates (NFC) is the measure of the starch and simple sugars in a forage. These are particularly important for horses that are prone to laminitis and those that are insulin resistant.
Ash is the total mineral content of the forage. This includes the minerals inside the plant (internal) and those that are in the dirt picked up during the harvesting process (external). The average internal ash for legumes is around 8% and 6% for grasses, anything more would be from the external sources (dirt/soil accumulated during harvesting, raking and baling). The average ash content for all types of hay is between 9-10%.
Minerals are essential to the health and wellbeing of all animals. Most feed reports analyze forages for Calcium, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Copper, Iron, Manganese and Zinc. The daily recommended values of these minerals will change depending on age, weight and activity level so you should check with your veterinarian or local extension agent after receiving your results to see if your forage will meet these needs.
For more information about how to test your hay and interpret the report, contact your local livestock agent.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Horse owners urged to vaccinate horses early
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2012
Horse owners urged to vaccinate horses early
RALEIGH – Equine owners across North Carolina are urged to discuss their annual vaccination protocol with their veterinarians to protect their animals from mosquito-borne diseases.
West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis are endemic in the state and can cause illness or death, but can be prevented with a sequence of two vaccines.
More mosquitoes are expected this year because of the warmer-than-normal winter. Officials don’t know for sure if that will mean an uptick in mosquito-borne viruses or if disease transmission will start earlier in the season. However, State Veterinarian David Marshall says that common sense would dictate being extra vigilant since the diseases are so easily preventable.
“In addition to getting vaccinated earlier this year, everyone needs to be vigilant in reducing the breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” Marshall said. “Take the time now to rid your yard and pasture of any standing water to reduce your risk.”
The EEE and WNV vaccinations initially require two shots, 3 to 4 weeks apart, for horses, mules and donkeys that have no prior vaccination history. Neither vaccination fully protects the animal until several weeks after the second shot, so it is best to vaccinate as early in the mosquito season as possible. Marshall also recommends a booster shot of each vaccine be given every six months in North Carolina because of the extended mosquito season.
Symptoms of EEE include impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions and death.
Symptoms of WNV in horses can include loss of appetite and depression, fever, weakness or paralysis of hind limbs, convulsions, impaired vision or hyperexcitability.
People, horses and birds can become infected from a bite by a mosquito carrying the diseases, but there is no evidence that horses can transmit the virus to other horses, birds or people through direct contact.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2012
| CONTACT: | Dr. Tom Ray, director Veterinary Division Animal Health Programs - Livestock 919-733-7601 |
Horse owners urged to vaccinate horses early
Heavy mosquito season expected due to warm winter
RALEIGH – Equine owners across North Carolina are urged to discuss their annual vaccination protocol with their veterinarians to protect their animals from mosquito-borne diseases.West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis are endemic in the state and can cause illness or death, but can be prevented with a sequence of two vaccines.
More mosquitoes are expected this year because of the warmer-than-normal winter. Officials don’t know for sure if that will mean an uptick in mosquito-borne viruses or if disease transmission will start earlier in the season. However, State Veterinarian David Marshall says that common sense would dictate being extra vigilant since the diseases are so easily preventable.
“In addition to getting vaccinated earlier this year, everyone needs to be vigilant in reducing the breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” Marshall said. “Take the time now to rid your yard and pasture of any standing water to reduce your risk.”
The EEE and WNV vaccinations initially require two shots, 3 to 4 weeks apart, for horses, mules and donkeys that have no prior vaccination history. Neither vaccination fully protects the animal until several weeks after the second shot, so it is best to vaccinate as early in the mosquito season as possible. Marshall also recommends a booster shot of each vaccine be given every six months in North Carolina because of the extended mosquito season.
Symptoms of EEE include impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions and death.
Symptoms of WNV in horses can include loss of appetite and depression, fever, weakness or paralysis of hind limbs, convulsions, impaired vision or hyperexcitability.
People, horses and birds can become infected from a bite by a mosquito carrying the diseases, but there is no evidence that horses can transmit the virus to other horses, birds or people through direct contact.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Trail Riding Opportunities
When we did a review of our NC Horse Blog several folks expressed an interest in learning more about horseback riding opportunities in North Carolina. When I started doing some research I was surprised at the numerous places in the state that offered a wide variety of trails and facilities. In fact it was so numerous that I could not compile it all in one article for the blog without leaving some off due to information overload. What I have done is included the state & county maintained facilities in this article and created a link to a more expansive list that will include national forest information, privately owned facilities, guided rides or hourly rental, and guest ranches or resorts. This was compiled by the NC Horse Council and can be found on their website as the North Carolina Horse Council Trail Directory at: http://www.nchorsecouncil.com/trail-map/#
Cane Creek Park (County), Union, Waxhaw, (704) 843-3919
Cedar Rock County Parks & Rec. (County), Alamance, Graham, (336) 570-6760
Dupont State Forest, Transylvania, Cedar Mountain, (828) 877-6527
Hanging Rock State Park, Stokes, Danbury, (336) 593-8480
Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center, Johnston County, (919) 938-0115
Latta Plantation Park (County), Mecklenburg, Huntersville, (704) 875-0808
Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly, Albemarle, (704) 982-4402
Pilot Mountain State Park, Surry/Yadkin, Pinnacle, (336) 325-2355
Raven Rock State Park, Harnett, Lillington, (910) 893-4888
South Mountain State Park, Burke, Connelly Springs, (828) 422-4772
Stone Mountain State Park, Alleghany, Roaring Gap, (336) 957-8185
Tanglewood Park (County), Forsyth, Clemmons, (336) 766-9540
William B. Umstead State Park, Wake, Raleigh, (919) 571-4170
The following link will take you to the more extensive list of trail riding opportunities:
http://stanly.ces.ncsu.edu/files/library/84/NCTrailRiding.pdf
Written by: Steve Lemons, Extension Agent, Stanly County
with help from the North Carolina Horse Council
When we did a review of our NC Horse Blog several folks expressed an interest in learning more about horseback riding opportunities in North Carolina. When I started doing some research I was surprised at the numerous places in the state that offered a wide variety of trails and facilities. In fact it was so numerous that I could not compile it all in one article for the blog without leaving some off due to information overload. What I have done is included the state & county maintained facilities in this article and created a link to a more expansive list that will include national forest information, privately owned facilities, guided rides or hourly rental, and guest ranches or resorts. This was compiled by the NC Horse Council and can be found on their website as the North Carolina Horse Council Trail Directory at: http://www.nchorsecouncil.com/trail-map/#
The following list is the state & county parks with trail riding opportunities which will include the facility name, county it is located in, the nearest city, and contact phone number.
North Carolina - STATE & COUNTY PARKS (County, Nearest City, Contact Information)
American Tobacco Trail, Wake, Apex (919) 387-2117
Bladen Lakes (State), Bladen, Elizabethtown (910) 588-4964Cane Creek Park (County), Union, Waxhaw, (704) 843-3919
Cedar Rock County Parks & Rec. (County), Alamance, Graham, (336) 570-6760
Dupont State Forest, Transylvania, Cedar Mountain, (828) 877-6527
Hanging Rock State Park, Stokes, Danbury, (336) 593-8480
Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center, Johnston County, (919) 938-0115
Latta Plantation Park (County), Mecklenburg, Huntersville, (704) 875-0808
Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly, Albemarle, (704) 982-4402
Pilot Mountain State Park, Surry/Yadkin, Pinnacle, (336) 325-2355
Raven Rock State Park, Harnett, Lillington, (910) 893-4888
South Mountain State Park, Burke, Connelly Springs, (828) 422-4772
Stone Mountain State Park, Alleghany, Roaring Gap, (336) 957-8185
Tanglewood Park (County), Forsyth, Clemmons, (336) 766-9540
William B. Umstead State Park, Wake, Raleigh, (919) 571-4170
The following link will take you to the more extensive list of trail riding opportunities:
http://stanly.ces.ncsu.edu/files/library/84/NCTrailRiding.pdf
Written by: Steve Lemons, Extension Agent, Stanly County
with help from the North Carolina Horse Council
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