Equine Event Passport Available

Here is some information about a program that could be a big benefit to anyone who transports horses to events across the southern United States.  This program is called the Equine Event Passport, and the “passport” is valid for six months.  It is a voluntary, cooperative agreement among several southern states that helps to facilitate interstate travel for those who compete in horse shows, rodeos, roping events, trail rides, or any other reason to transport horses across state lines of participating states.  The states cooperating include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. 

In order to obtain an Equine Passport Permit you must complete and send in the following information to the State Veterinarian's office: Application for Equine Passport Permit, a copy of a valid health certificate (no greater than 30 days old), and a copy of valid EIA (Coggins) paper. Pictures of the horse(s) for whom the permit(s) are being issued are also required. These pictures should show full right side, left side and front views of the horse (from the tips of the ears to the hooves).  Digital photos are accepted in North Carolina and may be emailed in to Joe.Web@ncagr.gov.


Microchips and tattoo numbers are also acceptable forms of identification; however, those are not mandatory.  Owners who use microchip numbers as a means of identification on the permit are responsible for providing a microchip reader.

The application for the Equine Event Passport can be downloaded from www.ncagr.gov/vet/documents/EquinePassportApplication.doc.  There is a $5 processing fee for each permit/passport issued.  Completed applications and supporting documentation and pictures should be sent to:

NCDA&CS Veterinary Division

1030 Mail Service Center

Raleigh  NC  27699-1030

We are used to health certificates being issued that are good for 30 days, and only valid in the state(s) listed on the certificate.  This program can be of great convenience to horse owners since the passport is good for six months, or until the expiration date on the Coggin’s papers.  That would cover all of the fall show season.

Once a permit is issued, a travel log must be kept that shows all interstate movement of the horse listed on the passport/permit and that must stay with the transporter at all times.  When the passport expires, that travel log must be submitted to the State Veterinarian's office.

For more information on the Equine Passport program, go to the NCDA&CS web site, www.ncagr.gov/vet/equineevent.htm and check out the frequently asked questions along with the rest of the program information.

Hay Sampling and Analysis

Knowing the nutritional value of the hay you're feeding is the first step in deciding on how much, if any supplemental feed your horse needs. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will test hay samples for $10. This can be a wise investment to prevent overfeeding. Your Extension Agent can assist you with sampling hay and submitting samples to the lab. Here's a link to a good fact sheet from NC State University Horse Husbandry on sampling hay and understanding the results.
Feed Sampling and Analysis-NCSU Horse Husbandry

State sees first equine EEE cases of the year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2012

CONTACT:

Dr. Tom Ray, director of livestock health NCDA&CS Veterinary Division 919-733-7601

RALEIGH – Two Quarter horses were euthanized this month after contracting Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis, a mosquito-borne disease that is preventable in equine by vaccination.
The unvaccinated horses, one a 2-year-old Robeson County mare and the other a 7-year-old stallion from Bladen County, exhibited signs of generalized weakness, stumbling, depression and inability to stand or eat.
They are the first reported cases of EEE in horses this year. Last week, New Hanover County officials reported that EEE was found in a sentinel chicken flock.

“If your horses exhibit any symptoms of EEE, contact your veterinarian immediately,” said State Veterinarian David Marshall. “Several serious contagious diseases, such as Equine Herpes Virus and rabies, have similar symptoms and should be ruled out.”

EEE causes inflammation or swelling of the brain and spinal cord and is often fatal. Symptoms of EEE include impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions and death. Once a horse has been bitten by an infected mosquito, it may take three to 10 days for signs of the disease to appear.

In Robeson County, the horse deteriorated so quickly that it was euthanized within 24 hours of first exhibiting symptoms. The Bladen County horse had symptoms for several weeks before being euthanized earlier this month. Testing at Rollins Laboratory confirmed EEE this week.

Marshall recommends that equine owners talk to their veterinarians about an effective vaccination protocol to protect horses from EEE and another mosquito-borne disease, West Nile Virus. The EEE and WNV vaccinations initially require two doses for horses, mules and donkeys that have no prior vaccination history.

Mosquitoes can breed in any puddle that lasts for more than four days, so removing any source of standing water can reduce the chance of exposing animals to WNV or EEE. Keeping horses in stalls at night, using insect screens and fans and turning off lights after dusk can also help reduce exposure to mosquitoes. Insect repellants can be effective if used according to manufacturers’ instructions.

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.

Aging Horses by their Teeth

 While having some type of documentation is the best way to determine the age of a horse, there are times when it may be necessary to estimate the animal's age based on it's teeth. Below is a link to a great article, complete with pictures, that provides the basics of aging a horse by examining their teeth.

 

Aging Horses by Their Teeth - Utah State University Extension

White Facial Markings Can be Used for Equine Identification

White markings that appear on the head and legs of the horse are often described, drawn, or photographed to identify a horse beyond the basic hair coat color. True white markings are white patches of hair that have white or pink skin underneath. Injuries to the skin can cause scars that may result in the regrowth of white hairs from damaged hair follicles, and these can be described as scars, but they will not be over white or pink skin but can still be used in identification. When in doubt, true white markings can be clearly identified by clipping or wetting down the hair and skin to determine the outline of the marking. This article will describe and picture the basic white markings that can be used for equine identification.

   A star is any white marking on the forehead of the horse. A star can be small, large, regular or irregular in shape, in the center of the forehead or off to the left or right side of the forehead. Some horses have only a few discernable white hairs on the forehead that do not have white or pink skin underneath and these can be described as a few white hairs on the forehead.

  A snip is any white mark that is located between the nostrils of the horse. A snip may be small, large, centered or extend into one or both nostrils. A snip is often connected to a stripe, and many times with a star and stripe.

    A stripe or strip is a white marking on the bridge of the horse's nose, below the level of the eyes and above the level of the nostrils. A stripe or strip can be long, short, wide, narrow, centered on the face of the horse or off to the left or right side.

   A blaze is a wider white marking that usually covers the region of a star, stripe and snip, but extends to the width of the bridge of the horse's nose.

   A star is often connected to a stripe and can be described as a connected star and strip.

   A bald face is a very wide blaze that extends to and may cover the eyes, nostrils, and upper lip. Horses with bald faces often have white that extends to the lower lip as well, and this should be listed in a description of the face markings.

The white markings on the head of the horse fall into several categories and they can then be further described by size, exact shape and location. Some horses will also have combination facial markings as described in the connected star and strip from above. Again, there are some variations in the terminology used, so it is best to be familiar with these basic terms and the accepted terminology in your region, breed, or field.

 

Reference: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine

Lumberton Area Caucus of the N.C. Horse Coucil

*Announcing a Lumberton area Caucus of the N. C. Horse Council*

When: Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Where: Southeastern Agriculture Center

Time: 6:oo p.m.

Inviting all horse owners, trainers, breeders, enthusiasts and lovers to
come together and talk about horses and the N. C. Horse Council! This is
an exciting time for the Lumberton and southeastern area of N. C., there
is much interest and activity going on for horse owners and lovers here,
not the least of which is the "Cowboy Up" edition of the Southern Horse
Festival that the NCHC is sponsoring on Sept. 28-30 at the Southeastern
Agricultural Center, with proceeds going to the N. C. Horse Council
Foundation, earmarked expressly for the expense of building stalls for
the new horse show complex at the Southeastern Ag. Center. But thats not
all, and we want to hear from you horse owners and industry leaders in
the area. Please come and talk with us on Tuesday evening, July 17,
2012. Anything that interests or concerns you pertaining to horses is
welcome to be a topic of discussion! We look forward to seeing everyone
there!!!

The Southeastern Ag Center is located at 1027 U. S. Highway 74 East,
Lumberton, NC 28358. Phone number is 910-618-5699. It is owned and
operated by the N. C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

For questions about this caucus or anything concerning the North
Carolina Horse Council, please call our offices at 1-800-529-9206 any
weekday from 8 a.m. until noon, and 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Weaning the Foal

Most horse owners think that weaning a foal from the mare is just a matter of physically separating them, until they start the weaning process.  Weaning is actually very stressful on both the mare and foal.  The bond they have is very strong and separating them can cause them to do many crazy things that they normally would not even think about.  I’ve had normally calm foals to break fences and jump stall doors in order to get back to the mare.  They have also stuck their heads through temporary fencing to nurse mares on the opposite side and have slammed into doors repetitively until the latch on the stall door breaks.  Anytime a foal gets out and gets back to nurse its mother, you have to start the weaning process over again.  After the mare’s milk has dried up, you can put them back together, but this can take several weeks.  When you are sure that the mare’s milk is dried up, check that the foal is not restarting the milk flow once you put them back together.  If so, you may need to separate them permanently.  Also, you want to be careful because sometimes putting a foal together with a different lactating mare can cause them to be adopted and fed by another mare.  The weaning process should not be started unless the foal is healthy.  Deworming helps to ensure the health of foals and should begin early in a foal’s life.  An immunization program should be started when the foal is about three months of age.

      

Creep feeding the foal is very important in the weaning process.  As foals increase in age, their dependence on feed, grass, and/or hay increases while milk intake decreases.  Creep feeding is important for 2 reasons.  The foal develops eating habits to make separation easier and it meets the nutrient demands for optimal growth.  The mare is providing only about 50 percent of the protein and energy the 3-month-old foal requires.  Creep feed can be offered to foals within the first two weeks after birth.  However, very little consumption will take place at this time.  If your foal is not nibbling at the feed after 2 weeks, you may need to let it eat out of the mare’s trough, because mimicking what their mother is doing may help them to understand how to eat feed.  You may also need to put feed in their mouth and simulate crunching.  They will also oftentimes eat hay and/or grass because they see their mother and other horses doing it.  Depending on age, the foal will reach consumption levels of one to three pounds per day.   You want to look for a creep feed that has high quality protein, moderately high energy levels, and adequate calcium and phosphorus amounts in the proper ratios.  For more information on nutritional requirements, please visit this website: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/PDF%20Files/Nutrient%20Requirements%20for%20Horses%20FACT%20SHEET.pdf

When to wean is one of the questions most frequently asked by horse owners.  There is no one answer that fits every situation.  You will want to think about the health of the foal, health of the mare, temperament of the mare, environment, maturity of the foal, management level of the farm, and facilities.   The usual age for weaning is between four and six months.

The primary goal of any weaning system is to minimize stress.  There are three types of weaning systems.  The most traditional method is the abrupt complete separation of the mare and foal.  Incomplete and Gradual separations are also used to wean foals in the horse industry.  Each system has its advantages and disadvantages.  There is no one system that is right for everyone.  The complete separation system completely separates the mare and foal as a single event.  There should be no contact by sight or sound of either the mare or foal.  Generally, the foals are placed in small paddocks or stalls and the mares are turned out to pasture.  This type of weaning process requires little labor and management.  However, many foals lose weight and experience depression at this sudden and unexpected loss of their dam.  Under the stress of weaning, the foal may attempt to jump fences, squeeze through openings and fail to notice obstacles in it path.  Provide adequate exercise to use the foal’s built-up energy when weaning in a stall situation.  You also need to remember that social interaction is important in a young foal’s development.

A less stressful form of complete separation involves removing one mare from the group at a time, leaving the foal with the other foals and their dams.  Ultimately, all mares are removed, leaving the group of weaned foals in their own environment.

An incomplete separation can also be used.  This system separates the mare and foal with a fence line or side-by-side stall.  With the use of V-mesh or bull wire, the mares and foals are able to see, hear and smell each other while in separate paddocks.  However, these foals are not able to nurse and can be separated completely after several days.  Research indicates these foals in this situation experienced less stress during weaning when compared to abrupt separation.

Gradual separation of the mare and foal may be used by horse operations as an alternative to complete and incomplete separation.  Under this system, the mare and foal are separated for a certain period of time each day. The length and number of separations are increased until finally the foal is never returned to the mare.  A period of 5-10 days could be used to wean the foals.  Although this method may be less stressful on the foal, it requires more time and labor to complete the weaning.

Each horse owner must find the system that is less stressful and causes increased growth and productivity of foals, while still being feasible for the conditions of their farm.  Reductions in productivity losses, which often occur during weaning, would result in larger, healthier foals.

One of the best ways of lessening the weaning stress is to maintain the foal in familiar surroundings.  This can be accomplished by leaving the foal in the same area previously occupied and/or by weaning with other foals of like size and age.  When other foals are not available, an older, non-lactating, patient mare or gelding may be used for companionship.  Some farms have successfully utilized goats for the same purpose.  The foal appears to undergo far less stress when other elements of the environment are the same and/or when companionship is available, thereby limiting weight loss, decreasing disease incidence and making the transition to independence less traumatic.

Weaning is not only stressful for the foal but is also a time for concern for the mare.  The mare usually calms down more quickly than the foal, although the time required for her to resume normal behavior may vary from a few hours to a few days.  If the mare still has significant milk production, the owner should remove all grain approximately five days prior to weaning.  Additionally, the mare should have access to plenty of exercise.  The udder should be checked daily.  If the udder becomes very tight, a small amount of milk may be milked out by hand.  Repeated milking of the mare should be avoided as this will stimulate the production of milk, and the goal is for her to cease milk production.  If the udder is still tight four days after weaning and the mare’s temperature rises significantly, or if the udder is hard and hot to the touch, the milk should be checked for the presence of mastitis (infection) and appropriate treatment performed by a veterinarian.  As a general rule, if the foal is healthy, eating well, has a companion, and is placed in a safe environment, the chances of a successful weaning program are great!

Myths about Cooling your Horse in the HEAT!!!

As we are experiencing temperatures above 100 degrees, the competitive season for horse shows, racing and other equine event are still going on as planned. Symptoms such as reduced skin elasticity and capillary refill time, anhidrosis (failure of the sweat glands), colic due to decreased water content of digesta, and hyperthermia may all be due to heat-induced disruption of the horse's normal water and electrolyte balance. Many horse owners don't realize that only about 25% of the energy used in the performance horse's working muscles is converted to actual muscle movement. The remaining 75% loss of efficiency is represented by waste heat that becomes very difficult for the horse to dissipate in hot and humid weather.
Unfortunately, the problems described above are often partly brought on by poor management due to some common misconceptions among horse owners and trainers. Kevin Kline, Ph. D., professor at the University of Illnois has listed a few misguided ideas that have been found in equine publications of years past:

1. "Never let a hot horse drink more than one or two swallows of water at a time."
2. "Never give ice-cold water to a hot horse - either inside or out."
3. "Never let a hot horse cool out without a blanket or sheet."
4. "Never let a hot horse cool out in a drafty area."

Each of the above disproven practices severely restricts the overheated horse's ability to dissipate heat the way nature intended. The immediate need for performance horses to rid themselves of highly detrimental waste heat is accomplished through four main routes. These include evaporation, convection, conduction, and radiation.
By far, the most important mechanism for heat dissipation in horses is evaporation. Conversion of the water in sweat (or other sources of water placed on the horse's hot skin) into gas consumes heat and cools the horse's skin. During and after exercise, the horse's skin is laden with dilated capillaries carrying overheated blood from the body core. The blood in these capillaries is cooled to help maintain a reasonable body temperature that will allow the horse's nervous and muscular systems to function normally. Even a normally hydrated horse with no inhibition of evaporative cooling that is exercising in a hot and humid environment may achieve a rectal temperature in excess of 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Disallowing the adequate water consumption that can be used for sweating, or blocking the evaporation of water from the skin using a blanket, are very bad ideas during hot and humid conditions. These practices can result in a horse's body temperature spiking into a dangerous range of up to 107 or 108 degrees Fahrenheit (heat stroke). Although allowing a hot horse to consume unrestricted amounts of water may lead to problems such as colic due to hyperdistension of the stomach, it should be realized that a typical horse's stomach can hold between 2 and 4 gallons of fluid without being distended. So, even though a horse's stomach is small compared to other animals of its size, one or two sips of water at a time is overly restrictive when the hot horse is rapidly losing water trying to keep itself cool.
Statement #2 above has been the source of some controversy over the years because of the belief among certain horse trainers that ice cold water placed on a hot horse's body will "shock" the horse's thermoregulatory system into shutting down blood flow to the skin. This belief has been found to be wrong. Extensive research conducted during 1995 at the University of Illinois and University of Guelph and at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta proved conclusively that horses working under hot and humid conditions were better able to maintain core body temperature within an acceptable range or even reduce it during rest periods after intense phases when ice water baths were used. Liberal application of icy cold water to overheated horses helps to dissipate heat not only by providing more water to evaporate from the skin, but also by direct conduction of the horse's body heat into the water which runs off the horse, carrying away excess heat in the process. According to University of Illinois researcher Dr. Jonathan Foreman, "In our treadmill simulations of C Halt (a rest period during a phase of the equestrian competitions at the Olympic games), cold water baths were used with significant decreases in core temperatures and heart rates. No adverse clinical effects were apparent during the remainder of Phase C trotting or after exercise. Horses actually trotted more freely after bathing stops."
Standardbred trainers are probably the worst at helping their horses to thermoregulate between multiple heats on hot and humid days. The Standardbred training traditions of blanketing, limiting water intake and refusing to apply cold water to horses may severely limit the horse's ability to return its body temperature to near normal before the second heat is contested.
Another practice that makes little sense physiologically is preventing access to moving air during hot and humid conditions. During the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, 85 misting fans were placed at shaded recovery areas throughout various phases of the equestrian courses to allow these elite athletes to stabilize and lower their body temperatures. Regular dry fans work to both increase evaporation, and also dissipate heat by the cooling process known as convection. Misting fans take advantage of the additional cooling property of blowing water onto the horse that is in the process of changing from liquid to gas. The shaded areas guard against additional heat load through solar radiation. Although radiation of heat from the horse's body into the atmosphere is a potential mode of heat dissipation, it most often works in the opposite direction during sunny days, with horses (especially dark ones) gaining radiant heat from the environment.
In the battle against heat stress in performance horses, trainers should take advantage of all available modes of heat dissipation during hot and humid conditions. Making certain that horses are adequately hydrated before exercising in hot and humid conditions and providing as much water as possible between bouts of exercise is an important strategy for maintaining the critical sweating mechanism. Realistically, only a portion of the fluid losses incurred during long term exercise in hot and humid conditions can be replaced immediately. However, providing plenty of electrolyte-rich, high quality hay and fortified grain along with free-choice trace mineralized salt and water in the days after intense exercise should fully replace both the fluid and electrolyte losses. Additionally, taking advantage of conductive heat loss through cold water baths, convective heat loss through fans and natural air movements and avoiding radiant heat gain through the use of shade are effective methods to minimize the chances of excessive heat stress in performance horses during hot and humid conditions.