Comparing Horse Fencing

One of my great Cooperative Extension REINS (Regional Equine Information Network System) program volunteers approached me with a need for a plan to evaluate fencing on horse rescue farms. She has the coolest job as a field inspector with an animal sanctuary agency and is regularly required to make a judgement call as to whether or not the fencing on a farm is suitable and safe for the horses to be housed there. In an effort to come up with a tool to remove some of the subjectivity of that task, we sat down and devised the following rating guide. We believe this guide can be useful to many horsemen (not a gender specific title ) as they try to determine the safety and utility of the fencing on their own farms, sites they may be considering boarding a horse or the fencing on a farm they may be considering for purchase. While we were putting this together, what we concluded is that there is no one single type of fencing that can be said to be “the best” for every situation when considering expense, maintenance and effectiveness.
The following link contains the evaluation document we created:

 A Comparison of Horse Fencing

Soil Sampling Basics

   Spring has sprung, and folks I visit with are getting tired of cold windy weather and feeding hay. They are longing for warm days and green grass. But in order to have that green grass, it has to be fed by your soil. I thought it would be good to review the basics and remind folks how easy (and cheap!) it is to get a soil test.
   It is very unwise to fertilize or lime pastures without a soil sample. There is absolutely no way to know the pH or nutrient levels in a soil without an analysis. There are some indicators of problems, such as the presence of certain weeds or poor crop performance, but these weeds and symptoms can have a variety of causes, and liming or fertilizing without a soil test can make the problem worse. Also, if you fertilize without a soil sample, you could be applying nutrients that your pasture does not need, which is a waste of money and even a potential natural resource concern.
   First of all, soil sample boxes and forms can usually be found at your Extension office. Visit ces.ncsu.edu and click on "Locate Your County Center" to find your local office. While you're there getting sample boxes, check and see if the office can ship your samples to the lab in Raleigh; most Extension offices are able to do this. Sample boxes are free, and routine soil samples are also free for NC residents.
   Then, collect your tools for sampling. You will need a plastic bucket, and some sort of tool to collect the soil. A soil probe is quick and easy, but not completely necessary. You can use a trowel or small shovel.
   Select areas to sample that have similar soil characteristics. If the soil profile changes across a field, or if there is a slope and a flat bottom area in the same pasture, you may want to sample them separately. A good rule of thumb is that if an area is significantly different for some reason, and it's big enough to manage separately, then you should sample it separately. Also, keep in mind that you have to assign a crop code to each sample, such as bermudagrass, fescue or pearl millet, and the recommendations you get back from the lab will be for that specific crop. So always sample separately for different crops.
   In each sample area, collect 15-20 cores or small subsamples from random spots throughout the sample area. Place all of these small subsamples into your bucket. Avoid areas that would have a significantly different nutrient profile, like an old burn pile, or the spot where the round bale feeder sat all winter, etc. This could skew your results. In an established pasture, you want to sample down to just about four inches. When you are done, thoroughly mix the soil in the bucket, write your information on the sample box (TIP-it's very difficult to write on the box once you assemble it!) and fill the box.
    The NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services analyzes soils at their Agronomic Lab in Raleigh. Sample turnaround time can be quite long in late fall and through winter, up to nine weeks in some instances. By March, this turnaround time is decreasing to 2-4 weeks.
   Here are some NCDA&CS links of interest regarding soil sampling.

The first is Soil Sampling Basics

Also, check out Fertilization of Forage and Pasture Crops

And the Soil Test FAQ's
  

Be Prepared for Springtime Foaling

Spring can be an exciting time for horse owners and breeders who are expecting new additions to the farm.  Don't forget during the excitement to make sure that you've taken the necessary steps to be prepared for foaling.  It is really important that you're aware of the early signs of labor in your mare so you'll know when to be there to help if needed.  Decisions also need to be made as to where she will foal, and that area needs to be prepared ahead of time.  After the foal is born, be sure you know what to look for in a healthy newborn as well as how to identify any issues.  Check out this link for more detailed information!

Equine Herpes Virus - Outbreak

Do you know what Equine Herpes Virus is? How could it affect your mares? Read on to find out more.

From Dr. Michael Yoder, NCSU Animal Science, REINS Coordinator:

Attached, please find a news release documenting the EHV-1 Wild Type, outbreak in Florida. The Wild Type EHV-1 may cause abortion in mares, but may also result in neurological issues that are very serious. To date, North Carolina has not been exposed to the disease in 2013. If you wish to follow the information coming from the Florida State Veterinarian, you may find that information on the following website.

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/ai/

EHV-1 Outbreak and Quarantine Information 

March 3, 2013 

Revised information is italicized 

A horse participating in the Horse Shows in the Sun (HITS) horse show in Ocala was referred to the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine after showing clinical neurological signs on February 20th. The horse subsequently tested positive for the Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1), wild-type strain. Currently, the horse is in stable condition and continues to be treated at the University of Florida. 

Five additional horses that are linked to the HITS Show in Ocala have tested positive for EHV-1 wild type. One is located at Redfield Farm in Ocala and four are located at Miles Away Farm in Loxahatchee, Florida. One of the positive horses located at Miles Away 

Farm, has developed neurological signs and is being treated at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine. While the additional positive horses were detected after leaving the Showgrounds, they resided in Tent 3 and Tent 6 in proximity to Tent 7 which housed the index case. With evidence of more widespread exposure, the HITS Showgrounds have been placed under quarantine. 

An additional horse, with no clinical signs of disease that is linked to the HITS showground’s, has tested positive for EHV-1 and is located at Calder Farms, in Ocala. That horse continues to remain clinically healthy with no signs of EHV-1 infection. 

A horse not believed to be linked with any of the HITS-associated quarantined premises has also been positive for EHV-1. This horse is located at Tequestrian Farm in Wellington, Florida. 

The Division of Animal Industry is continuing their disease investigation and developing protocols for surveillance and quarantine release measures. An Incident Command Team comprised of state and federal personnel has been mobilized to implement appropriate control measures. 

Quarantined Farms/Premises** 

 HITS Showgrounds, Ocala – Entire facility 

 Up Country Farm/Synergy Farm, Ocala 

 Montera Farm, Ocala 

 Flutterby Farm, Ocala 

 Foxwood Farms, Pinellas Park 

 Black Forest Farm, St. Augustine 

 POD-F Farm (Littlewood Farm), Wellington 

 Brookmore Farm, Oviedo 

 Kings Ridge Farm, Reddick 

 Tequestrian Farm, Wellington 

 Redfield Farm, Ocala 

 Miles Away Farm, Loxahatchee 

 Calder Farms 

**The quarantines listed above do not necessarily encompass the entire premises. 

Premises Released from Quarantine 

 FEI tent at Wellington Showground’s – February 28, 2013 

Known State Movement Restriction for Horses 

 California requirements include a negative test for Equine Infectious Anemia, obtained within the six (6) months before date of entry, and a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) with a body temperature recorded for each horse in the shipment. Accredited veterinarians preparing CVIs are responsible for fulfillment of the temperature recording requirement. 

We are advising horse owners and trainers to contact the venue of destination for any additional requirements prior to travel. 

Recommendations for horses that have shown at HITS since February 5, 2013 include close monitoring of animals, reporting of fevers greater than 101.5 and strict bio-security measures for at least 21 days after departure from HITS. 

We are asking all those in the equine community to practice prudent bio-security on their farm and to report any suspected cases of EHV-1. For reporting, you may call 850-410-0900 Monday through Friday 8:00am-5:00pm and 1-800-342-5869 after hours and 

weekends. 

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services with continue to work with HITS management, trainers, and veterinarians to ensure proper safeguards are taken to prevent further spread of the disease. 

Frequent informational updates will be provided, so please continue to visit this Website regularly at: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/ai/. 

Additional Resources: 

More information on the Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) can be found at the following 

Websites: 

 American Association of Equine Practitioners, 

http://www.aaep.org/health_articles.php?category=Equine+Herpesvirus+%28EHV%29 

 Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, 

http://www.ca.uky.edu/gluck/BiblioEHV1.asp 

 University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, 

http://extension.vetmed.ufl.edu/files/2012/02/EHV-June-2011.pdf 

Bio-security information, to help reduce the risk of spread contagious and infectious 

diseases can be found at the following Websites, 

 American Association of Equine Practitioners, 

http://www.aaep.org/pdfs/control_guidelines/Biosecurity_instructions%201.pdf 

 United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (USDA, APHIS), 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/HorseBioSecurity_final.pdf