Selecting a Hay Feeder

After buying the best hay you can find, it's frustrating to see that hay trampled and wasted in the mud. Or perhaps you're like a recent caller to my office, and have never used large round bales, always purchasing and feeding small square bales for your horses. Whatever the case, I think the research is this linked article will be of interest. It relates the findings of a research project at the University of Minnesota to see which option for feeding large round bales resulted in the least waste, and compared costs of the various feeder types. Keep in mind that large round bales require some machinery to maneuver, but can often be purchased at a significantly lower cost per ton that small squares. That savings is lost, however, if the horses waste a significant portion of the hay due to improper feeding.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/nutrition/selecting-a-round-bale-feeder/

Risk and Liability of Equine Enterprises

All of us think about insurance for our homes and cars, but most of us forget about insuring our animals.  Most horse owners think that their home insurance includes horse activities, but find out differently once a tragedy happens on their farm.  That is because most home insurance does not include claims from business activities.  It’s a good idea to check with your insurance provider to make sure you are covered for the horse activities that you are involved in.  You also want to make sure you are covered if your horse gets out of the fence and into the road where a car might hit the animal or if you take your horse to a horse show and it kicks someone.  Animals are unpredictable and there are lots of different situations and scenarios that can play out.  There are many different types of equine enterprises that need to think about insurance such as boarding, breeding, transportation, training, racing, and niche businesses.

The different types of insurance are:

•        Animal medical/mortality/theft/fertility/lose of use
•         Farm/Ranch Owners
•         Commercial Equine Liability
•        Care, Custody, & Control Liability

Major Medical Coverage provides you with reimbursement for the cost of medical and/or surgical bills caused by accident or disease.  Full Mortality and Theft insurance insures your animals against death arising from any injuries, illness, disease, transportation, or theft.  Stallion Infertility insurance provides coverage in case your stallion becomes permanently unable to produce offspring because of an accident or disease.  Loss of Use insurance will compensate you if your horse becomes permanently unable to perform the duty that you have it insured for.

Farm and Ranch insurance can protect you from fire and theft of barns, dwellings, farm buildings, stables, and riding arenas.  It can also cover computers, equipment, medication, vitamins, and tack. 

Commercial Equine Liability insurance protects horse trainers and instructors.  It covers bodily injury and property damage from business activities such as breeding, boarding, clinics, instruction, sales, and training. 

Care, Custody, and Control Liability insurance provides protection to those who care or board horses.  This might include claims from horse injury from trying to jump a fence, horses that die in a barn fire, horse death from eating poisonous substances, and broodmares that get injured and lose their foals.

These types of insurance can be pricey, but they are essential for any equine enterprise.  You will need to factor the cost of insurance into the fees that you charge your clients.

The North Carolina Horse Council has partnered with the American Horse Council for value added services such as a discounted rate on a million dollar insurance policy.  They also sell liability signs that need to be posted at entrances and gates to premises, riding arenas, trails, etc.  You can order them from:  http://www.nchorsecouncil.com/store  When hiring Certified Public Accountant and Attorneys, its important that they understand the horse industry.

Information provided by:  Dr. Mike Yoder, Associate Director & State Program Leader, 4-H/FCS;  Coordinator:  Emergency Programs and Dr. Amy McLean, Assistant Professor & Extension Horse Specialist  

Horse Barn Safety Considerations

Many people board their horses or board other peoples’ horses.  When there is that much responsibility involved, rules and regulations make everyone safer.  Here are just a few thoughts to make barns safe.

Aisles:

o   Should be free of clutter

o   Should have a non-slip floor surface

o   Should have ample lighting

o   Avoid the use of extension cords

o   Riders should not mount up in barns

Stalls:

o   Should be routinely checked for hazards like protruding nails or broken boards

o   Check feeders and buckets for anything that could harm a horse

o   Post owner/veterinarian/farrier contact information outside of stall

Storage:

o   Everything should have a designated storage place and should be there when not in use

o   Remove items that could cause injury or illness like nails after a farrier visit or baling twine

o   Clean up spilled feed to discourage the presence of rodents

o   Hay and grain should be stored away from electrical outlets

o   Chemical, paints, fertilizers should be stored away and locked up from curious animals and children

o   Ample garbage cans should be provided and accessible to allow everyone to help keep barn clean and safe

Keep horse owner/user emergency contact information easily accessible

Post fire and emergency phone numbers

Post barn’s physical address and any special driving instructions near phone to be able to give to emergency personnel

Have a human first aid kit

Have a horse first aid kit

Have an emergency plan

Taking a few minutes to write and post barn rules (and enforce them) can help provide a safer environment for the horse and the owner.

Here is a University of Kentucky document on Barn Safety:

http://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/uploadedFiles/Barn%20Safety.pdf

Here is an example of Horse Barn Rules:

http://animalscience.uconn.edu/Documents/summerRidingSafety.pdf

Estrus Detection in Mares

Mares are seasonal polyestrous breeders meaning they have several cycles during specific times of the year.  Usually the cycle period is from March through September. During this period, the open and lactating mare undergoes a series of cycles, (approximately 22 days in length).  Estrus, or heat, is three to seven days in length and is the time when a mare is receptive to the stallion. The estrus portion of the cycle must be accurately determined because it is the period during which the mare must be bred in order to conceive. Ovulation (release of the egg for fertilization) usually occurs 24 to 48 hours before the end of estrus.  Conception rates are highest when the mare is bred 36 hours before and up to ovulation. Teasing is a way to determine if a mare is in heat by her response to the stallion.  The teasing process is necessary because mares do not predictably show signs of heat, either alone or with a group of mares, as other livestock do.  Here is a short video on Estrus Behavior in Mares from eXHorses.

Here are some publications from the University of Tennessee on Heat Detection and Teasing Systems for Mares and Oklahoma State University on Reproductive Management of the Mare.

Winter Care for Horses

As the temperatures begin to drop as we move into January and February, keep in mind how the colder weather affects your horse and its energy needs. Follow the link below to a great article outlining how to ensure your horse does not lose any body condition this winter.

NebGuide: Winter Care for Horses