FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2016
CONTACT: Jen Kendrick, public information officer, NCDA&CS Public Affairs Division
919-707-3005
RALEIGH
– North Carolina horse owners are urged to vaccinate their equine after
two horses in Horry County, South Carolina contracted Eastern Equine
Encephalomyelitis within the past three weeks. EEE is a mosquito-borne
disease that is preventable in equine by vaccination. Horry County is
the northern-most coastal county in South Carolina and borders Brunswick
County in North Carolina.
EEE causes inflammation or
swelling of the brain and spinal cord and is usually fatal. Symptoms
includ
e 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.
“If your horses exhibit any symptoms of EEE, contact your veterinarian immediately,” said State Veterinarian Doug Meckes. Meckes
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 combo vaccination initially
requires two shots, 30 days apart, for horses, mules and donkeys that
have no prior vaccination history. Meckes recommends a booster shot
every six months.
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 viruses
to other horses, birds or people through direct contact.
Monday, June 27, 2016
Understanding the Different Gaits of Gaited Horse Breeds
Gaited horses have been increasing in popularity over the last 20 years in the United States, particularly among trail riding enthusiasts. Gaited horses have gained popularity for their generally willing and laid-back temperaments, versatility, and, of course, the smooth and comfortable ride that they provide. There are several breeds of gaited horses, with each breed performing a unique, smooth gait. While many of these horses can also trot (although undesirable in most situations) and canter, they have been selectively bred for years to hone in on their breed-specific gait. While there are many breeds of gaited horses, this article will focus particularly on the particular gaits unique to the Tennessee Walking Horse, Spotted Saddle Horse, Racking Horse, Paso Fino, Peruvian Horse, Missouri Fox Trotter, Icelandic Horse, and Rocky Mountain Horse.
Tennessee Walking Horse
The Tennessee Walking Horse is a light horse breed founded in middle Tennessee and is a composition of Narragansett and Candadian Pacer, Standardbred, Thoroughbred, Morgan, and American Saddlebred stock. Originally bred as a utility horse, the breed easily adapts to english and western gear, and its calm, docile temperament combined with naturally smooth and easy gaits insure the popularity of the Tennessee Walking Horse as the "world's greatest show, trail, and pleasure horse."
The Running Walk is the gait for which the walking horse is most noted. This extra-smooth, gliding gait is a bold four beat step with each foot leaving and striking the ground separately at regular intervals. The pattern for this step is left hind foot, left front foot, right hind foot, right front foot, creating a square four beat step. The forelegs should move straight, breaking at the knees and reaching forward. The motion of the hind foot moving over the front track creates overstride. The rear legs should follow through close to the ground in a comfortable overstriding step. In the flat walk the horse should have a vertical head nod from the withers, nodding up and down where the neck and head moves, not just the head. The horse should carry his neck higher than his topline, but not so high that there is straining or hollowing out in the back. Proper form should never be sacrificed for excessive speed in a good running walk. The breed can travel 10 to 20 miles per hour at this gait. As the speed is increased, the horse over-steps the front track with the back by a distance of six to eighteen inches. The more "stride" the horse has, the better "walker" it is considered to be. It is this motion that gives the rider a feeling of gliding through the air as if propelled by some powerful but smooth-running machine. The running walk is a smooth, easy gait for both horse and rider. A true Tennessee Walking Horse will continue to nod while performing the running walk.
Information from www.twhbea.com and www.walkinghorseowners.com
Racking Horse
Since the time America began, the Racking Horse has been legendary for its beauty, stamina and calm disposition, this noble animal’s popularity grew strong on the great southern plantations before the Civil War. It was learned that the horse could be ridden comfortably for hours because of its smooth, natural gait.
The racking horse should exhibit a true four beat gait with an effortlessness of motion and quality of gait should not be sacrificed for speed. In the rack, each foot should be the on ground separately. The rack has also been called the "singlefoot" gait for this reason. While the footfall pattern of the rack is the same as that of the running walk, this horse will not nod its head. This gait will be a very smooth gait with quicker strides than the running walk. The horse should move with a long stride and the hocks should move with horizontal action, while the front legs will show elevation.
Information from www.rackinghorse.org
Spotted Saddle Horse
A Spotted Saddle Horse is simply a smooth gaited horse with paint or pinto coloration, and many time these horses may be double registered (or even triple registered) with other gaited breed registries. The Spotted Saddle Horse should exhibit a true four beat gait with an effortlessness of motion. The horse will be of the walking type or racking type. As such, the gait performed is referred to as the "show gait" and is defined as a smooth easy gait with a smooth back end, with the horse under control and the head set. The back end should be smooth and the exhibitor should exhibit an easy, comfortable ride.
Information from www.sshbea.org
Paso Fino
The Paso Fino's journey to the Americas began more than 500 years ago with the importation of Andalusians, Spanish Barbs from North Africa, and smooth-gaited Spanish Jennets from Spain by the Spanish Conquistadors. They were bred for their stamina, smooth gait, and beauty and served as the foundation stock for remount stallions of the Conquistadors. The Paso Fino resulted from centuries of selective breeding by those who colonized the Caribbean and Latin America and first flourished in Puerto Rico and Colombia. The Paso Fino is adorned with the title "Smoothest Riding Horse in the World."
The Paso Fino is born with a gait unique to the breed that is smooth, rhythmic, purposeful, strait, balanced in flexion, and synchronous front to rear, using all four legs with precision and harmony. It is an evenly spaced four beat lateral gait with each foot striking the ground independently in a regular sequence creating a rapid, unbroken rhythm. The Paso Fino gait is performed at three forward speeds with varying degrees of collection. In all speeds of the gait, the rider should appear virtually motionless in the saddle and there should be no perceptible up and down motion of the horse's croup. The Classic Fino is done in full collection with very slow forward speed. The footfall is extremely rapid while the steps and extension are exceedingly short. The Paso Corto exhibits moderate forward speed with full to moderate collection where the steps are ground-covering, but unhurried. The Paso Largo is the fastest speed of the gait, executed with a longer extension and stride, and moderate to minimal collection.
Information from www.pfha.org
Peruvian Horse
Although the Peruvian Horse shares some common ancestors in the Old World breeds with the Paso Fino, the horses that gave rise to each breed came to the Americas with different groups of settlers and were generated in separate environments for separate purposes. The Peruvian Horse was born entirely within the borders of Peru.
The Peruvian Horse exhibits basically the same smooth four beat gait as the Paso Fino, although it is executed differently. The Peruvian Horse has been bred for a longer stride that was essential in Peru for travelling long distances. The Peruvian Horse has a distinct feature to it's gait called termino. The horse will perform a Paso Llano and an extended version called sobreandando. Termino is an outward swinging action of the forelegs and originates from the shoulder.
Information from www.uspha.net and www.napha.net
Missouri Fox Trotter
As people began to migrate west from the hills and plantations of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia towards the Ozarks in Missouri, they brought with them their best saddle stock, largely consisting of Morgans, Arabians, and plantation horses from the deep south. Later American Saddlebred, Tennessee Walking Horse, and Standardbred blood was added to the stock, resulting in a horse who was extremely sure-footed and easy-travelling with a pleasing appearance and disposition. The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse quickly became a favorite among country doctors, sheriffs, and stock raisers.
The distinct gait of the Missouri Foxtrotting Horse is the fox trot, a broken diagonal gait with a distinctive rhythm that is created by the horse moving its front foot a split second before the opposite rear. A horse that is fox trotting correctly will never have more than two feet off of the ground at any given time. The horse is basically walking with the front legs and trotting with the hind legs. The exceptional rhythm of the fox trotting horse begins at the tip of the nose with a characteristic head shake (different from the head nod of the running walk) and continues back through the ripple of the tail.
Information from www.mfthba.com
Icelandic Horse
The Icelandic Horse has a thousand year old history. Purebred since the 10th century, this horse is renowned for being hardy, athletic, independent, spirited, friendly, adoaptable, and sure-footed. This horse averages between 13-14 hands tall and was bred to carry adults at a fast, pleasing gait over long distances. It is distinctive for its thick and long mane and tail.
The Icelandic Horse can perform five gaits: walk, trot, canter. tolt, and flying pace. The tolt is a very smooth four beat gait which is very smooth and has a footfall pattern similar to the rack. The flying pace is a two beat lateral gait performed at very fast speeds that can equal the speed of a full gallop and is used in Iceland for racing.
Information from www.icelandics.org
Rocky Mountain Horse
This breed originated in the US in the late 1800s in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky. The people living in this region wanted a horse that would be a wonderful utility horse that was sure-footed, easy-gaited, and extremely versatile. The breed gets its name from a gaited colt that was brought from the Rocky Mountain region of the US to the Appalachian mountain region and is credited for the start of the breed, as well as the breed's distinctive color (chocolate with a flaxen mane and tail).
The Rocky Mountain Horse naturally demonstrates a smooth ambling gait that glides forward. The horse moves out with a lateral four beat gait that produces a cadence of near equal rhythm. The speed may vary as long as the four beat rhythm remains consistent. The length of stride of the fore and hind legs should be nearly equal with little to no head nodding or motion. The gait should be efficient and not waste motion, allowing for the horse to travel for long distances efficiently.
Information from www.rmhorse.com
Tennessee Walking Horse
The Tennessee Walking Horse is a light horse breed founded in middle Tennessee and is a composition of Narragansett and Candadian Pacer, Standardbred, Thoroughbred, Morgan, and American Saddlebred stock. Originally bred as a utility horse, the breed easily adapts to english and western gear, and its calm, docile temperament combined with naturally smooth and easy gaits insure the popularity of the Tennessee Walking Horse as the "world's greatest show, trail, and pleasure horse."
The Running Walk is the gait for which the walking horse is most noted. This extra-smooth, gliding gait is a bold four beat step with each foot leaving and striking the ground separately at regular intervals. The pattern for this step is left hind foot, left front foot, right hind foot, right front foot, creating a square four beat step. The forelegs should move straight, breaking at the knees and reaching forward. The motion of the hind foot moving over the front track creates overstride. The rear legs should follow through close to the ground in a comfortable overstriding step. In the flat walk the horse should have a vertical head nod from the withers, nodding up and down where the neck and head moves, not just the head. The horse should carry his neck higher than his topline, but not so high that there is straining or hollowing out in the back. Proper form should never be sacrificed for excessive speed in a good running walk. The breed can travel 10 to 20 miles per hour at this gait. As the speed is increased, the horse over-steps the front track with the back by a distance of six to eighteen inches. The more "stride" the horse has, the better "walker" it is considered to be. It is this motion that gives the rider a feeling of gliding through the air as if propelled by some powerful but smooth-running machine. The running walk is a smooth, easy gait for both horse and rider. A true Tennessee Walking Horse will continue to nod while performing the running walk.
Information from www.twhbea.com and www.walkinghorseowners.com
Racking Horse
Since the time America began, the Racking Horse has been legendary for its beauty, stamina and calm disposition, this noble animal’s popularity grew strong on the great southern plantations before the Civil War. It was learned that the horse could be ridden comfortably for hours because of its smooth, natural gait.
The racking horse should exhibit a true four beat gait with an effortlessness of motion and quality of gait should not be sacrificed for speed. In the rack, each foot should be the on ground separately. The rack has also been called the "singlefoot" gait for this reason. While the footfall pattern of the rack is the same as that of the running walk, this horse will not nod its head. This gait will be a very smooth gait with quicker strides than the running walk. The horse should move with a long stride and the hocks should move with horizontal action, while the front legs will show elevation.
Information from www.rackinghorse.org
Spotted Saddle Horse
A Spotted Saddle Horse is simply a smooth gaited horse with paint or pinto coloration, and many time these horses may be double registered (or even triple registered) with other gaited breed registries. The Spotted Saddle Horse should exhibit a true four beat gait with an effortlessness of motion. The horse will be of the walking type or racking type. As such, the gait performed is referred to as the "show gait" and is defined as a smooth easy gait with a smooth back end, with the horse under control and the head set. The back end should be smooth and the exhibitor should exhibit an easy, comfortable ride.
Information from www.sshbea.org
Paso Fino
The Paso Fino's journey to the Americas began more than 500 years ago with the importation of Andalusians, Spanish Barbs from North Africa, and smooth-gaited Spanish Jennets from Spain by the Spanish Conquistadors. They were bred for their stamina, smooth gait, and beauty and served as the foundation stock for remount stallions of the Conquistadors. The Paso Fino resulted from centuries of selective breeding by those who colonized the Caribbean and Latin America and first flourished in Puerto Rico and Colombia. The Paso Fino is adorned with the title "Smoothest Riding Horse in the World."
The Paso Fino is born with a gait unique to the breed that is smooth, rhythmic, purposeful, strait, balanced in flexion, and synchronous front to rear, using all four legs with precision and harmony. It is an evenly spaced four beat lateral gait with each foot striking the ground independently in a regular sequence creating a rapid, unbroken rhythm. The Paso Fino gait is performed at three forward speeds with varying degrees of collection. In all speeds of the gait, the rider should appear virtually motionless in the saddle and there should be no perceptible up and down motion of the horse's croup. The Classic Fino is done in full collection with very slow forward speed. The footfall is extremely rapid while the steps and extension are exceedingly short. The Paso Corto exhibits moderate forward speed with full to moderate collection where the steps are ground-covering, but unhurried. The Paso Largo is the fastest speed of the gait, executed with a longer extension and stride, and moderate to minimal collection.
Information from www.pfha.org
Peruvian Horse
Although the Peruvian Horse shares some common ancestors in the Old World breeds with the Paso Fino, the horses that gave rise to each breed came to the Americas with different groups of settlers and were generated in separate environments for separate purposes. The Peruvian Horse was born entirely within the borders of Peru.
The Peruvian Horse exhibits basically the same smooth four beat gait as the Paso Fino, although it is executed differently. The Peruvian Horse has been bred for a longer stride that was essential in Peru for travelling long distances. The Peruvian Horse has a distinct feature to it's gait called termino. The horse will perform a Paso Llano and an extended version called sobreandando. Termino is an outward swinging action of the forelegs and originates from the shoulder.
Information from www.uspha.net and www.napha.net
Missouri Fox Trotter
As people began to migrate west from the hills and plantations of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia towards the Ozarks in Missouri, they brought with them their best saddle stock, largely consisting of Morgans, Arabians, and plantation horses from the deep south. Later American Saddlebred, Tennessee Walking Horse, and Standardbred blood was added to the stock, resulting in a horse who was extremely sure-footed and easy-travelling with a pleasing appearance and disposition. The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse quickly became a favorite among country doctors, sheriffs, and stock raisers.
The distinct gait of the Missouri Foxtrotting Horse is the fox trot, a broken diagonal gait with a distinctive rhythm that is created by the horse moving its front foot a split second before the opposite rear. A horse that is fox trotting correctly will never have more than two feet off of the ground at any given time. The horse is basically walking with the front legs and trotting with the hind legs. The exceptional rhythm of the fox trotting horse begins at the tip of the nose with a characteristic head shake (different from the head nod of the running walk) and continues back through the ripple of the tail.
Information from www.mfthba.com
Icelandic Horse
The Icelandic Horse has a thousand year old history. Purebred since the 10th century, this horse is renowned for being hardy, athletic, independent, spirited, friendly, adoaptable, and sure-footed. This horse averages between 13-14 hands tall and was bred to carry adults at a fast, pleasing gait over long distances. It is distinctive for its thick and long mane and tail.
The Icelandic Horse can perform five gaits: walk, trot, canter. tolt, and flying pace. The tolt is a very smooth four beat gait which is very smooth and has a footfall pattern similar to the rack. The flying pace is a two beat lateral gait performed at very fast speeds that can equal the speed of a full gallop and is used in Iceland for racing.
Information from www.icelandics.org
Rocky Mountain Horse
This breed originated in the US in the late 1800s in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky. The people living in this region wanted a horse that would be a wonderful utility horse that was sure-footed, easy-gaited, and extremely versatile. The breed gets its name from a gaited colt that was brought from the Rocky Mountain region of the US to the Appalachian mountain region and is credited for the start of the breed, as well as the breed's distinctive color (chocolate with a flaxen mane and tail).
The Rocky Mountain Horse naturally demonstrates a smooth ambling gait that glides forward. The horse moves out with a lateral four beat gait that produces a cadence of near equal rhythm. The speed may vary as long as the four beat rhythm remains consistent. The length of stride of the fore and hind legs should be nearly equal with little to no head nodding or motion. The gait should be efficient and not waste motion, allowing for the horse to travel for long distances efficiently.
Information from www.rmhorse.com
Monday, June 20, 2016
Management of Pregnant Mares
Management of your pregnant mare
The goal of any equine breeder is to keep your mare healthy
throughout pregnancy and to have a normal, healthy, full-term foal as the end result. There are several things to remember during
the gestation period that are essential in keeping both mama and growing baby
healthy.
First and foremost is nutrition for the pregnant mare. It is
important for the health of the mare and growth and vigor of the fetus for the mare
to have not only and adequate calorie intake but also the proper amount of
vitamins and minerals. A mare should receive
a diet of about 8% crude protein during the first eight months of pregnancy and
then be bumped up to around 10-12% in the remaining three months.
She should receive a general mineral supplement but you should pay
special attention to the amount of calcium and phosphorus the mare is
getting. Mares should receive calcium at
a rate of 0.2% of diet for maintenance and early pregnancy and 0.4% for late
gestation. To maintain proper
phosphorus:calcium ratios for bone health, phosphorus levels should not exceed
calcium levels in any stage of life, pregnant or not, but this is especially critical
in late gestation. Because legume hays
such as alfalfa are high in both calcium and protein, feeding these in late
gestation may eliminate the need for calcium and protein supplementation in the
diet but you would want to have your hay tested to determine exactly how much
of each the horse is getting.
Proper deworming and vaccinations are also very important in
the health of both the mare and the fetus.
Internal parasite control relies on a combination of pasture and grazing
management, manure disposal and strategic use of dewormers. Most
modern dewormers are safe for use in pregnant mares, but always check the label
first and consult a veterinarian.
There are also certain core vaccines that are recommended
for the pregnant mare. These vaccines
not only protect mom during pregnancy but also offer protection to the baby
through the colostrum while its immune system is still developing. Below is a chart of the recommended vaccines
and when to administer them:
|
Vaccine
|
Schedule for Broodmare
|
|
Eastern/Western
Encephalomyelitis
|
Every 6
months, boost 30-45 days before foaling date
|
|
Tetanus
|
Annually, boost
30-45 days before foaling date
|
|
Rhinoneumonitis
|
Every 3
months, boost 30-45 days before foaling date
|
|
Influenza
|
Every 3 months,
boost 30-45 days before foaling date
|
|
Rabies
|
Annually,
boost 30-45 days before foaling date
|
|
Potomac
Horse Fever
|
Not routine in
this area, if traveling check with you Veterinarian
|
|
Strangles
(intranasal)
|
Ask
your Veterinarian
|
|
Pneumabort-K
|
At 3rd, 5th 7th
and 9th months of pregnancy
|
|
Influenza
(intranasal)
|
Every 3
months, boost 30-45 days before foaling date
|
|
EPM
|
Ask your
Veterinarian
|
|
West
Nile
|
If
Open: Initially 2 vaccines 3-6 weeks apart, then every 6 months. If in
Foal: THIS VACCINE IS NOT LABELED FOR USE IN PREGNANT MARES
|
** Each horse should
be evaluated based upon his/her use and potential exposure to other horses and
wildlife. All pregnant broodmares should be booster-vaccinated at approximately
10 months of pregnancy to insure colostral immunity. They should also receive
pneumabort-k vaccines at months: 3,5,7 and 9 months of pregnancy. There is also
a new intranasal influenza vaccine available. This can be given in conjunction
with the intra-muscular version.
Preparing for a new baby on the farm is exciting but there
are lots of important details to keep in mind to ensure the arrival of a
healthy, full term foal. Consult your
veterinarian to tailor a program that meets the needs of your mares and your
local extension agent with any questions you may have about care of a pregnant
mare.
Adapted From:
1.
Scott Madill, DVM, College of Veterinary
Medicine, University of Minnesota. Care of the Broodmare. University of
Minnesota Extension Service. 2007. Available at:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/DI8462.pdf.
Accessed: October 10, 2011.
2.
Kim Marie labak, Veterinary
Extension/Office of Public Engagement, University of Illinois College of
Veterinary Medicine. Management of Pregnant Mares. 2005. Available at: http://www.thehorse.com/articles/15068/management-of-pregnant-mares
3.
Southern
Pines Equine Associates P.L.L.C.- http://www.spequine.com/horse_health.htm
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Summer Health
With the summer season hitting us in full bloom it is time
to really start thinking about the health of your horse. Summer brings out the
best in pastures but also brings out flying insects and flies, and the ugly
word, mosquitoes. Getting your horses their annual shots is one of the most
important issues a horse owner can tackle during this time of year. Every
region is going to differ in the shots needed for this time of year but most
veterinarians are going to recommend a coggins, west nile, rabies and either a
four way or five way vaccine. Most four and five ways are going to include
tetanus, EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis), WEE (Western Equine
Encephalomyelitis), and influenza. Along with these recommended vaccines horse
owners also need to pay special attention to internal and external parasites.
With livestock and horses becoming immune to the dewormers we have
available today, we need to make sure we are deworming correctly. Due to the
unseasonably warm winter and spring we are having parasites are going to be out
in full forces and we want to make sure our horses are protected. If you need
more information on spring vaccines or help with deworming issues please contact
your local Extension Office. Also make sure you have a client, patient
relationship with your local large animal veterinarian. If you do not have one,
your local Extension Agent can help you find one. This information was obtained from the “Horse
Industry Handbook”.
Written By: Jared Harrell
Monday, June 6, 2016
Fertilizing Summer Horse Pastures
If you have not already fertilized warm-season pastures, it's not too late. Here are some steps to remember.
1. Start with a soil test! If you haven't tested the soil in the last 3 years, you need to do that as soon as possible. Here is a link to our blog post about collecting and submitting soil samples. http://nchorse.blogspot.com/2013/03/soil-sampling-basics.html
2. Apply any needed lime based on soil test results. Most soils in NC gradually become more acidic with time. Addition of the proper amount of lime corrects soil pH and adds Calcium and Magnesium to the soil. A lime recommendation on a soil test report is like a prescription; it is based on not only the pH of the soil, but also on the density and buffering capacity of that specific soil. Over-applying lime can raise the pH too high, resulting in nutrient deficiencies and stand loss, so don't follow a rule of thumb for lime.
3. Know the type of grass you're fertilizing. Grasses are categorized as Perennials or Annuals, and as Warm-Season or Cool-Season. I'm focusing on Warm-Season grasses in this post, so I'll list the more common ones used in NC below.
4. Know the levels of Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) needed. Phosphorous is very stable and accumulates readily in soil, while Potassium is moderately stable. Your soil test results will provide an Index for these and other minerals in soil; if they are high enough, the plants won't respond to additional application of these nutrients, and doing so would be wasteful. If P is needed, it can be applied in a blend with other nutrients (possibly with Nitrogen applications, as discussed in #5 below) or all the necessary P can be applied early in the growing season. K applications can be applied the same way, but K applications should be split on deep, sandy soils where K is more readily leachable.
5. Plan Nitrogen applications. Nitrogen (N) is very unstable in soil, so it is needed each growing season for grasses, and N recommendations are based on research trials, rather than soil test results. N can be applied in a blend with other nutrients, or alone via liquid or granular fertilizer. Nitrogen applications must be split throughout the growing season to avoid over-application. For warm-season perennials, apply 40 pounds/acre of N at greenup, then twice more in 6-8 week intervals. For warm season annuals, apply no more than 25 pounds of N at planting, then 40-45 pounds of N after every grazing period except the last. One word of caution; do not over-apply N or apply it during a drought because this can cause plants to accumulate toxic levels of nitrate. Certain plants, such as Pearl Millet, are nitrate accumulators and can accumulate dangerous levels during a drought even if N is not over-applied.
6. Select the right fertilizer. Fertilizer grades are listed as three sequential numbers, such as 20-0-20 or 19-19-19. These numbers always correspond to the percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium in the blend, always in that order. So, 20-0-20 is 20% each of N and K, and has no P. 19-19-19 has 19% of all three. Remember, these are percentages, not pounds, so a fifty-pound bag of 19-19-19 has 9.5 pounds of each nutrient. For liquid fertilizers, you must know not only the percentage of nutrient in the fertilizer, but also the weight per gallon, since these are applied in gallons per acre.
After applying fertilizer, it is recommended to exclude animals from the area until enough moisture has fallen to wash granules into the soil or to wash liquid fertilizer from the grass leaves.
For more information about any of these steps contact your local Cooperative Extension Office. Follow this link to find your county center. https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/local-county-center/
Dan Wells
Extension Agent-Livestock
Johnston County Center
NC Cooperative Extension
1. Start with a soil test! If you haven't tested the soil in the last 3 years, you need to do that as soon as possible. Here is a link to our blog post about collecting and submitting soil samples. http://nchorse.blogspot.com/2013/03/soil-sampling-basics.html
2. Apply any needed lime based on soil test results. Most soils in NC gradually become more acidic with time. Addition of the proper amount of lime corrects soil pH and adds Calcium and Magnesium to the soil. A lime recommendation on a soil test report is like a prescription; it is based on not only the pH of the soil, but also on the density and buffering capacity of that specific soil. Over-applying lime can raise the pH too high, resulting in nutrient deficiencies and stand loss, so don't follow a rule of thumb for lime.
3. Know the type of grass you're fertilizing. Grasses are categorized as Perennials or Annuals, and as Warm-Season or Cool-Season. I'm focusing on Warm-Season grasses in this post, so I'll list the more common ones used in NC below.
|
Warm Season Perennials
|
Warm Season Annuals
|
|
Bermudagrass
|
Pearl Millet
|
|
Bahiagrass
|
Crabgrass
|
|
Dallisgrass
|
Teff (hay, not recommended for pasture)
|
|
Switchgrass
|
Sorghum or Sorghum/Sudan hybrids (NOT recommended for
horses due to cystitis)
|
|
Gamagrass
|
4. Know the levels of Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) needed. Phosphorous is very stable and accumulates readily in soil, while Potassium is moderately stable. Your soil test results will provide an Index for these and other minerals in soil; if they are high enough, the plants won't respond to additional application of these nutrients, and doing so would be wasteful. If P is needed, it can be applied in a blend with other nutrients (possibly with Nitrogen applications, as discussed in #5 below) or all the necessary P can be applied early in the growing season. K applications can be applied the same way, but K applications should be split on deep, sandy soils where K is more readily leachable.
5. Plan Nitrogen applications. Nitrogen (N) is very unstable in soil, so it is needed each growing season for grasses, and N recommendations are based on research trials, rather than soil test results. N can be applied in a blend with other nutrients, or alone via liquid or granular fertilizer. Nitrogen applications must be split throughout the growing season to avoid over-application. For warm-season perennials, apply 40 pounds/acre of N at greenup, then twice more in 6-8 week intervals. For warm season annuals, apply no more than 25 pounds of N at planting, then 40-45 pounds of N after every grazing period except the last. One word of caution; do not over-apply N or apply it during a drought because this can cause plants to accumulate toxic levels of nitrate. Certain plants, such as Pearl Millet, are nitrate accumulators and can accumulate dangerous levels during a drought even if N is not over-applied.
6. Select the right fertilizer. Fertilizer grades are listed as three sequential numbers, such as 20-0-20 or 19-19-19. These numbers always correspond to the percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium in the blend, always in that order. So, 20-0-20 is 20% each of N and K, and has no P. 19-19-19 has 19% of all three. Remember, these are percentages, not pounds, so a fifty-pound bag of 19-19-19 has 9.5 pounds of each nutrient. For liquid fertilizers, you must know not only the percentage of nutrient in the fertilizer, but also the weight per gallon, since these are applied in gallons per acre.
After applying fertilizer, it is recommended to exclude animals from the area until enough moisture has fallen to wash granules into the soil or to wash liquid fertilizer from the grass leaves.
For more information about any of these steps contact your local Cooperative Extension Office. Follow this link to find your county center. https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/local-county-center/
Dan Wells
Extension Agent-Livestock
Johnston County Center
NC Cooperative Extension
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