Introducing Horses to Spring Pasture

As the weather starts to feel like Spring, grass is beginning to break dormancy and horses will have access to green pastures.

Read the following article for tips on introducing horses to spring pasture.

https://extension.psu.edu/introducing-horses-to-spring-growing-pastures

Algae in Horse Troughs

Since temperatures are starting to rise, you’ll start to see an increase in algae growing in your horse tank.  Algae needs three things to be successful.  They are water, sunlight, and a nutrient source.  The nutrient source could be from any organic material that has blown or gets dropped into the trough such as manure or horse saliva.

While most algae don’t pose a direct health concern, certain types of blue-green algae release toxins that can lead to colic and scours.  Large amounts of algae might make the water less palatable to your horse which could lead to reduced water intake.  Keeping algal blooms to a minimum in your troughs is always a good idea.  Some solutions to your algal problem could be shade, chemicals, barley straw, biological control, or scrubbing.

Placing a shade structure over troughs can help reduce sun exposure, therefore slowing algae growth.  However, this incurs a cost and time and might not work in all trough locations.  For chemical control, unscented chlorine bleach can be added to troughs at a rate of 2 to 3 ounces per 100 gallons of water.  Chlorine burns off gradually in the heat, so you will need to repeat this weekly.  You can also add copper sulfate to reduce algae growth.  It comes as a blue crystal and often needs to be dissolved in warm water before being added to the trough.  For a 300-gallon trough, dissolve half a teaspoon in 1.5 ounces of warm water, and then pour the solution into the trough.  You’ll want to mix it up really well just like with chlorine before the horses are allowed to drink it.  If your horses share their water trough with other animals, you want to remember that copper is very toxic to sheep!  Do not use copper sulfate if your horses share their water source with sheep.  Zinc sulfate is another option.  You can dissolve 1 cup in 1 gallon of warm water before adding to a 100-gallon trough.  There are other commercial additives to kill algae in troughs.  Many include copper sulfate as an ingredient.  Always follow the label on any chemical, not only because the label is the law, but also to keep your animals safe. 

Although not fully understood, when submerged in water and exposed to sun, barley straw emits a chemical that slows algae growth.  It won’t kill existing algae, but will prevent new growth.  How quickly it works depends on the water’s temperature, with it taking several weeks at 50^o Fahrenheit but only one to two weeks when water temperatures rise to about 70^o Fahrenheit.  University Researchers recommend using about 10-25 grams of barley straw per meter of surface area.  Don’t add more straw than this if fish live in the trough, because it can deoxygenate the water, and will kill your fish.  Place the straw in netting and anchor it at the bottom of the trough.  Premade balls are available for purchase from most pond supply stores.

Adding gold fish to your troughs can help reduce algae, although in areas with abundant bloom the fish might not be able to keep up.  Regular gold fish are fairly cheap and work well.  Some people like to use plecostomus, which are known algae eaters.  If you’re using fish, keep in mind that oxygen availability in a trough is often low and might not support very many fish.  Troughs need to be deep enough so the water does not become too hot, and ice will need to be broken daily in the winter.  You will need to check your trough often for dead fish that might release toxins into the water.  Don’t forget about them when you turn your trough over to clean it by hand.  They are also sensitive to the chlorine found in county water.  You will need to put them in another container and let the chlorine dissipate from the fresh water for several days before returning the fish back to the trough, so that you don’t kill them.

Emptying and scrubbing troughs is very effective, although time consuming. Use a scrubbing brush or old stiff grooming brush for best results, and rinse out before refilling.  This is my personal choice for algae removal on my farm, because it is cheap.  Whatever method you decide is best for your situation, working to maintain algae-free water will help keep your horse drinking this spring and summer as the temperatures continue to rise.  

https://extension.psu.edu/barley-straw-for-algae-control

https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-biosecurity/how-avoid-poisoning-livestock-blue-green-algae

Tips for Hauling - Correct Driver’s License and Tags

 Having the right type of driver’s license and tags on your vehicle sounds simple enough, but is it? If you are hauling agricultural commodities, horses and livestock, there are certainly rules and guidelines to be familiar with.  This is just one component to remember when driving on public roads, hauling ag commodities.  There are many guidelines to follow and be familiar with.  Today, lets focus on the driver’s license and vehicle tags.

First, we need to think about what, who, where, and how something is being hauled. 

Is this a truck and trailer, a semi load of crops or livestock, a tobacco trailer, etc.  There are so many different situations and scenarios, and it is difficult to address them all here, but hopefully we can scratch the surface. 

Let me mention two resources upfront that will help with questions.  First, the NC Highway Patrol offers educational opportunities to help us learn.  Troopers in the commercial motor vehicle division are tasked with offering this education to us, and they are very thorough, knowledgeable, and willing to help us understand.  Many Extension Centers have partnered with NCSHP to offer a workshop, and more will be scheduled.   The second, very useful resource is a booklet created by NC Farm Bureau, titled “HAULIN’ AG:  A Guide to Transporting Farm Products and Equipment in NC”.  The booklet is a nice summarization of federal highway laws that helps us understand the many laws and regulations we must learn.  You may find a copy of the Haulin’ Ag booklet at your local Cooperative Extension Center or Farm Bureau office.

So, let’s review the rules.  The following is what I said last time, with one change:

The bottom line on licenses to pull trailers is to know the weight of your trailer.  Every trailer (and vehicle) has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVRW) listed on the body of the vehicle.  Look for a small metal plate on the front end or side of your trailer, which lists all specifications, including the GVRW.  For regular passenger vehicles, a class C regular license will suffice.  According to the DMV, a class C license allows you to “operate any combination of noncommercial motor vehicles that have a GVRW of more than 10,000 pounds and less than 26,001 pounds, as long as the driver is 18 years of age or older.” This particular law changed as of September 2008. 

There are two other classes of “regular” licenses.  These are a Class A and Class B.  The only real difference between the two of these is that the Class A is for any vehicle towing a vehicle of 10,000 pounds or more and the Class B is for a vehicle that weighs 26,001 pounds or more. If the combined tow vehicle and trailer weigh 26,001 pounds or more, you will need a Class A license, but as stated earlier, if you tow vehicle alone weighs over 26,000 pounds, you will need a Class B license.

Now is a good time to check your trailer and make sure you are in compliance.  I did just that, so lets use my situation as an example:  My ½ ton truck has a GVWR of 6300 pounds.  My 12 foot trailer has a GVWR of 7000 pounds, for a total of 13,300 pounds.  I have a Class C license, and since my combination of vehicles are between 10,000 and 26,001 pounds and being hauled with a vehicle under 26,001 pounds, I am in compliance. Additionally, I have weighted tags on my truck for a maximum of 12,000 pounds.  I have weighed my truck/trailer combination, which weighs in at 8700 pounds, and if I hauled two average adult horses at approximately 1000 pounds each, I would still be under 11,000 pounds and again, in compliance.

Please note that I am not an expert on these regulations, this is merely my research and interpretation of the law.  The real experts are the Division of Motor Vehicles and our NC State Highway Patrol force. Much of the information I have provided here can be viewed at the NC Division of Motor Vehicles website, at www.ncdot.org. Otherwise, contact the closest DMV office for questions you may have.  

For those who live close to Sampson County, a “Rules of the Road” workshop has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 27, 6-8pm, at the Sampson County Extension Center, in Clinton, NC.  Come learn all about Hauling Ag and other safe driving tips from our State Highway Patrol.  Contact us for more info and to register, at 910-592-7161. 

Eileen Coite

County Extension Director, Sampson County

Caring for an Orphan Foal

Though we don’t want to think about it happening, there are times when a foal becomes an orphan.  The mare may refuse the foal, or something more tragic happens.  First-foal mares are more likely to refuse their foal at first, but most of the time, she will accept her foal after a bit of time has passed and some work done by the owner. In either case, it is important to get colostrum into the newborn foal as soon after birth as possible to start building up the foal’s immune system. Most people don’t think about harvesting and storing colostrum from mares that have just foaled, but freezing some of this can be very valuable for an orphaned foal.

If a foal is orphaned, get the colostrum in ASAP as mentioned.  Once that is done, the foal must be taught to drink milk replacer from a bucket.  This is another item to keep on hand or to get very soon after receiving the orphan.  Mix the milk replacer according to label instructions, make sure it is warmed to body temperature, and get started teaching the foal to drink from the bucket.  Get some of the milk replacer on the fingers and let the foal taste the milk.  Gradually lead the foal’s mouth to the surface of the milk replacer, and hopefully it will realize that the milk replacer can be drunk right from the bucket.  Milk replacer can also be mixed and placed in bottles with large nipples such as those used for calves to get them started drinking, but at some point, transferring them to a bucket and drinking on their own will ease the work load a bit.  The majority of foals will start drinking after 2 or 3 offerings.  Most foals will drink small amounts frequently, so keep a small, continual supply ready.  If one is available, a “nurse mare” will work if there is a mare in early lactation of suitable temperament.

Offer a soft pelleted feed within a few weeks after birth in order to get the orphaned foal used to eating grain. Depending on grain consumption, foals can be weaned off milk replacer at around two months of age.

Housing orphaned foals near other horses will help reduce stress levels.  Also, a companion animal such as a goat has been used successfully to further reduce stress in orphans.  Management of orphans should encourage moving the orphaned foal in to contact with other foals as soon as possible.  Contact with other foals will increase grain consumption and will provide an equine companion for stress reduction.  After two or three months, most orphans can be placed with other foals who are being weaned.

This information and more on the foaling mare, care of the foal after birth, and weaning foals is available at http://articles.extension.org/pages/29126/horse-foaling-management-guidelines.