Monday, August 31, 2020

Estimating Winter Hay Needs

As the summer comes to an end, our warm season pastures, such as bermudagrass and bahiagrass, will begin declining in both production and quality.  This is the time of year when horse owners should begin stocking up on hay to feed through the fall and winter months while pastures are dormant.  Although it is a large bill to front, buying all your horse’s hay now is typically cheaper than waiting until November or December to buy hay that has been stored in a barn and when hay supply is getting low.  Some hay producers will often sell at a discounted rate if you buy bales straight out of the field.  I would consider this a benefit for both a producer and customer since labor is reduced (accumulating bales, stacking them on a trailer, and unloading into a hay barn or shed is labor intensive) and customers can usually get a dollar to two discount per square bale.  

There are several things to consider when stocking up on hay for winter feeding.  First, how much hay does your horse consume per day, specifically when there is little standing forage available in the pasture?  Horses vary on how much they eat but a good rule of thumb is 2 percent of their body weight per day. Multiplying 2 percent by your horse’s weight will give you their daily intake. For example, a 1000-pound horse will consume about 20 pounds of hay per day.  Again, this may fluctuate but 2 percent is a good starting point.  

Next, multiply daily intake, 20 pounds in this example, by the average number of days you feed until pasture green-up.  Let’s say your pastures are dormant from November to April.  That’s roughly 150 days multiplied by 20 pounds.  In this scenario, total forage consumption for the winter is around 3,000 pounds per horse. Research has shown that around 5 percent of hay purchased will not make it to your horse's mouth so let's take that loss into account. You will lose around 150 pounds of the 3,000 pounds which brings our total to 3,150 pounds to compensate. 

Now, how many bales does that translate into? Both large round bales and small square bales vary in their density which affects their weight. Finding a hay producer with consistent bales is very important in estimating how many you will need.  Let’s assume you feed square bales and they average 50 pounds. Take your total hay needed for the winter (3,150 lbs) and divide by average bale weight (50 lbs).  Your horse will need 63 square bales to get through the winter.   

After you calculate how much hay your horse needs, you also need to think about storage space.  Hay should be stored out of the weather.  Bales that get rained on become a great environment for molds to develop which can adversely affect your horse so make sure you have the room to keep them dry.  Nutrition quality also drops as hay is exposed to the elements throughout the winter. Generally, square bales are easier to store in smaller areas such as an empty stall. A 12-foot by 12-foot stall with an 8 -foot roof should hold around 90 square bales, depending on how you stack them.  If you have several horses and need to feed round bales, they can be set on wood pallets and covered with tarps to keep the moisture out. 

If you have the storage capacity, purchasing all your hay before supply runs low in the winter is a good practice to keep feed costs down.  Always remember that all hay is not created equal so consider having your hay tested for nutrient content to ensure your horse’s nutrition requirements are being met.  If you have any questions about horse nutrition or forages please contact your local Extension office.   

Monday, August 24, 2020

Pastern Dermatitis

The dog days of summer are upon us which bring heavy morning dews on the grass in our pastures and this dampness is prime for the development of pastern dermatitis in our horses.  Pastern dermatitis, also known as scratches, dew poisoning, or mud fever, is caused by a bacteria or fungi or the combination of both and can be difficult and painful to deal with. Scabs or crusty lesions form on the heels and pasterns and can sometimes go unnoticed until the horse begins to stock up. While more regularly seen on white legs, it can affect horses with dark legs as well but is not as easily noticed without regular inspection.          

     

Providing a clean, dry environment will best avoid this condition.  Keep your horses stalled or in a dry lot until the sun dries the dew off the grass will help, and dry their legs well if you bring them inside in the mornings. If your horses have longer hair of feathering on their pasterns, clipping that hair shorter will decrease the chance of development.  Also, make of practice of checking their heels daily to see if scab formation is beginning.

Prevention is ideal, but many horses develop dew poisoning “overnight” and we then have to focus on a treatment plan. First, clip the area to remove the excess hair, but do not shave down completely down to the skin. Wash the affected areas well with a medicated (antibacterial or antifungal) shampoo and allow to set for about ten minutes before rinsing.  Gently massage off the scabs that have been loosened, taking care not to pull or tear any stubborn scabs off. Dry the area well and apply an ointment with anti-bacterial or anti-fungal properties that will help the healing process. Zinc-oxide based ointments will help to soften the remaining scabs and protect the area from dampness when the horse is turned back out.

In mild cases where treatment begins in the early stages and is consistently followed-through with, the condition should completely clear in a week or two.  For more severe cases where cellulitis develops in the legs or lameness occurs, a more intensive treatment plan that includes systemic antibiotics may be required.  As with any health issue, having a strong client-patient relationship with your veterinarian is important in order to create the most effective plan of treatment when problems do arise.

 

References:

https://vet.purdue.edu/vth/large-animal/equine-health-tip-understanding-and-treating-scratches-in-horses.php

 

https://thehorse.com/14634/dew-poisoningscratches/


Monday, August 17, 2020

Should I Feed My Horse Grain?

When it comes to developing a feeding program for your horse always keep in mind that high quality forage (pasture + hay) should always come first.  To answer the title to this blog post you first need to know the nutritional requirements of the horse in question.  Nutritional requirements are based on several factors including:

  • Class of the horse
  • Body weight
  • Body condition
  • Stage of production
  • Age
  • Activity level
  • Growth

 For example, high quality forage alone should meet the nutritional requirements of horses in maintenance or light work.  In contrast, a horse that is in lactation or heavy work will almost always require supplementation in the form of grain to meet nutritional requirements.

How do you know if your forage is high quality and meeting your horse’s nutritional requirements?  The best way to know what you are feeding is through a forage test.  You can test fresh forage (pasture) and you can also test hay for nutritional value.  Then, you have a basis for your horse’s feeding program and can go from there if you need to supplement.  As you can see from the charts below, high quality forage can go a long way in meeting nutritional requirements:

Chart by: Dr. Paul Siciliano, NCSU

 

Chart by: Dr. Paul Siciliano, NCSU


Lastly, don’t forget the minerals!  All horse feeding programs need mineral supplementation year-round, especially trace minerals.

In summary, try to maximize high quality forages as much as possible to ensure a healthy gut and avoid unnecessary supplementation.  Not only will this save you time in feeding but also money!  Whenever forages do not meet nutritional requirements that is when you need to feed a supplement, usually in the form of grain.

For more information about feeding horses check out this article.