Introduction to Equine Dry Lots

Managing horses on small acreage can be challenging.  One of the challenges often faced is the need for grazing but being limited on space.  Dry lots can serve many purposes but the main purpose is to have somewhere to confine horses when pastures need time to rest and regrow.  It is important to consider grading and footing when thinking about putting in a dry lot.  Without the proper grade and footing layers, the dry lot will not stand the test of time.  

Follow along with Lauren Langley, Livestock Extension Agent as she introduces the concept and benefits of installing an equine dry lot. You will also hear from two horse farm owners that have installed a dry lot and how it has helped them achieve their goals.

For more information about equine dry lots please visit: https://alamance.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Equine-Dry-Lot.pdf?fwd=no or contact your local Extension Agent for advice.

Hay sampling, know what your feeding

Forage is a major part of any ruminant or hind-gut fermenter’s diet. Just because the hay you just bought looks green and smells great does not mean that it is truly meeting your horse’s nutritional needs. But how do we know if the hay that we’re feeding is packed with nutrition that is benefiting our horses? We sample it of course!

If you are not sure how to go about taking a forage or hay sample, you can reach out to your county livestock agent. They will be happy to help assist in taking a sample and also in helping read the forage analysis after the sample has been tested.

For square bale sampling, you will need to cut open the bale and grab handfuls of hay from random places throughout the whole bale. The samples you pull will go into a gallon sized Ziplock bag, and you will need to fill and pack it tight. Once the bag is full, place a piece of paper in the bag with name/farm name, phone number, email, and address. This is just in case the hay sample and sample form get separated.  

To sample a round bale, we need to again fill a gallon size Ziplock bag. This time we will be using a hay probe to get samples deep within the round bale. These samples will still be random and taken from all around and inside the bale. Once the bag is full, your contact information needs to be placed inside the bag.

Now that we have our sample, what are we sampling for? Some nutrients that we look at when the hay analysis comes back are Crude Protein, Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), and DE (Digestive Energy), if the lab runs that test.

Crude protein is based on the nitrogen (N) content in the forage. CP ranges form 4%-20%. The reasons for the wide range are forage types, maturity at cutting, and fertilizer applications. An adult horse at maintenance needs roughly 10% CP.

Next, we look at acid detergent fiber (ADF). ADF is the estimation of the component of the feedstuff that is not digestible. Grains have a lower ADF compared to forages, which have a higher ADF of around 40%. The higher the ADF, the more indigestible the feedstuff.

Another component we look at on the forage analysis is neutral detergent fiber (NDF). NDF consists of the digestible fibers like cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. As NDF percentage increases, intake decreases. In other words, a forage with a high NDF can be fed in smaller amounts. NDF percentages in most forages range from 50%-80%.

Finally, we look at digestible energy (DE). DE is the caloric value assigned to the forage. The DE content of the hay helps us calculate how much hay the horse needs per day and if supplemental energies (grain or mix concentrates) are required in order to meet daily DE requirements. An average quality hay DE is around 0.9 Mcal/lbs. The higher the DE the less potential need for other sources of energy. When considering DE also think about the horse’s activity level. A lower DE forage is useful for feeding a mature idle horse.

 

Below are a few labs that you can send forage samples off to for analysis.

NCDA&CS: https://www.ncagr.gov/fooddrug/forms/documents/Forage%20Analysis%20Form.pdf

Equi-Analytical: https://equi-analytical.com/

Noble Labs: https://www.noble.org/ag/services/testing/forage-sampling/

Heaves in Horses

Horses' respiratory systems are very similar to human respiratory systems with a few 

differences: just for example, horses don't breathe out of their mouths. However their 

respiratory systems do serve basically the same purpose as ours. The respiratory tract 

takes in oxygen to the lungs to be exchanged with red blood cells for the oxygen to be 

used throughout the body. The respiratory tract is also responsible for clearing the 

system of irritants such as dust, bacteria, and fumes. It does this by trapping these 

irritants in a mucus that covers the airway. An over exposure to irritants can lead a 

horse to have some respiratory issues. Respiratory issues tend to present themselves 

with symptoms such as excessive nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, or mucus secretions. 

   

As we all know, there can be a lot of dust in a barn from a variety of sources such as 

hay, feed, bedding, the horses backs and hooves as well as what people drag in. Dust 

can have molds, bacteria and other particles that can affect horses (and people’s) airways. 

   

Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), also known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary 

Disease (COPD) or also simply called “heaves'' is a noninfectious respiratory disease 

that causes constriction of the lower airways and the accumulation of mucus. When a 

horse has heaves their lung tissues become inflamed and thick. This in turn decreases 

the elasticity of the lungs making breathing more labored.

Heaves presents itself much like other respiratory illnesses which can make it hard to 

be immediately diagnosed. Some of the signs of heaves are coughing, nasal discharge, 

labored breathing, reduced performance, flaring nostrils, and a “heave line”. 

A “heave line” is a line that begins to develop after a period of time where the horse’s 

exhale takes just as much energy as an inhale.

Unfortunately, heaves is not a curable illness and it is progressive and regenerative; 

meaning it will not go away and will tend to get worse in waves. However there are 

some practices and medicines out there to help manage heaves in horses. One of the 

key things to do when you have a horse with heaves is to cut down on dust as much 

as possible. You can change over to less dusty feeds or wet down horses feed to 

prevent inhalation of dust, switch to a less dusty bedding such as pine pellets, and try 

to take horses with heaves out of the barn when sweeping or cleaning stalls.  As far as

medications, there are Bronchodilators out there that can be administered orally or 

inhaled as an aerosol through a mask. In addition, there are corticosteroids for reducing 

inflammation. However, long term use of that medication can cause laminitis or 

infection. There are also traditional Chinese remedies available through your vet. 

While it is unfortunate that heaves is not curable, it does not mean the end of the horse's 

life. If  you have a horse present with heaves like symptoms, call your vet and develop 

a plan that works for you and your operation and do your best to make the horse 

comfortable. If you do not have horses that present with heaves, it may still be wise to 

adopt some of the dust minimizing practices to help ensure that your horses stay free of 

heaves and any other respiratory illnesses.

Heaves – The Horse Version of COPD | Panhandle Agriculture

Equine Respiratory Diseases

Written by Emily Jacobs, Bladen Extension Intern