Introducing Horses to Pastures in the Spring

 As warmer weather begins to approach, there are a few considerations that should be taken when introducing horses to spring pasture. 

If horses are kept in dry lots over the winter, suddenly putting a horse on new spring pasture can cause problems for the horses' digestive tract. Horse owners should gradually introduce horses to spring pasture to avoid problems, like colic or diarrhea. 

Please read the following article for more information. 

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

Spring Forage Management in Eastern North Carolina

 

Many of us are looking forward to warmer weather and longer days.   If you manage a pasture for horses, or are planning to plant one, now is the time to make those final management decisions and plans.  What you do now will ensure spring pasture growth starts off right and leads into a productive summer.

 

For those wanting to plant a new pasture or hay field, your first decision will be what to grow.  For those who live in the Coastal Plain part of NC, bermudagrass or another warm season grass may be what you choose to grow and/or manage.  Are you interested in growing hybrid bermudagrass, or maybe a seeded variety?  There is a difference, starting with when and how to get this done.  Hybrids spread and reproduce by stolons (above ground growth) and rhizomes (below ground growth).  Any seeds seen on a hybrid plant are sterile, so we must start a field by planting “sprigs” which are small plants that have been dug from an established field and then re-planted to a new field.  Hybrid bermudagrass, such as Coastal, Tifton 44, or Midland 99 should ideally be planted anywhere from mid- February to mid-March.  There are sprig suppliers in the area that sell and will deliver sprigs to your field.  Extension can assist with contacts to sprig suppliers if this is your choice.  Seeded varieties of bermudgrass are also available and may be a better choice for small acreage locations or the flexibility of later planting dates.

 

Of course, there are other forage choices you might decide to plant.  Bermudagrass is a perennial plant, which will grow throughout the spring and summer and become dormant during the winter months but come back again the next year, and that is one reason it is often preferred.  However, there are annual grasses that could be planted, such as pearl millet or crabgrass, and these will grow well and provide plenty of grazing throughout the warmer months too.  If you want the flexibility of planting something new each season, an annual such as these may be a better choice for you.  

 

 

 

Either way, if a soil sample has not been taken in the past 2-3 years, it’s time to take one. Ideally, a soil sample is taken prior to the growing season, but anytime is better than none. Soil fertility changes over time and may not always be optimum for forage growth. Both establishing and planting forages for new pastures and maintaining fertility on existing pastures require soil sampling.   Pastures in southeastern NC will need to maintain around a 6-6.5 pH for maximum productivity.  Soil pH tends to drop off over time and additional lime may need to be applied in order to bring these levels back to normal. The soil sample will provide useful information with both lime recommendations and fertilization needs. Stop by the Extension office to pick up a soil test box and instructions on sampling.   

 

Another important step to starting off spring growth is fertilization.  Meeting the needs of the plant will allow for the optimum production of the crop, whether for grazing or hay.  Fertilization for warm season grasses should be applied in split applications throughout the growing season, generally with the first application in April or early May.  Again, the soil test is a handy tool in knowing what the nutrient needs of your pasture are, being based on what is currently available in the soil and depending on the type of pasture you are growing. 

 

Along with the spring growth of our pastures, comes the growth of various weeds.  There are several products on the market to help with this.  Emerging warm season weeds, such as pigweed, dogfennel, bitter sneezeweed, sicklepod, and horsenettle can be effectively controlled as long as they are treated while still immature.  At the same time, chemical herbicides generally work best when applied in moderate temperatures (60 degrees or better). A precaution to note: some herbicides are damaging to neighboring crops, such as tobacco and cotton, so be careful to select a safe product if these crops have been planted close by.  Choosing to apply herbicides during calmer days or times of the day is also a good idea as wind will carry these chemicals farther than you might think. 

 

In addition to controlling broadleaf weeds that invade our pastures and hay fields, there now are more options for grass-type weeds.  Many fields battle competition from crabgrass, bahiagrass, goosegrass, and vaseygrass just to name a few.  Once you’ve identified the weed or weeds you are dealing with, a selection can be made of the most ideal, appropriate, yet economical method or chemical to achieve this goal.   Your county agricultural extension agent will be glad to assist you in decisions to get your spring pastures started off right.

 

 

The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services in this article does not imply endorsement by North Carolina State University nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned.

To Graze or Not To Graze?

 

Individual horse's needs are different and we have to put that first when choosing the best management.  The purpose of this blog post is to make you think and consider if grazing is the best option based on your horse’s needs and situation.  Here are some questions to consider before grazing:

·         Does your horse need to be on a strict diet based on weight issues, metabolic disease, past health problems, allergies, laminitis, etc.?

·         Is pasture space limited for the number of horses?

·         Are you breeding horses and have KY 31 tall fescue pastures?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above you may want to consider installing an equine dry lot to manage those specific horses/situations.  Let’s take the overweight horse for example.  If your horse is overweight and possibly prone to developing laminitis then it is crucial that you know exactly what the horse is taking in.  Pasture “calories” can change with the time of day, grass species, weather, etc. so the horse could be taking in more than it needs or less depending on several factors.  It may be best to formulate a diet that can be consistent and measured through forage analysis so you know what the horse is taking in each day. 

Dry lots are a great alternative to grazing when more space is needed for exercise but not calorie intake.  Some issues are so complex that it is just hard to make grazing work even with limited turnout, grazing muzzles, and poor forage quality pastures.  Consult with your veterinarian and Livestock Extension Agent to come up with a plan that works for you and your horse today!      

For more on special diets and nutrition issues please visit: https://extension.umn.edu/horse/horse-nutrition#special-diets-or-nutrition-issues-2393465

Responsible Breeding Starts with You: NC State Vet School to Offer FREE Castration Clinics

Foaling season is well underway. Soon decisions will need to be made.  Do I breed back that mare this year?  Will I ever breed that stud colt or should I geld him?  Making responsible breeding decisions affects more than just your farm.  

What is "backyard breeding?"

Backyard breeding is a term used to describe unregulated/unintentional pasture breeding.  It can also refer to the intentional breeding of a mare without a plan or purpose for the resulting foal. The term is NOT intended to imply that horse owners shouldn't breed "in the backyard," as long as they are properly managing pregnancies and offspring.  

Why should backyard breeding be prevented?

According to an article by Extension Foundation, in 2019, the American Horse Council estimated there are 9.2 million horses in the United States, and 1 percent to 1.5 percent of those horses are unwanted (92,000-138,000).  Similar to the feral dog and cat crisis currently facing America, backyard breeding can lead to abandonment, abuse, and neglect of excess horses.

The average lifespan of a horse is 25-30 years, with many living well into their 40s thanks to advancements in equine nutrition, management, and veterinary care.  Steady to rising birth rates combined with declining annual death rates has resulted in an oversaturated horse market. 

In saturated markets; conformation, temperament, and genetics are important factors in successfully selling a horse.  Backyard breeding can result in the continuation of undesirable traits.  In-breeding in an unmanaged herd or excessive line-breeding can result in major conformational defects.  These horses can be difficult to train, promote, and sell.  

How can you help?

Breed with a purpose.  Consider where that foal will end up in 25-30 years.  Make sure that the genetic traits you are passing on will result in good conformation and temperament.  Ensure you're ready to take on the time and financial obligation of raising and training a foal.  

Castrate!  If you own a stallion with conformational defects, a poor temperament, or you don't intend to breed, consider castration.  Castration is the most commonly performed equine surgery and one of the top ways to reduce backyard breeding.  Geldings are often milder mannered, making them easier to handle and more marketable if you decide to sell later. 

NC State Vet School is Offering FREE Castration clinics on March 22nd, March 29th, & April 5th. 

Requirements:

• Halter Broken
• Current Coggins
• Current Tetanus Vaccine
• Both Testicles Descended

Please contact Kate Fiebrandt at keryman@ncsu.edu or 919-515-7459 for more information.  

More Information on Castration 

Resources for Unwanted Horses