Winter Horse Care Reminders

 

This time of year brings not only chilly temperatures and frosty mornings, but also a decline in forage growth due to the shorter days and colder temperatures.  It’s tougher to match the increase in calories needed to maintain weight, stay warm, and certainly for a youngster to grow or a mare to nurse a foal.  Minimum essentials for horses and other animals living outdoors are adequate nutrition, whether forage, concentrated feed, or both, along with clean water and some type of shelter. Being able to provide water instead of a block of ice is also critical.  Feed and farm supply stores sell tank de-icers and heated buckets or tubs that come in handy.  Making an investment might save you the cost of a vet bill later, or even worse, the loss of an animal as a result of cold weather dehydration.

 

Providing good quality, nutritious hay is another critical aspect to winter management of horses.  This is the time of year where hay supplies can get thin, so planning ahead and purchasing enough hay to get through the winter is critical.  When temperatures get below freezing, winter pasture growth reduces tremendously, and hay is our only forage option.  Horses, along with all livestock, need hay to stay warm.  Hay and other forages are digested in the cecum and large intestine of the horse, and this digestion process is the primary source of regulating body temperature. Many horses can maintain their weight through the winter with just an increase in hay consumption.  Those that are harder to keep weight on or older will often need a gradual increase of grain as well. Horses should consume at least 1.5% of their body weight in hay during cold periods.  For example, a mature 1000 pound horse should consume 15-18 pounds per day of hay to meet these temperature needs in cold weather.  It’s also important to pay close attention to body condition during these periods, and actually “feel” your horse.  A long hair coat or winter blanket can often cover up thin spots on a horse, so be sure to examine your horse closely and get a feel for where your horse’s ribs, backbone, etc. are and how much fat or “cover” there is over and around them.  If a horse given plenty of hay is having trouble maintaining weight, increasing fat to the concentrate diet may also be helpful.  Many “high fat” feeds are on the market just for this purpose. 

 

 

These are just a few tips to help you and your horses get through the brisk winter days that are starting and will be here for a while. For more information or advice, don’t hesitate to contact your local county extension agent or your veterinarian.

Hay Storage Tips

Purchasing hay to feed is costly so why not protect that investment?  Proper hay storage does come with a price tag but will save you money in the long run.  In this blog post we will explore the two main hay sizes that are fed to horses and the different storage options.

 

Round Bales

If you are purchasing round bales you have a little more flexibility when it comes to storage options vs. small square bales.  You can store round bales outside, however, you do not want to store them on the ground uncovered if you can avoid it.  Bales stored on the ground can absorb moisture and can have as much as 50% loss. 

Best storage practices outside to minimize waste include:

·         Never store round bales directly on the ground.  Pallets work well to keep bales off the ground for optimum air flow.

·         Storing round bales end to end rather than a pyramid if uncovered.

·         Purchase bales that are tightly wrapped.

·         Choose bales wrapped in net wrap over baling twine.

·         Store bales on well-drained sites and never under trees or in low lying areas.

·         If you can, cover round bales stored outside, tarps work well.

Ideally, you want to store round bales inside.  Storing inside can cut hay loss down to 5% or less which is significant.  Keep in mind, even if you store round bales inside, do not store them directly on the ground.    

 

Small Square Bales

Small square bales are not as forgiving as large round bales mainly due to their size.  You definitely do not want to store them outside uncovered.  If you have to store them outside make sure they are placed on pallets and tarped to keep the weather out. 

Best storage practices for small square bales:

·        Never store bales directly on the ground, even inside.  Any moisture that comes in can be absorb by the bale.  Pallets works well to keep the bales off of the ground and to allow air flow.

·        Make sure to examine the shelter for roof leaks and rodents/wildlife activity.  Deter rodents/wildlife as much as possible by plugging holes, keeping the area clean, and using traps/baits if necessary.  Some wildlife can cause diseases such as EPM if horses come in contact with their droppings.

·         Purchase bales that are tightly wrapped.

·        If you are using a pole shed or three-sided shelter be certain that the weather cannot get to your hay and if it can, you may want to tarp the hay as well.

 

The main concern with storing any hay is keeping the moisture out.  You have to be careful though not to encourage moisture when storing inside.  Your hay storage area needs to have good ventilation for air flow. 

 For additional information check out the following websites: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/selecting-and-storing-horse-hay and https://site.extension.uga.edu/forageteam/2019/09/hay-storage-options/

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.   

Is it too early to be thinking about winter feeding?

We are in the middle of hay season and it is never a bad time to plan for winter feeding. Cool-season annuals can help reduce the amount of hay that will need to be fed. Annuals are one season plants and die when it gets too hot or too cold. Winter or cool-season annuals are plants that grow best in cooler conditions and die as the temperatures increase. Ideally, cool-season annuals will be planted by mid-October and you will see the most production in late winter and early spring. Cool-season annuals should be allowed to reach 8 to 15 inches before being grazed and, for optimal regrowth, should not be grazed lower than 3 inches. 

Cereal rye is one of the most common and popular cool-season annuals to plant for grazing. It is the most cold tolerant of all the cool-season annuals.  It is best to use a no-till drill to plant cereal rye, but broadcasting the seed is also an option. 

Annual ryegrass is very easy to establish even when the seed is broadcasted due to the size of the seed. If allowed to go to seed it will reseed itself for next year. Annual ryegrass can persist well into the spring which can hurt your warm-season perennial grass during green-up. 

Triticale is a cross between wheat and cereal rye making it leafy, high yielding, and cold tolerant. Because of its cold tolerance, triticale will be productive in the early and late winter months. Similar to cereal rye, planting with a no-till drill is best but the seed can also be broadcasted.

Oats are a good addition to a cool-season annual mix because they can produce a lot of biomass in a short period of time. They grow best in cool, moist conditions. Spring oats, if planted in the early fall can be utilized for late fall grazing but will most likely get killed if temperatures drop into the teens for a few days in a row. Spring oats can also be planted in the later winter for early spring grazing. Winter oats have better cold tolerance and are usually more productive in the spring than in the fall. Due to the size of oats, it is best to use a no-till drill to plant them. If broadcast, there is a low likelihood of good establishment. 

When considering adding cool-season annuals into your grazing system, it is important to also consider fertilization. It is critical to put down nitrogen at or shortly after planting, 40 to 50 pounds per acre, which will help with tillering (thickness of the stand) and can lead to earlier grazing. Another application of nitrogen should be applied in mid-January to early-February of 25 to 50 pounds, depending on the need for forage at that time. If you decide to put out annual ryegrass another nitrogen application could be warranted in the early spring. Potassium and phosphorus should be applied according to your soil report. It is important to get any recommended lime out 3 to 6 months prior to planting to be sure the soil pH is correct. 

Terminating the cool-season annuals also needs to be considered. If cool-season annuals continue to produce too late into the spring, it will interfere with your warm-season perennial grass as it's breaking dormancy. This can delay green-up and lead to a reduced stand of grass. Most people will make an application of glyphosate when the warm-season perennial grass is still dormant before green-up, usually around early March, at a rate of 16 to 32 ounces per acre. Another option is to allow the cool-season annuals to be grazed below 3 inches which will greatly reduce their ability to regrow. 

Seeds for cool-season annuals can be purchased from multiple different seed companies. Seed can be ordered online. You can also work with your local sales representative or feed store to buy seed. Read the label for the recommended seeding rate and seeding method to get the best results. You can also take a look at the Planting Guide for Forage Crops in NC for recommended planting dates and seeding rates for your area of the state. The Sandhills falls into the Coastal Plains area. If you have more questions about incorporating cool-season annuals into your management system, contact your local livestock Extension agent. 

Recommendations to Manage Grazing in Horses

The scope of this article is confined more to grazing considerations than forage management practices such a forage specie selection, fertilization, weed control, and mowing.  Several recommendations for managing grazing of horses are provided below.

• The goal of forage management is to maintain the desired supply of digestible forage to grazing horses. Mature forage and weedy forage types are not efficiently digested.
• Establishing forage depends largely on what plant species are best adapted to the soil type and geographical area, and the types and levels of agronomic inputs owners are willing to employ.
• The length of forage grazing season will depend on use of warm and cool season forages, rainfall, grazing management, and agronomic practices employed.
• Don’t overestimate the available forage for stocking rate determination. Trees, sacrifice areas, overgrazed areas, and brush must be considered.
• If pastures are of adequate size, decrease sacrifice areas by practices such as frequently relocating feed troughs in pastures.
• Consider time limit grazing and rotational grazing programs, especially when housing horses on small acreages.
Rotational grazing, companion grazing with other types of livestock, spreading of manure piles, and other management practices will reduce spot grazing.
• Pasture forage should be maintained at minimum optimal heights. Although complete removal of horses from pastures is not possible on many farms, rotational grazing or limited turnout time will help establish initial growth, and allow for regrowth during the active season of forage growth.
• Horses should be gradually introduced to forage types that are high in nutrients such as winter annuals. For example, start turn outs for 30 minutes once or twice per day for a couple of days, followed by a couple of days with access of 4 to 6 hours before continual turnout. Watch the horse’s health and behavior to determine how quickly to advance this introductory period. Allowing horses free choice hay while not on pastures during the introductory period will help decrease their appetite when they are turned out.
• Selection of forages to establish needs to be based on desired forage production times and amounts, forage compatibility to the geographical area, the expected grazing and trampling pressure, and the expected grazing and agronomic practices to be followed.

Click the link for the complete factsheet from Oklahoma State University regarding Managing Grazing for Horses

Horse Courses

The University of Minnesota Extension Horse Team will be offering two online certificate courses starting in January 2017.  The first course focuses on pasture establishment and management, while the second course focuses on growing and feeding horse hay (see fliers below).  Although species recommendations will focus on the Upper Midwest, most information can be applied across the U.S.   

Both courses are semi self-paced and are six weeks in duration.  To earn a certificate, participants must earn ≥70% on three 10-point multiple choice quizzes and participate in three online discussions per course. The course is recommended for adult learners, but is open to everyone.  The course will not result in college credit.  The cost for each course is $75 and registration is required by January 8, 2017. 

Registration is available at http://learning.umn.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=6682819

If you prefer to attend a horse class in person rather than on-line, please see the Guilford County Cooperative Extension list below:

2017 Extension Horse Management Short Courses 

45^th Annual 

Monday Nights 7:00pm

Guilford County Agricultural Center

3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro NC 27405

   

January 30 – Pasture/Grazing Management, Grazing Research 

                       Dr. Paul Siciliano, Professor, Department of Animal Science, NCSU 

February 6 - General Horse Health Care/ Equine Veterinary Care & Maintenance –

                      Dr. Chelsey Miller, Dr. John Parks, Iron Will Mobile Veterinary         

                      Services, Burlington North Carolina

February 13 – Water Issues on the Farm, Waste Regulations & Manure Management,

                       Erosion Control, Putting In Heavy Use Areas, Water Runoff.

                       Melissa Rosebrock, Environmental Senior Specialist, NC Division of Water

                       Resources, NC Department of Environmental Quality - Millie Langley Guilford

                       County Soil & Water  

February 20 - Myler Bits & Bitting - Dale Myler,  Myler Bit Manufacturers,   

                  Marshfield, MO (THIS CLASS WILL BEGIN AT 6:30 pm & POSSIBLY LAST UNTIL 9:30pm) 

February 27 - Alternative Equine Medicine – Equine Chiropractic & Acupuncture

                        Dr. James Meyer – Neuse River Equine Hospital, Wendell, NC 

March 6 - Fencing & Supplies and Equine Nutrition          

                   Davis Feed & Purina Equine Nutrition, Randleman, NC

March 13 - Equine Lameness - Dr R. Scott Pleasant – Virginia Tech Director of Equine

                   Podiatry Service, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Professor,  

                   Equine Field Service and Equine Extension Department of Large Animal Clinical

                   Sciences, Blacksburg, Virginia

March 20 – Question & Answer

                    Questions Asked by Horse Owners to the Equine Veterinarians – Hosted and

                     Held at Carolina Equine Hospital, Brown Summit, NC

Please call Ben Chase for more information at (336) 342-8235 or email at Ben_Chase@ncsu.edu