Do you know what you're feeding your horses this winter?

North Carolina, as well as many other parts of the country, have been experiencing unseasonably high temperatures and drought this spring/summer.  While this may not seem like an issue now, hay producers are concerned that they will not be able to put up as many horse quality bales this year as they have in the past.  

You may have noticed that the price of hay (like everything else) has been creeping up.  Increased cost of fuel and fertilizer have caused these price increases.  Add in drought conditions and the lack of supply could drive the price even higher this fall.  

Hay varieties that do well in the heat, such as Bermuda grass and alfalfa will be more plentiful, but are not usually recommended for maintenance consumption by horses.  Grass hays such as orchard grass and timothy that are preferred by horse owners need cooler temperatures and have suffered the most during this drought.    

To avoid the stress of searching for quality hay this winter, start buying and storing hay now if you have enough dry storage.  Round bales can be more cost effective if you have the storage space and feeding capabilities.  

Remember that not all hay is created equally.  If you're buying from a new producer, or if you're concerned about the nutritional content of hay you've been buying for years, consider having your hay tested.  Contact your local Extension Office to ask about this service.  Quality is always more important than quantity.  Testing can make sure your hay is worth the price you're paying.  This article by University of Minnesota Extension can help interpret hay analysis results.    

Another tip to save money on hay is to pick it up directly.  Feed store and delivered hay can be more expensive due to additional fees.  Consider picking up your hay directly from the producer.  This can give you the option to negotiate a lower price.  If you are a smaller farm, consider splitting a trailer load with a neighbor.  

We all want to be sure our horses are eating the best, most nutritious forages possible, but we also want to have enough money in our budget to feed ourselves.  Planning now could save you a lot of money, time, and stress this fall.  

Fire Ant Control in Pastures

 

Fire ants are pretty well established here in North Carolina and some of them like to call your pasture or hayfield home. Whether you are dealing with one mound or a hundred mounds in some cases, you need to know what to do for control.

Fire ants can negatively impact your equine or hay operation and cost you time and money. Impact may be felt through:

• Lost Labor Animal Injury Equipment
• Damage/Wear
• Hay Production
• Medical/Veterinary Costs
• Forage Degradation
• Electrical Equipment Damage
• Infested Feed
• Reduced Feeding
• Young Animal Endangerment

There are a few pesticides labeled for fire ant control in a pasture or hayfield situation. Some are for directly treating the mound and others are for broadcasting an infested area where there are a lot of mounds. There are also some pesticides that are for use only in horse pastures (where horses are not used for human consumption) and non-pasture farm areas. As always, please read the label and follow restrictions and directions for using in pasture. Here is a list of pesticides for use in pastures:

• Amdro Pro – For mound or broadcast
• Amdro – Horse or non-pasture areas only
• Extinguish – For mound or broadcast
• Extinguish Plus – Horse or non-pasture areas only
• Esteem Ant Bait – For mound or broadcast
• Award – Horse or non-pasture areas only
• Sevin SL – For mound drench only
• Advion – Horse or non-pasture areas only

Here are a few tips to help increase your success when applying a pesticide to control fire ants:

Do not apply baits and drench at the same time.

Allow 7-10 days between the two application. Ants will not forage and accept bait while they are disrupted by poison.

The best months to treat are mid-spring and fall. The best time of day to treat is mid-morning when air temperatures are around 70 degrees F.

To check and see if fire ants are active, place potato chips or cheese puffs on the ground. If ants are noticed within 5-10 minutes then they are considered active and foraging.

Additional tips when applying baits:

Do not apply if ground is wet or rain occurs within 36 hours. Do not store open product for longer than package allows– most products have a short shelf life. Do not store baits near other pesticides or fuel from which they may absorb odors and taste. Do not apply baits directly on top of the mound, fire ants do not come and go from the top of the mound. Do not disturb mounds when applying baits, this can interfere with their foraging behavior.

Remember, always read the label and follow directions! Some products may require you to reapply! You cannot get rid of fire ants overnight, just like anything else it will take time. Formulate a plan and stick to it so you can reclaim your pasture back.

To view the original publication and for more information please see the publication Fire Ants in Pastures.

 

Written by: Lauren Langley, Livestock Extension Agent | Source: S. B. Bambara & Wes Watson, NC State Extension Entomologists

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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/

Nitrate Toxicity

 This blog has covered hay testing and analysis in past posts, but this week I wanted to talk specifically about nitrate toxicity. In my county, and surrounding counties, nitrates have been an issue for the past month. We've had hay samples come back high that normally are not, these growers are used to having safe hay and now must figure out what to do with this hay. Cattle and horses are susceptible to nitrate poisoning and if too high, like in some cases this year, animals will actually die. Ruminants are more susceptible to this problem, due to the way their stomachs work, but if severe enough, horses can suffer as well. 

Testing nitrates is a free test from the NCDA & CS lab in Raleigh, so if nothing else, you definitely should test your hay for nitrates. Even if it is not a field where animal waste is applied, fertilizer is applied a some point, the plant goes through drought or stress, so it's important to know what your hay contains. Some nitrate levels are safe for all animals, some should not be fed to pregnant animals, and some levels are too high for any stage of animals to consume. Horses can consume higher levels than those listed and not be affected, make sure you speak to your extension agent or veterinarian on feeding hay that may be considered "high" in nitrates!

Those levels can be seen here:

https://www.noble.org/news/publications/ag-news-and-views/2015/may/feeding-nitrate-containing-forage-requires-caution/ 

In terms of symptoms, nitrate toxicity can present itself by diarrhea, colic, weakness, muscle tremors, abnormal gait, blue or brown discoloration of the gums, and in extreme cases, death. Blood in affected animals may be a more chocolate brown than deep red color, due to the activity of nitrates/nitrites on hemoglobin. 

Be cautious of what you feed your horses, and when in doubt--test it!