Selecting a Hay Feeder

After buying the best hay you can find, it's frustrating to see that hay trampled and wasted in the mud. Or perhaps you're like a recent caller to my office, and have never used large round bales, always purchasing and feeding small square bales for your horses. Whatever the case, I think the research is this linked article will be of interest. It relates the findings of a research project at the University of Minnesota to see which option for feeding large round bales resulted in the least waste, and compared costs of the various feeder types. Keep in mind that large round bales require some machinery to maneuver, but can often be purchased at a significantly lower cost per ton that small squares. That savings is lost, however, if the horses waste a significant portion of the hay due to improper feeding.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/nutrition/selecting-a-round-bale-feeder/

Risk and Liability of Equine Enterprises

All of us think about insurance for our homes and cars, but most of us forget about insuring our animals.  Most horse owners think that their home insurance includes horse activities, but find out differently once a tragedy happens on their farm.  That is because most home insurance does not include claims from business activities.  It’s a good idea to check with your insurance provider to make sure you are covered for the horse activities that you are involved in.  You also want to make sure you are covered if your horse gets out of the fence and into the road where a car might hit the animal or if you take your horse to a horse show and it kicks someone.  Animals are unpredictable and there are lots of different situations and scenarios that can play out.  There are many different types of equine enterprises that need to think about insurance such as boarding, breeding, transportation, training, racing, and niche businesses.

The different types of insurance are:

•        Animal medical/mortality/theft/fertility/lose of use
•         Farm/Ranch Owners
•         Commercial Equine Liability
•        Care, Custody, & Control Liability

Major Medical Coverage provides you with reimbursement for the cost of medical and/or surgical bills caused by accident or disease.  Full Mortality and Theft insurance insures your animals against death arising from any injuries, illness, disease, transportation, or theft.  Stallion Infertility insurance provides coverage in case your stallion becomes permanently unable to produce offspring because of an accident or disease.  Loss of Use insurance will compensate you if your horse becomes permanently unable to perform the duty that you have it insured for.

Farm and Ranch insurance can protect you from fire and theft of barns, dwellings, farm buildings, stables, and riding arenas.  It can also cover computers, equipment, medication, vitamins, and tack. 

Commercial Equine Liability insurance protects horse trainers and instructors.  It covers bodily injury and property damage from business activities such as breeding, boarding, clinics, instruction, sales, and training. 

Care, Custody, and Control Liability insurance provides protection to those who care or board horses.  This might include claims from horse injury from trying to jump a fence, horses that die in a barn fire, horse death from eating poisonous substances, and broodmares that get injured and lose their foals.

These types of insurance can be pricey, but they are essential for any equine enterprise.  You will need to factor the cost of insurance into the fees that you charge your clients.

The North Carolina Horse Council has partnered with the American Horse Council for value added services such as a discounted rate on a million dollar insurance policy.  They also sell liability signs that need to be posted at entrances and gates to premises, riding arenas, trails, etc.  You can order them from:  http://www.nchorsecouncil.com/store  When hiring Certified Public Accountant and Attorneys, its important that they understand the horse industry.

Information provided by:  Dr. Mike Yoder, Associate Director & State Program Leader, 4-H/FCS;  Coordinator:  Emergency Programs and Dr. Amy McLean, Assistant Professor & Extension Horse Specialist  

Horse Barn Safety Considerations

Many people board their horses or board other peoples’ horses.  When there is that much responsibility involved, rules and regulations make everyone safer.  Here are just a few thoughts to make barns safe.

Aisles:

o   Should be free of clutter

o   Should have a non-slip floor surface

o   Should have ample lighting

o   Avoid the use of extension cords

o   Riders should not mount up in barns

Stalls:

o   Should be routinely checked for hazards like protruding nails or broken boards

o   Check feeders and buckets for anything that could harm a horse

o   Post owner/veterinarian/farrier contact information outside of stall

Storage:

o   Everything should have a designated storage place and should be there when not in use

o   Remove items that could cause injury or illness like nails after a farrier visit or baling twine

o   Clean up spilled feed to discourage the presence of rodents

o   Hay and grain should be stored away from electrical outlets

o   Chemical, paints, fertilizers should be stored away and locked up from curious animals and children

o   Ample garbage cans should be provided and accessible to allow everyone to help keep barn clean and safe

Keep horse owner/user emergency contact information easily accessible

Post fire and emergency phone numbers

Post barn’s physical address and any special driving instructions near phone to be able to give to emergency personnel

Have a human first aid kit

Have a horse first aid kit

Have an emergency plan

Taking a few minutes to write and post barn rules (and enforce them) can help provide a safer environment for the horse and the owner.

Here is a University of Kentucky document on Barn Safety:

http://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/uploadedFiles/Barn%20Safety.pdf

Here is an example of Horse Barn Rules:

http://animalscience.uconn.edu/Documents/summerRidingSafety.pdf

Estrus Detection in Mares

Mares are seasonal polyestrous breeders meaning they have several cycles during specific times of the year.  Usually the cycle period is from March through September. During this period, the open and lactating mare undergoes a series of cycles, (approximately 22 days in length).  Estrus, or heat, is three to seven days in length and is the time when a mare is receptive to the stallion. The estrus portion of the cycle must be accurately determined because it is the period during which the mare must be bred in order to conceive. Ovulation (release of the egg for fertilization) usually occurs 24 to 48 hours before the end of estrus.  Conception rates are highest when the mare is bred 36 hours before and up to ovulation. Teasing is a way to determine if a mare is in heat by her response to the stallion.  The teasing process is necessary because mares do not predictably show signs of heat, either alone or with a group of mares, as other livestock do.  Here is a short video on Estrus Behavior in Mares from eXHorses.

Here are some publications from the University of Tennessee on Heat Detection and Teasing Systems for Mares and Oklahoma State University on Reproductive Management of the Mare.

Winter Care for Horses

As the temperatures begin to drop as we move into January and February, keep in mind how the colder weather affects your horse and its energy needs. Follow the link below to a great article outlining how to ensure your horse does not lose any body condition this winter.

NebGuide: Winter Care for Horses

Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition of the Horse

Minerals are inorganic nutrients that are needed in relatively small quantities by the horse. The essential major minerals are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium and sulfur. The essential trace minerals needed are iron, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, iodine, and cobalt.

A horse's mineral requirements will vary based on its body weight, age, physiological condition (e.g., pregnant, lactating) and activity level. For example, late gestation and lactating mares as well as young, rapidly growing horses have a proportionally greater requirement for some specific minerals e.g., calcium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc, than do other horses. The National Research Council (NRC) 2007 publication entitled, Nutrient Requirement of Horses lists daily mineral requirement as well as the mineral content of common feedstuffs. The mineral content of most grains and supplements are consistent enough that you can use values in the NRC tables; however, the quantity of minerals in forages can vary significantly with soil mineral content, plant species, stage of maturity at harvest, harvest conditions etc. Consequently, forages should be sent to a laboratory for mineral analysis.  This can be done for a small fee of $10 through NCDA&CS Farm Feed Testing Service.  Check with your Extension agent for more information.

Providing minerals at less than the recommended quantities can result in a dietary deficiency whereas providing minerals in excessive quantities can result in toxicity. In addition to the amount of mineral required daily, the ratios of minerals with each other and with other components of the ration are important due to effects on absorption, metabolism and/or excretion. In particular, a critical consideration in mineral nutrition of the horse is the calcium to phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio. 

Although the quantity of trace minerals required for normal growth, development and metabolism is very small, they are all absolutely essential.  Providing mineral supplementation can be accomplished in a number of different ways. You can use:

1.  Trace mineral salt, either in block or loose form containing Na, Cl and trace minerals but no Ca or P. This approach assumes that the Ca and P levels as well as the Ca:P ratio provided in the rest of the ration are appropriate. 

Photo Credit: myhorse.com

2.  Commercial complete mineral supplements containing major minerals such as Ca, P, Na, Cl, trace minerals etc. The mineral supplement should be chosen to compliment the mineral content of the remainder of the ration e.g., type of forage and concentrate if any. The complete mineral supplement is fed daily at the recommended rate to each individual horse. This method ensures that each horse consumes the appropriate amount of mineral. When using a complete mineral supplement horses should also have access to a white salt block that does not contain trace minerals.

3.  Commercial grain mix which contains major and trace minerals. If fed at the manufacturer's recommended rate, this method ensures that each horse consumes the appropriate amount of mineral.  When using a commercial grain mix, horses should also have access to a white salt block that does not contain trace minerals.

Vitamins are organic compounds that are needed in even smaller quantities than minerals by the horse, although no less critical. Vitamins can be divided into two groups, the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and the water soluble C and B-complex vitamins. The National Research Council (NRC) 2007 publication entitled,Nutrient Requirement of Horses lists estimates of the daily requirements for vitamins A, D, E, and the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin. 

Vitamin A (or its precursor beta-carotene) and vitamin E are present in high concentrations in fresh green forages or newly harvested hay. Consequently, a horse grazing pasture will meet its vitamin A and E requirements. However, during the winter, when hay is stored, the levels of vitamins A and E in hay drop significantly, necessitating supplementation to meet requirements.  Sun-cured forages contain vitamin D. The vitamin D requirement is also met if the horse is exposed to sunlight for four to six hours a day because the ultraviolet rays of the sun will convert a precursor present in the skin to vitamin D.

Source: Marcia Hathaway, PhD. Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota

To view the full article click here: http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/nutrition/vitamins-and-minerals/ 

Own a Horse? How About a Horse App!

No, I’m not talking about horse apples. Horse apps!  With the proliferation of electronic devices that will make and receive calls, send text messages, surf the internet, and run apps, it is only natural that there is are plenty of apps available to install on a phone, tablet, or pad that in some way pertain to horses.  Many of those apps are even useful as tools to help manage one’s horses.  Most of those cite the advantage of having your equine records in your pocket and always available.

There are a whole lot of those apps in the app stores that are games, wallpaper, or other mostly useless stuff, but there are also some likely gems when it comes to managing a stable and keeping financial records, keeping vet records, learning dressage, reining, or pleasure patterns, planning trail rides, training horses, or training a hippology or horse bowl team.  Any one of these needs might make an app on a phone or tablet worthwhile.

I will put the disclaimer in here:  I am not endorsing any specific apps for use with a horse, stable, or veterinary service.  With that said, there are some apps out there that are from .edu sources that should be trustworthy. 

Some of these apps might be useful in keeping feeding records, breeding records, registration papers, financial records, veterinary records, or other important information about your horse.  There are apps that will estimate a horse’s weight, though there are some measurements that have to be taken to make this one work.   There are apps that show that anatomy and physiology of the entire horse, and apps that only show the parts of a horse’s hoof.  There are plenty of “how to” apps also.  Of course, there are lots of equine game apps to help pass the time between classes at shows.

When choosing an equine app for your highly sophisticated communications device, be sure to do a little research.  Before downloading and installing any app on your phone or tablet, be sure to check out any reviews, see when the last update was made, or even if the app is still available. If it hasn’t been updated in a couple of years, it may not be one to use. If the reviews are poor, it may not be very useful.  Talk with friends and folks in the horse business to see if there might be any particular app that they like and how it is best used.  Adventurous folks might try a new app and write a review to share with other horse owners.  Most of these apps cost between $1.00 and $10.00.   That’s a lot less than buying a software package for the home computer, but folks should try to find some information that will help them make an informed decision.

I don’t know if there is a linear relationship or correlation between owning a horse and also owning an Apple product, but a lot of the equine apps are only available for Apple gear.  I did see several reviews of apps that said Android versions were planned or would be released soon.  Hopefully, the best apps are available to anyone.

The University of Minnesota has a couple of apps that Apple users may be interested in.  One is a “Hay Price Calculator” app that converts the per-bale price to a price per ton for a better price comparison.  The other is called “Healthy Horse” and is a body weight estimator that folks can use to see if their horse is over or under weight, or is at the ideal weight for that type of horse.  Adjustments to the feeding program can then be made to have horses gain or lose weight, or maintain the current weight.   These can be found at http://z.umn.edu/ituneshorsehay ($0.99) and http://z.umn.edu/itunesHealthyHorse ($1.99).

Have fun deciding which equine app or apps will be most useful.  Now I’m wondering how to best wrap one of these to put under the tree this holiday season!