Cribbing

Cribbing is a serious vice in horses that can lead to several problems including weight loss, wearing of the top incisors, and can cause the horse to be more prone to colic.  Cribbing is when the horse grasps onto a surface (often wood) with its teeth, flexes its neck, and swallows air.  Cribbing is thought to be a coping mechanism that horses use to deal with stress or boredom. Managing horses to prevent cribbing is a more effective way to address this problem.  There are a variety of cribbing collars and other equipment available to stop cribbing, but most are effective only in reducing cribbing or are not effective at all.  This information is from eXtension Horse Group. 

Here is a publication from the University of Kentucky on Stereotypic Behavior in Horses: Weaving, Stall Walking and Cribbing.

A short video about cribbing from eXHorses.  A longer webcast from My Horse University is found at Is it Coping or is it a Vice?  A Review of Cribbing, Weaving and Other Stereotypic Behaviors.

 

Photos by Fernanda C. Camargo and Bob

Coleman, Animal and Food Sciences from the

University of Kentucky

The BUGS are Coming, Horses Beware!

As it warms up, the bugs get active!!!

It was a long, hard, cold winter and now it is time to get outside and enjoy the weather with your horses. Unfortunately, with the spring time, bugs get active and irritate you along with your horse that is continuously outside.

Signs of damage usually show up as weakness, emaciation, anemia, rough hair coat, stunted growth, tail and mane rubbing, lesions and disease transmission. Extreme populations or transmission of disease may lead to death of the host. Here are a few examples:

Horse Bots

Horse bots  are bot fly larvae and are internal parasites of horses. The horse bot larvae develop in the stomach of horses causing symptoms ranging from stomach ulcers, and esophageal paralysis to occlusion of the digestive tract. The adult bot fly is a bee-like fly about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length. Bot flies are covered with black and yellow hairs and do not feed as adults. In Florida two species of adult bot flies may be active throughout the year, although they are more abundant from late spring to early winter.

Horse and Deer Flies

Horse flies  and deer flies are insects that are usually daytime feeders and are vicious biters and strong fliers. As with mosquitoes only the females bite. Their attacks often account for lowered weight gains and reduction in condition. 

Because of their painful bites and frequent attacks, horse flies produce frenzied behavior in their hosts, sometimes causing them to run long distances in an effort to escape. Horse flies introduce an anticoagulant into the bite wound which causes blood to ooze for up to eight hours. These wounds are excellent sites for secondary invasion of screwworm and also cause much blood loss. Being intermittent feeders, they are known mechanical transmitters of diseases such as anthrax, tularemia, anaplasmosis, and equine infectious anemia (EIA).

Stable Flies

The stable fly, is similar to the house fly in size and color, but the bayonet-like mouthparts of the stable fly differentiate it from the house fly. Unlike the flies already discussed, both sexes of the stable fly are vicious biters. They are strong fliers and range many miles from the breeding sites.

Stable flies cause irritation and weakness in animals and account for much blood loss in severe cases. Bite wounds also can serve as sites for secondary infection and scar tissue formation. These flies are easily interrupted in feeding and are mechanical transmitters of anthrax, equine infectious anemia (swamp fever), anaplasmosis, and Habronema stomach worms.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are small, two-winged flies with piercing sucking mouthparts. Females of most species suck blood, males do not. Mosquitoes attack all kinds of warm-blooded animals, domestic and wild. Florida has many species recorded as economic pests on livestock.

Although habits of different species vary greatly, all require water for the larval stage. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs on water or in places that later become flooded. Egg hatch varies with the species. Larvae (wigglers) hatch from the eggs and feed on organic matter in the water. Pupation takes place in the water. The adult mosquito emerges and is ready to feed in a short time.

Damage caused by mosquitoes include pain from the bites, unthriftiness, death by suffocation and heavy blood loss. Mosquitoes also vector such diseases as encephalomyelitis (WNV, WEE, EEE, VEE) and are suspect for many of the mechanically transmitted diseases.

If mosquitoes are a serious problem to horses, control measures should be implemented. The most effective control method available is source reduction by removing or draining mosquito breeding sites, through the activity of mosquito control districts. Daily fogging or aerosoling for adult mosquitoes may provide relief but is only a temporary control measure.

Keys To Pesticide Safety

1.     Before using any pesticide, stop and read the precautions.

2.     Read the label on each pesticide container before each use. Heed all warnings and precautions.

3.     Store all pesticides in their original containers away from food or feed.

4.     Keep pesticides out of the reach of children, pets and livestock.

5.     Apply pesticides only as directed.

6.     Dispose of empty containers promptly and safely.

Recommendations in this document are guidelines only. The user must insure that the pesticide is applied in strict compliance with label directions. The Food and Drug Administration has established residue tolerances for certain insecticides in the meat of certain animals. When these and other approved insecticides are applied according to recommendations, the pests should be effectively controlled and the animals' products will be safe for consumption.

The improper use of insecticides may result in residue in meat. Such products must not be delivered to processing plants.

To avoid excessive residues, use the insecticides recommended at the time recommended and in the amounts recommended.

References are from the University of Florida, Publication #ENY-283

NCSU Wolfpack Roundup Sale - 5 yearling geldings and 3 mares for sale

The Livestock Merchandising Class at North Carolina State University will be holding its second annual Wolfpack Roundup on Saturday April 12, 2014 at 11:00 am at the Beef Educational Unit.

There will be an open house at each of the Educational Units that have animals on the sale April 5 from 1 pm till 4 pm to view the sale animals.

The sale will consist of one Registered Angus and four commercial heifers from the Beef Educational Unit; three bred ewes, two purebred Katahdin ewes, and one purebred Dorset ram from the Small Ruminant Educational Unit; five yearling geldings from the Equine Educational Unit, and three mares from the NCSU Vet School.

This sale is being conducted by members of the Livestock Merchandising class. The class was started to give students the opportunity to learn about different method available to merchandise livestock. They also gain hands-on experience through promoting and conducting a livestock auction. This is a great opportunity to add to the genetics of your operation and help further the education of the agricultural leaders of tomorrow.

For more information you can contact Gary Gregory (919-515-4027 or gary_gregory@ncsu.edu). You can also go to the website: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/wolfpackroundup/ to view up to date pictures of the sale animals and don't forget to like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.co/pages/Wolfpack-Round-Up/474434492610906

Breeding Soundness Exams for Horses

As humans, we naturally think that we can improve on what Mother Nature has given each species, including horses – or should I say especially horses.  In some cases, we may have succeeded.  Just look at some of the great accomplishments of famous horses in just about every breed.  In fact, the number of different breeds we have today may well have resulted from improvement efforts.  Enough on that – here are some reasons why a breeding soundness exam is important for both the stallion and the mare prior to breeding.  Since the breeding season for horses will be here before long (starts in May and runs through September) it’s time to start preparing for breeding – including getting a breeding soundness exam scheduled.

There are several reasons to want to perform this exam on both the mare and the stallion.  The main reason is to be as sure as possible that a foal will result from the stud and mare getting together.  A lot of things can affect that end result, including condition; location of bacterial colonies, structural defects, and the list goes on.  I’ll address a few of the things that are examined without getting into too much detail and give a couple of sources for folks who want all the information.

For the stallion, it is a good idea to start with history.  Check to see what his performance was the previous breeding season.  If it was OK, then move on to the next item on the checklist.  If low (lower than expected foals born) then some time spent researching why that happened would be in order, looking for such things as reproductive history and management of both the stallion and the mare (breeding, feeding, and housing).  The stallion should have positive identification – make sure you are getting what you are paying for – and should be free of Equine Infectious Anemia, Equine Viral Arteritis, and Contagious Equine Metritis.  Conformation should be checked, including lameness, vision, inherited defects, Parrot Mouth, and chryptorchidism, to name a few of the items checked during an exam.   Genitalia are examined either physically or though use of ultrasound equipment.

Semen is collected and examined for pH, sperm motility over time, bacterial cultures, and the number of abnormal sperm cells.   Semen collection should be conducted by people who are trained or have experience.  A lot of bad things can happen during the collection process, including getting kicked. All this is pretty important and helps ensure that the stallion is physically able to breed and have a high success rate.  For more detailed information on breeding soundness exams of stallions, visit the LSU Vet School page titled Stallion Breeding Soundness Examination.  (If you get a message that Adobe Reader is blocked for this web site, click OK to trust the site.)

For the mare, many of the same recommended steps are taken in a breeding soundness exam.  Identification is verified and her reproductive and medical history is reviewed.  She gets a complete general and physical examination along with a detailed examination of her reproductive organs.

The physical exam includes checking temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, teeth, eyes, mucous membranes, superficial lymph nodes, and checks for other physical abnormalities. Hereditary defects such as Parrot Mouth and limb abnormalities should be noted, along with anything that may interfere with the mare’s reproductive performance.

The reproductive exam includes a perineal inspection, rectal palpation and ultrasonography, a speculum examination of the vagina, a uterine culture and cytology to rule out a uterine infection, and a uterine biopsy.  For more detailed information on the BSE for mares, read the article written by Dr. Troedsson of the University of Florida, Breeding Soundness Examination of the Mare.

Horses have been able to reproduce on their own for a long, long time, so maybe some folks will ask why we don’t just let nature take its course?  Well, nature does take its course.  We just want to try and improve the odds a bit by making sure that all the parts are in the right place and not being influenced by some other outside force, like a uterine infection or a sore hoof.  If we are going to take time effort and expense to try and get a healthy foal, the least we can do is try to make sure all the conditions are right for the magic of a new foal to happen.

Contagious Disease Control/ Vaccinations

With spring finally here many horse owners are beginning to think about the many adventures that they can have this year with their equine partner. When traveling to shows, trail rides, new barns or coming in contact with new horses there are a few things you should be sure your horse is protected against.

Contagious diseases are those that can be spread from one animal to another. Control programs should be targeted at reducing exposure to disease-causing agents and increasing disease resistance. To reduce contagious disease exposure to resident horses, it should be required that new horses to the property or horses that are traveling have a negative test for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA, “Coggins Test”) and have been appropriately vaccinated and dewormed before they arrive. New horses should be received and maintained in an isolation barn or paddock for 30 days to ensure that sick horses or horses incubating a contagious disease are not inadvertently introduced into the farm population. The isolation area should be physically separated from the resident horses. Separate equipment and preferably separate personnel should be used to take care of the isolated horses. Isolated horses should be cared for after the resident horses. During the 30-day quarantine period, horses should be monitored daily for signs of contagious disease. Common signs to look for are decreased appetite or activity level, coughing, fever, and discharge from the nose or eyes.

Additionally, any resident horse that becomes ill with a potentially contagious disease should also be promptly isolated. Isolation should continue for at least 10 days after all symptoms are gone. Separate equipment and personnel should be used to take care of sick horses. If separate personnel are not available, sick horses should be tended to after the other horses on the farm. Stalls that have housed sick horses should be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and left empty for as long as possible before being used by other horses.

Disease resistance in horses can be enhanced by proper housing, feeding, exercise, and the use of vaccines. Vaccines are health products that trigger protective immune responses and prepare the vaccinated individual to fight future infections from disease-causing agents. There are many vaccines and vaccine combinations available for use in horses. The specific vaccines needed by a particular horse will depend on several factors, including the horse’s age, exposure to other horses, and geographic location. Your veterinarian will help you determine the vaccination program best suited for your horse.

In general, all adult horses should be vaccinated against tetanus, eastern and western encephalomyelitis (EEE and WEE), west Nile virus (WNV), and rabies each year. Horses that are exposed to other horses during shows, trail rides, etc. should also be vaccinated for influenza and equine herpes virus 1 and 4 (EHV- 1 and EHV-4). These vaccines may need to be boostered every three to six months for effective immunity. Pregnant mares should be vaccinated against EHV- 1 the fifth, seventh, and ninth months of gestation. Pregnant mares should also be boostered for tetanus, EEE, WEE, WNV, EHV-1, EHV-4, and Influenza, four to six weeks before foaling. Only “killed” vaccines may be used in the pregnant mare. Foals from appropriately vaccinated mares usually start their vaccinations when they are three to four months old. Foals from unvaccinated mares need tetanus antitoxin right after birth and should start their vaccines at two to three months of age. Many other vaccines are available, and may be recommended in your area. Again, work with your veterinarian to set up a vaccine protocol specific to your horse’s individual needs.

Adapted from Health Care for Horses, Scott Pleasant, D.V.M. Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Spring Pasture Checklist

Spring is an important time of year for pasture care. Here is a list of things you can do in the next couple months to get your pastures looking great.

1.     Plant Seed The best time of year to seed a pasture is fall. However, spring is an acceptable time of year if you missed the fall deadline. Planting dates will vary with where you live.  Your county Extension office is an excellent resource to determine the best spring planting dates for your location.  Make sure you keep horses off newly seeded pastures until the grasses are well established and you have mowed 2 - 3 times.  If you seed in the spring, be prepared to let the pasture rest for about a year.  The newly planted forage needs to be able to develop strong roots in order to withstand grazing.  It is also the most appetizing grass and will have a hard time developing under grazing pressure.  Planting dates for NC: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/A.-Planting-Guide-for-Forage-Crops-in-NC.pdf

2.     Take Soil Samples See if your pastures need any nutrients and/or lime. Once the frost is out and the soils have dried, samples can be taken. Contact your county Extension office for more information and to obtain soil sampling forms and boxes.  There is a $4 fee/sample in place until April 1^st.*

3.     Fertilize As stated in 2, test your soils first, so you know how much you need. Often, only Nitrogen is needed in pastures.

4.     Spray Herbicides Spring is a good time to spray annual weeds as it prevents them from getting established. However, mowing is usually sufficient for annual weed control unless weed densities are high.

5.     Check fences Snow/ice and deer can be hard on fences. Check them before you turn out the horses.

6.     Plan your grazing system Think back to last year whether you had enough grass or if the horses turned the pasture into a putting green or mud pit. You may need to supplement your horse with hay during certain times of the grazing season and set aside a sacrifice area when the pasture needs a rest.

7.     Let the grass grow Keep the horses off the grass until the ground firms up and the grass has a chance to get growing. Once the grass is about 6 - 8" tall, start easing the horses onto the pasture in 15 minute daily increments (15 minutes the first day, 30 minutes the second day, 45 minutes the third day, etc...), until the time on pasture reaches 5 hours a day, after which the horse can be given unlimited access.

Original article written by: B. Wieland, University of Minnesota