Colic Prevention Tips

Spring has finally arrived! With the arrival of spring, we also see an increase in green grass and exercise, and drastic temperature changes from day to day, which in turn may increase the possibility of colic in your horses.  Now is a good time to remind ourselves how we can strive to avoid colic as well as refresh or establish a relationship with an area veterinarian in case of emergency.

From the American Association of Equine Practitioners:

"The No. 1 killer of horses is colic. Colic is not a disease, but rather a combination of signs that alert us to abdominal pain in the horse. Colic can range from mild to severe, but it should never be ignored. Many of the conditions that cause colic can become life threatening in a relatively short period of time. Only by quickly and accurately recognizing colic – and seeking qualified veterinary help – can the chance for recovery be maximized. 

While horses seem predisposed to colic due to the anatomy and function of their digestive tracts, management can play a key role in prevention. Although not every case is avoidable, the following guidelines from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) can maximize the horse’s health and reduce the risk of colic: 

Virtually any horse is susceptible to colic. Age, sex and breed differences in susceptibility seem to be relatively minor. The type of colic seen appears to relate to geographic or regional differences, probably due to environmental factors such as sandy soil or climatic stress. Importantly, this indicates that, with conscientious care and management, we have the potential to reduce and control colic, the No. 1 killer of horses. For more information about colic prevention and treatment, ask your equine veterinarian. Additional colic information is available by visiting the AAEP’s website at www.aaep.org/ "

Spring Horse Owner Series- Webinars & On-Farm Workshop

 

Come learn with us as we dive into horse management topics such as metabolic concerns, pastures, grazing, internal parasites, and dry lots.

About this event

Join us for an exciting series that includes both webinars and an on-farm workshop. The first webinar will be led by Dr. Shannon Pratt-Phillips, Professor, Equine Nutrition & Physiology, NC State University where she will discuss metabolic concerns. Lauren Langley, Livestock Extension Agent, Alamance County will lead the second webinar and discuss pasture management as well as internal parasites.

Zoom Webinars, 7 – 8 p.m. EST:

• March 23 : Metabolic Concerns for Horses

• April 25: Pasture & Internal Parasite Management

The on-farm workshop will be held at Idle Acres Farm located in Mebane, NC. Please use the following address to get to the farm and then look for the farm sign entrance to turn in: 7312 Cummings Drive, Mebane NC 27302. Workshop cost is $15/person. The agenda will include a farm introduction, dry lot construction (do’s/dont’s), managing horses on a dry lot, pasture layout and design, and rotational grazing. More details to come!

On-Farm Workshop, 6 – 8 p.m. (Mebane, NC):

• May 24: Managing Horses on Dry Lots & Pastures

Register online here: https://go.ncsu.edu/springseries22 

Questions?

Contact Lauren Langley at lauren_langley@ncsu.edu or 336.570.6740

Easing the Sting of Fertilizer Costs

Over the last year, we all have experienced price increases in products we use in our daily lives.  This price increase in common commodities is also affecting the agricultural sector.  As of March, some formulations of fertilizer have tripled in price compared to one year ago.  The price per ton of granular 30-0-0 is averaging around $800.  To make matters worse, some fertilizer, such as liquid UAN (urea ammonium nitrate) is in short supply and is hard to source from local distributors.  As we hatch a pasture management plan for the 2022 season, we can expect that these historically high prices will pack a punch to the wallet. Fortunately, there are some steps we can take to help ease the cost of our fertilizer bills.

Take Soil Samples of Your Fields- For anyone growing a crop or pasture, getting soils tested is the first step in the direction of lowering fertilizer inputs.  Getting your soil tested is cheap insurance when it comes to over-applying and over-paying for fertilizer.  If you need assistance with proper soil sampling please contact your local Extension office.  Once samples are collected from your fields, they can be brought to your local Extension office, from there we send them to get tested by the NC Department of Agriculture.  Currently, the agronomic lab is still in its peak season for sample submissions so there is a $4 fee per sample. From April to November there is no fee. Soil testing tells us what nutrients, such as phosphorus and potassium, are available for the specific plants or crops we want to grow.   Soil testing also quantifies our soil’s pH and provides us with a baseline of the amount of nutrients we need to add to grow a successful crop.  Remember, soil testing allows us to fine tune our fertility plans so we don’t over-apply nutrients which can be costly during periods of high fertilizer prices.  

Don’t Skimp on the Lime-  Although fertilizer prices have increased significantly over the last year, the price of agricultural lime, which is used to raise the soil pH,  has remained relatively steady. Since the vast majority of our soils are acidic, applying the recommended amount of lime will bring the soil pH up to the desired range for pastures which is typically 6.0.  Research has shown time and time again that greater amounts of plant nutrients are available when the soil pH is in the ideal range compared to soils with a lower pH.  

Using manures-  Another option to curb the sting of the fertilizer bill is to utilize animal manures.  Poultry litter, horse manure, or cattle manure are common animal wastes and when used responsibility can serve as an effective plant nutrient source in pastures.  Animal manures can vary in their availability of nutrients between sources so it is always good to submit a sample and have it analyzed for nutrient concentrations.  This process is also carried by the NCDA and shares the sample principles as soil testing.  

Planting legumes- Legumes are plants that convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant available nitrogen with the help of soil bacteria called rhizobia.  When planted as a cover crop or in pastures some of this nitrogen will contribute to the following crops. Due to their low fiber and high protein content, legumes can be incorporated in pastures to increase forage quality which boosts livestock performance.  Common legumes that can be grown in our area during the fall are: clover species (crimson, white, arrowleaf), hairy vetch, and winter pea. In the summer legumes such as cowpea, soybean, peanut, and sunhemp can be successfully grown.  All of these plants ultimately contribute some nitrogen back to our soils which can help cut down the fertilizer bill.

As fertilizer prices stay on a steady upswing, now is the time to start implementing some practices to weather high fertilizer prices.  If you have any questions about fertilizers or pasture management please contact your local Extension office.

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