The Relationship Between Tapeworms and Colic

The word colic strikes fear into the hearts of almost all horse owners and the threat of anything that could be related to colic is something horse owners dread--and with good reason. Colic has been identified as one of the leading causes of death in horses. In one study, 80% of impaction colic cases examined were associated with tapeworms. Other findings from that study showed 22% of spasmodic colic cases had concurrent tapeworm infections.

With the link between tapeworms and colic, it can be critical for horse owners to use products in their deworming programs that control tapeworms. Horse owners need to consider incorporating a product such as one with praziquantel, which specifically controls that particular parasite. Caution should be used when using generic dewormers as there are no generics that contain praziquantel to control tapeworms.

Besides their association with colic, tapeworms can also lead to other health concerns including but not limited to recurring diarrhea, progressive weight loss, and anemia. Understanding the tapeworm lifecycle, illustrated in the picture below, can help horse owners determine the best time to treat. In general, veterinary recommendations are to treat for tapeworms in the spring and the fall, but horse owners should consult their veterinarians for more specific parasite treatment protocols and a deworming program that best fits their farm health plan.

Because tapeworms pose a threat to horses' overall health and there is no reliable fecal diagnostic test for tapeworm infections like there are for other parasites, horse owners need to be vigilant about treating for them. And they should be sure to treat with a product that has been proven to be effective against tapeworms. So ask your veterinarian about the potential for these parasites and develop a sound deworming program that will work best for your equine operation.

Managing Your Horses During the Winter Months

The winter months can be a harsh environment for your horses and your wallet. With the depletion of forages on your pastures by now most people have had to increase feed and hay consumption for their horses. As prices continue to increase on feed more horse owners are relying on hay to get them through the winter. To learn how to stretch your horses hay consumption through the winter months and continue to have a good body condition score on your horse take a look at this link: http://animalscience.ag.utk.edu/horse/pdf/StretchingYourHorseHaySupply_1-30-03.pdf

Written by Jared Harrell

New Year, New Horse - Why not Adopt?

Thinking about getting a new horse?  You may want to consider adopting one.  Just like the millions of dogs and cats in need of homes, there are horses that for one reason or another have ended up homeless.  Here are a few things to consider when trying to decide whether to add to your herd or not:

• Are you ready to make a life-long commitment to the animal?
• Can you afford it?
• Do you have time for it?

If you answered YES to all of the above questions, then ask yourself:

How do I intend to use the horse? Showing, pleasure riding, hunting, etc. Is the horse that you are considering able to perform in this capacity?  

 

Is the horse a good match for my skill level? If possible, can you find out the history of the horse? It may have been hurt or upset at some point and unwilling to perform certain tasks.

Adopting an animal of any species is not a decision to be entered into lightly. Some of these horses are owner surrenders that could no longer be cared for due to health or monetary issues with the owner themselves. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these animals. Some horses were confiscated by law enforcement because they were not taken care of. There are some places where you can even adopt a wild horse that was rounded up to control the wild population; however, unless you are a VERY seasoned horse owner, this should not be your first choice.
When you make the decision to adopt, there are several places that you can start to look for adoptable horses. To begin your search for the perfect addition, you can simply search Google for “horse sanctuary in NC” or “adoptable horses in North Carolina”. There are so many to choose from, all over the state. Most of these sanctuaries have pictures and details about each horse and have contact information so that you can set up an appointment to visit and check the horses out in person. If you think a horse could be a fit for you, don’t be afraid to ask them about a “foster program” where you can take the horse home for a trial basis to see if it’s going to work on a permanent basis.
If you need more assistance, contact your local Livestock Agent. They may be able to put you in touch with some of these rescue organizations or answer any other questions that you have about horses and adopting.

Feeding Management of the Broodmare

It’s getting to be that time of year again when you’re waiting to lay eyes on your new foals!  While you are waiting, its important to make sure that your mares are getting the proper nutrition that they need for themselves and their fetuses.  According to Dr. Robert A. Mowrey, Retired Extension Horse Husbandry Specialist at North Carolina State University, nutrition is one of the more important factors affecting reproductive efficiency.  To learn how to reduce production costs, increase conception rates, and improve foaling rates, please read Dr. Mowrey’s article at: http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/livestock/horse/documents/AG491-1FeedingManagementoftheBroodmare.pdf

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Water and Hay: Critical to Winter Health

With brisk temperatures and frequent fluctuations of our North Carolina winter weather, it is always good to remember how critical these changes can be to our equine companions.  If you’ve been in the horse business long enough, you have probably encountered a horse experiencing colic due to temperature changes.  Keeping horses warm and hydrated in the winter, as well as in good body condition can be a challenge, especially during weeks like this one.  Key factors in achieving this are providing shelter from the wind and rain, along with plenty of clean water and good hay.  Here are some things that should help keep your horse healthy this winter.

Maintaining ample water intake is the most critical part of ensuring the health of your horse during cold weather.  The horse prefers a water temperature of 45-65°F.  Under normal conditions, the horse will consume one gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight per day.  An 1100 pound horse will consume 10-12 gallons of water daily.  As the water temperature decreases, horses will consume less water.  An 1100 pound horse may consume as little as 1-3 gallons of water per day when water temperature is 32°F. 

 Low water intake is directly related to the increased incidence of impaction colic.  Water intake can be encouraged by increasing the amount of forage being fed prior to a drop in temperature.  The resulting increase of dry matter encourages the horse to drink more water.  Concentrate mashes can also be fed during the actual cold period when water temperature is below 45°F.  Feeding 2-3 gallons of hot water mixed in a mash with a textured or pelleted concentrate mix will provide additional water intake.  To minimize gas colic, allow for the mash to sit for 15 minutes. This will permit the feed to expand prior to feeding.  If possible, offer 10 gallons of water (at 65°F or warmer) twice daily.  Break and remove ice from water tubs, making certain to provide water that is available free choice. 

Providing good quality, nutritious hay is another critical aspect to winter management of horses.  This is the time of year where hay supplies sometimes 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 other grazing animals, 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 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 these brisk winter days.  For more information or advice, don’t hesitate to contact your Extension office. 

Written by Eileen Coite

Rye, Rye Grass- what’s the difference?

This is a question that many Extension Agents and commercial pasture managers get asked each fall.  When you get into a conversation with horse owners about this topic, you will always be able to group people into one of three categories. Those that fully understand the difference, those that have no clue there is a difference, and those that understand the difference but interchange the proper terms for the two forages without thinking about it. Regardless of which category you find yourself in, let’s discuss the two different grasses and their pros and cons.

Cereal Rye and ryegrass are two different species (though closely related) of grass . They do have much in common. They are both annuals, meaning that they have to be replanted every year (preferably in the fall)  and will germinate, grow and die in a few months. The plant does in fact completely die, not just goes dormant such as bermudagrass in the winter. This is what distinguishes an annual from a perennial.  They are both considered cool season annuals that ideally need to be planted in the early fall. They both will provide grazing in the spring (and possibly earlier in the year depending on how mild a winter we have).  The two types of grass are almost identical when they first emerge out of the ground, and will not really be distinguishable until they start to grow and get bigger. This is also why you have the confusion that sometimes arises when people use the two terms interchangeably.  For all their similarities however, they are some big differences that separates the two species.

Cereal Rye, which depending on where you reside in the world tends to be referred to as just rye,  is actually a plant that is grown for grain as much as it is a forage. It is planted in the fall and can grow in colder weather than rye grass. It is not uncommon for cereal rye to be growing at full speed by the first of February in a mild winter.  Rye will complete its growth cycle by forming a mature seed head by the end of April/first of May. This is when you can easily tell if you have cereal rye in your paddocks. If left to grow and mature, cereal rye will get very tall and “stemmy” and the palatability (as well as the nutrient content) of the forage will decrease to the point that grazing will stop completely.  Cereal Rye is best managed by grazing the forage heavily before it gets over 5-6 inches tall. If your horse are not able to keep up with the growth of the rye than mowing it is certainly an option. Mowing will almost be a necessity regardless of your management skill by the first of May to remove any Rye residue, which will rob your emerging bermudagrass of critical sunlight in the late spring. This is also a point that not everybody understands about Cereal Rye in bermuda. Regardless of how good a manager you are, rye will slow your bermuda growth in the spring and will cost you 2-4 weeks or growth out of your bermuda in the early growing season.  Given the additional grazing time you get off of the rye however, most people view this as the lesser of two evils.

Rye Grass is similar in a lot of aspects, but it does have some key differences. It too is planted in the fall, and is almost identical to cereal rye when very small. The differences between rye grass and cereal rye does not become apparent until the plant starts to get some size on it. Rye grass has a much thicker leaf and does not put its energy into forming a seedhead. It grows much lower to the ground and appears to be “bunchier”.  As the feed value (protein and energy) of any plant is in the leaf, it is for this reason that ryegrass is generally considered a much better forage for animals.  The plant will keep good palatability much longer into its growth cycle than cereal rye will.  If Rye grass is such a better forage than why would people ever put cereal rye into their bermuda paddocks over rye grass? The reason is that ryegrass grows much later into the spring (and even into the early summer). The problems associated with the spring competition that was discussed in the cereal rye section above are multiplied by a factor of 5 with ryegrass. Ryegrass grows the greatest in April and May, which is at the exact time bermuda is struggling to break dormancy.  With Cereal Rye being at the end of its natural life cycle, you can mow it or graze it heavily and reduce this competition to a manageable level during this critical time of the year. With Ryegrass, this competition reduction is not possible. The rapidly growing ryegrass will cause severe damage to your bermuda stand  during this time.  This is why for all of its short comings, cereal rye is vastly preferred by agronomist over ryegrass if used in an existing stand of bermudagrass.

There are also blends of rye and ryegrass available on the market. The ratio of cereal rye to rye grass seeds will vary depending on the brand name.

Written by Randy Wood