Ongoing operating budget shortfalls (nearly $500,000 in 2009) along with a long-term services evaluation has led the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to consolidate the state’s Animal Health field and laboratory services. The MDA began closing the College Park, Centreville, and Oakland Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratories. During September, operations at these three facilities will b

Prominent Thoroughbred sire El Prado died of a heart problem in his paddock at Adena Springs near Paris, Ky. the morning of Sept. 21. The son of Sadler’s Wells was 20 years old.

“It’s a very sad moment for us at the farm–we’re still in shell shock about the whole thing,” said Adena’s Dermot Carty. “On the other hand,

New research comparing biomarkers in a horse’s blood with X rays showed these tests might be useful for predicting whether the animal is at risk of developing a bone or joint disorder, such as arthritis, said the study authors.

When a horse is infected with rabies, the outcome is invariably fatal. But taking the simple step of ensuring an annual vaccination for your horse will nearly eliminate your horse’s risk of contracting this deadly disease.

In observation of World Rabies Day, Sept. 28, 2009, the American Association of Equine Practitioner

A second Florida man is in custody in connection with two horse poaching incidents, including the death of horse in Miami Gardens butchered for its meat.

Miami-Dade Police arrested Santiago Cabrera, 19, on Monday in connection with a July 26 incident involving a horse discovered dead in a pasture apparently butchered for its

A new tool that will allow horses to be identified quickly via an iris scan should be available next year, said the company pioneering it.

“We plan to develop this technology to identify horses,” said Bobby Varma, director of business development for Sarnoff Corporation.

Sarnoff was commissioned to build the scanner by Global Animal Management, a company that plans to bring this

Livestock producers in areas with a history of anthrax cases should take measures to protect their animals from the disease, North Dakota animal health officials advise.

“We have just received confirmation of a case of anthrax in cattle along the Hettinger-Slope County line, the first reported in that area in many years and the first confirmed case in the state this year,” said Susan

The Secretariat Festival at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds Sat., Sept. 26 has extra-added importance this year, as producers of the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures film Secretariat will be picking one of the horses to star in the lead role in the movie.

Rusty Hendrickson, lead wrangler for the film, has all ready selected four horses for the title role, but left one slot vacant for a horse

The topic of coat color and coat patterns is of great interest to horse breeders. Color can substantially increase a horse’s marketability. All else being equal, a buyer is often willing to pay more for a horse with an attractive color pattern.

Perfect fall weather found 38-year-old Elmer Bandit completing both days of the Stephens Forest Competitive Trail event near Lucas, Iowa, this past weekend. The event added 40 miles to the gray, half-Arabian’s record mileage, which now stands at 20,780 miles.

Although not competing as much this year, owner and rider Mary Ann

The University of Queensland has set up a Memorial Fund in honor of Alister Rodgers, BVSc, who died of zoonotic Hendra virus earlier this month. He contracted the virus while treating a sick foal.

At the request of Rodgers’ family, the Alister Rodgers Memorial Hendra Virus Research Assistance Fund has been set up by the

Mustangs are the latest twist in the Young Horse Program at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.

Started in 1999 by Associate Professor Sarah Ralston, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVN, the program teaches students about handling, training, and nutrition of young horses.

The program initially used draft cross weanlings from PMU ranches.

A seminar focused on drug testing and the prosecution of a medication case will be the focus of the Racing Officials Accreditation Program’s second annual Officiating Horse Racing Conference on Dec. 7, 2009, at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program’s Symposium on Racing and Gaming at the Westin La Paloma Resort in Tucson, Ariz.

The year’s conference is