With cases reported already this year, horse owners are being cautioned about a toxic plant that flourishes during drought and in overgrazed conditions.
Knowing the nutrient composition of hay is vital to assuring horse’s needs are being met.
Almost 1,300 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, “Are you having problems getting hay?”
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Aggressive research efforts by Belgian veterinarians have culminated in the identification of numerous indicators or factors–including horse management and pasture characteristics–associated with atypical myopathy, a rapidly developing and fatal di Drought conditions in parts of western North Dakota have some livestock producers in need of additional forage. Farmers and ranchers who have forage for sale can list it on a North Dakota State University (NDSU) database designed to help feed Horses evolved to eat a lot of fiber, spending up to 17 hours a day grazing various forage plants. But not all fiber is created equal, especially when it comes to hay. Hay carries a few challenges compared to living forages. One, compared t The USDA has released several crop reports that indicate the number of hay acres will be down in 2008. The department also reported that the existing hay supply is lower than previous years. This information, combined with higher input cost Optimal use of horse pastures has always been important. As news of the high price and limited supply of hay continues to worry horse owners, the health of horse pastures becomes ever more critical. Consulting with forage experts might be Equine veterinarians have known for years that some horses can handle the spring grass, while others will become ill and develop laminitis, a painful disease process in which the hoof wall separates from its attachments in the foot. When grasses start greening up in the spring, you might be tempted to turn your horse loose in the pasture to chow down on the new grass. But be aware that any sudden change in your horse’s diet could cause health problems, said Steve Jones Whether it is the result of weather conditions making forage scarce or prohibitively expensive, or if there’s some other reason, there could come a time when horse owners need to consider alternative sources of forage. Equine nutritionists say that An Ethiopian summer annual grass called teff could be a valuable asset to growers, according to a crop specialist in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Marvin Hall, MS, PhD, professor of forage management, said he is optimistic tha After a long, dry summer that left pastures scant and dusty and hay production plunging, drought conditions across the United States show no signs of letting up. And neither do the challenges facing horses and their owners. According t Authored and narrated by Kathryn Watts, BS, a Power Point lecture on CD entitled “Soil Minerals: The Basis of Nutrition” is now available for horse owners interested in equine health and hoof care. The science behind mineral nutrition in grass and ha As if hay scarcity and high prices aren?t enough, experts are warning horse owners that imported hay could also hide horse health dangers including seriously low amounts of essential vitamins such as A and E, excessive amounts of selenium, and From the three years of pastureland study done by the UK forage extension team, some common trends have emerged. One trend should trouble area farms because it directly limits the number of horses that can be supported on area pastures. Currently, Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.comWeekly PollCreate a free account with TheHorse.com! |
