Making sure that copper requirements are met in the overall diet of horses is prudent. However, there is no real need to test soils for copper, and certainly no evidence that fertilizing with copper sulfate will minimize the occurrence of the ergot
It is estimated that 35 million acres of United States pasture are planted with tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), and roughly 700,000 horses graze these fescue pastures. This plant is a cool-season plant, so it grows in cooler climates,
Mares grazing on tall fescue pastures infected with a toxin have increased gestation lengths, mare and foal deaths, agalactia (absent milk secretion after birth), retained placentas, premature separation of the placenta at birth, and increased placental weights and thickness.
Sometimes it’s good to take a step back and look at the big picture. Maybe you will discover that the way you’ve put hay in the loft all these years can be done differently to save you time (and an aching back). Maybe you’ve decided that you wan
Your horse’s favorite activity could be time spent with Dr. Green–the horseman’s name for turnout on pasture. Left on his own in a field, your horse nibbles for long periods of time. Grass forage is an important part of most horses’ diets;”P>Your horse’s favorite activity could be time spent with Dr. Green–the horseman’s name for turnout on pasture. Left on his own in a field, your horse nibbles for long periods of tim”>Your horse’s favorite activity could be time spent with Dr. Green–the horseman’s name for turnout on pasture. Left on his “Your horse’s favorite activity could be time spent with Dr. Green-“our horse’s
Man might not live by bread alone, but horses can live on forage just fine. As grazing, herbivorous animals, forage (grasses and plants that grow on pastureland) is what they’re designed to eat. Other components of the equine diet–grains, fats,
When it comes to small horse pastures, pasturettes, or ranchettes, less equals more. More stress on pasture grasses, more likelihood of overgrazing, more pressure on fencing, more routine maintenance. But with proper management, pasturettes can
When tall fescue first arrived in the United States during the 1940s, it was considered a wonder grass. It was easy to establish, it yielded a good amount of forage, it was tolerant of a wide range of management regimens, and it could handle a
Prompt diagnosis and treatment can ensure that a mild colic doesn’t become a fatal colic.
How do certain forage plants coax cattle, sheep and goats into coming back for more? Scientists at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service are sleuthing the secrets of how to tempt the palates of these ruminants.
Knowing more about the
Ryerss Farm, a home for retired horses, is feeling the affects of this summer’s drought that is affecting much of the United States. According to farm manager Tim Blevins, 70% of their feed and cash crops are ruined. “If you
I need to put weight on my skinny Thoroughbred. Would beet pulp be a good addition to my horse’s diet?
Good quality forage is the basis of feeding programs for all horses. When hay is being fed, horse owners need to select a hay that is nutritious but also free of dust and mold. However, when mold-free hay is not available,
No one ever said mothering was easy. As your broodmare gets closer and closer to her due date, you’ve been noting, with some satisfaction, her bulging belly, her increasingly matronly attitude, and the look of lazy contentment in her eyes. But
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