Tag: Horse Care

In most cases, the majority of a horse's diet should consist of forage, such as hay. A hay analysis can help you determine if your horse is on a well-balanced diet and can also be useful when managing horses diagnosed with nutrition-related disorders. When reading a hay analysis, values will be reported “as sampled” and “dry matter.” Dry matter values allow for direct comparisons between nutrients and simplifies balancing rations.

• Moisture should ideally be between 10 to 15 percent. Hay with less than 10 percent moisture may be too dry and brittle. Whereas hays over 16 percent moisture (without a preservative) are at risk of molding. Hay greater than 25 percent moisture is at risk of severe heat damage and potential fire hazard.
• Equine Digestible Energy (DE) measures the digestible energy in the hay and can help you balance the energy part of your horse's diet. Hay tends to range between 0.76 to 1.1 Mcal of DE per pound. A horse in light work needs about 20 Mcals of DE each day. Make sure to request equine DE when having horse hay analyzed.
• Crude Protein (CP) measures the protein content in hay. Most idle, adult horses need about 10 to 12 percent CP. Crude protein content varies with hay type and ranges from
  8 to 14 percent in grass hays
  14 to 17 percent in legume-grass mix hays
  15 to over 20 percent in legume hays
• Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) measures the cellulose and lignin content and indicates how digestible the nutrients are in the hay. Hays with ADF values of 30 to 35 percent are readily digested, while those above 45 percent are less digestible and could be appropriate for feeding horses with lower energy needs (e.g., horses at maintenance).
• Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) measures insoluble fiber and is often an indicator of palatability. Neutral detergent fiber levels between 40 and 50 percent represent hays that will be highly palatable, while those above 65 percent will likely not be readily consumed by most horses. However high NDF hays can be used as “busy hays.”
• Nonstructural Carbohydrates (NSC) is an analysis of starches and sugars in the hay, which is often estimated by combining starch and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) contents. The NSC level can help owners select hay for horses sensitive to starches and sugars (e.g., horses diagnosed with equine metabolic syndrome, laminitis, or polysaccharide storage myopathy). Hay with NSC greater than 10 to 12 percent should not be fed to sensitive horses.
• Calcium (Ca) and Phosphorus (P) are macrominerals required in the diet by all horses in specific amounts. The levels of these minerals can vary among different types of hay. For example, legume hays have high Ca levels relative to P. For the adult, idle horse, the Ca:P ratio should be between 3:1 to 1:1.

Click here for more information on interpreting a horse hay analysis.

The post Hay Analyses: Imperative To Understanding Quality Of Equine Diets appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A pair of racing Quarter Horses in Barnwell County, South Carolina, were euthanized after testing positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA), reports the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC).

The two horses were a 3-year-old Quarter Horse filly and a 3-year-old Quarter Horse gelding, and both were used for bush track racing. The two positive horses likely contracted EIA from shared needles, and Clemson Livestock Poultry Health and South Carolina USDA veterinarians are investigating any other potential cases.

The horses mark the fourth and fifth EIA cases in South Carolina in 2022. An official quarantine is in place.

Equine Infectious Anemia is a virus is a bloodborne disease that can be transmitted via bites from contaminated deer- and horseflies; from pregnant mares to their foals in utero or via milk; via breeding, from stallions to mares; through the use of infected blood and blood products; or through contaminated equipment like needles.

A horse with EIA can be asymptomatic, or it can have a fever or die suddenly. Horses that are chronically infected with EIA can be weak or anemic, lose weight, or have swelling in the legs, abdomen, or chest.

A Coggins test can confirm whether a horse is positive for EIA. There is no known treatment and infected horses pose a risk to all other horses. Horses that are positive for EIA can either be placed in lifetime quarantine or euthanized.

There is no vaccine for EIA, so prevention relies on quality fly control and sterile equipment for injections and treatments.

Updated alerts will be posted on the Equine Disease Communications Center.

The post Two Racing Quarter Horses Euthanized In South Carolina; Equine Infectious Anemia Tied To Unsanctioned Racing appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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One of the most anticipated events of the summer, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Barbeque at the Barn, will be held at the beautiful Saratoga Winery on Tuesday, August 23 from 5:00-9:00 p.m.

In addition to a delicious meal, the event will feature family friendly activities, music, raffle and silent auction items alongside guest appearances from racing celebrities including Maggie Wolfendale Morley, Acacia Clement, Ramon Dominguez and more as well as a few special equine guests.

When: August 23, 5:00-9:00 p.m.

Where: Saratoga Winery, 462 NY-29 Saratoga Springs NY

Who: Pat Stickney (TRF, Executive Director), Maggie Wolfendale-Morley (NYRA/Fox Sports), Seth Merrow (Capital OTB), Acacia Clement (NYRA/Fox Sports), Ramon Dominguez (Hall of Fame jockey), Peter Thomas Fornatale (In the Money Media), Tom Durkin (Former NYRA announcer), Donna Brothers (NBC), Jonathon Kinchen (NYRA/Fox Sports) and more!

About TRF: Founded in 1983, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is a national organization devoted to saving Thoroughbred horses no longer able to compete at the racetrack from possible neglect, abuse, and slaughter. As the oldest Thoroughbred rescue in the country, the TRF provides lifelong sanctuary to retired Thoroughbreds throughout their lifetime.

Best known for its pioneering TRF Second Chances program, the organization provides incarcerated individuals with life-changing vocational training through its accredited equine care and stable management program. At eight correctional facilities across the US, including one juvenile justice facility, this program offers second careers to its horses and a second chance at life for program graduates upon release from prison. The TRF Second Chances Program at the Wallkill Correctional Facility provides a home for 40 retired Thoroughbred racehorses and has been changing the lives of returning citizens for nearly forty years.

For more information visit: http://www.trfinc.org/

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An 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood admitted to Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine was assisted by a Rutgers New Jersey Medical School professor when vets suspected Lyme disease, but a traditional PCR test wasn't confirming the diagnosis.

Lyme disease is transmitted by the deer tick; horses are dead-end hosts, meaning they can get Lyme disease, but cannot spread it. Not all infected horses develop clinical signs of the disease, which includes weight loss, low-grade fever, and lameness. Long-term complications can include damage to the joints, skin, and nervous system. Vision can also be affected.

Early detection and treatment of Lyme disease is imperative to giving a horse the best chance for complete recovery. Determination of Lyme disease is traditionally done through an antibody test. However, because Lyme disease reproduces slowly, these tests are sometimes unable to detect Lyme disease DNA, which is only present if the horse has the active disease. If the test is unable to detect Lyme disease, veterinarians will continue to search for the cause of illness, delaying treatment of the disease and possibly leading to long-term complications.

Dr. Steven Schutzer, a Rutgers medicine professor, created an ultra-sensitive test designed to selectively identify Lyme disease DNA in the horse's spinal fluid. This test concluded that the mare was suffering from Lyme disease – despite the inconclusive PCR test. Non-neurologic Lyme disease treatment often includes administration of intravenous antibiotics. 

The mare returned to her previous level of competition once treated for Lyme disease.

The scientists feel that the ultra-sensitive test may have applications for other difficult-to-detect illness in horses, humans, and dogs.

Read more at HorseTalk.

The post New Ultra-Sensitive DNA Test Identifies Lyme Disease In Hard-To-ID Case appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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