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What’s The Deal With Tall Fescue And Broodmares?

If you don't manage an active breeding farm in Central Kentucky, chances are pretty good you've heard of problems with tall fescue grass, but you may not be aware of when or why it can be bad for certain horses.

At its recent client education seminar, Rood + Riddle Equine Hospital's Dr. Maria Schnobrich gave the basics for those of us vaguely wondering whether or not we should be afraid of fescue.

Firstly, Schnobrich said, it's important to understand what it is about the grass that causes problems. The University of Kentucky's Horse Pasture Evaluation Program has yet to find a single pasture that doesn't contain tall fescue; the question is only how much of it shows up in a given field. On average, Schnobrich said UK's data finds it's about 20 percent of a given field, but that can swing wildly depending on the location and management.

“You may have a mixed seeding that you do initially but if the pasture is stressed, the fescue may outgrow the other grasses,” she said. “So while you think initially you may be doing a mixed proportion and have it under control, as you start to see some of the reproductive effects or other things … it's important to think that these pastures are dynamic.”

Fescue can become infected with a fungus called an endophyte which has proven a useful relationship for the grass over time. The presence of the endophyte helps the tall fescue become resistant to drought and pests. Unfortunately, the endophyte will also produce a toxin called ergovaline, which causes decreases in progestin and prolactin in mares. Much is still unknown about the way ergovaline impacts horses, but research indicates its levels are low between January and March in Central Kentucky and may rise astronomically between April and June. There can sometimes be a second spike in the fall. Somewhere between 80 and 100 percent of fescue in the wild is infected with this fungus, but having it on your property doesn't necessarily mean you've got the toxin in your horses' diet.

Most adult horses in work and breeding stallions seem unaffected by ergovaline. Yearlings may demonstrate inhibited growth and more problems with physitis, or growth plate swelling. The biggest problems seem to be in pregnant or nursing mares.

A pregnant mare encountering ergovaline may have a longer gestation (sometimes as long as 13 months – as if pregnancy isn't tough enough already) and then deliver larger than average foals who are not well-muscled. The mares can then produce smaller amounts of colostrum than average, and what they do produce may be of poor quality. The mares may also take longer to come back into heat after foaling than expected. Foals may show symptoms of hyperthyroidism and poor immunity, possibly due to the inferior colostrum quality.

“If you start going through the list and you have a few of these symptoms on your farm, I think it's important to think of fescue,” said Schnobrich.

Pastures can be so dynamic that Schnobrich says sometimes the symptoms may be limited to one field or one barn's worth of mares who happen to be ingesting more tall fescue than horses elsewhere on the same property.

Once a pasture has reached a tipping point with too much fescue, it's not practical to try removing all of it and starting over. Instead, pasture experts suggest trying to dilute the amount of dangerous fescue with something else. There are two varieties of fescue which cannot become infected with the fungus, or managers could add clover or alfalfa seed into their mix. Keeping pastures short and mowing before seed heads form can also help reduce the amount of ergovaline a mare might encounter.

Schnobrich also suggested managers feed extra grass or alfalfa hay during the times of the year when ergovaline is most likely to spike as a way to dilute how much fresh grass the horses will eat. If you can take a pregnant mare off a field with tall fescue and have her graze elsewhere, Schnobrich suggests doing it somewhere between 30 and 90 days prior to foaling.

If you're worried you're already stuck with too much tall fescue, Schnobrich also said administering domperidone beginning 30 days from foaling may also help combat the impacts of the ergovaline.

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Ask Your Veterinarian Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: When To Perform A C-Section On A Pregnant Mare

Veterinarians at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital answer your questions about sales and healthcare of Thoroughbred auction yearlings, weanlings, 2-year-olds and breeding stock.

Question: Why and when might a veterinarian decide to perform a C-section on a pregnant mare?

Dr. Rolf Embertson, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital: Most C-sections are performed as an emergency procedure in the horse. The procedure is usually performed when other methods to deliver a foal have failed. C-sections are infrequently performed during colic surgery on a term broodmare and infrequently performed as an elective procedure in the mare. Indications for the latter would include a compromised birth canal due to a previous pelvic fracture or soft tissue trauma, a compromised cervix, previous episodes of postpartum hemorrhage, and previous difficult dystocias.

Dr. Rolf Embertson

Before discussing success rates, a basic understanding of dystocia in the mare is warranted. Dystocia means difficult birth. In the mare, once the chorioallantoic membrane ruptures (the mare breaks water), a foal is usually delivered in about 20 minutes. If a foal is not delivered within about 45 minutes, the probability of foal survival starts to rapidly decrease. Thus, this can become a true emergency where minutes can make the difference in survival of the foal. Although less of an emergency for the mare, her reproductive future and even her life may also be at risk. The goal should be to deliver a live foal in a manner resulting in a live, reproductively sound mare.

There are essentially four procedures used to resolve dystocia in a mare. Assisted vaginal delivery (AVD) is when the mare is awake, possibly sedated, and is assisted in vaginal delivery of an intact foal. This is done primarily on the farm. Controlled vaginal delivery (CVD) is when the mare is anesthetized and the clinician is in complete control of delivering an intact foal vaginally. This is usually done in a hospital environment. Fetotomy is when a dead foal is reduced to more than one part to remove the foal vaginally from an awake or anesthetized mare. This can be done at the farm or in a hospital. C-section is when the foal is removed through an abdominal and uterine incision. This is best performed in a hospital. These procedures are used as needed to produce the most favorable result.

The success rate for live foals and live mares that go through a dystocia is significantly better when the farms are close to a hospital that can perform these procedures. This is primarily due to the duration of the dystocia prior to resolution, although this can be influenced by other factors. Realistic example: A mare breaks water and 15 to 20 minutes later, the foaling attendants realize they can't correct the head back posture of the foal. Within five to 10 minutes (now 20 to 30 minutes since the water broke) the mare is loaded on the trailer, the mare arrives at the hospital in 15 to 40 minutes (now 35 to 70 minutes into the foaling attempt). A brief exam, IV catheter placement, anesthetic induction within five to 10 minutes (now 40 to 80 minutes overall), attempt CVD for five to 15 minutes (now 45 to 95 minutes). If the attempt is not successful, the team will perform C-section, foal is delivered in 15 to 20 minutes from when the decision was made (now 60 to 115 minutes from when water broke).

Dystocia mares that are sent to our hospital go directly to a dedicated induction stall. The mare is anesthetized, her hind limbs hoisted so her pelvis is about three feet off the floor. The foal is examined, repositioned, the mare dropped to the floor, and the foal pulled out of the mare. This CVD procedure is successful in resolving about 75 percent of hospital dystocias. About 25 percent of the hospital dystocias are resolved by C-section.

Following CVD, about 39 percent of those foals survive to discharge from our hospital and about 94 percent of those mares survive to discharge from our hospital. Following C-section about 30 percent of those foals survive to discharge from our hospital and about 85 pecent of the mares survive to discharge from our hospital.

Elective C-sections have a better success rate. There is about a 95 percent survival to discharge rate for foals and about a 95 percent survival to discharge rate for mares.

Dr. Rolf Embertson graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology in 1976. He also attended Michigan State where he graduated from Veterinary School in 1979 followed by an internship at Illinois Equine Hospital. Dr. Embertson completed a Large Animal Surgery Residency at the University of Florida, followed by an Equine Surgery Residency at The Ohio State University. In 1986, he became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Dr. Embertson is a surgeon and shareholder at Rood & Riddle.

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Stave Off Rehab Setbacks With An Equine Motion Sensor

When an injury requires a horse to be on stall rest, the owner often has more time to fawn and fuss over it. Even the most devoted owner, however, cannot monitor her horse 24/7, and this means subtle changes in movement that could indicate a potential setback during recovery might go unnoticed. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) can help owners track the movement of stall-bound horses and help owners recognize when a complication might be looming.

“An IMU consists of small, wearable sensors that record information about a horse's movement, particularly the type, speed, and step count,” explained Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., a Kentucky Equine Research nutritionist. For many injuries, successful rehabilitation depends on a certain amount of movement. “Bearing weight during rehabilitation promotes circulation by delivering nutrients and oxygen to the injured tissues,” Whitehouse said.

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Decreased mobility of an injured horse during stall confinement could be an early indication of poorly managed pain or a potentially life-threatening complication. If identified early, specific interventions can be implemented, such as improved pain management and alterations in the rehabilitation protocol.

To assess the validity of a commercial IMU, a Canadian veterinary team recruited six horses.^* Sensors were placed at three different locations on the same horse (withers, right forelimb, and right hindlimb), and the horse's movements measured on the IMU were compared to direct observation.

“The data showed that the limb sensors accurately counted steps in stalled horses,” Whitehouse said. “The IMU proved itself a valuable tool in the early detection of movement reduction that could signal pain or complications and ultimately improve patient outcome.”

Another way to support horses during layup is by offering a nutritional supplement designed to support the skeletal system.

^*Steinke, S.L., J.B. Montgomery, and J.M. Barden. 2021. Accelerometry-based step count validation for horse movement analysis during stall confinement. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8:681213.

Article reprinted courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research (KER). Visit equinews.com for the latest in equine nutrition and management, and subscribe to The Weekly Feed to receive these articles directly (equinews.com/newsletters).

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Equine Grazing Behavior Offers Clues For Forage Needs As Pastures Decline

As the growing season winds down or as drought sets in, horse owners must provide horses with an appropriate alternative forage to fulfill fiber requirements. In most cases, this involves the use of hay, though other products such as haylage or hay cubes are appropriate and sometimes fed.

The question that looms large for most owners is when to offer alternative forage. The pasture reveals a couple of important clues, namely growth rate and plant health.

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Owners will know when pasture growth slows as there will be less need for routine mowing and maintenance. Depending on stocking rate—that is, the number of horses on any given acreage—pasture might withstand a slowdown in growth rate and continued grazing, so long as more land is allotted per horse. A large, seven-acre paddock that comfortably sustained five horses in peak growing season might support three as pasture growth declines.

“Observation of grazing behavior might be a tipoff, too. If horses spend more time grazing, they are likely finding less to eat. In periods of lush growth, you might catch horses resting more often, as it is easier for them to satisfy their appetites and their need to graze,” said Dr. Kathleen Crandell, a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research (KER).

Plant health is a more obvious indicator. As autumn segues into winter or as rainfall decreases, pasture grasses often turn brown and unpalatable, at which time growth is almost assuredly arrested. Horses will snack on these remnants, but more nutritious forage should be offered.

“Owners ought to offer hay as soon as they feel horses are not consuming sufficient pasture to meet daily forage requirement, which is about 1.5-2 percent of body weight daily,” advised Crandell.

For a 15.2-hand, 1,100-pound horse, that would be 16.5-22 pounds of hay each day. Keep in mind, though, that this amount will likely satisfy the horse's complete forage requirement.

“If the horse is still nibbling away at pasture much of the day, it might need only a portion of this. If the horse leaves hay in favor of pasture, then too much hay is probably being fed at the time. Gauge requirement through consumption,” recommended Crandell.

To maintain weight, many horses, in combination with their forage, will be consuming a well-fortified concentrate feed that supplies all of the protein, vitamins, and minerals required for their well-being. Those that do not should be fed a vitamin and mineral supplement, such as Micro-Max, developed by Kentucky Equine Research and available in the U.S. and other regions. Micro-Max supplies minerals that have been chelated or proteinated, which increases their digestibility and allows horses to derive maximum benefit from them.

One vitamin that is particularly deficient in diets composed of preserved forages such as hay is vitamin E, an important antioxidant in the horse's immune arsenal. The most effective source of supplemental vitamin E is d-alpha-tocopherol or natural vitamin E. Nano-E is a natural-source vitamin E supplement that possesses a unique delivery action, nanodispersion, which allows the vitamin to hit target tissues more quickly than other vitamin E supplements. Nano-E is available worldwide.

Don't know where to begin with supplementation? Complete a simple questionnaire and start the consultation process.

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