Tag: Horse Care

Soils of healthy pastures contain a pore system that provides soil structure and allows for the exchange of gases and water. These characteristics are key to supporting soil life and, in turn, plant growth. Animal traffic can compact the soil and limit water infiltration. Researchers aimed to compare the effects of continuous and rotational grazing on the rates of water infiltration of soil.

The grazing trials were conducted in News Brunswick, New Jersey from August 1, 2014 to November 22, 2016. Four fields of similar size (3.7 to 4.0 acres) were established in 2013 and contained tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and orchardgrass. The researchers divided the two fields designated for rotational grazing into four smaller pastures. All the horses had access to shelter, water, and a hay feeder, but these resources were set up in a stress lot (dry lot) for rotationally-grazed horses. Twelve mature (14 ± 2 yrs.), Standardbred mares were assigned to either rotational or continuous grazing with a stocking rate of 1.3 acres per horse. For rotational grazing, horses were grazed when forage heights were over 6 inches and moved to the next pasture when forage was eaten down to 3 inches. Prior to rest, the pastures were dragged and mowed. Pastures under continuous grazing were dragged and mowed twice a season. Water infiltration measurements of the soil were taken multiple times during the study.

Overall, rotationally-grazed fields had taller forage, greater aboveground biomass, and more cover than continuously-grazed fields. Rates of water infiltration through large soil pores (macropores) tended to be greater for fields under rotational compared to continuous grazing during dry periods. During wet periods, infiltration of smaller soil pores was comparable or lower in rotationally-grazed fields than continuously-grazed fields. Growth of pasture grass roots likely increased during wet periods in rotationally-grazed fields and caused a decline in infiltration.

The results of this study suggest that rotational grazing better supports macropore networks in soil and greater water infiltration rates compared to continuous grazing. Macropores can increase soil water content, decrease soil temperature, and promote plant recovery from animal traffic. These functions are key to healthy soil and productive pastures. However, many factors can influence soil properties within pasture systems such as soil type, weather, or frequency of animal traffic. Therefore, further research is needed to investigate the role and interplay of additional factors.

For more information on this research, read the abstract published in Soil and Tillage Research.

The post Study Affirms That Rotational Grazing Results In Better Soil Water Infiltration appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Question: I have noticed new insects in my barn this year. The beetles kind of look like blister beetles, but we don't use alfalfa hay, and the moths I find in water buckets every day. What are they? Are they harmful to my horses? How can I get rid of them?

Response : The black beetles you found in your barn are not blister beetles but darkling beetles. While similar in appearance, blister beetles have a distinct neck, whereas darkling beetles do not. Darkling beetles and their larvae (lesser mealworms) live in dark, moist places, are attracted to soiled bedding, and feed on spilled or spoiled grains. To avoid the light, they may hide in crevices or stacked hay. However, unlike blister beetles, darkling beetles are not toxic to horses. Keeping your barn tidy is key to preventing infestations of darkling beetles: clean up spilled feed or grain, discard any old feed, routinely remove manure and soiled bedding from stalls. Dispose of infested feed; a few beetles in your hay is okay as they will likely scurry away when disturbed or exposed to light.

The moths you have seen in your water buckets are meal moths. Meal moths infest grains, where they lay their eggs. Once the larvae hatch, they feed on the grain and leave behind webs that impede air flow and cause the grain to clump. You should avoid feeding grain that is infested with meal moths or their larvae.

Some insect infestations originate within feed bags. Grains often contain eggs and when stored improperly (e.g., warm temperatures) or for too long, the eggs hatch. The following tips can help keep your feed fresh and free of bugs.

• Before purchasing feed, check the date of manufacturing on the bag to ensure the feed is not old.
• Avoid storing more than a 2-week supply of feed at a time.
• Store feed in a cool, dry place and inside animal- and insect-proof containers.
• Keep your feed area clean: pick up spills, discard spoiled or old feed, wipe out containers between new bags of feed, and cover grain buckets when preparing meals in advance.

The post University Of Minnesota’s Ask The Expert: Do I Need To Worry About These Beetles In My Barn? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Four veterinarians, including the primary vet for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and others, have been placed on probation by the California Veterinary Medical Board. The stipulated settlements for Drs. Vince Baker, Ryan Carpenter, Sarah Graybill Jones, and Cathaleen Canfield were made public this summer and conclude accusations brought against them in 2021 and 2022.

Baker faced 14 causes for discipline based on a revised complaint; Carpenter, nine; Jones, seven; and Canfield, nine.

Baker is managing licensee for his Equine Medical Center practice in Cypress, Calif., and as such is responsible for the record-keeping practices of veterinarians who work under him, including Carpenter, Jones, and Canfield.

The stipulated settlements saw all four veterinarians' licenses revoked, but those revocations were stayed in favor of probation – four years for Baker, Carpenter, and Canfield, and three for Jones.

As previously reported, the primary focus for much of the accusation documents involves record-keeping, both records of examination and diagnosis ahead of treatment and records of drugs dispensed, including controlled substances in some instances. In several cases, the veterinary medical board accuses the veterinarians of failing to establish a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) per state regulations because it's not clear from existing records that the veterinarians examined horses prior to dispensing medications.

The majority of substances listed in the documents are routine and legal therapeutic medications. By the veterinary medical board's legal definition, however, some were considered “dangerous” if they bore the phrase “RX only” on the label. Many, like Lasix, aren't considered by a layperson's definition to be inherently dangerous or exotic. Some of the drugs mentioned however, were also considered by the state to be misbranded because they were produced outside of federal oversight. Thyro-L, the trade name for levothyroxine powder, falls into this category as it is not FDA-approved and was allegedly dispensed by Baker, Carpenter, and Canfield. Baker is also accused of using compounded substances from Buy Rite Drugs which the board indicated has no license to ship its products to California.

Some of the records the board considered to be inadequate from Baker's practice were for more tightly-regulated substances like Euthasol and ketamine.

Accusation documents did not mention horses by name, but rather used initials to “protect the identities of the equine patients.”

Part of the revised accusation document for Baker referred to a horse identified as M. Sp., and the list of drugs dispensed to the horse match the medical records of Baffert trainee Medina Spirit. Those records have been made public in the wake of the ongoing appeals case of the colt's disqualification from the 2021 Kentucky Derby. In the case of M. Sp., Baker is accused of prescribing the drugs “without performing an examination and forming a diagnosis of any condition that required treatment,” “dispensing dangerous drugs,” failing to include required information in the horse's medical record, possessing a substance that is non-FDA approved which showed up on M. Sp.'s record, and failing to provide and note required drug consultations.

The list of substances cited in the section accusing Baker of not providing or noting proper drug consultation for M. Sp. includes Otomax, a prescription ointment which contains betamethasone and which Baffert claims is the source of the horse's positive betamethasone test. The accusation document also lists Finish First, a non-FDA-approved supplement dispensed from Baker to Baffert, which it terms as a “medication.”

The records examined by the board ran from Jan. 2021 to March 2021.

The Paulick Report acquired medical records for Baffert trainee Havnameltdown, who suffered a fatal injury on this year's Preakness undercard. Those records from 2023 also show that Baker dispensed Finish First, along with other supplements to Havnameltdown.

As we reported earlier this week, the records also show the injection of the horse's stifles and hocks with two different corticosteroids. Unlike other listed drug administrations or notes about examinations, those treatments included no notes about diagnostic or examination findings that prompted Baker to give the drug.

The post Four Racetrack Veterinarians On Probation As Part Of Agreement With California Board; Violations Could Include Medications Dispensed To Medina Spirit appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA. (NYSE:MRK), is voluntarily recalling three batches of BANAMINE®/BANAMINE®-S (flunixin meglumine injection) 50 mg/mL in the United States, used for injection in cattle, swine and horses to the consumer level due to the presence of particulate matter. BANAMINE® /BANAMINE®-S (flunixin meglumine injection) is a prescription product in the U.S.

Particulates were observed during routine quality testing and reviews for the following batches:

• BANAMINE 100mL, UIN 065474, NDC 00061-0851-03, Batch 2834102, exp Oct. 2024

o Distribution dates: March 6, 2023, to May 3, 2023

• BANAMINE 250mL, UIN 065476, NDC 00061-0851-04, Batch 2864102, exp Nov. 2024

o Distribution dates: June 21, 2023, to July 11, 2023

• BANAMINE-S 100mL, UIN 065477, NDC 0061-1838-30, Batch 2834103, exp Oct. 2024

o Distribution dates: March 20, 2023, to May 16, 2023

The lot number (LOT) and expiry date (EXP) is located at the bottom right part of the bottle label.

The administration of an injectable product that contains particulate matter may result in local irritation, swelling or infection in response to the foreign material. After intravenous administration in large animals, such as cattle or horses, particulate matter could travel to the lungs which could result in local tissue damage. To date, no adverse event reports have been received for the recalled batches.

Flunixin meglumine is a potent, non-narcotic, nonsteroidal, analgesic agent with anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activity. It is approved in the US only for intravenous use in beef and dairy cattle, for intravenous and intramuscular use in horses and for intramuscular use in swine.

Customers who have received BANAMINE and BANAMINE®-S from the batches being recalled should stop using the products and refer to their recall letter for product return instructions. Merck Animal Health is working with our distributor partners to ensure that unused product is no longer in distribution or with customers. We are notifying our distributors and customers directly and are arranging for the return of all recalled product.

Consumers with questions regarding this recall should call 1-800-521-5767 (Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CDT).

Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA at 1-888-FDA-VETS or online at http://www.FDA.gov/reportanimalae.

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