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It’s Time To Winterize Your Horse

Wednesday, December 16th, 2015

winterize horseNow that winter is approaching and the temperature is dropping, it’s time to consider how to winterize your horse. During the cold season, horse owners must make sure that their animals receive proper feed, water and shelter to stay healthy and comfortable. Further, since riders usually put a lot of time and effort into getting their horses ready for shows, trail rides, or other events during the warm months, if they maintain their horses over the winter, all that effort won’t go to waste and have to be started over in the spring.

Feeding

Many horse owners believe that when the weather is cold, horses need to be fed rations containing more corn, because they think of corn as a heating feed. However, corn and other cereal grains do not cause the horse to become warmer, they simply provide more energy (calories) to the horse. Hay, which contains more fiber than grain, provides more of a warming effect internally, as more heat is released during the digestion of fiber than of starch from grain. Therefore, horses are more able to maintain body heat if adequate hay is provided in the diet. Further, good quality hay is important during cool weather and winter months when pasture grasses are short or are not growing. Horses need at least 1% of their body weight per day in roughages to maintain a healthy GI tract, but 2% or even more may be appropriate during cold weather, especially when the horse lives outdoors.

Although grain does not provide as much of an internal warming effect as hay, it is often necessary to supplement a horse’s winter ration with additional grain to boost calorie supplies. Cold temperatures increase the amount of calories a horse needs to maintain body weight, as well as support activity or production. Because a horse may digest feed less efficiently as the temperature drops below the horse’s comfort zone, additional feed may be required to maintain body weight and condition. It is important to maintain the horse in a body condition score of 5-6 (moderate to moderately fleshy) because a layer of fat under the skin provides insulation against the cold. Further, horses in moderately fleshy condition require less dietary energy for maintenance in cold weather than thin horses. In general, feeding an additional 1/4 lb of grain per 100 lb body weight to nonworking horses will provide adequate calories during cold, windy and wet weather. Working horses may require up to an additional 1/2 lb per 100 lb body weight, depending on workload, to maintain body weight during cold weather. Feeds such as Purina Ultium, Strategy, Race Ready or Omolene 200 may be especially helpful in these situations, since the added fat provides more calories than grain alone.

Senior horses, which are unable to chew hay completely due to poor teeth and suffer from less efficient digestion and absorption of nutrients in the GI tract, need a feed specifically designed for them such as Equine Senior especially during winter months. Equine Senior contains enough roughage and added fat to ensure that the older horse can meet its fiber and calorie requirements without depending on long-stemmed hay or grass.

Water

Water should always be readily available to the horse. Snow is not a sufficient substitute for water, as the horse cannot physically eat enough snow to meet its water requirement. Ideally, the temperature of the available water should be between 45 degrees and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is too cold, the horse may drink less, thereby decreasing water and lubrication in the gut and increasing the chance of impaction-induced colic. Further, if the horse drinks less water, it may also eat less feed, resulting in loss of body weight and condition. Finally, if a horse is forced to drink very cold water, its energy requirement will increase, because more calories are required to warm the water to body temperature inside the digestive tract.

Shelter

Another consideration in cold weather horse care is housing or shelter. In general, even in cold climates, horses are happier and possibly healthier outdoors. Closed and heated barns are often inadequately ventilated. Horses living in poorly ventilated stables tend to develop respiratory diseases more often than horses maintained in pastures, even during cold weather.

If given the opportunity, horses adjust to cold temperatures with little difficulty. A horse’s comfort zone is very different from that of a person. In the absence of wind or moisture, horses tolerate temperatures down to near 0 degrees Fahrenheit, and even colder if shelter is available. Horses living outside should have access to adequate shelter from wind, sleet and storms. Trees, brush, or an open-sided shed or stable can provide adequate shelter. In severe cold, horses will group together to share body heat. They may all take a brisk run to increase heat production, and then come back together to share the increased warmth. A long thick coat of hair is an excellent insulator and is the horse’s first line of defense against cold temperatures. Horses that live outdoors during the winter should be allowed to grow a natural, full winter coat. Horses that live indoors will need adequate blankets in the cold weather to ensure that they do not get too cold. With sufficient thought and care by the horse owner, even horses that live outside in very cold climates will survive quite well during the cold winter months.

Exercise

Many horses are given the winter off from work due to the cold weather, the rider’s lack of time, or because they are given a break after a heavy show season. However, if horses are let off for too long, they may forget some of what they have been taught and lose the fitness level that they gained over the year of work. So, to prevent the winter slump, here are a few suggestions:

1. Longe the horse once or twice a week. This not only gets the horse exercising, but it gives you an opportunity to brush, clean feet, check for injury, and evaluate the overall condition of the horse.

2. If longeing is not possible and you have more than one horse, you can ride one and pony the second. This can be a good time saver and gets both horses working.

3. If time is available and weather permits, ride your horse or horses whenever possible. Keep in mind, your horse is not in the same shape and does not have the stamina as when you were riding more in the warmer seasons, so you cannot work as hard nor expect as much from the horse. Be sure to cool the horse down completely after work to reduce the risk of pneumonia, cold, or colic.

4. Another option is to check with local stables to see if their facilities are available to non-boarders. Often, stables allow outside horses and riders to use indoor and/or outdoor arenas for a fee.

Winter may not be the easiest time of year for enjoying our horses, but with proper feed, water and shelter, and some exercise and conditioning, our horses will make it through comfortably and be ready to go again as soon as the weather allows.

By Dr. Katie Young, Equine Nutritionist, Purina Mills, LLC

 

2015 State Fair of Texas

Tuesday, August 18th, 2015

State Fair of Texas 2015Get your bags packed and your road maps ready – the State Fair of Texas® is just around the corner, bringing you an all-access pass to Texas-sized fun! A celebration of all things Texan, the State Fair encourages visitors to explore the great Lone Star State and all it has to offer. A combination of entertainment, art, agriculture, history and cuisine, the State Fair provides fairgoers with a unique way to experience every aspect of Texas culture, all in one place. With that in mind, the State Fair invites you to grab your family and friends and start planning your trip to the 2015 Fair, themed “Passport to Texas.” This year’s exposition will run Friday, September 25 through Sunday, October 18 at historic Fair Park in Dallas.

Click here for livestock exhibitor information.

Chickens and Molting

Sunday, August 16th, 2015

brown henMolting is the process wherein hens lose feathers and grow new ones. It occurs naturally after 10 to 14 months of production, or it can be caused accidentally by temperature extremes, running out of feed or water, a decrease in light, or disease. Hens will not lay eggs during a molt. Molting gives birds a chance to rest. After seven to eight weeks, they will return to production for a second cycle, though they will not be as productive the second time around. However, they will often lay larger eggs than during their first cycle.

Keeping Your Horse Cool In the Summer

Wednesday, August 12th, 2015

horse waterSummer is in full swing in Texas, with the average daily temperatures topping 100 degrees. Summer heat and humidity can be a dangerous combination for active horses.“Heat and humidity affect the horse, and with intense exercising, the excess heat has difficulty dissipating,” notes Dr. Glennon Mays, clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

“Heat is a normal by-product of working muscles and increases during periods of increased exercise,” explains Mays.  “Normally a horse cools itself by sweating which causes heat loss and thus its body cools as sweat evaporates from the skin’s surface.”

When humidity is high, less moisture can evaporate from the skin surface.  Therefore the surface blood vessels will enlarge to help rid the horse’s body of excess heat.

“Overheating, or hyperthermia in the horse is due to a disturbance in the heat regulating mechanism of the horse’s body,” says Mays.  “In addition to summer heat and humidity, poor stable ventilation, prolonged exposure to sun, extreme exercise, transportation/trailering stress, as well as excess weight and poor conditioning may contribute to overheating.”

“If your horse does become overheated, move the horse to a shady area or to a cool, well-ventilated barn.  Then spray with cool water and place ice packs on the horse’s head and large blood vessels on the neck and the inside of its legs,” states Mays.  “Be careful to not spray the horse’s face or get water in its ears; just sponge these areas gently.”
Horses naturally tend to “cool out” while walking rather than standing still, notes Mays.  Therefore, application of ice packs can be challenging.

Allow the horse to have several swallows of cool, clean, fresh water every few minutes.  There is a possibility of colic if your horse drinks large quantities of water in a short period of time.

“To help your horse beat the heat, provide plenty of fresh, cool water,” notes Mays.  “Keep water bucket or trough clean to promote drinking.  Average size work horses can consume over 25 gallons of water per day when the temperature is above 70 degrees.”

Limit strenuous riding to late evening or early morning when the temperature is lower.  Use less tack in the hot summer by minimizing saddle pads and leg boots.  Also clip your horse’s coat and keep its mane and tail trimmed.
Heat stroke can happen to horses whether they are working hard, standing in stifling stables, or traveling in unventilated trailers, notes Mays.  Call a veterinarian and take immediate action if your horse has elevated respiration or pulse (in an inactive horse), body temperature above 103 degrees, or irregular heart beat.

“Do the skin pinch test to check your horse’s hydration,” says Mays.  Test for dehydration by pinching the skin along the horse’s neck.  The skin should snap back quickly.  If the pinched area collapses slowly the horse is dehydrated.
Hot weather does require that you give your horse special care.  But, you and your horse can lessen summer’s hot days when you practice these cool tips to beat the heat.

This article is from:
PET TALK
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University.  Stories can be viewed on the Web @ http://tamunews.tamu.edu.

Deer and Protein

Monday, June 22nd, 2015

Deer and ProteinThere is considerable controversy regarding the percentage of dietary protein that deer should have. Many people believe that deer cannot tolerate more than 16% dietary protein and that high-protein diets are wasteful or even toxic. This simply is not true.

Research in South Texas has shown that wild deer diets at certain times of the year can be over 25% protein. Many forages highly utilized by deer are over 30% protein. Obviously, the wild deer are unharmed by consuming these high-protein plants. Indeed, excellent antler growth years were those with superb spring forage conditions. The resulting antler growth suggests that not only were the deer not harmed by their high-protein diet, they actually utilized the protein to grow bigger antlers, indicating that higher protein is necessary for a buck to achieve his genetic potential for antler growth.

Pelleted diets designed to supplement natural forage need to be greater than 16% protein because the forage portion of the diet is often inadequate in protein content. Even in a good year, the digestible protein content of major deer browse species often falls well below 10% by late summer and will likely remain there until the spring green-up. In a tough year (late winter, drought, etc.), the nutrition supplied by natural forages can be inadequate even in the spring. Without supplemental protein, deer cannot maintain optimal body condition, which is essential for maximal antler growth.

Deer in confinement being fed complete diets should have at least 16% dietary protein in order to try to maximize health, growth and antler development. Today’s champion bucks are commonly being raised on diets containing 20% protein. Some people even feed diets containing as much as 24% protein with no adverse effects.

Protein is needed for maintenance and growth of all organs in the body as well as for many physiological functions, and the individual needs for protein are affected by many factors such as genetics, environment, disease and parasite challenges, etc. The body has a “priority of life” list, and protein goes first to those functions that are deemed most important to survival. Antler growth, while desirable and important for social hierarchy, is not necessary for life and appears at the bottom of the priority list from the deer’s viewpoint. Therefore, unless there is enough protein in the diet to meet all the priority needs and have enough left over for optimal antler growth, trophy racks will not happen, no matter what the genetic potential of the buck. If you want to see giant antlers, you will need to provide the necessary protein.

J&N Feed and Seed carries the full line of AntlexMax products.  Come see us for all your hunting and feed needs.

Source: Purina Mills

Chickens and Culling

Tuesday, June 16th, 2015

If you don’t want to wait through a molt, you can cull non-laying birds and replace them. Culling is the removal of birds in your flock that are not laying or developing as they should. If the bird is not sick, it is perfectly suitable for home cooking. You should always cull lame or sick chickens, because they are not productive and may spread disease.

A hen will give many clues that she is no longer laying. Non-laying hens have small, dull combs rather than the bright red combs of layers. Their vents will be small and dry, not stretched by egg production. The width between their pubic bones will be just one finger, not two or more, and the depth between pubic and keel bones will be only a few finger widths rather than four or more. The feathers will be ragged, with no apparent new feathers.

On the other hand, culling may not be an option for less productive or non-productive hens that have endeared themselves as pets, or if your goals are primarily to simply watch and enjoy your birds rather than obtain maximal egg or meat production from them. With good care, many types of poultry can live 20 years or more!

Egg Production in Hens

Tuesday, June 16th, 2015

Hen on Nesting BoxHealthy hens will begin laying at about 18 to 20 weeks of age. It is not necessary for a rooster to be present for egg laying to start, but without a rooster, all eggs will be unfertilized. Hens will be at peak production at about 30 weeks. Excellent production would be considered 80 percent to 90 percent, (100 percent is considered 1 egg per hen per day), but breed, housing, weather, management, parasite load and nutrition can all affect rate of lay.

Eggs should be gathered three times daily, more often in hot weather. Store the eggs at 55oF and 70 percent to 75 percent humidity if you plan to keep them for hatching. Eggs for eating should be refrigerated. Eggs are laid with a protective coating, which helps to keep bacteria out, and it is best if this is not disturbed. Excessive washing can force bacteria through pores in the shell and into the egg, greatly reducing its chance for successful incubation and hatching. If washing is necessary, be gentle and quick, and use only water. Be sure to use water that is warmer than the egg. Dry and cool the eggs as quickly as possible.

Frequent egg gathering serves two purposes: 1) it helps to keep the eggs cleaner and prevents bacterial growth, thus eliminating the need for washing; and 2)
it lessens the opportunity for hens to learn the bad habit of egg eating.

Chicken Behavioral Issues

Saturday, May 16th, 2015

chickens in coopThere are two major behavioral problems that backyard poultry owners must address at the first appearance, egg eating and cannibalism. Both can be caused and cured by management practices.

EGG EATING: Egg eating generally occurs when a hen finds a broken egg, tastes it, likes it and begins searching for other broken eggs, then learns to break them herself. Broken eggs occur more often when there is inadequate litter to cushion them, inadequate nutrition (either from improper feeding or heavy parasite or disease challenges) that results in weak egg shells, and infrequent gathering. The longer an egg lays in the hen house, the greater the chance it will be broken, so frequent gathering is your primary weapon against egg eating. Broody hens can increase the likelihood of broken eggs; because they constantly occupy a nest, they cause increased traffic in the other nests. Bright lights in the nesting area are stressors that can increase nervousness and picking behavior. Scaring hens out of nests can also result in broken eggs. Always approach hens quietly and encourage gentle movement.

If eggs are being broken, you must find the perpetrator and get rid of her. Hens that learn to eat eggs must be culled, because they will never give up the habit and they will teach it to other hens. However, before culling, make sure the culprit is, indeed, a hen. Egg-eating hens will usually have dried yolk on their beaks and heads. If your hens are clean, suspect another culprit. Snakes, rats, weasels, even domestic pets, all enjoy eggs. Be sure your hen house is well-barricaded against predators and unwelcome visitors.

CANNIBALISM: Cannibalism is a vicious habit that is upsetting and costly. It can occur in fowl of any age, breed, strain or gender. It is almost always caused by stress related to poor management. Once stressed, birds begin picking at the feathers, vent, comb or toes of another bird. Once blood is tasted, this terrible habit can spread like wildfire through the entire flock. Unless you eliminate this problem immediately, it can rapidly get out of control. One way to curb this behavior is to provide a pecking source, such as Purina® SunFresh® Recipe Flock Block. It encourages pecking instincts to help reduce cannibalism.

STRESSORS THAT CAN CAUSE CANNIBALISM:

  • Overcrowding. Refer to Space Requirements in General Equipment and Supplies section.
  • Excessive heat. Be sure to adjust heat lamps and brooder temperatures as chicks mature, and keep all buildings well ventilated, especially during the hot summer.
  • Bright light. Very bright light or lengthy periods of bright light induce tension among birds. Use dim lights to calm and comfort birds; 40-watt bulbs provide plenty of light, and 25-watt bulbs can be calming. Heat lamps should be red or infrared to help maintain a dimly lit environment.
  • Absence or shortage of feed and/or water. Hunger, thirst and the need to fight for food induce aggression. Keep ample food and water available, with plenty of feeder space for the number of birds present.
  • Unbalanced diets. Very high-energy, low-fiber diets increase activity and aggression levels. Lack of protein or specific amino acids can encourage feather picking. Offer a high-quality feed, and minimize the role of table scraps. Scratch grains scattered about can give the birds something to do, but they should not constitute more than 10 percent of the birds’ diet.
  • Mixing birds. Combining birds, especially those of different ages or with different traits, such as crested and non-crested fowl, disrupts the pecking order and can cause pecking due to curiosity.
  • Abrupt changes in environment or management procedures. Always make changes as gradually as possible. If changing feeder types, be sure to leave the old equipment in the pen for a few days. Gradually adapt birds to new diets, new feeding times, new lighting schedules, etc.
  • Remove all crippled, injured, slow-feathering, and dead birds from the flock. Birds will naturally pick on defenseless companions due to curiosity and social order. Slow-feathering birds have young, tender feathers exposed for a longer period of time and are therefore susceptible to pecking.

There are some things you can do to keep your flock busy and happy. Having an enclosed run to encourage exercise is beneficial. Providing fiber via clover, grass or weeds helps increase contentment. Aggressive game birds can be fitted with a variety of “peepers,” small plastic “blinders” that attach harmlessly to the beak and limit forward vision, thus limiting the tendency to fight.

If you experience a cannibalism outbreak, closely review all your management and environmental circumstances. Darken your facilities with red or low-wattage light bulbs, remove injured birds, lower the pen temperature if possible, and apply anti-peck ointment or pine tar to damaged birds. Identify and remove overly aggressive birds. Do not return to normal lighting, until serenity has returned to the flock, and then do so gradually.

2015 Texas 4-H Roundup

Tuesday, April 28th, 2015

feedthegreen6cThe 2015 Texas 4-H Roundup will be held in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M University from June 8th to June 11th, 2015. Texas 4-H Roundup is a qualifying and invitational event for youth between the ages of 11 and 18 that have successfully placed in a qualifying event at the district level or signed up to compete in an invitational event at the state level. County and District Roundup’s are open to all ages of 4-H members from 9 to 18. Texas 4-H Roundup includes approximately 50 different contests and workshops that test 4-H members on life skills in such attributes are decision making, public speaking, organization, and working with others. These contests include such things as a Fashion Show, Food Show, an assortment of judging contests and educational presentations. For more information, click here.

Horse Care: Managing Spring Turnout

Thursday, March 19th, 2015
horse eatingSpring has sprung and green pasture is coming on like gangbusters in most parts of the country. For most of us, this is good news because green grass relieves some pressure of searching for quality hay at a reasonable price. Of course, with the rising cost of fertilizer, it may be hard to decide which is the lesser of two evils: high-priced hay or high-priced fertilizer. However, if you have pasture and intend to utilize it for horses, there are some things to consider.
Take it slow
Keep in mind that going from dry hay and grain to lush, green pasture is a drastic change in diet and may increase the risk of founder or colic. Horses that are in the pasture full time will gradually become accustomed to the emerging green grass as it comes up. But horses that haven’t had green grass should only be allowed to graze for an hour or two at first, then gradually increase grazing time by an hour every couple days until the horses are out full time. It is also a good idea for horses to have eaten dry hay prior to turnout so they are not overly hungry. Individual horses will have different tolerance levels to the diet change and the nutritional profile of the grass, so a slower introduction is usually better.
Meet horse nutrient requirements
Spring pasture often looks beautiful and nutritious but can be very high in water and low in fiber content. In this stage of maturity, pasture may not meet a horse’s minimum requirement for dry matter intake and it may be necessary to provide 10 to 15 lbs. of dry hay per day until the pasture matures. Even when the pasture is sufficient to maintain horses in good body condition with no supplemental grain, there will still be nutrient deficiencies. Providing a forage balancer product such as Purina® Enrich Plus™ will supply a balance of protein, vitamins and minerals to complement pasture. This product is formulated to meet nutrient requirements of mature horses with 1 to 2 lbs. per day, whereas most feeds are formulated to be fed at a minimum of 3.5 to 4 lbs. per day.
Ensure adequate pasture
Pasture simulates a natural environment for horses and is considered beneficial to horses from a nutritional standpoint and from a mental health perspective as well. You may have enough pasture to serve both functions but, in many cases, pasture space is simply a place to roam around and nibble for a few hours a day. To determine if there is enough pasture for grass to be a significant source of nutrition, you have to consider the available acreage, type of forage and the number of horses or stocking rate.
The very best pastures may support one horse per acre, but average conditions may require closer to 2 to 3 acres to sustain one horse grazing full time. The effective stocking rate will depend on the type of grass, fertilization and rain fall. For shorter varieties of grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, pasture must grow 3 to 4 inches tall to provide adequate forage for horses. Taller grasses, including Coastal bermudagrass, should sustain a height of 6 to 8 inches. Stocking rates may be improved if there is an option to rotate pastures. Grazing tall forage varieties down to 3 to 4 inches and shorter varieties to 2 inches in height, then rotating to another pasture for four weeks can help maximize grazing potential of available acreage. Rotating pastures is also a good way to reduce the risk of internal parasite infestation. A good rule of thumb is that if you can see manure piles in your pasture and if horses are grazing close to those manure piles, your pasture is overgrazed and horses should be removed to let it recover.
Pasture time is certainly a plus when it comes to managing happy, healthy horses, but not all pastures are created equal. Some pastures provide a significant source of nutrition while others are just a place to play. Providing safe, quality pasture forage that meets a large portion of your horse’s nutritional requirements takes careful management and additional caution during seasonal transitions.  Consulting with a horse pasture and forage expert in your area, such as the local county extension agent, a university agronomist or State Extension Horse Specialist, may help you maximize the safety and value of your available pasture.
Stop by J&N Feed and Seed in Graham, Texas for all your livestock minerals and feed.
Source: Purina Mills, Karen E. Davison, Ph.D. – Special – Sales Support Manager

 

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