Proceed Carefully: Feeding Neglected Horses. For many horsemen and horsewomen, nothing proves more heartbreaking and maddening than seeing horses in neglectful situations. Especially when there’s little to eat or drink. Those that dedicate their time and resources to rehabilitating these horses know well the need to refeed horses carefully, almost exactingly.

“Feeding a severely underweight horse can be complicated. It is best done under the guidance of a veterinarian, particularly if the horse has a body condition score of less than 3 on the standard scale of 1 to 9,” said Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research.

If the horse has been completely starved and has not eaten in days? The process of refeeding begins slowly and progresses gradually. This is counterintuitive to any nurturing personality. Most horse owners want to throw forage and feed at starved horses. However, a more precise feeding schedule has been outlined and adopted by many vets and caretakers.

Feeding Schedule:

According to Crandell, the feeding schedule would be:

• On the first three days, the horse will receive about 50% of its digestible energy requirement spread over six meals per day. (1–1.25 lb or 0.4-0.6 kg per meal for a horse that would weigh 1,000 lb or 450 kg as a desired weight.) Use alfalfa, mixed alfalfa/grass, or high-quality grass hay with free-choice access to water.
• On the fourth and fifth days, the amount can increase to 75% of the horse’s energy requirement in six meals per day (1.75-2.0 lb or 0.8-0.9 kg/meal) of the same forage.
• From the sixth to tenth days, the horse can get 100% of the digestible energy requirement reduced to three meals per day (up to 5 lb or 2.3 kg/meal) of the same forage.
• The horse should remain on high-quality forage for at least a month. Then some concentrate can be gradually added to the diet. Do not, however, add any concentrate feeds into the diet until body condition improves to a score of at least 3.5.

Added Support:

To support the healthy rebuilding of the ravaged body and digestive tract, a high-quality vitamin and mineral supplement should be fed. It is likely necessary to balance the nutrients that may be low or missing in the forage. A vitamin and mineral supplement with a recommended serving size of an ounce or two can supply the desired nutrients without added starch or sugar. Starch and sugar should be avoided at the beginning of refeeding.

“Return to normal weight may take three to six months to achieve, depending on the body condition of the horse at the time refeeding begins,” she said, “but slow, steady progress often yields the best results.”

This measured approach is the safest method of refeeding. Crandell understands, however, the lure of wanting to feed “fast and furious.”

“Too much feed or the wrong feed can have severe consequences. Even too much feed spread out into several meals a day will not benefit a severely underweight horse. This can cause a metabolic crisis that can result in death,” Crandell warned.

Negative Consequences:

Sudden consumption of too much concentrate, whether it’s a straight cereal grain or a commercial feed, causes a rise in glucose in the blood and a subsequent elevation in insulin. Insulin is the body’s cue to push glucose into cells. Unfortunately, in the case of starvation, the insulin will also drive electrolytes. For example, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium, into the cell with the glucose. This causes instability between intra- and extracellular electrolyte balance.

When phosphorus is pushed out of the blood and into cells, researchers believe hypophosphatemia, or low blood phosphorus, results. Hypophosphatemia disturbs red blood cell metabolism and causes impaired oxygen delivery to the cells in the body. The heart and lungs, starved of oxygen, begin to fail. Called “refeeding syndrome,” in human medicine, this occurred in Word War II when prisoners were rescued from concentration camps and then given food, according to Crandell.

Horses in neglectful situations are usually in need of dental and hoof care, vaccinations, and deworming. As the horse gains strength through refeeding, seek advice from a veterinarian about when to best implement these basic health care practices. Some may be more important than others. If the teeth are characterized by points, malocclusions, or other problems, for instance, it will be hard for the horse to chew forage properly, thus precluding weight gain. In this case, getting the teeth tended to as soon as safely possible would be the best bet.

Resources:

In conclusion, do you have questions about Feeding Neglected Horses? Contact us at J & J Hay Farms by clicking here!

Article Sources: Kentucky Equine Research

Stull, C.L. 2011. Refeeding the starved horse. In. Wilson, D.A. (ed.) Clinical Veterinary Advisor: The Horse. Saunders. p. 788-790.

 

Steamed Hay for Horses: Protein Content Examined. 

Selecting Forages for Horses Diagnosed with Equine Asthma: Environmental management is one of the most important aspects of treating and managing horses diagnosed with equine asthma. Asthma is a chronic condition that requires lifelong management changes to maintain respiratory function and overall health. Reducing exposure to respirable antigens, which are the inhaled molds, endotoxins, and other foreign matter that trigger immune response, can help alleviate the clinical symptoms of asthma. The most common respirable antigens in a horse’s environment come from hay, bedding, and potentially pasture.

For horses diagnosed with barn-associated asthma, full-time pasture access is generally recommended. However, this is not an option for many horse owners, and hay is often the primary source of forage. Hay is a major concern for horses with asthma, as hay will always contain some respirable antigens. To reduce the amount of potential inhalation of dust and mold spores, several options are available to the horse owner.

Harm Reduction:

1. Always ensure the hay is as clean as possible. Only use high-quality hay, as free as possible from dust and mold.
   

   RDC:

2. Research has shown that immersing, soaking, or steaming hay before feeding can significantly reduce the number of particles inhaled by the horse. Simply sprinkling the hay with water is inadequate. The hay must be completely immersed and wet throughout to reduce the respirable dust concentration (RDC). One research study found that immersing and thoroughly wetting hay more than halved the mean and maximum RDC in a horse’s breathing zone (the two-foot sphere around the horse’s nose). Other studies have evaluated soaked hay for asthmatic horses. They determined that 30-45 minutes of soaking is adequate to reduce RDC. Longer soaking provides no additional advantages. Horse owners must keep in mind that soaking hay reduces nutrient content. Steaming hay is effective at reducing respirable antigens with less potential for loss of nutrients. However, it is not a viable option for many horse owners. The choice of whether to immerse, soak, or steam hay may best be addressed by the options available to the owner and the horse’s symptoms. If immersing the hay is adequate to eliminate symptoms (usually coughing is the initial and recurring symptom), then that would be the simplest solution. Some research data indicate that feeding soaked hay or hay pellets helps improve lung function. The same study has not been performed using immersed hay.
3. Remove any uneaten immersed, soaked, or steamed hay from the horse’s reach before it has a chance to generate mold.
   

   Different Types of Asthma:

4. For horses with severe asthma, entirely replace long-stemmed hay with pelleted hay or forage replacement, or a complete feed designed to provide adequate fiber to replace dietary forage. Particularly if clinical symptoms persist. Wetting pelleted hay will further reduce respirable particles and may allow the respiratory tract inflammation to subside. However, horses will consume pelleted forages more rapidly and with less chewing than long-stemmed forage. So the best practice would be to feed smaller quantities more often throughout the day.
5. For horses diagnosed with pasture-associated asthma, the primary causes of respiratory inflammation are certain molds and pollens. They can be present in pastures during growing seasons, particularly during periods of high heat and humidity. Management in such situations includes removing affected horses from pasture during high-risk periods. Such horses usually do best when only allowed pasture access during the winter. During the periods that these horses are kept off pasture, some do require the same forage management as horses diagnosed with barn-associated asthma.

For all horses diagnosed with asthma, decreasing dust in the horse’s environment through ventilation, low-dust bedding, and careful attention to periods of high environmental dust (sweeping barn aisles, high wind, etc.), is recommended.

One additional suggestion for managing horses with equine asthma includes dietary supplementation to help control chronic inflammation. Marine-derived sources of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to support immune response in horses, including mediation of inflammation.

Would you like more information about Selecting Forages for Horses Diagnosed with Equine Asthma? Contact us at J & J Farms by clicking here!

Article brought to you by KER.

Pros and Cons of Using Haynets: New Information! For every good reason to manage a horse in a particular fashion there seems to be an equally compelling argument to not take that approach. Take haynets, for example. Haynets can be beneficial in some management scenarios. Yet a new study suggests they may increase a horse’s risk of neck or back injury.*

Benefits of Haynets

Feeding horses from haynets reportedly slows feed intake. This allows horses to consume forage for longer periods of time than when forage is spread on the ground. Prolonging forage intake mimics the time spent on pasture, where horses typically allocate 12-18 hours a day to grazing and foraging. Thus, using haynets to extend feeding times more closely matches natural grazing behavior of horses.

“Extended feeding or foraging means the horses’ stomachs are not empty for extended periods of time, which is important for reducing the likelihood of developing equine squamous gastric disease or ESGD,” said Ashley Fowler, Ph.D., a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research.

“Forage creates a ‘splash guard.’ So acidic gastric fluid doesn’t damage the wall of the stomach in the less protected upper or squamous region of the stomach,” she added.

Horses at risk of ESGD, such as those on high-grain diets or those fed only two or three meals a day, would therefore benefit from haynets to ensure the presence of that splash guard. These horses would also benefit from a gastric buffer such as the one contained in research-proven digestive health supplements developed by Kentucky Equine Research.

According to Fowler, managing appropriate body condition in horses also helps reduce the risk of insulin resistance. In addition, laminitis, and equine metabolic syndrome.

“For horses that are overweight, decreasing the amount of forage offered may be necessary to encourage weight loss. Haynets can help slow the rate of consumption when owners need to restrict forage intake, which can help avoid stereotypies, such as wood chewing and bedding consumption,” Fowler added.

Disadvantages of Haynets

Suspending the hay net at head level does not mimic the natural position of the head and neck during pasture grazing. When horses consistently eat with their heads elevated, the nasal passages do not drain, potentially putting horses at risk for respiratory infections. Further, hay is often dusty and having horses bury their muzzles in haynets may induce an asthma flare-up.

“A new study measured the pull forces that occur when horses grab forage from small-hole haynets. Pull pressures were measured by attaching the haynet to a pull gauge, which measured the forces in Newtons,” explained Fowler.

Interesting findings in that study included:

Pull forces were higher for hay hung in double or layered haynets compared to a single net;
Horses pulled harder when the haynet was hung at a lower position. In the low position, the haynet was about an inch above the withers. In the high position, it was a foot above the withers (closer to face level); and
Pull forces differed depending on whether hay or haylage (with a higher moisture content) was offered. Horses pulled harder with haylage.

“These pressures may cause some wear on the dental and musculoskeletal system,” wrote the researchers. But further study is needed to further define the pull pressures on neck and back pain while using haynets.

“Haynets are great for horses that need to increase the amount of time spent eating. But this study suggests that perhaps haynet height and hole size should be considered to reduce potential strain on the musculoskeletal system,” concluded Fowler.

Resources:

In conclusion, do you have questions about Pros and Cons of Using Haynets: New Information? Contact us at J & J Hay Farms by clicking here!

*Hodgson, S., P. Bennett-Skinner, B. Lancaster, S. Upton, P. Harris, and A.D. Ellis. 2022. Posture and pull pressure by horses when eating hay or haylage from a hay net hung at various positions. Animals (Basel) 12(21):2999.

 

 

Eight Tips for Healthy Horse Lungs! Inclement weather, medical conditions, management-related issues, overstocking, and limited land. All of these factors play a role in how much time a horse spends indoors. Heaves, a condition in horses that is similar to asthma in humans. Confinement worsens it.

“Heaves, or recurrent airway obstruction, is a common and challenging problem in horses. In many cases it limits their athleticism and lifespan,” said Peter Huntington, B.V.Sc., M.A.C.V.Sc, director of nutrition, Kentucky Equine Research (Australia).

Experts recommend the following guidelines to maximize the respiratory health of horses affected by heaves:

1. Maintain the horse outdoors as much as possible. Unless the horse has been diagnosed with pasture-associated heaves.
2. Soak or steam hay to minimize the amount of dust and mold liberated from the hay that may be inhaled by your horse.
3. When outdoors, avoid the use of round bales. Although convenient, horses tend to plunge their noses into the middle of the bale for prolonged periods of time while feasting. Thus inhaling mold spores and dust. Instead, spread the hay on the ground to promote drainage of mucus from respiratory passages.
4. Even indoors, spread the hay on the horse’s stall floor instead of using a haynet or other elevated feeding device.
5. Never muck stalls, sweep aisles, or otherwise clean the barn while a horse with heaves is indoors.
6. Replace straw bedding with a low-dust alternative such as shredded paper, specialized cardboard products, or even simple rubber matting with a thin layer of absorptive material. Some horses will object to urine splashing on their legs. Some type of bedding will be needed.
7. Supplement the diet with the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), as these have been shown to reduce inflammation in the lungs. EO-3, a potent marine-derived oil rich in DHA and EPA, is a palatable oil that is top-dressed onto the feed.

Nappie Benefits:

1. Try an equine diaper (nappie). According to one study*, ammonia, found in horse urine, causes inflammation of the respiratory tract lining. It is undesirable in a horse with heaves. Horses without a diaper had more than 4 parts per million (ppm) ammonia in their stall after 42 hours, whereas horses fitted with a diaper had less than 1 ppm ammonia in their stall in the same time period. Moreover, horses exposed to higher ammonia levels had decreased feed intake. These results prompted the researchers to conclude that “fitting the diaper effectively decreased exposure of horses to ammonia gas, helped keep the horse in good health, and in addition lowered the cost of bedding.” A nappie, however healthy for a horse, may not be a practical solution for most horse owners.

“In sum, take all possible precautions to protecting your horse’s breathing zone. The two-foot sphere around his nose from where he draws his breath,” advised Huntington.

Resources:

In conclusion, do you have questions about these Eight Tips for Healthy Horse Lungs? Contact us at J & J Hay Farms by clicking here!

*Matsui, A., Y. Inoue, and Y. Asai. 2003. The effect of putting the bag with collecting feces and urea (“equine diaper”) to the ammonia gases concentrate in horse’s pen. Journal of Equine Science. 14(3):75-79.

 

 

Pros and Cons of Using Haynets: New Information. For every good reason to manage a horse in a particular fashion there seems to be an equally compelling argument to not take that approach. Take haynets, for example. Haynets can be beneficial in some management scenarios. However, a new study suggests they may increase a horse’s risk of neck or back injury.^*

Benefits of Haynets:

Feeding horses from haynets reportedly slows feed intake. This allows horses to consume forage for longer periods of time than when forage is spread on the ground. Prolonging forage intake mimics the time spent on pasture, where horses typically allocate 12-18 hours a day to grazing and foraging. Thus, using haynets to extend feeding times more closely matches natural grazing behavior of horses.

“Extended feeding or foraging means the horses’ stomachs are not empty for extended periods of time, which is important for reducing the likelihood of developing equine squamous gastric disease or ESGD,” said Ashley Fowler, Ph.D., a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research.

“Forage creates a ‘splash guard’ so acidic gastric fluid doesn’t damage the wall of the stomach in the less protected upper or squamous region of the stomach,” she added.

Horses at risk of ESGD, such as those on high-grain diets or those fed only two or three meals a day, would therefore benefit from haynets to ensure the presence of that splash guard. These horses would also benefit from a gastric buffer.

According to Fowler, managing appropriate body condition in horses also helps reduce the risk of insulin resistance, laminitis, and equine metabolic syndrome.

“For horses that are overweight, decreasing the amount of forage offered may be necessary to encourage weight loss. Haynets can help slow the rate of consumption when owners need to restrict forage intake, which can help avoid stereotypies, such as wood chewing and bedding consumption,” Fowler added.

Disadvantages of Haynets

Suspending the hay net at head level does not mimic the natural position of the head and neck during pasture grazing. When horses consistently eat with their heads elevated, the nasal passages do not drain. This potentially puts horses at risk for respiratory infections. Further, hay is often dusty and having horses bury their muzzles in haynets may induce an asthma flare-up.

“A new study measured the pull forces that occur when horses grab forage from small-hole haynets. Pull pressures were measured by attaching the haynet to a pull gauge, which measured the forces in Newtons,” explained Fowler.

Interesting findings in that study included:

• Pull forces were higher for hay hung in double or layered haynets compared to a single net;
• Horses pulled harder when the haynet was hung at a lower position. In the low position, the haynet was about an inch above the withers; in the high position, it was a foot above the withers (closer to face level); and
• Pull forces differed depending on whether hay or haylage (with a higher moisture content) was offered. Horses pulled harder with haylage.

“These pressures may cause some wear on the dental and musculoskeletal system,” wrote the researchers. However, further study is needed to further define the pull pressures on neck and back pain while using haynets.

“Haynets are great for horses that need to increase the amount of time spent eating. This study suggests that perhaps haynet height and hole size should be considered to reduce potential strain on the musculoskeletal system,” concluded Fowler.

Resources:

Questions about the Pros and Cons of Using Haynets? contact J & J Hay Farms today at 770-887-0440!

^*Hodgson, S., P. Bennett-Skinner, B. Lancaster, S. Upton, P. Harris, and A.D. Ellis. 2022. Posture and pull pressure by horses when eating hay or haylage from a hay net hung at various positions. Animals (Basel) 12(21):2999.

 

Stereotypies in Horses: New Research. Owners of horses suffering from stereotypies: fret no more! A new study* shows that horses with repetitive behaviors learn at the same rate as horses without stereotypies and do not appear to be cognitively impaired, as once thought.

 

Risk Factors for Squamous vs. Glandular Ulcers in Horses. Despite being grouped together under the umbrella term “equine gastric ulcer syndrome,” one group of veterinary researchers* recently suggested that equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) should actually be considered a distinct entity from equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD). This recommendation comes in the wake of their findings that different management and risk factors contribute to the two types of ulcers.

“Considering how prevalent EGGD has become, remarkably few data regarding risk factors and optimal management strategies, including feeding programs, have been designed for horses with this condition,” noted Laura Petroski-Rose, B.V.M.S., a Kentucky Equine Research veterinarian.

Squarmous vs. Glandular: Differences

Unlike squamous ulcers caused by the physical splashing of harsh stomach acids on the “higher” regions of the stomach lining, causes for ulcers in the glandular region remain unclear. One theory is simple failure of normal defense mechanisms, while another includes excess nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug administration. Unlike in humans and other mammalian species, Heliocobacter spp. do not appear to play a role in EGGD.

To gain a foothold on this important, performance-limiting welfare and health issue, Benjamin Sykes, an internist and adjunct associate professor at The University of Queensland, together with his colleagues from the United Kingdom and Australia, set to work. The team examined and collected management data (feeding, exercise, overall health.) They compared 109 Thoroughbreds training in eight different facilities in the U.K. and Australia. They found:

• Horses with EGGD vs. ESGD had different management factors and clinical signs of disease, as suspected;
• Exercising >5 times per week was associated with a tenfold increased risk of EGGD;
• Poor performance, or performing below expectation, was associated with an almost fourfold increased risk of EGGD;
• Horses with stereotypies were more likely to have ESGD. However, ironically, horses displaying aggression towards humans were less likely to have ESGD; and
• Individual trainer was also identified as a risk factor for EGGD.

“Indeed, these two conditions appear distinct and must therefore be managed as such. Without clear knowledge of the underlying processes contributing to EGGD development, outlining the best strategies to approach horses with EGGD remains challenging,” summarized Petroski-Rose.

That said, stress does appear to play a role in EGGD. Therefore, further exploration of stress pathways and cortisol are warranted.

Potential Management:

“Without clear insight into the underlying pathways, management of any gastric ulcer relies heavily on forage-based diets including alfalfa hay, using slow-feeders so that the horse can consume forage for most hours throughout the day, and minimizing dietary concentrates,” advised Petroski-Rose.

Contact a Kentucky Equine Research nutrition advisor once your veterinarian has confirmed the presence of gastric ulcers. Be sure to ask about RiteTrac—a supplement designed to quickly neutralize excessive gastric acid, thereby protecting the stomach lining and restoring the normal gastric environment. Horse owners in Australia should look for these research-proven products.

*Sykes, B.W., M. Bowen, J.L. Habershon-Butcher, M. Green, and G.D. Hallowell. 2019. Management factors and clinical implications of glandular and squamous gastric disease in horses. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 33(1)233-240.

 

Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome: Dietary Management. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, approximately 93% of racehorses, 60% or more of performance horses, and 25-50% of foals have or have had equine gastric ulcer syndrome.

Understanding the Inner Workings:

 

Grazing Behavior in Horses: Monitoring Full-Day Consumption. Research suggests horses graze about 16-18 hours a day if given unrestricted access to pasture. Studies on grazing behavior frequently rely on short periods of observation and data collection. Next, data is extrapolated. Lastly, conclusions are drawn for a complete 24-hour dataset.

“Grazing activity varies over the course of the day, and observational studies on nocturnal grazing are clearly limited,” pointed out Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., a Kentucky Equine Research nutrition advisor.

Understanding Grazing:

Knowing when and how often horses graze will improve understanding of the “biological, environmental, and nutritive factors driving grazing behavior in horses.”^* In addition, the information could also be used to optimize nutrition and decrease management-related conditions such as gastric ulcers.

To facilitate data collection and ultimately improve understanding of grazing and chewing behaviors in horses, a continuous automated monitoring system called EquiWatch System (EWS), was developed. This remote, automated monitoring unit collects data on feeding and grazing behavior for 24 uninterrupted hours through the use of sensors fixed onto the noseband of the halter. To validate the EWS, the unit was used in horses with unrestricted pasture access and horses offered free-choice hay.

Horses with unrestricted pasture access spent more time eating than horses fed hay (14.8 vs 12.0 hr/d), and horses on pasture had a higher chew rate per minute than when fed hay (84 vs 69 chews/min). Data from the EWS and visual observations for grazing time and total bites were compared. They were similar.

Is your horse plagued with gastric ulcers despite a diet rich in good-quality forage? Even horses with full access to pasture can have gastric ulcers. If ulcers are suspected, consider endoscopy. This will reveal definitively if ulcers are present. If so, a veterinarian will usually prescribe a course of omeprazole. Omeprazole will clear the ulcers. Lastly, at the tail end of omeprazole therapy, a digestive supplement designed to keep new ulcers from forming should be started.

Resources:

In conclusion, do you have a specific question about Grazing Behavior in Horses? Contact J & J Hay Farms today at 770-887-0440!

Article Source: Kentucky Equine Research

*Weinert, J.R., J. Werner, and C.A. Williams. 2020. Validation and implementation of an automated chew sensor-based remote monitoring device as tool for equine grazing research. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 88:102971.