Equine Express AGRICULTURE NATURAL RESOURCES. 2016, Volume 4. Linda McClanahan Mercer County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources

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1 AGRICULTURE NATURAL RESOURCES Equine Express 2016, Volume 4 Cooperative Extension Service Mercer County 1007 Lexington Road Harrodsburg, KY (859) Fax: (859) mercer.ca.uky.edu Linda McClanahan Mercer County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Johnsongrass Poisoning in Horses Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) is a drought-tolerant noxious weed that can infiltrate pastures and hayfields. In pastures that are not mowed and maintained, drought conditions can cause a dying off of many grasses while Johnsongrass survives and flourishes. Horses grazing these fields can potentially ingest large amounts of Johnsongrass if supplemental hay is not provided. All sorghums, including Johnsongrass, can be associated with four major disease syndromes: neuropathy (nerve damage) and teratogenesis (damaging effects to the fetus); photosensitization; nitrate intoxication; and acute cyanide poisoning. For cattle, nitrate and cyanide poisoning are the major risks associated with Johnsongrass. However, for horses, neuropathy and teratogenesis are the most important risks, and rarely, if ever, do photosensitization, nitrate intoxication, or acute cyanide poisoning occur with Johnsongrass ingestion in horses. In horses, symptoms of poisoning can occur after a few weeks to months of continuously grazing Johnsongrass or other sorghums, at any growth stage of the plant. Hay containing sorghums also has been incriminated. Affected horses gradually develop ataxia, incoordination, difficulty backing, and dribbling urine, progressing to flaccid paralysis of the tail and hind legs. Mares repeatedly open and close the vulva as if in heat and have continuous urine dribbling and scalding of the hind legs. Abortions and fetal malformations such as arthrogryposis (fused joints) can occur during any stage of pregnancy. Males exhibit an extended and relaxed penis and urinary incontinence in addition to ataxia and incoordination. The mechanism by which sorghums cause these problems is not well understood, but involves spinal cord damage and problems with innervations to the bladder and hind end. Inflammation of the bladder, and sometimes the kidneys, occurs. The condition is sporadic, and not all horses eating sorghums are affected. The amount of sorghum that needs to be ingested for clinical signs to occur has not been established, but poisoning generally requires continuous exposure to large amounts of sorghum for several weeks or longer. There is no specific treatment for the condition, but if sorghum is removed from the diet and treatment for bladder and kidney problems is initiated soon after the start of signs, some horses can improve. However, the nerve damage is permanent, and once ataxia and incoordination occur, the prognosis is poor. Prevention is important and includes minimizing exposure to Johnsongrass and other sorghums by controlling these plants in hayfields and pastures and not feeding hay containing sorghums. Johnsongrass can be controlled in pastures by mowing and close grazing; control in hayfields is more problematic. Consult a weed extension specialist or your local Cooperative Extension Service for more information on controlling Johnsongrass. Dr. Cynthia Gaskill; UK Veterinary Diagnostic Toxicologist FEATURED PUBLICATION: Taking Soil Test Samples AGR-16 The most important part of making fertilizer recommendations is collecting a good, representative soil sample. Soil test results and fertilizer recommendations are based solely on the few ounces of soil submitted to the laboratory for analysis. These few ounces can represent several million pounds of soil in the field. If this sample does not reflect actual soil conditions, the results can be misleading and lead to costly over- or under-fertilization. It is necessary to make sure that the soil sample sent to the laboratory accurately represents the area sampled. Go to the UK Forage Website for this and over 200 other publications.

2 HOW TO LIMIT DAMAGE TO HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS High Traffic Area pads are a management option to reduce soil disturbances on any farm that is home to livestock. Heavy use pads are made using geotextile fabric under a 4 to 6 inch base layer of No. 3 or 4 gravel, topped by 2 to 3 inches of dense grade. These pads are about a third of the cost of concrete, but require regular maintenance and the addition of gravel over time. High traffic area pads reduce wheel traffic damage and soil compaction caused by tractors associated with winter feeding. They improve hay feeding efficiency by reducing trampling losses and lowering the risk for soil erosion. They can also improve health and reduce the risk of animal injury due to excessive mud. Six steps to installing a high traffic use area include: 1. Construction develop your plan. 2. Excavation remove topsoil in the desired area until you have stable soil base. 3. Geotextile Fabric lay heavy duty geotextile fabric to provide subgrade stabilization. 4. Gravel Base Layer (No.3 or 4) &mbdash; carefully spread an even layer (4 to 6 inches) over the geotextile fabric. This provides stability and space for drainage of water. 5. Dense grade surface layer spread 2 to 3 inches evenly over the gravel. 6. Compaction use compaction equipment to create a road-like surface. THE GRASS GUIDE: Timothy Timothy grass seed heads often resemble that of foxtail but it still retain the same bluish-green color of the leaf blades. Name: Timothy (Phleum pratense) Life cycle: Cool-season perennial Native to: Eurasia Uses: Pasture and hay Identification: Bluish-green ribbed leaves with a cylindrical seed head and a corm, or bulb, just above the roots. Timothy is a good perennial grass that can survive harsh winters and wet soils better than most cool-season grasses. Most often grown for hay, timothy produces high yields at first cutting, but slow regrowth results in low yields thereafter. Timothy is not normally recommended for pasture because it has poor grazing tolerance. In northern states and Canada, timothy is productive for four to five years, but longevity averages two years in the transition zone. Timothy grass seed heads often resemble that of foxtail but it still retain the same bluish-green color of the leaf blades. THE GRASS GUIDE: Orchardgrass Orchardgrass can provide high yield and forage quality under good management. Name: Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) Life cycle: Cool-season perennial Native to: Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia Uses: Pasture and hay Identification: Leaf blades have a distinct line down the middle, bluish-green in color, seed head appears in dense clusters, flattened appearance at the base of the tiller Orchardgrass is a relatively shade-tolerant cool-season perennial that can provide high yield and forage quality under good management. It is well known as a desirable grass for horses, both for hay and pasture. Orchardgrass stands can thin with harsh winters or high summer temperatures. Avoid close grazing or cutting (under 3 to 4 inches) because it can weaken the stand and reduce regrowth. In northern states, orchardgrass stands are productive for four to five years, but this typically drops to three years in the southern part of the transition zone (e.g. Tennessee). Information provided by AnnMarie Kadnar, graduate student; Krista Lea, MS, coordinator of the University of Kentucky (UK) Horse Pasture Evaluation Program; and Ray Smith, PhD, professor and forage extension specialist. All three are part of UK s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. 2

3 FIRE ANT SURVEILLANCE FOR HORSE FARMS The red imported fire ant is red to brown with a black abdomen. Photo: Sanford Porter/USDA Agricultural Research Service The red imported fire ant can be found in parts or all of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia (see Figure 1 below). Occasionally, it has been found in Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri. Fire ants like to establish colonies in open sunny fields and pastures. Soil moisture and winter temperatures round out the major environmental factors that limit the spread of this invasive insect. Changes in climate, along with the adaptability of the insect, point to a continued gradual expansion of its boundaries. The impact of the fire ant extends beyond the pain of its legendary sting. No significant adverse effects to the health of foals or mature horses have been reported in states in which fire ants are widely established. But, in addition to causing injury to workers, animals, and wildlife, this small insect affects pasture maintenance, hay production, damages equipment, and increases costs. Horse-farm managers in fire antinfested areas have adjusted their management practices and developed strategies to live with this pest. The gradual northward and westward expansion of the fire ant s range exposes more farm managers and stable and pleasure horse owners to this important pest. Those living along the expansion front should become familiar with some of the basics of fire ants and watch for ant activity that seems out of the ordinary. The familiar mound is the ant s hallmark, but there is one major difference when it comes to fire ants: Their mound is the typical pile of loose, fine soil but there is no central opening. Instead, fire ants enter and leave their colonies through underground tunnels that radiate from the mound. Mound heights range from a few inches in mowed areas to 18 inches in undisturbed areas. Repair of a fire ant mound collapsed by a heavy rain results in a loose, fluffy pile of soil a few days later. Fire ants look like typical ants. They are small but vary from 1/8- to 1/4-inch in length. The head, thorax, and legs are red to brown with a black abdomen. Positive identification of fire ants requires collecting approximately a dozen specimens in rubbing alcohol and taking them to your local cooperative Extension office. This must be done carefully. Disturbing the mound usually prompts numerous ants to pour out and climb up any vertical surface to sting the intruder. Other ant species scurry about when the colony is disrupted, working to protect the queen and move their brood to a safe place. Collect the ants carefully to keep from being stung. Achieve this by dusting baby powder on dishwashing gloves and wearing them because the ants cannot crawl up dusted surfaces. Stay as far away from the mound as possible during collection and watch for ants crawling on your shoes. Follow up a positive identification of fire ants with a careful examination of the property in spring or late fall to determine the number and location of active mounds. Fire ants are managed by careful application of baits or mound drenches of insecticides labeled for fire-ant control. Take advantage of the excellent information available on fire-ant management. For more info, see Identifying Fire Ants, CONTACT: Lee Townsend, MS, PhD Lee.Townsend@uky.edu 859/ University of Kentucky Department of Entomology, Lexington 3

4 Healthy Horse App Features More Horse Types, Uses The app is continually being updated and new additions are expected in the near future. For example, Coleman said Warmbloods and draft horses were added in the most recent app release. In 2013, researchers from the University of Minnesota (UM) and the University of Kentucky (UK) collaborated to develop a Healthy Horse smartphone app designed to help owners better manage their horses weights. Two years after its release, the app has been downloaded 1,800 times and includes seven classes or types of horses. The types range from Arabians to stock horses and draft horses to Warmbloods, with different breeds included in each type. While not all breeds are included, the group is working to include more breeds in the app. The app started as part of a larger equine metabolic study, said Bob Coleman, PhD, PAS, an associate professor in UK s Department of Animal and Food Sciences and extension horse specialist. We were looking for a way to help horse owners gauge their horse s current body weight but also to give some guidance on ideal body weight. Because the mathematics are very complicated, this led to the development of the app. Using the detailed diagram provided, horse owners can measure their horse and then enter those values into the app. The app then calculates the horse s current body weight and estimates the ideal body weight. The owner can use those values to find reference point on what their horse should weigh, which is important information when determining the horse s nutritional needs, especially during a time when equine obesity is on the rise. The calculations are based on a horse s weight at a body condition score of 5 on the 9-point scale. The data is derived from measurements of more than 1,200 horses and more are being added as time and opportunity allows. When we first collected data, it was mostly stock horse based with a few other breeds in the mix, Coleman said. When the app was released we had requests from breeds such as the draft horses to be included. In addition, we have been asked by the owners of Miniature Horses to add them. The app is continually being updated and new additions are expected in the near future. For example, Coleman said Warmbloods specifically horses used as hunters and jumpers and draft horses were added in the most recent app release. Further, data has been collected on other breeds but not yet added to the app. While the app provides an estimate of both current body weight and ideal, I feel it gives horse owners a great place to start in the management of their horses, Coleman said. The Healthy Horse app is compatible with both Apple and Android platforms at a cost of $1.99. Those who contributed to the project included Coleman; Krishona Martinson, PhD, associate professor at the UM Department of Animal Science; Molly McCue, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, PhD, associate professor at the UM Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory; Marcia Hathaway, PhD, professor at the UM Department of Animal Science; and Devan Catelano, MS, at UM Department of Animal Science. Taylor Pence, a senior marketing major at UK, is the marketing and communications intern at the UK Gluck Equine Research Center. 4

5 Mercer County Extension Office 1007 Lexington Road Harrodsburg, KY ND ANNUAL BLACK FRIDAY RIDE Date: Friday, November 25th from 12:30pm - 3:00PM Location: Camp Horsin' Around, 1159 Claunch Rd, Perryville Details: This is a Fund Raising Trail Ride for the Camp and the cost is $10 per horse (negative Coggins required). Food: We will have a potluck meal following the ride. If you cannot ride, but would like to help, we need tables and folks to set up the food. Contact: Lois Short or lshort9655@gmail.com ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY Our Annual FHBCH Christmas Party and Potluck will be held on Saturday, December 17th at 6:30pm. Charmaine Kern has graciously volunteered to host this year s Christmas Party. Her address is 120 Jim Forsythe Lane, Harrodsburg. 5

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