I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK & IDEAS!

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1 Hey Folks, Included is the Weekly Pile of Information for the week of May 31, 2015, Extension's Equine related educational information & announcements for Rockingham & Guilford Counties. To have something included in the Weekly Pile, please follow these simple guidelines. Information included needs to be educational in nature &/or directly related to Rockingham or Guilford Counties. provided information is a resource to the citizens of Rockingham/Guilford Counties. provided information does not require extra time or effort to be listed. Listings for Swap Shop will not list pricing details. Please E mail information to me by Wednesday each Week. Please keep ads or events as short as possible with NO FORMATTING, NO unnecessary Capitalization s and NO ATTACHED DOCUMENTS. (If sent in that way, it may not be included) Please include contact information Phone, and alike. PLEASE PUT WEEKLY PILE IN SUBJECT LINE when you send into me. The Weekly Pile is not for listings for Commercial type properties or products. If I forgot to include anything in this it was probably an oversight on my part, but please let me know! If you have a question or ideas that you would like covered in the Weekly Pile, please let me know and I will try to include. As Always, I would like to hear your comments about the Weekly Pile or the Extension Horse Program in Rockingham or Guilford Counties! I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK & IDEAS! Included in The Pile this Week:

2 1. Take Measures Now to Protect Yourself and Your Horse from Mosquitos 2. Easy Keepers: Managing Horses Prone to Obesity 3. Horse Sight An Insight to Horse Behavior 4. You Asked 5. WEED MANAGEMENT 6. The Biting Colt 7. Grazing Management 8. Rockingham Rainbow Mix Chicks Come & Get Em! 9. Piedmont Pot Of Gold Classic Horse Show on June 6 7 at Piedmont Saddle Club 10. Fiore Farms Activities 11. Head to Toe Whole Horse Clinic 7/25

3 12. HAY 13. Swap Shop 14. Take A Load Off Take Measures Now to Protect Yourself and Your Horse from Mosquitos With the busiest part of the year for mosquitos, summer is here and while many are thinking about barbecuing and fireworks, mosquitoes are looking for the free meal. We need to make sure we protect ourselves but also our horses (& pets). There are 3 major diseases that can be transmitted by mosquitoes: Western Equine Encephalomyelitis (WEE), Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE), and the West Nile Virus (WNV). The one thing we know for sure is that we can't predict where and when the disease might occur. Horse owners need to check inoculation records to make sure horses' inoculations are still effective (which they should be if the horses were inoculated in the spring) but remember that a booster inoculation is important about 6 months later. Despite the name, the disease affects not just horses but people as well. Unlike some other disease causing viruses of medical importance, you can't get EEE from contact with an infected person or horse. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite an infected bird and those mosquito species then feed on other birds which increase the reservoir of virus in the bird population during the course of the summer. Other mosquito species acquire the virus when they bite infected birds and then act as "bridges" by passing the virus to horses or people on whom they subsequently feed and which then become infected. Children and the elderly are the biggest concern, so make sure to take appropriate protective measures and use insect repellents (see repellents.htm). The usual measures that are still recommend such as: emptying rain filled containers

4 and other objects as well as unclogging gutters, drainage ditches, etc. However, mosquitoes that can transmit EEE will also breed in floodwaters and salt marshes and for that reason personal protection is critical. Many of these mosquitoes are active at dawn and dusk and so altering our activity times can help (but are not a guarantee against mosquito bites). Horse owners should consult with a veterinarian about vaccinating animals against these mosquito borne diseases. Dogs that spend a great deal of time outside need to have their regular veterinary care and monthly medications too since some of the same mosquito species that are increasing in numbers can also transmit dog heartworm. Call your Veterinarian immediately if you suspect that your horse has EEE or WEE. Horse Transmitted Diseases up safely horse transmitted diseases.pdf Encephalomyelitis in horses in horses#.vxb6rnjviko General Household Pests: Mosquitoes pests: mosquitoes#.vxb7ydjviko Parts written by: Mike Waldvogel, NC State University Extension Specialist Entomology Easy Keepers: Managing Horses Prone to Obesity C.A. Shea Porr, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent, Equine, Loudoun County; and Kathleen Crandell, Superintendent of Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Cooperative Extension Easy Keepers are horses that will maintain or even gain weight under conditions where other horses will lose weight. They are often considered a pleasure to own because they need less feed to maintain an appropriate body condition; however, these horses can easily

5 become obese, which leads to other potentially life-threatening conditions. The challenge becomes meeting their nutritional needs in protein, vitamins, and minerals, without overfeeding calories. Summary Tips on Managing the Easy Keeper Start or increase the level of exercise. Begin slowly and work up to longer or more intensive activities. Get rid of high calorie concentrates. Easy keepers do not need the extra energy. Get rid of high fat supplements. Again, easy keepers do not need the extra calories. Feed grass forages and hay rather than legumes. This will decrease the caloric intake. Limit access to pasture to less than 4 hours a day. Use a grazing muzzle if a drylot is not available. Limit the amount of hay fed to 1 1.5% of the target body weight. Divide this amount into several feedings a day in order to extend the amount of time the horse spends eating. Make sure the horse has access to salt (straight salt or a tracemineral salt) and clean water. Causes of Obesity Horses evolved grazing forages like those in our pastures today, right? Wrong. Forages in our pastures today are much higher in calorie content than the types of grasses that horses evolved on. They grazed on moderate to poor quality forages, often covering several miles a day to find feed in sparsely vegetated areas. Modern management

6 practices have placed horses in unnatural confinement situations that restrict grazing activity within the limits of pasture fences while providing easy to find, high quality forages. The ultimate confinement with limited access to forage is represented by horses that are stall kept with limited turnout. These horses do not have to travel at all to find forage, and thus are not expend any calories looking for food. Despite this, many people still believe that horses need concentrates as part of the diet. Combined with decreased exercise, this creates an equine lifestyle that results in weight gain and obesity. Interestingly, a recent survey done in Virginia found that many obese horses are getting very little or no concentrate and still battle weight issues, adding emphasis to the lack of exercise as a contributor to obesity. The basic cause of obesity is consuming more calories than are expended, usually from a combination of too much or the wrong type of feed combined with a lack of exercise. Traditionally, working horses needed more calories than they could get from forage alone, and they were fed grain to make up the deficit. Today, most horses are no longer used for work; many are kept as pleasure and recreational trail horses. Their calorie expenditure is very low when compared with horses in the past. Effects of Obesity Sometimes owners think that a little extra weight on a horse isn t a bad thing. What one person considers obese another might call a little plump. The difficulty lies in defining what a little means and whether or not that s actually healthy for the animal. While some body fat is essential, excess reduces a horse s capacity for exercise. The extra weight requires more exertion to move and added fat layers insulate the body, reducing the horse s ability to dissipate heat which can lead to heat stress. The extra weight may also predispose an animal to musculoskeletal injuries or exacerbate arthritis, resulting in decreased performance. Another health concern for obese horses includes the formation of lipomas: fatty tumors that can form in the abdominal cavity of obese horses. These tumors are often suspended from the tissue (mesentery) that supports the intestines and hang in such a way as to increase the chances of strangulation colic. This is a surgical situation that happens when the stalk of the lipoma wraps around intestinal tissue and deprives the gut tissue of blood. Lipomas appear to be more prevalent in older horses (over 15 years of age).

7 Additionally, obese horses are more prone to laminitis and founder, most likely due to abnormal glucose metabolism. Overweight animals can become resistant to the actions of insulin, resulting in higher levels of insulin being secreted when the horse eats a meal. These high levels of insulin may lead to increased incidents of laminitis and founder. The added weight of the horse may also make the rotation of the coffin bone worse than what would result in a horse of an appropriate body weight. Monitoring for Obesity Weight gain usually occurs slowly, and without an appropriate monitoring system your horse may become obese before you realize there is a problem. While most people don t have access to a livestock scale, there are other ways to assess your horse s level of obesity. Weight tapes, available at most feed and tack stores, are useful for generating an approximate bodyweight and are very good at helping you monitor changes. Using the tape accurately and consistently will allow you to track increases or decreases in your horse s weight and give you time to adjust feed intake and exercise accordingly. The other method easily used is body condition scoring. The most commonly used system assesses fat deposition on six areas on the horse s body: neck, withers, behind the shoulder, over the ribs, topline, and tailhead. Each area is ranked on a scale of 1-9, where a 1 is a thin, emaciated horse, and a 9 is an overweight, heavily obese horse. A score of 5 is considered moderate, and a range of 4 to 6 is acceptable for most horses. These scores are averaged to generate an overall body condition score. Again, this system can be used to subjectively evaluate a horse on a regular basis and can help track changes in body weight and condition over time. Taking pictures of your horse at the same time you score them can also be helpful in monitoring changes in weight and condition Reducing Obesity Obese horses will only lose weight if their energy expenditure is greater than their intake. This can happen by increasing exercise and/or decreasing calorie intake. However, caution must be used. An unfit, obese horse can be easily and quickly overstressed by too much exercise and proper nutrition must be maintained to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Sometimes turning out the confined horse will allow a greater level of exercise, but many horses will simply stand around waiting for something to eat. Forced exercise is often

8 required. Lunging or encouraging the horse to run around a safely fenced paddock or round pen for minutes several times a day will help them lose weight. Riding or driving will accomplish the task faster. If your schedule does not allow you time to do this, consider leasing your horse to someone who will have the time to exercise them. A slow increase the horse s exercise level will avoid causing metabolic problems associated with exhaustion or heat stress. Begin by doing short sessions (20-30 minutes) of walking and trotting a few days a week. Exercising for longer periods of time at a walk or trot will burn more calories than cantering or galloping. Gradually increase the amount of time and the frequency of exercise until the horse is working out at least 3-4 hours each week. Although tempting, be sure not to increase their feed! Restricting access to pasture will often help decrease the horse s calorie intake. Limiting turnout time to a few hours (approximately 4 hours a day) will accomplish this, but turning them out during the day or only at night will not. Unless the amount of time on grass is severely limited horses will eat the same or more than horses left out 24 hours a day. If there is no drylot (area with no grass) to turn the horse out in, then a grazing muzzle should be used. Be sure to use one that allows the horse to drink but limits access to grass. Pastures tend to be higher in energy than hay, and grasses tend to be lower in calories than legumes (such as alfalfa). Feed at least 1.5% of the horse s target weight in good quality grass hay each day while limiting pasture access. This means if the horse should weigh 1000 lbs, at least 15 lbs of hay should be fed per day. The restricted amount of hay will usually be consumed in a few hours if fed all at once; therefore, dividing the hay into three or four feedings a day will reduce the amount of time the horse spends without feed. This will help maintain proper gut function, reduce the incidence of gastric ulcers, and keep them from getting bored and chewing down the barn. Since concentrates are often unnecessary, consider eliminating, decreasing, or changing the horse s grain. If the hay is poor quality and you re concerned about overall nutrition, consider offering a ration balancer. Ration balancers are designed to be fed in small amounts and are low calorie, yet they contain the appropriate protein, vitamins, and minerals to balance a horse s diet. High fiber feeds or feeds that are lower in calories (light feeds) can also be used. Some of the low carb or low NSC high fat concentrates or supplements, as these add concentrated calories to the diet.

9 Salt and water should be freely available for horses at all times. Maintaining the Easy Keeper The diet utilized for losing weight will not be the same as the one used for maintaining weight. Once the horse has lost the appropriate amount of weight, slowly increase the amount of grass hay fed or increase access to pasture until the horse can maintain the target weight. Grazing muzzles or limited turnout may still be required, particularly during times when pasture forages are lush (spring and fall). Keep up the exercise and monitor the horse s weight regularly to maintain a trimmer, healthier animal Horse Sight An Insight to Horse Behavior Many times a horse s behavior may be related to its vision or should I say lack of vision. Perhaps if we have a better understanding of how horses see, we can be safer around horses and even be more successful in training, showing or even increase our enjoyment while pleasure riding. Horses have very large eyes and pupils. Since the eyeballs are basically on the side of the head it gives horses a wide field of vision (~ 300 degrees) and the ability to almost see all the way around themselves. In ourselves and many other animals, the eyes are placed toward the front of the head, which limits field of view. Due to the placement of the equine eye, it gives the animal a frontal blind spot that extends 2 to 4 feet in front of the face; this means that a horse cannot see the food it eats. Horses have both binocular & monocular vision. Binocular vision is when both eyes focus on an object, much like humans. A horse has monocular vision when looking to the sides or to the rear. It sees a different image with each eye. This is very unique sending separate images are seen and transmitted to the brain at the same time. But, one needs to remember that the horse cannot use both binocular & monocular vision at the same time. It either sees forward, or to the side or rear but not forward and laterally at the same time.

10 So, when a horse sees an object with monocular vision, it will tend to turn toward the object to better hear and also, with binocular vision, better see the object. Binocular vision use of two eyes results in better depth perception and a more concentrated field of vision. A brief visual shift sometimes occurs as the horse switches from monocular to binocular vision, which can cause an unexplained spooking of the horse. With the large pupil, the horse has the ability to pick up movement and in effect is a built in wide angle lens, which is further, enhanced by the placement of the visual receptors in the retina. The total effect is better peripheral (side) vision. However, it is believed that while the horse sees practically all the way around its body, the image is not as clearly defined as what humans see, especially within 4 feet. Even with a wide field of view, as mentioned before there is a blind spot directly in front and directly behind a horse. You should avoid approaching a horse from behind because your presence may not be easily detected, and it could startle the horse. Some horses may instinctively kick in this situation. When you cannot avoid approaching a horse from the rear, make your location known by soothing noise to announce your presence. Do not sneak up on a horse from behind. Depth perception has a great impact on horse behavior. Probably the only time a horse sees things in three dimensions is when looking straight ahead using binocular vision. However, a horse cannot possibly have depth perception when using monocular vision. This means that most of the time things must look flat to a horse. With a lack of depth perception, still objects appear to be positioned at about the same distance. Also, when using monocular vision something moving from a flat plane gives the illusion that the objective is leaping out. A example of this is if a white T Shirt is hanging and flapping in the breeze might appear to the horse as a polar bear leaping out at it. A question often asked is whether or not horses can see color. It was first thought that both horses and cattle were colorblind. If horses can distinguish colors, it is unlikely that their ability to see color is equal to that of other species, such as humans. However, they can see movement instantly, both far and near, and usually regard it with suspicion until trained to have confidence in their rider.

11 Another factor relating to the wide placement of a horses eyes is the peculiar illusion created when an object passes its field of vision, which is from one eye to another. A good illustration of this is: try holding your finger at arm's length in front of you. Close one eye and look at it with the first eye and switching to your other eye. You will notice that the finger appears to move from side to side. A stationary object may appear to move even more to a horse that has wide set eyes. This effect could be another reason why horses react the way they do. Sight & Activity When riding a trail, we give loose rein to allow the horse to raise and lower its head, to focus on near & far objects. When it approaches a new or strange object and lowers its head, it is not sniffing, but focusing to see the object. A good trail horse will lower its head when coming to a bridge or water to see better. If while riding the horse suddenly pricks its ears forward it has probably seen (or heard) something in a distance. If you notice this early warning action, you may better prepare yourself for what s ahead. A cutting horse carries its head low to act as a balance but also to better see the calf it is working. Some racehorses are fitted with blinkers so objects from the side do not distract them and cause them to lose speed. They must use binocular vision to see the track ahead because a horse will not gallop full speed if it cannot see where it is going. The same reason, horses pulling carts or buggies wear blinkers. It keeps them from shying on something on the side that could cause them to dump the cart. The hunter and jumper. When a horse is ridden with a tight rein or a tie down, it cannot adjust its head to focus on obstacles ahead. If the horse and rider function together as a unit, the horse must have freedom to raise and lower its head. A horse with normal head carriage sees only 4 feet ahead when it approaches a jump. It no longer can see the obstacle it is jumping. It is very important to approach a jumping fence straight on. Remember the horse has depth perception only when using binocular vision and is only possible when it s looking straight ahead. Since everything looks flat when a horse is using monocular vision, you cannot expect to bring a horse sideways into a jump and ask it to jump something it perceives to be flat. Since the horse loses sight of the fence shortly before its feet leave the ground it must have a chance to size it up before jumping. So, jumping requires teamwork. Many horses are bold enough to obey the rider's aids and some are constant refusers. This could be due to poor riding procedure; poor training or perhaps the animal is just reluctant to jump into a void. The fact that the horse cannot see the fence

12 from the moment its hooves leave the ground is perhaps the reason you rarely see a horse jump a fence when its alone in a pasture. A horse is a creature of habit and therefore a well trained horse can perform well without the ability to focus well it has been taught to respond to the riders commands/aids. Hopefully, this information helps you better understand a horse s behavior. Until a horse is trained, its behavior is dictated by traits developed for survival. When the predictable behavioral traits are kept in mind and understood, it will help in a training & riding program. When thinking of a horse s vision, you might want to remember this old saying: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder This simply means that it is not WHAT you see but HOW you see it. Parts taken from: 4H Horse Project Training, TRMU 1 Equine Eyes You Asked: How Much Acreage Is Needed for Horses? (This is probably the most common question asked by new horse owners) Before anything can be done, the first question that needs to be answered is Is this a pasture or an exercise lot? If pasture is expected to provide a majority of the diet, approximately two acres is needed for each mature horse ( lbs). If the available acreage is limited, then exercise may be the primary use of the field. Close grazing and trampling will occur with a high stocking rate of horses, and it will be difficult to maintain a dense, weed free grass stand in this area. Exercise paddocks or drylots are areas generally of one acre or less per horse. The paddocks typically are located near barns and are used to provide exercise. They should be planted with a persistent forage such as fescue or common or hybrid bermudagrass. Exercise paddocks also can be used as a holding area during periods of heavy rainfall until pasture conditions improve. The tearing action hooves make while horses canter is destructive to extremely wet pastures. Generally, exercise paddocks are fenced areas, with limited vegetation, which have a minimum of 400 square feet. Long narrow areas (runs) are best (minimum of 14 feet wide) with the layout along land contours to minimize erosion. Horses prefer to run along fence lines; therefore, several long narrow runs will let separated horses exercise together without direct interference. Grass filter strips (minimum 25 feet wide) located downslope of an exercise area will greatly reduce any pollutants that might leave the site.

13 Forages planted in an exercise lot can provide nutrients to replace a portion of horses' forage requirements. The pasture management system is the determining factor on how much feed value can be realized. The ideal horse pasture should contain (1) Smooth surface free of potholes, trash, potentially harmful objects, and noxious plants; (2) Dense stand of nutritious and palatable forage; (3) Grazing and Exercise Areas while maintaining a consistent rotation plan; (4) Safe fences and gates; (5) Free access to fresh, clean water; (6) Adequate shade and shelter from adverse weather; and (7) Freedom from marshes and wetlands. Backing up slightly, several plants can be used for pasture in our area. Grasses should be the primary forage in a pasture, because they tend to be more productive and more persistent than legumes such as red and white clover. Pastures should be seeded or sprigged with a high quality perennial forage and managed to maintain a productive stand. Grasses can be divided into Warm & Cool Season based on their growth seasons. Knowing this information aids in determining which forage species will be selected for use in a pasture. Cool season grasses produce most of their growth during the cooler times of the year. (Fescue, Orchardgrass) This is generally from March to June and September to November. During the summer these plants usually become dormant or die. Warm season grasses (Bermudagrass, Crabgrass, Pearl Millet) grow during the warm periods of the year (June to October). These plants tend to be more efficient in their water use, and are therefore better adapted for growth during the hot and dry times of the year. Within both the cool season and warm season categories, a further distinction can be made. A perennial plant is one that lives for more than one year. It may become dormant for part of the year, but it survives the dormancy period and regrows from roots and crowns to be productive again. Annual plants are those that germinate from seed, grow, produce seed and then die within one year. None of the plant survives from year to year. The only way the species

14 survives is to produce seed, and then that seed germinates to produce new growth the following year. Even very small areas measuring an acre or so can contribute to the feeding program. However, these areas cannot be used as a dry lot. Determining pasture size is done by an educated guess involving trial & error. Horses will graze an average of 16 hours per day. The shorter the pasture, the longer a horse will graze (up to 20 hours per day). Animals must be added and removed from an area at the correct times to obtain optimum nutrition, rapid regrowth, and stand persistence. For example, a mature horse can consume up to 3% of its body weight per day in forage dry matter. Thus a 1,000 pound horse might consume about 30 pounds of forage per day. A hybrid bermudagrass (Coastal or Tifton 44) pasture is capable of producing from 10 to as much as 80 pounds of dry forage per acre per day from May through September. A conservative estimate of total dry forage production for the season might be 3.5 tons per acre (7,000 pounds). If about 3,500 to 4,000 pounds of that growth is actually eaten, then 133 pasture days of grazing are produced per acre (4, pounds intake/ day = 133 days). In reality, this means that on some days, such as during early May or late September, less than of the 30 pounds needed will be available. On the other hand, during the peak growing season of June July August, two to three 1,000 pound horses could be grazed, or a section of pasture could be fenced off for hay production. The same basic information can be calculated for low endophyte tall fescueclover pastures and other appropriate pasture species. Although it is generally accepted that about two acres of pasture per mature horse are needed to satisfy both nutritional and exercise needs, do not overlook the possibility of getting nutrition from pasture if less than 2 acres per animal are available. The key is management flexibility. If less than 100% of the nutrients are to come from forages, the following land area allocation between nutrition and exercise may be appropriate. Rotational grazing involves dividing pastures, usually with permanent fences, into several sections (at least two or three) and rotating horses in a manner based on pasture growth. (More on Grazing Management can be found further down in this newsletter) Pasture size is allocated so horses will be rotated on a regular basis. (1 3 day rotation would probably be) Every 14 to 21 days depending on pasture regrowth and availability. With this system, failure to maintain a proper stocking rate (number of horses per acre) will result in excess mature forage and selective or spot grazing. The number of head per acre should be maintained to ensure consumption of young leafy forage without over grazing. A properly managed rotation system should maintain plants in a condition that permits rapid regrowth and for stand to persist. Pastures subdivided into several sections, enclosures, or paddocks with horses being rotated from paddock to paddock is based on plant growth and animal nutrient needs. Usually, the period of that horses stay in any one

15 paddock is relatively short, (one to five days), depending on the amount of forage present before grazing starts and the rate at which the forage is consumed. Safe, inexpensive, temporary electric fencing, including electrified aluminum wire or poly tape, can easily be erected and removed. Horses quickly adapt to electric temporary fencing after short exposure. In some cases, after initial shock, horses will not test the fence again. Others require a consistent and constant voltage. Manage to minimize spot grazing. Horses graze from the top of the canopy downward and, because of its jaw and teeth structure, horses are able to graze much closer to the ground than a cow. Horse's sensitive lips position and snip the forage between its upper and lower incisors. Putting horses in areas that are too large for the animals to completely consume the forage grown will lead to "spot grazing." Spot grazing is most severe when the animals are put in to large of an area or that contains more grass than they can use within a threeto five day period. The horses will continually graze and regraze the same areas while other areas in the same pastures are ignored and become mature, stemmy, and unpalatable. Forages located near fences or urine spots typically are not grazed. If left unchecked, this grazing pattern can reduce the effective grazing area, encourage the encroachment of weeds, and result in serious stand loss of desirable pasture plants. Subdividing a pasture area to reduce the land area available for grazing, followed by rotation to another area, will reduce the occurrences of spot grazing. In addition, when animals are removed from a rotational paddock or pasture, the area may be clipped to remove old, ungrazed plants and to stimulate new, leafy regrowth. The area can also be dragged either during or after clipping to break up and spread manure evenly over the paddock, which will aid in parasite control and improve nutrient recycling. Cattle can be used to graze in sequence after horses on the same pasture is an effective method of improving pasture utilization. Since the grazing behavior of horses and cattle differ, cattle will graze some of the forage left by the horses. Cattle can be forced to graze the more mature forages by restricting them to the area. This will help to use the pasture efficiently and to reduce the levels of parasites that affect the horses; however, it may reduce cattle's performance. Successful pasture production for horses can be simply put into three basic steps: (1) Selecting the right forage. (2) Start with a good stand. (3) Manage the pasture properly to keep a good stand. For most horse owners fescue pasture overseeded with ladino white clover will provide the longest growing season with good persistence. If mares are to be bred, orchardgrass, or low endophyte fescue can be planted or another type of hay can be fed 90 days prior to the expected foaling date.

16 A solid fertility and weed control program combined with acceptable grazing management practices are a must to maintain pasture longevity. If the production and quality of a pasture is poor, a failure in one or more of these areas is usually the cause. Remember that successful pasture management is nothing more than creating and maintaining conditions in the pasture that favor forage plants over weeds WEED MANAGEMENT Forage crops, like all other crops, must compete with weeds. Weed control is essential to successful production. The aspects of forage quality (and, therefore, any weeds in forage) that affect animal performance are (1) digestibility and nutritive content, (2) consumption (amount and rate), and (3) toxic factors. Although some research indicates that many weeds are highly nutritious and digestible (50 to 75%), animals may not eat them voluntarily. However, strict rotational grazing with high stock density increases consumption of many weeds. Weeds may adversely affect forage quality because certain ones are toxic or poisonous to livestock; others are unpalatable and limit consumption; some cause an undesirable flavor in milk and meat, and others cause irritations that may contribute to pinkeye. If you stop and think about the weeds is nature s way of dialing 911. So what can you do to come to the rescue and control weeds? The Methods Of Weed Control Mowing may control tall growing annual broadleaf weeds and reduce seed production if completed just after the first flower appears. However, mowing will not control weeds that form rosettes or mats that grow close to the ground. In fact, mowing may help those weeds by reducing the competition form the desired forage plants. In most instances, weeds have done their damage (in terms of yield reduction) by the time they can be controlled with a mower. Mowing of perennial, hard to kill broadleaf weeds shortens them but rarely gives satisfactory control. Mowing to control crabgrass, foxtail, and similar annual grass weeds is essentially hopeless. Control Grazing Management practices that produce a vigorous, dense stand of forage combined with judicious grazing management are excellent for reducing pasture weeds. Methods of successfully competing with pasture weeds include (1) following soil tests guides for lime and fertilizer, (2) planting weed free seeds of persistent varieties adapted to specific management systems and soil environments, (3) rotating crops when feasible to interrupt the life cycle of certain weeds and (4) using frequent rotations of high stock density to force grazing animals to eat or trample weeds. Mixing goats with cattle in the appropriate proportion has been effective in controlling certain weeds, such as blackberry, privet, honeysuckle, kudzu, multiflora rose, and a multitude of woody seedlings and saplings.

17 Herbicides Chemical control of pasture weeds is effective and often economical. However, herbicides are only one aspect of a weed management program and should be used in combination with fertilization, liming, and grazing and harvesting management. Weed Management With Herbicides The success of using herbicides to control weeds in pasture and hay crops depends on plant growth factors, environmental conditions, and herbicide selection. All these factors can interact to affect the performance of foliar applied herbicides. Plant Growth Factors. Annual pasture weeds are easiest to kill when they are young and actively growing (3 to 8 inches tall) or in the rosette stage. Biennial plants require two years to complete their life cycle, and they are usually most easily controlled in the rosette stage, before stem elongation and flowering. Bull, musk, and yellow thistles are biennial weeds. Perennial plants live for several years. They may reproduce by seed and/or rhizome, roots, bulbs, or tubers. Early spring growth depends largely on stored food reserves. Foliar applied herbicides may be ineffective because the herbicide is not translocated into the roots and rhizomes in sufficient amounts to prevent regrowth. Once the plant has ceased to depend on stored food reserves and begins to transport food into storage organs, control can be achieved more readily since the herbicide is transported downward with the food. Spraying at early growth gives best control of weeds and reduces the potential loss of forage. Herbicide rates may need to be increased when weeds approach the flowering stage. More difficult to control perennial weeds may require a second spraying when regrowth appears. Foliage sprays for woody plant control should be applied after full leaf development in the spring. Environmental Conditions Favorable soil moisture and mild temperatures contribute to actively growing weeds. Desirable forages are usually more tolerant to herbicide application under these conditions. Herbicides are less effective when stressful conditions such as drought are present, because herbicide absorption and translocation are reduced in stressed plants. Temperature may inhibit or enhance the effectiveness of foliar applied herbicides. Within the range of 40 to 85 F, foliar penetration usually increases with temperature. However, volatility also increases. At temperatures above 85 F, Banvel and low volatile ester forms of 2, 4 D and Crossbow may be lost to volatility. Such losses reduce weed control and may damage nearby crops and plants. Rainfall received shortly after spraying may adversely affect the performance of the foliar applied herbicide because the rain washes the herbicide off before it is absorbed. A rainfree period of 4 to 6 hours after application of postemergence herbicides is best for performance.

18 Herbicide Selection Herbicide selection begins with properly identifying the weeds to be controlled, because various weeds respond differently to different herbicides. ***Always consult the North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual for chemicals that can be used in North Carolina as well as crop with specifies want to be controlled, Herbicides and Formulations, amounts of Formulations per acre, ponds active ingredient per acre and precaution and remarks (know the withdrawal times or waiting period required before treated forage can be used). Herbicide labels provide specifies information on rates, grass tolerance, grazing restrictions and other pertinent safety details North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual carolina agricultural chemicals manual/ The Biting Colt There are several approaches to the problem of "mouthy" colts that want to bite at you. However, the first thing to remember is that this is a normal behavior in colts. This is how they interact with each other and determine who the boss is. The easiest way to combat the problem is to castrate the colt, which removes the main source of testosterone, the male hormone that is responsible for stallion-like behavior. Biting usually is greatly reduced after castration, and geldings usually make more steady riding horses than stallions. If castration doesn't completely correct the problem, you may have to punish the horse when it bites. A sharp whack on the muzzle when the horse tries to bite will usually get the message across. Make sure you are consistent if you must use punishment. Never allow the horse to even try to bite without letting it know that biting is unacceptable behavior. If castrating the colt is not an option, there are several other things you can do to reduce this behavior. If possible, turn the colt out with other horses. Interaction with other horses will help him learn that biting is not always appropriate and will let him burn some energy so he is more willing to pay attention to you when you are working with him. When you do work with him, make him pay attention by keeping his mind occupied with various turns, starts, stops, backing up, etc. Require the horse to respond immediately to your signals and keep him too busy to think about biting. An option that some handlers use is to punish the horse by squirting lemon juice in his mouth when he tries to bite. The plastic lemon-shaped squirters found at most grocery stores work well. Another option is to give young stallions an appropriate "chew toy," such as the butt end of a crop while leading and grooming the horse. This lets the horse express its natural behavior in a way that does not hurt you, but it also allows the horse to become somewhat inattentive to the handler.

19 Hopefully, one of these methods will work in your situation. Probably the most important thing is to make sure you are consistent in letting the horse know that biting you is not appropriate. In colts, there is really no such thing as a "playful nibble" because they will rapidly begin to think that biting is acceptable Grazing Management 1) Animal Needs Vs Plant Needs Finding the Balance a) There has to be a compromise between what is good for the plant and what is good for the animal. b) Never can obtain maximum plant yields and maximum nutritive value at the same time. c) With control of green leaf defoliation, trampling, manure and urine distribution one can meet most nutrient needs of animals while maintaining plants. 2) Understanding Animal Grazing Behavior (cattle, goats, sheep, horses) a) Because of differences in mouth anatomy, nutrient needs and social interactions, animals select what they eat differently. b) Grazing two or more animal species in the same pasture can have positive benefits on plant utilization and acre output. c) Young animals learn how to graze and what to eat from mothers d) Observing animal behavior in various situations can be useful in making decisions that minimize the stress on animals. i) When do they ruminate, when do they prefer to graze, where do they prefer to rest, how do they act when fully fed vs when they are hungry, what do they do when disturbed during rumination, ii) What plants do they select when given plenty of choice? 3) How To Get Started With Controlled Grazing? a) Taking the first step. Human nature is to accept change slowly. Begin by using only a small part of the farm. Subdivide pastures with temporary

20 wire and plan a management schedule to allow the forage in each paddock to be grazed to the desired stubble in 1 to 3 days. b) Consider developing "on paper" the most detailed or "elaborate" system you think you could possibly want to have, and in the end decide which of the parts you want to put into practice first c) Just try something different tomorrow, like "squeezing" onto a smaller section of the pasture and observe what they do in the first 30 minutes and what they are doing in 2 hours. i) Graze an area to the target height in one to 2 days ii) Rest the area until plant growth is sufficient for re grazing. iii) Have a place to put animals when pasture growth is not ready for grazing. 4) Equipment Needed For Control Grazing a) An attitude that you can do it. b) Basic understanding of plant growth, animal needs and animal behavior c) Electrical fencing to control animal use and behavior d) Sufficient drinking water locations to keep animals distributed on the farm In our area, the predominate cool season pastures are Tall Fescue and Orchardgrass and predominate warm season grasses are Bermudagrass and Crabgrass. Below is a general target grazing scheme for these grasses. For a complete list of these recommendations, please ask so it will be forwarded on to you. Fescue & Orchardgrass (other cool season grasses with/without white clovers) February March Start Grazing 4 6 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches April June Start Grazing 6 8 inches.

21 Stop Grazing 2 3 inches July August Start Grazing 6 8 inches. Stop Grazing 3 4 inches September October Start Grazing 6 8 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches November January Start Grazing inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches Fescue mixed with Bermuda or Crabgrass at about 70:30 ratio February March Start Grazing 4 6 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches April June Start Grazing 6 8 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches July August Start Grazing 6 8 inches. Stop Grazing 3 4 inches September October Start Grazing 6 8 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches November January Start Grazing 4 12 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches Bermudagrass. Common, hybrids & seeded varieties plus mixtures with clovers or mixtures with crabgrass April May Start Grazing 4 6 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches June July Start Grazing 4 6 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches August September Start Grazing 4 6 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches

22 Frosted Start Grazing 2+ inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches Crabgrass and associated warm season species April May Start Grazing 6 8 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches June August Start Grazing 6 12 inches. Stop Grazing 2 3 inches September October Start Grazing 4 6 inches. Stop Grazing 1 2 inches Rockingham Rainbow Mix Chicks Come & Get Em! Freshly Hatched by Rockin Roost 4 H Poultry Club $2 per chick (4 chick minimum) Buy 5 get one FREE! June 6th, AM 2 Selling Locations Tractor Supply in Eden Southern States in Reidsville

23 9. Piedmont Pot Of Gold Classic Horse Show on June 6 7 at Piedmont Saddle Club. This two day show is a collaboration between PHA and NC Palomino Exhibitors Association! On June 6 and 7, you will have the opportunity to show in PHA open show classes and also show in registered palomino classes. Remember you must be a member of NC Palomino and have your horse registered palomino in order to show in those classes, but the others are open to anyone. We will award high point and reserve high point awards in each division for the weekend. Belt buckles and custom chairs will be given away! The show will start at 9am with halter classes. The show is open to everyone. We have something for everyone; adults and youth. This year PHA is offering field hunter, stock type hunter, working western and western pleasure. Some shows will be offering jumping as well. You do not have to be a member to show, but there are many benefits of being a member of PHA; reduced entry fee at sanctioned shows, accumulate points for year end awards, and much more. We hope you will become part of the PHA family!! You can find all the details about all the shows as well as membership forms on the web site: Also find us on Facebook. We hope you will become part of the PHA family!! You can find all the details about all the shows as well as membership forms on the web site: Also find us on Facebook Fiore Farms Activities Fiore Farms Summer Camp

24 June 22nd 26th & July 13th 17th Contact for more info "Head to Toe" Whole Horse Clinic July 25, 2015 at the Bar T Ranch in Silk Hope, NC Topics include essential oils, hoof care, saddle fit, equine massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, and training. Pre register atwww.wholehorseclinics.com to have a chance to win prizes including Renegade Viper hoof boots (your choice of size/color), a GreenGuard grazing muzzle, and more! $40 includes admission for the whole day HAY In the past couple of weeks we have had a lot of hay cut. Please make sure you are managing your grass if you are grazing or cutting for hay. Let grass grow to proper height before harvesting and once you do, pull animals off when taken down to proper height. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAY FOR SALE! A Hay Directory is maintained by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service for the Rockingham County and Guilford County area. This directory is intended as a service to both hay producers and buyers in the area. If you are in need of hay or would like to be added (or removed) from this list please call me at or and let me know your name, address & phone #, type of hay, number of bales,

25 (square or round bales) and weight per bale. MANAGE YOUR PASTURES! Swap Shop - For Sale Up Right Piano Nice Entertainment Center 32 inch TV Best Offer All In Excellent Condition! Take A Load Off I need your clean Jokes, so please send em to me! Thanks For This Send In One Fat Cat A couple is dressed and ready to go out for the evening. They phone for a cab, turn on a night light, cover their pet parakeet and put the cat out in the back yard. The taxi arrives, and they open the front door to leave. Suddenly the cat they put out scoots back into the house. They don't want the cat shut in there because she always tries to eat the bird. The wife goes out to the taxi while the husband goes back in. The cat runs upstairs, with the man in hot pursuit. The wife doesn't want the driver to know the house will be empty. She explains to the taxi driver that her husband will be out soon. "He's just going upstairs to say goodbye to my mother."

26 A few minutes later the husband gets into the cab. "Sorry I took so long," he says, as they drive away. "Stupid hag was hiding under the bed. Had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out! Then I had to wrap her in a blanket to keep her from scratching me. But it worked. I hauled her fat butt downstairs and threw her out into the back yard! The cab driver hit a parked car. I always need more help with the jokes! I always want to know what you think of the Weekly Pile, good or bad, Especially if it has had ANY IMPACT on you. Let me hear from you! PLEASE SEND TO ME YOUR IDEAS FOR ARTICLES IN FUTURE NEWSLETTERS! I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!! Please remember our Troops who are serving our Country (and their families), those who have come home with wounds, and the families that paid the ultimate sacrifice.