Stable Sheet WHAT S IN YOUR FOALING KIT? EQUIDAY - MARCH 17, The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute February 2012.

Transcription

1 The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute February 2012 Stable Sheet In This Issue: Is There Science in Imprint Training? 2 Horses as Anti-Venom Producers An Extreme Event; Best Kept Secret! EquiDay at Miner Institute: March 17, 2012 Equine Reproduction Workshop Excerts from AHPA Report on Wild Horses Featured Miner Morgan: HD Franklin 8 EQUIDAY - MARCH 17, 2012 Our annual free seminar on equine topics is scheduled for Saturday, March 17, More details are available on page 5. WHAT S IN YOUR FOALING KIT? A few spring breezes have blown in and winter hair is beginning to loosen up, but mostly it is the big bellies on the pregnant mares that are calling attention to getting ready for foaling season! Now is a good time to take a look through the cabinets and trunks to assess if you re stocked up for the blessed event. A draft-free foaling stall that s been wellcleaned and deeply bedded with clean straw. We put down a layer of dry shavings on the mats since I think it is a better absorbent layer and will make it easier for the foal to get good footing to stand for the first time. Then straw is put down over the top of the shavings. Straw is generally considered the best bedding to foal out on since the particles aren t as small as sawdust or shavings which can either be inhaled by the newborn or can end up entering the reproductive tract of the mare. A tail wrap on the mare can keep the hairs from getting tangled in everything and also keep the tail clean. Your veterinarian s phone number should be clearly posted. You ll certainly want to call the vet once regular business hours open up to schedule a well-foal check- up if everything has gone smoothly, but it is more important to have the number handy in the event things don t go well. If the mare or foal has trouble during birth or immediately after, there is little time to waste. If you need to call the vet during an emergency, you should be prepared with vital stats to give over the phone. Even better, alert your veterinarian ahead of time that your mare is due soon to see if they have a protocol they d like you to follow. Depending upon where you live and your comfort level with giving medications, your vet may choose to leave a few items with you to help in an emergency, such as banamine, oxytocin, or antibiotics. A bright fl ashlight with new batteries. Even if your barn is exceptionally well-lit, a flashlight can really shine into a dark corner or improve visibility. Eight to 10 feet of clean, cotton string, kept in a zip-lock bag to keep it that way, which can be cut by the sharp pair of scissors you ll have in there too. The string can be used to tie off an umbilicus that s broken, but won t stop bleeding and it See FOALING, Page 3 The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet February

2 IS THERE SCIENCE IN IMRINT TRAINING? With foaling season about to get underway in the horse barn, a recently published article in the February 2012 issue of The Horse, got me thinking about imprinting and the controversy this training technique can bring to the table. The article itself is called Imprinting: The Great Debate, which seems an appropriate title. The theory that is the foundation of imprint training is the behavioral phenomenon of precocial (prey animals) young needing to make a connection with their mothers quickly in order to survive. Essentially this is how these animals have survived throughout millions of years of evolution; however it seems less like a phenomenon and a little more like survival of the fittest. Imprinting is defined as the rapid learning that occurs during a brief receptive period, typically soon after birth or hatching, and establishes a longlasting behavioral response to a specific individual or object, as attachment to parent, offspring, or site. Dr. Robert Miller, DVM s imprint training goals are to create a bond between the foal and the human, to desensitize the foal to frightening stimuli, and to teach the foal to respect humans as leaders. However, the article states that according to Dr. Katherine Houpt, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVB, professor at Cornell University, Dr. Miller s technique is not actually imprinting in the behavioral sense. Dr. Houpt calls his technique desensitization to touch and says, there doesn t seem to be a particularly sensitive period (hence the foal should learn at any point). However, a lot (regarding the success of any handling technique) has to do with what happens subsequently. The basics of how to go about Dr. Miller s imprint training and the importance of the timing and repetitions of what is done is reviewed. He states that there are two mistakes people commonly make when performing his method of imprint training; one is rushing the birth session and the other is failure to complete the subsequent training. As with any project, you will never reach the intended results if you do not follow through, so if you intend to follow Dr. Miller s training program, it must be completely. The article continues on to discuss the limitations and concerns with imprint training. Because it is ideally done as the foal is being born and before it stands, one of the main concerns is that the foal gets up to nurse in a timely fashion and ingest enough colostrum to achieve immunity. Some worry that the foal-mare bonding time is disrupted, but Dr. Miller disputes this stating that when done properly a, three-way bond between mare, foal and handler is formed. There have been studies showing, and mare owners who state it works miracles, but there have also been studies that show no significant results. Personally, I have a hard time seeing how it can actually be shown to work or not. Each horse is an individual and will have its own personality, so to imprint one horse and not another, and then compare how they react to stimuli isn t scientific at all. Unless you can find a way to raise a horse that you have imprinted, then go back in time and raise him again without imprinting, I struggle to see how it can be proven to work or not. Like all types of training, whether it be horses, dogs, or even children, everyone will have a personal preference, but comprehending how horses learn, look at life, communicate with each other, and why they do the things they do are the real foundation of any training you wish to accomplish. Remembering that we come from different sides of the tracks is always something we must keep in mind. The article ends with a take home message saying, Regardless of whether you intend to pursue imprint training, positive interactions with a calm, trained mare and repeated positive, and consistent interactions with the foal seem to be key factors for successful handling. Seems to hit the nail on the head for me! Cassi Lukas, Equine Intern The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet February

3 HORSES AS ANTI-VENOM PRODUCERS Scorpion stings still cause about 30 deaths per year in Mexico (which is down considerably from a generation ago), but the major decrease can be mostly credited to a company which uses a herd of horses to produce antivenom. Dr. Alejandro Alagon works for the Instituto Bioclon in Mexico City, but the real work happens on the home farm in Puebla. The 59 horses that belong to the Instituto Bioclon live and are overseen by Alejandro s brother; a real family farm since the 444-acre Alagon Ranch was started by their grandfather. To make the anti-venom, the horses are first given a minute dose of scorpion venom and then slowly, over Scorpions another good reason to live in the Northeast! six months the dosage is increased to encourage the horses immune systems to make antibodies to the venom without ever making the horses sick. Once the antibodies have reached a high enough level, they draw blood from the horses to separate out the antibody rich plasma and send it to the Bioclon labs. To minimize human allergic reactions to the horse plasma, the lab employs a technology called fabotherapeutics which removes part of the molecules on the antibodies that cause the allergy without removing the important parts of the anti-venom. This product is marketed as Anascorp and has proven to begin to turn a stricken human patient around starting in just two hours after treatment and has just been approved by the FDA for use in the U.S. FOALING, Continued from Page 1 can tie up the placenta if it hasn t passed yet to keep the mare from stepping on it and breaking it. If she stands prior to passing the placenta and it is touching the ground, tie the string around it about a foot off the ground, then loop that up to secure it to the placenta just below the mare s vulva. DO NOT PULL on the placenta as this can break off pieces to be left behind in the uterus causing infections and then laminitis. The weight of the placenta alone generally provides enough traction to help it be expelled. Within 3 hours of foaling, the placenta should be out and offi cially becomes afterbirth. You should have a bucket or woven plastic feed sack to put it in, particularly if you re uncertain if it was passed in its entirety. Save it for the veterinarian to examine. If it isn t passed completely by 3 hours, a call to the vet is indicated. The navel stump should be treated right away as it is the most common source of infection in the foal. We use chlorhexidine solution (Nolvasan- the blue stuff) in a small clean spray bottle, but you can use a squeeze bottle. Diluted iodine can also be used; check with your vet to see if they have a preference. Be sure to coat the navel really well. The navel should be re-treated regularly until the stump dries. Iodine can over dry causing the stump to break off, so check it carefully if you re using iodine. Here we ll spray the navel several times a day with the chlorhexidine for a few days at least. The foal might object, but it must be done! If the navel treatment is kept warm, they might not protest quite as much. Clean towels to clear away the foal s nose and mouth of any obstructions to make breathing easier. We like to dry the foal off a little bit as long as we aren t interfering with the mare-foal bonding. If the barn is cold, you ll probably want to work a little harder at this so the baby doesn t get too cold. A warmed Fleet enema can be used to help the foal pass the first manure, known as meconium. It is usually more firm than the manure that will come later and as well, these are muscles that haven t had much exercise yet! Again, unless you re very experienced in administering these, you could unknowingly puncture the rectal wall; consult your veterinarian for when and how to use the enema properly. Whole books have been written on the subject of foaling, but the above is a good start. A little bit of preparation can not only have you ready for the arrival of your new foal but may be able to sleep just a little better in the days leading up to it. Karen Lassell lassell@whminer.com The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet February

4 AN EXTREME EVENT April 28 & 29, 2012 Robert E. Miller Expo Centre at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds Everything Equine will be mixing it up this year! It will feature Eventing and more outdoors as well as an Extreme Trail Challenge and a fresh, new layout indoors. Look forward to a large consumer area, as well as educational seminars and demonstrations for all disciplines in seminar rooms and the indoor arena. The primary focus of the weekend s educational opportunities will be the World of Eventing, an equestrian triathalon comprised of cross-country, stadium jumping and dressage. Our featured clinician is Sue Berrill, a wellknown and respected Eventer from Brownsville, Vt. Portions of both the cross-country and stadium clinics will be held outdoors. Everything Equine Extreme Trail Challenge will take place Sunday, April 29 at 10:30 am. Twenty-five top-level horse and rider teams will show off their horsemanship and skill at this judged and timed event. There is over $2,700 in prize money, with $1,500 going to the winner in this event coordinated by the Northwestern Riding and Driving Club. Horsin Around on Saturday Night Everything Equine s Edu-tainment variety show is moving back to Saturday night. Shop during the day and then enjoy demonstrations by a wide variety of equine breeds and disciplines in the evening. The popular Breed Row, Equine Art Display, and 4-H Kids Corner will once again be offered. BEST KEPT SECRET! We ve been told that s what we are for a long time and we re more than ready to shed that image! The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute is located in the fertile Champlain Valley in Chazy, NY. As a private, not-for-profit institution, our mission of integrated and useful research and education in the realms of the dairy and equine industries centers around the beautiful, historic farm built by William Miner in the early 1900s. Today using the dairy herd, horse herd, fields, forests and streams along with the faculty, staff, and collaborators that are specialists in each area, Miner has the unique position of taking real science to those that use it. Numerous studies and surveys have shown that the equine industry in New York is a major contributor to the agricultural economy as well as an important part of the aesthetics of the state. The herd of approximately 25 Morgan horses is the keystone of the equine program at Miner Institute. With a few foals born each year under the Heart s Delight prefix HD, there is always a variety of horses ranging in age and ability for use in the teaching program. Our Summer Experience in Equine Management program is an intense 13-week paid internship for college students pursuing a career in the horse industry. During their time on the farm, students will not only work at the basic chores, but enhance their training skills with young stock and also gain experience with broodmares, foals and stallions. Horses are available for sale in addition to many services offered by Miner. Stud service to one or more Morgan stallions, stallion and mare station services to work with your breeding animals, and some training of outside horses are some of the ways we contribute to the industry locally as well as assist in funding the educational work we do. Learning activities happen at Miner on a regular basis. Our annual EquiDay program is a day-long free and open-tothe-public symposium on horse topics; the Annual Reproduction Workshop in conjunction with the UVM Morgan Horse Farm is held every spring in Middlebury, VT; Youth EquiDay is always the first Saturday in November and is geared for kids. In addition, we offer periodic clinics and workshops and this year a 3-day horsemanship retreat! For information on any of the above, please visit or contact Karen Lassell at lassell@whminer.com or , ext The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet February

5 EquiDay at Miner Institute Saturday, March 17, 2012 Free & Open to the Public! Miner Institute Auditorium, 586 Ridge Rd. Chazy, NY 1 mile west of exit 41, I a.m. Registration & Refreshments 10-11:15 a.m. Lyme Disease in Horses, Dr. Cathy Lombardi, The Oaks Equine & Farm Service, Smithfield, VA 12:30-1 p.m. Adirondack Tack s Annual Fashion Show!, Carol Tetreault, Adirondack Tack 1-2:15 p.m. Colic Prevention, Dr. Cathy Lombardi, The Oaks Equine & Farm Service, Smithfield, VA 11:15 - noon The New York State Horse Council and YOU!, Karen Lassell, Equine Manager, Miner Institute 2:15-3:15 p.m. Wild Horse Round-Up, Dr. Betsy Greene, UVM Extension Equine Specialist noon - 12:30 p.m. Lunch Break For more information contact Karen Lassell, x120 or lassell@whminer.com 3:15 p.m. Door Prize Drawing Must be present to win! HORSEMANSHIP RETREAT AT MINER INSTITUTE! June 28-30, 2012 Camp for Grown Ups The flowers will be in full bloom, the birds will be singing, foals will be frolicking and YOU will be in the thick of it all learning more about the care and training of horses. Alright, maybe that sounds a little Disney-esque, but we re excited to offer this new venture at Miner. The Heart s Delight Morgan herd will be the center of activities for three full days. Full schedule details are still being developed and I m even open to suggestions, but there s already a lot to be enthusiastic about. Dr. Stephen MacKenzie from SUNY Cobleskill will discuss equine learning and then offer instruction on round-pen techniques on one day and there will be ample opportunity to practice these skills over the course of the three days. We ll go over basic health evaluation skills with practice doing thorough nose-to-tail checkups. A nature walk will be a plant and weed identification trip. A relaxing evening including a yoga-forriders class. Stay overnight in comfortable accommodations and we ll feed you too! The retreat is limited to six people to insure plenty of hands-on time. All inclusive price of $450 for our first year offering this camp. Contact Karen Lassell for more information, , ext. 120 or lassell@whminer.com or send in the form with a deposit (refundable if we can fill your space). June 28-30, 2012 Horsemanship Retreat Registration Name: Age: Gender: Address: Phone: Short history of your experience with horses: Any specific issues or items we might try to address or include for you? (We can try, but no promises): Health limitations or dietary restrictions we should be aware of? Horses are large, unpredictable animals. We will endeavor to keep everyone safe, but you will be asked to sign a release and hold harmless agreement. Please return with a deposit of $100 payable to: Miner Institute, PO Box 90, Chazy, NY Attn: Karen Lassell. The balance of $350 is due upon arrival at Miner for the retreat. The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet February

6 The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet February

7 EXCERPTS FROM A REPORT FROM THE AMERICAN HORSE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION ON WILD HORSES Dr. Betsy Greene was one of the contributors to this report and will speak on this topic at EquiDay. One of the American Horse Protection Association s ( AHPA ) missions is the protection and preservation of America s wild horses and burros on US public rangelands. The Bureau of Land Management ( BLM ) has the authority and responsibility to ensure, to its best ability, the welfare of wild horses and burros during the gather, holding, and transporting process when horses are removed from public rangeland. In line with BLM s ongoing development of its animal welfare program, in June 2010, AHPA offered to initiate a Pilot Independent Designated Observer Program ( Pilot Program ) that involved the observation and reporting on the care and handling of wild horses and burros during the gather process at three major summer gathers: Owyhee HMA (NV); Stinking Waters HMA (OR); and Twin Peaks HMA (CA). It is important to note that the Pilot Program was not intended to replace public observation days. Additionally, the Pilot Program was specific to the care and handling of the animals only. BLM policy regarding removals was not within the scope of the Pilot Program. AHPA engaged four independent credentialed professionals who are academia-based equine veterinarians or equine specialists: Camie Heleski, Ph.D., from Michigan University; Betsy Greene, Ph.D., from the University of Vermont; Sarah Ralston, VMD, Ph.D., from Rutgers University, and Carolyn Stull, Ph.D., from University of California at Davis. Several of the above individuals were instrumental in writing the horse chapter of the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Teaching and Research, published by the Federation of Animal Science Societies. Each observer served on a team of two, and was tasked specifically to observe the care and handling of the animals for a three to four day period during the gather process, and submit their findings to AHPA. An Evaluation Checklist was provided to each of the observers which included four sections: Gather Activities; Horse Handling During Gather; Horse Description; and Temporary Holding Facility. Each team was accompanied by a designated BLM employee to each gather, and was introduced to BLM personnel, APHIS veterinarians, and contractor employees present on site as independent observers in attendance to observe the care and handling of animals only. Team members were given access to the trap site and corrals, and observed in a quiet and unobtrusive manner minimizing any interference or impact on the process, interacting with BLM personnel, APHIS veterinarians and employees of the Cattoor Livestock Roundup, Inc. (the contractor for all three gathers) as needed. Overall, team members were well received. BLM, APHIS, and the contractor were open and informative with information about the gather process, procedures, veterinary treatment, and answered any questions asked. The contractor and its employees did not restrict access and discussed methods of care and handling of animals and answered questions freely. Utilizing academia-based equine veterinarians and equine specialists as independent designated observers provides science based, hands-on documentation concerning the care and handling of horses during the gather process, and can be used to both validate existing practices and identify areas in need of improvement. By engaging accredited professionals within the horse industry, BLM is able to tap the knowledge of those specifically trained in horse behavior and equine veterinary medicine and incorporate industry practices into its policies and procedures. As stated at the onset, while the Pilot Program in no way takes the place of public observation, it serves as an assessment tool for the care and handling practices used in the wild horse and burro program, and opens the door to further science-based evaluation of the program. The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet February

8 The William H. Miner Agriculutural Research Institute 1034 Miner Farm Road P.O. Box 90 Chazy, NY Change Service Requested Non-Profit Organization U.S.POSTAGE PAID Chazy, N.Y Permit No. 8 FEATURED MINER MORGAN: HD FRANKLIN This month s Miner Morgan is a blast from the past - HD Franklin (DPR Bandstand x Foxglenn s Charity) was born in Donna Campbell Carlson of PA purchased Ben as a 4-year-old after meeting him when he was part of the University of Vermont s training class for college students. Donna s interest in sport Morgans drew her to Ben; he is a big boy with a nice long stride, but it was his temperament that sold him. Donna keeps him at her home farm with her other Morgan and is hoping to get him out competing at First Level Dressage again this year, but in the meantime he s the go-to horse for everything else since he s still just as happy and willing as he ever was! OFFICE FAX Like Heart s Delight Morgan Horses on Facebook! The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute Stable Sheet February