Recent News for Nutrition Basics
Article
Mating Mares Q&A
November 01, 2001
Readers ask questions of equine reproduction experts Earlier this year, The Horse made a request to its Horse Health E-Newsletter subscribers: What questions do you have for specialists about breeding your mares? Our e-mail... Read More
Article
The Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract
October 16, 2001
Then there is the matter of the large colon, with its sacculated construction that seems made to order for twisting or strangulating when the pouches become distended by gas during a bout with colic. There is also the matter of length. If... Read More
Article
How to Read a Feed Label
October 10, 2001
How long has it been since you really looked at the content of your horse's concentrate feed? If you're like many of us, you probably stand in line at the feed store, ask for "three bags of the 12%," heave the feed into the back of your truck,... Read More
Article
Exertional Rhabdomyolysis
October 10, 2001
Tying-up is a problem that has troubled horses and their owners for many years, and it has been known by many names. The old-timers who battled the syndrome in their draft horses following a Sunday away from the fields called it Monday morning... Read More
Article
Botulism
October 10, 2001
With foaling season upon us, vaccination for botulism is one of many management considerations facing North American horse breeders. This disease can be deadly in foals, and in adult horses which are unprotected, and it can be tremendously... Read More
Article
Fescue Toxicosis
October 09, 2001
Mares grazing on tall fescue pastures infected with a toxin have increased gestation lengths, mare and foal deaths, agalactia (absent milk secretion after birth), retained placentas, premature separation of the placenta at birth, and... Read More
Article
Studies on Vitamin E
October 09, 2001
Researchers at Oregon State University and elsewhere are continuing to examine the role of vitamin E in horse health, including disease prevention and therapy. In particular, vitamin E deficiencies and/or supplementation could be important... Read More
Article
Grains of Glory
October 09, 2001
It's five p.m., and up and down the aisle of a large boarding stable, the nickering and rumbling begin. What's the cause of the excitement? Nothing more than a metal scoop digging into a bin of grain, a sound that tips off every equine resident... Read More
Article
Housing Your Horse
October 05, 2001
In the back of your mind somewhere there lurks a Dream Barn. Go on, admit it. You've planned it down to the last luxurious detail--from the Olympic-sized riding arena (with the climate-impervious perfect footing) right down to the automatic fly... Read More
Article
Probiotics and Digestive Aids: Microbes to the Rescue
October 05, 2001
While the horse receives the bulk of the nutrients as his food is broken down, he's not the only one who benefits; the microbes take their share and thus maintain their populations. Their presence is essential to the horse, who could not digest fiber... Read More
Article
Risk Management for MRLS in 2002 Detailed; Cause Still Unconfirmed
October 05, 2001
Researchers have not pinpointed the cause of mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS), but on Tuesday night they gave Central Kentucky farm managers some proactive steps in hopes of preventing its effects next year. Dr. Scott Smith, the dean of th... Read More
Article
Amazing Minerals
October 04, 2001
Of all the ingredients of a horse's diet, minerals are unique. They contain no carbon, which makes them inorganic molecules. In fact, essentially, they’re rocks--and it can be difficult to imagine their being digested by a horse. But minerals are a... Read More
Article
Soil and Water Testing
October 02, 2001
As you push your shopping cart down the aisle at the supermarket, it's likely become routine for you to do a quick scan of the nutritional analysis printed on the side of every cereal box and container of yogurt you select. Instantly, you know how... Read More
Article
Genetically Altered Feeds: Modified Munchies
October 01, 2001
Since their introduction on a commercial level in 1995, genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, have become widely incorporated in livestock feeds. It's estimated that some 80% of the genetically modified corn produced in the United States is used... Read More
Article
Dietary Needs: Striking a Balance
October 01, 2001
You can't watch TV for more than half an hour these days without viewing at least one ad preaching the virtues of a balanced diet. Public service announcements emphasize the value of getting enough servings of fruits and vegetables. Cereal... Read More
Article
What's in Your Feed? (Contamination)
September 01, 2001
"Yuck!" you hear your friend exclaim from the feed room as you move down the barn aisle one evening, doling out flakes of hay. "What is it?" you call over your shoulder. "There are huge lumps of molasses in this bag of feed!" she... Read More
Article
Feeding the Endurance Horse
September 01, 2001
The nutritional needs of the endurance horse are somewhat unique compared to horses used for other athletic disciplines. The metabolic demands of endurance racing (including competitive trail riding and ride and tie events) are high, requiring... Read More
Article
Digestion From Start To Finish
August 01, 2001
Although it is not necessary for you to become bogged down in the intricacies of equine digestive physiology, a basic understanding of how the horse digests feed is necessary for the selection of appropriate diets and feeding practices.... Read More
Article
Chilling Out After Exercise
July 01, 2001
The mid-summer heat brings added challenges in managing the athletic horse. Regardless of whether your horse is competing in a show, trail ride, or high-level three-day event, hot weather places additional demands on his body. You need to be... Read More
Article
Preserve Productive Pasture
July 01, 2001
Your horse's favorite activity could be time spent with "Dr. Green"--the horseman's name for turnout on pasture. Left on his own in a field, your horse nibbles for long periods of time. Grass forage is an important part of most horses' diets;... Read More
Article
Dehydration Alert
July 01, 2001
When horses are working hard, especially in hot weather, they are particularly prone to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The official term for one symptom of these problems is a mouthful: synchronous diaphragmatic flutter... Read More
Article
Moore to Present State-of-the-Art Lecture at 2001 Annual Convention
June 15, 2001
James N. Moore, DVM, PhD, one of the world's foremost authorities on equine gastrointestinal disease, will present the Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture at the American Association of Equine Practitioners' (AAEP) 47th Annual Convention in... Read More
Article
Grooming Your Horse: Deep Down Clean
June 01, 2001
Daily grooming also gives you a chance to detect and monitor any injuries or other health problems such as cuts, skin infections, allergic reactions, thrush, etc. Finding health problems early gives you the best chance of treating them successfully.... Read More
Article
High-Energy Feeds
June 01, 2001
The importance of nutrition for optimal athletic performance, regardless of the level of competition, cannot be over-emphasized. We should on occasion refresh our understanding of some basic concepts and look at ways to meet the nutritional need... Read More
Article
Choke (Esophageal Obstruction)
April 01, 2001
The word choke for me conjures up images of someone hovering over a table, unable to talk or breathe because a piece of food has lodged in their trachea or windpipe--fortunately, the Heimlich maneuver usually rectifies the situation. Choke is... Read More
