Recent News for Nutrition Basics
Article
Your Horse's Gastrointestinal Health: A Contented Colon
January 01, 2000
If you have a veterinary textbook somewhere on your shelves, chances are you've seen one of those photos of a sick horse's innards-miles and miles of wet, purplish loops of intestine, spilling out in all directions. The poor equine posing for... Read More
Article
NAHMS Infobite: Equine Management Practices
December 07, 1999
(From NAHMS Equine '98 Study) Percent of Operations that Fed the Following Grain/Concentrate Sources (Feed Type), 1997 Unpelleted Sweet Feed: 57.2% Unpelleted Grain: 42.9% Grain Mix With... Read More
Article
Michigan Hay Surplus
December 02, 1999
A very favorable summer growing season over much of Michigan has produced a tremendous supply of surplus hay for many farms. According to Jerry Lindquist, the coordinator of the Michigan Hay Seller's List and Michigan State University (MSU)... Read More
Article
Hay FAQ
December 01, 1999
Ask any Average Joe on the street what a horse eats, and chances are he’ll answer, ‘hay.’ Even those who’ve never picked a foot or mucked a stall recognize that fibrous dried forage as the foundation of a horse’s diet. Given that, it’s surprisin... Read More
Article
Horses and Humans: Eating For Two
November 01, 1999
Equines are obligate herbivores, meaning they are designed to eat plants and only plants; they're not equipped to eat or to digest animal flesh. Humans, on the other hand, are true omnivores, meaning we'll eat practically anything. ... Read More
Article
Minimizing Feed Costs
October 01, 1999
Let's face it, those aren't gerbils out in your stalls and pastures. They're 1,000-pound herbivores, with appetites wired for perpetual hunger and teeth designed to make short work out of massive amounts of fiber. If your feed bills are starting... Read More
Article
Scientists Sleuth Forage Secrets
October 01, 1999
How do certain forage plants coax cattle, sheep and goats into coming back for more? Scientists at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service are sleuthing the secrets of how to tempt the palates of these ruminants. Knowing more about the... Read More
Article
Feeding Horses Cattle Feed: Just Ruminating
September 01, 1999
On the surface, cattle feeds might look like an appropriate choice for your horses, but nutritionally, there are a number of important differences. They have major digestive and metabolic differences that make their dietary needs quite diverse.... Read More
Article
New Hay And Fescue Education Brochures Available To Horse Owners
July 09, 1999
Ensuring your horse is consuming essential nutrients -- and staying away from grasses that look nutritious but can pose a health risk -- are the topics of two new client-education brochures published by the American Association of Equine... Read More
Article
British Horse Society Warns Of Dangers Of Ragwort In Hay
July 02, 1999
The British Horse Society has issued a warning to all horse owners to beware of ragwort in hay.With a high prevalence of ragwort last summer,it is virtually impossible to guarantee that hay is completely ragwort... Read More
Article
AHC Opposes 100% Tariff On European Oats
June 04, 1999
Because of a trade skirmish with the European Union involving bananas and beef, American horse owners and breeders may be paying more for their horse feed in the near future. The American... Read More
Article
Large Non-Farm Horse Operations Should Review New USDA-EPA Strategy On Water Pollution
May 14, 1999
On March 9, 1999, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released their “Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding Operations.” The agencies have been working on this strategy since... Read More
Article
Feeding Beet Pulp
May 01, 1999
Q: I've been told I should feed beet pulp to help put weight on my skinny Thoroughbred. But I'm worried about the stories I've heard about beet pulp expanding in the horse's stomach and causing colic -- or worse! Is beet pulp a goo... Read More
Article
Pasture Management Tips to Minimize Carbohydrate Content
April 24, 1999
Carbohydrate research done on forages, though not specific on carbohydrate type, has provided information on pasture management that owners can use to manage their horses' intake of carbohydrates. This is particularly of interest to owners with... Read More
Article
Alfalfa Cubes: An Alternative Forage
April 16, 1999
Good quality forage is the basis of feeding programs for all horses. When hay is being fed, horse owners need to select a hay that is nutritious but also free of dust and mold. However, when mold-free hay is not available,... Read More
Article
Canadian Equine Research
April 01, 1999
The University of Guelph, located in Ontario, Canada, is home of the world renowned Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). The university is a research-intensive and student-oriented facility. Its written mission is to serve society and to enhance th... Read More
Article
Eating For Two
March 01, 1999
No one ever said mothering was easy. As your broodmare gets closer and closer to her due date, you've been noting, with some satisfaction, her bulging belly, her increasingly matronly attitude, and the look of lazy contentment in her eyes. But... Read More
Article
Pasture Perfect
March 01, 1999
Maintaining horses on pasture rather than in stalls has several advantages. Not only does it cut down on barn chores and the amount of bedding your operation will go through, but it provides horses with the chance to exercise themselves at will... Read More
Article
Spring Tune-Up
March 01, 1999
We are ready for a new season of fun riding or competing. The question that must be answered at this point is this: How ready are our horses? In some cases, the answer is that they are kept ready all year long. ... Read More
Article
1999 Federal Grazing Fee Announced
February 19, 1999
The grazing fee for Western public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service will be $1.35 per animal unit month (AUM) in 1999, which is the same amount charged in 1998. The formula used for... Read More
Article
Pasture Paranoia: Laminitis Prevention
February 01, 1999
Lush pasture is the arch enemy of horses susceptible to laminitis and founder. Yet few horse owners can resist the kindness of turning horses out in green meadows, and do so with the best intentions. Horses most at risk include ponies and overweight... Read More
Article
When Should You Supplement?
February 01, 1999
Look around any barn and you'll see the evidence. Do you know a feed room that doesn't have a collection of jugs and buckets, pails and little plastic scoops, pellets and powders in a rainbow of colors? The ingredients range from high-tech... Read More
Article
Giving Horses Warm Water
February 01, 1999
I've heard it's necessary to give horses warm drinking water in the winter. Is this true? And if so, how warm should it be? Do you have any suggestions on how I can keep my horse's drinking water warm when it's freezing outside?... Read More
Article
Stormy Weather and Horses
December 01, 1998
The good news is that horses are naturally well-equipped to weather practically everything that winter can dish out. They are far more tolerant of cold conditions than we poor hairless humans are; in fact, horses tend to be far more stressed by heat ... Read More
Article
Frozen Pipes...Are You Prepared For Winter?
November 13, 1998
On February 5, 1996, Freddie and Erica Chalmers of South Carolina went off to work as they would any other day. However, this would be no ordinary day for the Chalmerses. When they returned home that evening, their home had... Read More
