April 2022 Equine Times

April 2022

Serving the Michigan, Indiana & Ohio Tri-State Horse Community

3BR, 2BA Home with 2-Car Garage & 50’x60’ Barn

Livestock Show Barn on 5 Acres, Mason Schools 2240 Ives Rd, Leslie, MI 49251

HOME

• Open floor plan • Cathedral ceilings in remodeled kitchen • Quartz countertops chef’s kitchen • Corner wood fireplace • 4 full panel glass doors to the 20’x30’ deck • Partially-finished basement with kitchen and egress windows • New roof in 2020 • A/C central air, asphalt driveway

FARM

• Multi-specie show barn with 14’ ceilings, wired for a backup generator (generator sold separately in the equipment auction) • Custom white oak horse stalls with rubber mats • Eaves troughs on north end • Concrete floors, large outside parking pads on south and east ends • Insulated office with water supply in office

• Loft for hay storage • Wash rack, with pipe divider flanges in concrete • Large RV-size overhead door • 200-amp service • Automatic Richie waterer • 4 large paddocks (3 mostly shaded), Tobias fence, 4-board fence in the barn yard • Numerous species of backyard trees.

See website for updated details.

Inspections:

Sunday, April 3, (2-4pm) Monday, April 11 (4-6pm)

Questions?

Call us!

ONLINE BIDDING ENDS AT 1PM Sale Manager: Doug Sheridan (517) 749-7976 doug@sheridanauctionservice.com OH-0001253335

Page 2

Equine Times

(517) 676-9800 676-

www.SheridanAuctionService.com April 2022

CLUB NEWS

Michigan Foxtrotting Horse Association Michigan Fox Association Michigan Fox Trotter Trotter Association

Reserve your via and theof Michigan DNR website.

Wecampsite haveexpectation resources people available for you to learn is nothing like the a well-bred foal!

Specify the Waterloo Horseman's camp (or reserve at from and breeders to refer you to if you want to Don't forget to transfer your newly-bought horse's buy a young one towe train or get if you want tocount. further Farmlane if full).

Pre-register so can a head registration papers into your name with the MFTHBA,too. withthe youracclaimed present horse.

5. the Ontraining July 23 We are growing!

New welcomes judge go outand to Themember MFTHBA educator, Joanneneeds Coy registered will againmembers be our Naomi Haas, equinetodentist Kris Modreske and Harry fill their committees 2021. I just agreed clinician for the for western dressage Struble all of MI. Naomi rides sorrel sabino gelding to help out on athe Trail Committee again. clinic for all gaited breeds at (Dexter) and a blackSurely mareyou (Hank's Liberty need Bell can,too!Serenity Various committees Pine Lake Stables at 12300 W . members(younger ones too) for their input B). Kris rides a black and white gelding (Radar's Spotted Pine Lake Road in Plainwell, and advice togoincrease Prior). And congratulations out toaffiliate Harrynumbers,think Struble on Michigan.

The fee is $175 of waysGolden to makeChip, the shows better,to improve and his purchase of Joe's a handsome buckskin for applications,give non MFHA members okay National Trail Ride ideas on gelding, from Chuck Fanslow. All these mem$150 for MFHA memclinics (let's get more closer and to our state),getting more verbers are riding quality Trotters!!! satility riders interested,give ideas on training and Fox picking judges, plus bers. There will be a choice New members are welmore. Many positions can be supported Also,always this is a great ofremotely. two groundwork sescome!

Go to www.michiganfoxway to meet those from other areas sions of the USA who are raise,train and which getting trotters.com to print off the ride MFTs. I have made new friends this way who I would not have your horse to gait and otherwise. Contact the MO Fox Trotting Horse Breeding Association membership form.

We meet improving gait in the mornvia www.mfthba.com to become a member and forsomore virtually all information members ing, then semi-private lessons on helping out. are able to meet without willMFTA takedues place theMFTHBA afternoon.

Also, PLEASE send in your andinyour dues having drivesolong disThere is a ten ridertolimit register asap! tances. now!

Wishing everyone a blessed and safe Christmas!

Our Event Respectfully submitted, 6. On July 24, Susan Williams will Committee conduct a is busy planning Mannino natural trail and obstacle clinic for twelveMarilyn ridersthe atnext the clinic.

It will61st be Street a Gaited included a competition for 1, the at 3856 in 1. April 30 through May clinician Susan Williams will Holland western horse park located Western Dressage Clinicand at most ambitious member who Holland, Michigan.

The fee for MFHA members conduct an indoor obstacle clinic at her Morning View PROTECT YOUR LARGE BALE HAY INVE$TMENT! end of isMay. details demonstrates their horsemanship members $135More and the fee Farm at 3075 Turkey Trail in Ionia, Michigan). All gaited Holland Western Saddle Clubthe will be available skills a wide variety ofacategories. and contact HWHP breedsinare welcome with ten rider limit. Clinic fee is $200 is $145 for non-members. Pre-register Quarterly andnon year-end will and be $175 for MFHA for camping arrangements. next month. The clinician is per rider for MFHAawards members top-notch! given.

Go Stalls, to www.michiganfoxtrotters.com 7. Horsemanship clinic with clinician Levi Beechy will members. a bag of shavings and rustic camping are SLIDING ORhistory SWINGING A on our breed: 28The presto the rules andfeeprint offand the you forms to need join in 27 little (groundwork) and onDOORS August (astride) all read included.

Audit is $20 will toon bring a be on August ent-day Missouri evolved from Morgans in the friendly competition and fun.

Morning View Fox FarmTrotter at 3075 Turkey Trail in Ionia, chair.

Your horse will become desensitized to a number of at New England beingare crossed with Arabians, Plantation More slowly becoming available to Michigan.

Ten riders allowed.

It will cost $350 per rider things and Fox you Trotters will learnare important horsemanship skills.

Horses, American Saddlebreds, TWHs and for pacing purchase but out. they Send are selling fast.

There is a good video on $325 for MFHA members.

Auditors welcome $25 Do not miss in your registration and check to or Standardbreds.

The genetic of of square-trotting the correct Trot gait posted on our Face Book site to each.

Price includes a stall, mix a bag shavings and horses rustic reserve yourFox spot. and pacing horses created the comfortable fox trot gait! refer when you arewere considering MFT to buy. spot.

Be sure to pre-register!

2.toFox Trotters bred to an work cows.

JoinBeussure at camping Trotting horses have been used by farmers in to bring aFknowledgeable person withRoad you,too, when you Missouri 8. TheFox popular versatility challenge program has been Slippery Ranch at 9770 Butler in Nashville, Missouri to andinclude surrounding states to longindistances to narrow down your14search.

Breeders, Fanslow (riv- updated Fox Trotters in ride harness the under Michigan on May to participate in aChuck beginning cow clincheck their fencing cows,rules pull and buggies,

by US erflatranch.com) and Gale Gunders division.

Signand up work now. The registration ic with experienced instructors, Greg (989-534-1207), and Lisa Flower.have The saddle under saddle, by notmounted under saddle fee is $175 per horse for available. non MFHA members or $150 for forms Forest for Service workers, police and and horseman's now people well-gaited young stock They also have quality on our website to for readrecreand MFHA rider limit.you Please across theare United States andwaiting Europe for useyou them studs tomembers. breed to ifTwenty you have a mare wantpre-register. bred. Chuck challenge Prove how versatile Michigan Fox Trotter is Next we are offering trailstallion(both ride for all breeds ation off. (showing, trail riding,your Dressage,reining, 4H and has a3.Buckskin stallion andaajudged palomino sons print earn prizes each Hippotherapy,etc.). quarter. It's a very funThey program andCotton ages onEyed MayJoe).

21 at Gale 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at Ionia Equestrian Team, are doing truly of has a spotted stallion whoState will and with Carpenter at 269Recreation area campground in Saranac, things versatile andyour also horse. can beContact found inCarrie all colors and sizes!

Try throw color to yourequestrian foal. Both are located in Gladwin,MI. for find answers your questions.

Michigan.

There is a $25 fee agesyour 18 72” and up, $10x There for Dimensions: x 78” 76”17 806-1371 one out and out to why everyone loves them so!

Contact them if you want tofor have mare bred.

Go to michiganfoxtrottinghorse.com for all of the clinic and under. Come out for a fun day getting scored230 on albs. numWeight: • Removable Grills ber of creative and updated obstacles. Reserve a camping registration forms, flyers, membership form if desired and • Panels spot forHuts the equestrian campground via midnrreservations. more information on each clinic and trail ride as well as this “Hay save and preserve • Lazy Feeders the There hay. They keep hay and ribbons for pee wee and association. Submit full payment for Susan each and make your com. will betheprizes • Water Bucket Doors weather protected and are youth with payback prizes for adults eighteen and over. It check out to MFHA to reserve your spot. friendly.” -CHRIS COX N T E RMFHA P R I S Emembers S • Multiple Door Options JoinE now! qualify for reduced fee in willhorse be fun for the whole family! Send in your paid registraour clinics as well as other member benefits. Mail in the tion form to reserve a spot. membership from our website and learn how to enjoy 4.The MFTHBA/MFHA/IFTA National•Trail Weldy Enterprises 911Ride E. and Waterford St.form Wakarusa, IN 46573 your Fox Trotter more! potluck will take574-862-4491 place from July 8 through July 10 at • 800-628-4728 • FAX 574-862-2122 • email: info@weldyenterprises.com Waterloo State Recreation Area in Chelsea, Michigan.

December Equine Times Page April 2022 2020 Times Page113 Page 2 Equine Times April 2021 Marilyn Mannino Hello December! Time is sure flying!!

Marilyn Mannino At our November meeting we elected some newAre officers forour 2021.

Congratulations go out weApril! in fourth false spring? have lost count.

Hello Spring is upon us!I People are out The Fox to Bob Howell elected the new Pres- making temperatures keep as going up MFTA and down Trotting and enjoying the weather.

Many are accumulatident, Kathy Kruch is now everything muddy out.VP, Marilyn is still ing points in the Char Versatility Challenges that we are offerSecretary/Treasurer, Ostrom the new Fox Trotters are in highis demand ing.

2-year Director and Miranda Mannino is now now and they are pricey. It may be Registration the 1-year Director. is still open for all three Versatility moreWe cost effective to breed your are accepting renewals Not Under Saddle Challenges (Under membership Saddle Challenge, mare rather than buy trained and new memberships for a2021 now. Youth Challenge). are Challenge and Ultimate Horseman This proone to add totoo! your toherd. encouraged to join gram is designed to Go show www.michiganfoxhow versatile the Missouri Fox Contact inYou will learn alot trotters.comChuck to print Fanslow off the form.

Trotter is. Registered and grade MFTs are allowed.

Gladwin, Michigan from our members aboutat the989history of Fox Trotters,their All and through useshandicapped and availability and regular be able toyouth network with those of us who 435-9224 if you want a very adults are welcome.

Every imaginable camp,train andHe show them.

Our association is blessed to have skilled gaited foal. has a couple activity and category isto learn included trainers,breeders andJoe a farrier from. We love promoting this of Cotton-Eyed stallions from in hand work to Dressage, breed as they have great personalities,are so versatile and come in (a Buckskin and a Palomino) many sizes and different coat colors.toA benefit to joining is that we short distance trail riding that you could to breed your can offer clinicscompetitions at a reduced price to our members. Due to Covid we endurance and mare to. remotely each month. are meeting Michigan everything in-between (cowto take is a big state and this is a another goodWe wayadded to easily see and clinic talk with other within and outside of work, driving, extreme Western trail, eachHorse place at the MI. Come join theHolland fun!

4H and open showing, Park!

Sign up now for the popular Versatility Challenge for 2021. Print parades, reining,six trail mainteoff the form from our website. There are may areas in Seeenrollment number below. nance and more!).

We which you can accumulate in the This is the schedule points-even of also our events fornon-rideable this year: months.

For the Finest STALLS Money Can Buy

OH-0001245596

Design Stalls that work for you and your Horses.... With Component Pieces or the Entire Stall!

0000501405

From One Piece To An Entire Stall Or An Exhibition Stall.

Zebra Stripes and Biting Flies Krishona Martinson, PhD Of all theories for why zebras have stripes, avoidance of biting flies

is by far the most supported. A popular assumption is that stripes interfere with optic flow patterns needed by flying insects to perform precise

Portrait of a zebra. ANDREYGUDKOV

Page 4

Equine Times

April 2022

landings. A team of researchers from the United Kingdom and California set out to investigate this theory by observing fly behavior around horses wearing differently patterned blankets.

Blankets were custom made with five patterns: 1. uniform black, 2. uniform grey, 3. vertical stripes, 4. horizontal stripes, and 5.

Checkerboard, and were randomly placed on twenty two adult horses.

Horse and fly behavior were observed and recorded using cameras.

Researchers found that the rate of horsefly landings differed dramatically based on the blanket pattern.

Most horsefly landings were on the black and grey blankets. Landings on the patterned blankets were significantly less, but were similar among patterns. Flies flew faster around patterned blankets and did not approach them as closely compared to the grey blanket. The researchers summarized that because flies avoided the checked pattern in a similar way to striped patterns, that refutes the hypothesis that a striped coat pattern interferes with optic flow patterns of biting flies. When combined with past research, these findings indicate that stripes alone do not deter biting flies. Other contrasting white and black patterns can be equally as effective.

Researchers also emphasis that zebras are known to resort to frequent tail swishing, running away, and skin odor to further detour biting flies.

Vaccinating Your Horse Krishona Martinson, PhD Spring is an exciting time for horse owners as we emerge from winter with visions of warm summer days spent riding. Spring is also an ideal time to discuss with your veterinarian your management, travel, and show plans, which should include vaccinations. The University of Minnesota follows the American Association of Equine Practitioners guidelines that all healthy, adult horses receive five core vaccinations, including: • West Nile • Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) • Western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) • Tetanus • Rabies The American Veterinary Medical

Association defines core vaccinations as those “that protect from diseases that are endemic to a region, those with potential public health significance, required by law, virulent/highly infectious, and/or those posing a risk of severe disease. Core vaccines have clearly demonstrated efficacy and safety, and thus exhibit a high enough level of patient benefit and low enough level of risk to justify their use in the majority of patients.” Regardless of these guidelines, horse owners should work with their veterinarian to discuss a vaccination plan specific to their horse(s).

Your veterinarian may recommend additional vaccines for your horse. This will depend on your horse’s risk of exposure to other diseases. Therefore, be sure to discuss the following with your veterinarian: • What you plan to do with your

PROTECT YOUR LARGE BALE HAY INVE$TMENT!

horse(s) for the year • The degree of traffic on the farm where your horse(s) lives • Current location and planned travel destinations • Potential diseases of concern, including, influenza, rhinopneumonitis (herpes 1 and 4), strangles, and equine viral arteritis (EVA) In some regions, the risk of a less common disease may be great enough to warrant additional vaccines, including Potomac horse fever, leptospirosis, and anthrax. Your veterinarian can help you decide if your horse needs any of these vaccines. Keep in mind that some show venues or racetracks may require your horse have specific vaccinations to participate.

Vaccines for pregnant mares, foals, and breeding stallions should also be discussed with your veterinarian.

For the Finest STALLS Money Can Buy From One Piece To An Entire Stall Or An Exhibition Stall.

Dimensions: 72” x 78” x 76” Weight: 230 lbs.

OH-0001245590

“Hay Huts save and preserve the hay. They keep the hay weather protected and are horse friendly.” -CHRIS COX

OH-0001252914

Design Stalls that work for you and your Horses.... With Component Pieces or the Entire Stall!

• Removable Grills

E N T E R P R I S E S

0000501405

SLIDING OR SWINGING DOORS

• Panels • Lazy Susan Feeders • Water Bucket Doors • Multiple Door Options

Weldy Enterprises • 911 E. Waterford St. Wakarusa, IN 46573 574-862-4491 • 800-628-4728 • FAX 574-862-2122 • email: info@weldyenterprises.com April 2022

Equine Times

Page 5

A horse slicker is just a horse slicker, of course, of course, unless it can monitor chronic disease Matthew Oates WEST LAFAYETTE, IN. — With the exception of Mister Ed of television sitcom fame, horses can’t talk with humans about health issues.

Now, a first-of-its-kind horse slicker with a specially designed liner could be able to “tell” the horse’s human caregivers of increasing chronic diseases.

A new study by Purdue University engineers and veterinarians explores how to convert off-the-shelf horse slickers into e-textiles that continuous-

ly monitor equine cardiac, respiratory and muscular systems for several hours under ambulatory conditions.

The study is published in the journal Advanced Materials.

To add the e-textile capabilities to the slicker, the Purdue team developed a dual regime spray and technique to directly embed a pre-programmed pattern of functional nanomaterials into the slicker’s fabrics. To enable remote monitoring, the e-textile was connected to a separate portable unit that shared vital signs to a laptop via

Professors Chi Hwan Lee (right) and Laurent Couëtil (left) chat while observing a cardiac, respiratory and muscular test on a horse named Leila at Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Graduate students Semih Akin (left) and Taehoo Chang (right) capture the horse’s vital signs on a laptop via Bluetooth technology from a specially designed horse slicker. Laura Murray, research technologist in the College of Veterinary Medicine, is with Leila. Rebecca McElhoe

Page 6

Equine Times

April 2022

Bluetooth.

Using the e-textile means that veterinarians and their support staff won’t have to shave the horse’s hair or use messy adhesives to place the electrode on the horse’s skin, which makes it more comfortable for the horse.

Chi Hwan Lee, the Leslie A. Geddes associate professor in Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, said continual monitoring through the e-textile patterns can be useful for long-term management of chronic health conditions in large animals and eventually humans. Lee also has a joint appointment in the School of Mechanical Engineering and a courtesy appointment in the School of Materials Engineering.

According to Lee, adding e-textile properties to existing garments helps scientists, researchers and clinicians take advantage of garments’ already-existing ergonomic designs to secure a commercial grade of wearability, comfortability, air permeability and machine washability.

“These specially designed e-textiles can comfortably fit to the body of humans or large animals under ambulatory conditions to collect bio-signals from the skin such as heart activity from the chest, muscle activity from the limbs, respiration rate from the abdomen or other vital signs in an extremely slight manner,” Lee said.

“Our technology will significantly extend the utility of e-textiles into many applications in clinical settings.”

The team’s next steps involve developing continuous 24-hour moni-

A closer look at the specially designed pre-programmed patterns of sensors on the inside of a horse slicker designed for remote health monitoring. Rebecca McElhoe

toring of horses with chronic disease or those receiving care in a veterinary ICU. “We believe that our technology will be helpful in diagnosis or management of chronic diseases,” Lee said, especially as demand increases for remote health monitoring.

“Remote health monitoring under ambulatory conditions would be useful for farm and household animals, as it could potentially minimize clinic visits, especially in rural areas. It would also increase the efficiency in managing a large number of farm/household animals at once from a distance, even overnight,” Lee said.

A real-life example would be the ability to monitor severe equine asthma, which affects 14% of adult horses.

“Continuous monitoring would allow early detection of disease flair-up before it gets serious, offering an opportunity to nip it in the bud,” said Laurent Couëtil, a professor of large animal internal medicine in Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine and collaborator in the study. “Remote monitoring opens the possibility of sending vital information to the veterinarian to help make timely and informed treatment decisions.”

The Purdue research team also included Martin Byung-Guk Jun, an

associate professor of mechanical engineering in the School of Mechanical Engineering; Taehoo Chang of the School of Materials Engineering; Semih Akin, Bongjoong Kim and Sengul Teke of the School of Mechanical Engineering; Laura Murray of the College of Veterinary Medicine; and Seungse Cho, Sena Huh

and Min Ku Kim of the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.

The Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization has filed a patent for the technology.

Funding came from the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (1R21EB02609901A1), the National Science Foundation Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (1928784) and the SMART Films Consortium in Purdue’s Birck Nanotechnology Center, located in Discovery Park.

This work is part of Lee’s focus in developing platform technologies using sticktronics, which are sticker-like items that contain electronics or smart technology. Sticktronics offer the ability to physically separate supporting substrates in existing electronic items and turn an item into a sticker that can be more flexible or transparent, especially on curved displays and biomedical sensors. Lee also specializes in custom-printed soft medical sensors and conformable sensor arrays, all of which can transform telemedicine and on-demand drug delivery systems.

Laurent Couëtil (right) talks about horse cardiac, respiratory and muscular systems with Chi Hwan Lee, the Leslie A. Geddes associate professor in Purdue University’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. Couëtil, professor in Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is a collaborator with Lee on a horse slicker designed to remotely monitor chronic health diseases in horses.

Rebecca McElhoe

April 2022

Equine Times

Page 7

Page 8

Equine Times

April 2022

April 2022

Equine Times

Page 9

Feeding Orchardgrass Hay to Horses, Cattle and Other Livestock Dr. Stephen Duren

Orchardgrass is a perennial, cool-season, C3, tall growing bunchgrass. Wow, what does that even mean?

“Perennial” means the plant persists for several years or simply stated, regrows every spring. Contrast this with an “annual” which is a plant that lives for only one growing season and must be replanted each year.

The term “cool-season” indicates the grass grows best in cool climates with maximum growth occurring when the temperature is between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool-season grasses are the first grasses to green up in the spring and the last grasses to quit growing in the fall. However, when temperatures get hot (greater than 90

degrees Fahrenheit), the plant becomes dormant and doesn’t grow. This is opposed to the “warm-season” grasses that thrive in hot/dry weather. A warm-season grass is slow to green up in the spring but thrives in the hot summer conditions. A warm-season grass is also the first grass to become brown when the cool fall weather arrives.

The C3 versus the C4 designation is one given by scientists to describe the result of photosynthesis. All plants utilize the process of photosynthesis to combine light energy (sunshine) with water and carbon dioxide to produce sugar, water and oxygen. The C3 plants produce a “three carbon molecule,” thus the term C3, which is then formed into structural carbohydrates (fiber) making the plant grow. The C4 plants

Orchardgrass is one of the highest quality grasses that is a good hay option for horses, cattle and other livestock. Dr. Stephen Duren

Page 10

Equine Times

April 2022

also utilize photosynthesis but form a “four carbon molecule,” cleverly called C4, to form the structural carbohydrate. In both C3 and C4 plants, photosynthesis causes the plant to grow, but different metabolic pathways result in differences in plant nutrient content.

Finally, a bunchgrass is one that grows in clumps originating from many tillers from the crown of the plant. This is different that a “sod-forming” grass that grows laterally due to underground stems called rhizomes or stolons.

Orchardgrass is one of the highest quality grasses that is a good hay option for horses, cattle and other livestock. In cattle, sheep and goat diets, it produces a superior body weight gain and milk production compared to other grasses, making it a great choice for pregnant, lactating and even growing animals.

Orchardgrass is the emerging superstar of the horse hay world, due to its high palatability and high nutrient content. It’s higher in protein (1012%), higher in calorie content and contains the same balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus as timothy grass. On the other hand, orchardgrass does not contain the high protein or high calorie content of alfalfa. The balanced nutrient intake delivered by orchardgrass hay translates into potentially less grain the horse would need to eat, to satisfy energy and protein requirements. Compared to timothy grass, orchardgrass grows better in moderate drought conditions and provides a solid three hay cuttings per year. With three cuttings instead of two cuttings, orchardgrass produces consistent, soft texture hay that horses readily consume with minimal or no waste.

Are All Oils the Same for Feeding to Horses?

Roy J. Adding oil or fat to horse diets was a common practice long before research determined the many benefits of added oil diets. Horse traders hundreds of years ago knew that if they wanted a horse to gain weight and develop a slick hair coat, adding oil to the diet was one way to do it.

Are all oils the same?

Like many questions in the equine world, the answer is yes and no. The common vegetable oils used in horse feeds are corn oil, soy oil and flax oil (linseed oil). Canola oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil and palm oil are also used, but less frequently. Animal fats, excluding fish oil, are not currently used very commonly in horse feeds in the United States due to customer concern, and potential palatability concerns.

What is the difference between fat and oil?

There are multiple chapters in nutrition books written about fats and oils. Animal Feeding & Nutrition, Tenth Addition, by Jurgens and Bregendahl is a standard text. For simple practical purposes, a fat is solid at room temperature and oil is liquid due to the differences in composition. For those of you who like the full science, fats and oils are: • Also referred to as lipids or ether extracts • Insoluble in water and soluble in organic solvents • Contain about 77% carbon, 12% hydrogen and 11% oxygen.

• They all contain about the same energy, 9.45 Mcal/kg or 4,290 Kcal/lb.

• This is about 2.25 times the

energy content of carbohydrates.

What’s all the talk about Omega Fatty Acids?

There may be substantial differences in the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acid profiles of different oils, particularly in the content of the essential fatty acids (EFAs) linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6), linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) and arachidonic acid(C20:4 n-6) Arachidonic acid can be synthesized from linoleic acid and is essential if linoleic acid is not present.

• Corn oil will be higher in linoleic acid, an n-6 or Omega 6 fatty acid.

• Soy oil, particularly mechanically extracted, will contain more linolenic acid, an n-3 or Omega 3 fatty acid, than corn oil.

• Linseed oil, from flax, contains the highest % of linolenic fatty acid.

• Fish oil from certain cold water sources is the highest in Omega 3 fatty acids, although it may present some palatability issues.

How are they made?

Vegetable oils come from the seed of the plant with most being in the germ. They are produced by either solvent extraction or mechanical (squeezing or crushing the seeds) extraction. They can either be refined or in crude form, depending on the processing. All of the vegetable oils contain essentially the same amount of energy and are generally palatable if processed and stored properly.

An abstract of the side of a horse showing a healthy shine on its coat and condition. nigelb10

April 2022

Equine Times

Page 11

Page 12

Equine Times

April 2022

April 2022

Equine Times

Page 13

Ask the Expert: Amount of Time Between Hay Meals Krishona Martinson, PhD

How long is it safe for horses to go without forage, especially when being fed a mostly hay diet? My horses are housed in a dry lot, in good health, and have access to shelter and water, but I’m concerned about the risk of colic and ulcers when I work long hours.

While horses do not need 24-7-365 access to forage (hay or pasture), they do need enough forage to ensure their nutritional requirements are met and that they have enough forage to maintain stomach and gastrointestinal tract health. Ideally, horses should go no longer than four hours between forage meals and be fed on a consistent schedule. However, it's hard to predict when, or if, an extended time period without forage will cause health issues like colic and ulcers.

Horses evolved to eat small, frequent meals and most wild horses spend twelve to eighteen hours each day grazing lower quality forages. Domesticated horses tend to be meal fed two to three times a day, unless they have continuous access to a round bale or pasture. Meal fed horses tend go longer periods of time without forage. While meal fed horses’ nutritional requirements are being met, this schedule may not be ideal for their stomach and gastrointestinal tract health. On the other hand, horses with continuous access to forage tend to gain excessive amounts of weight, especially in the absence of exercise, and many owners do not have the means to provide continuous access to forage.

There are always time, labor, management, and other constraints that impact how and when horses are fed. To balance meeting nutritional requirements and optimizing stomach and gastrointestinal tract health with not overfeeding or exhausting labor resources, many owners have started feeding hay from slow-feed hay nets. UMN research found that slow-feed hay nets slow the rate of forage intake, which increases the amount of time it takes a horse to consume a hay meal. Feeding a portion of the diet that includes more mature forages that are higher in fiber will also help slow forage consumption.

Additionally, having horses on a regular schedule is key for reducing the incidences of digestive problems. In addition to slowing the rate of forage intake and maintaining a consistent schedule, feeding small amounts of alfalfa can help reduce the incidence of ulcers. Feeding some hay before grain can help decrease the chance of colic. Finally, before making any dietary changes, talk to an equine nutritionist and/or your veterinarian and make changes slowly over a two week period.

Page 14

Equine Times

April 2022

April 2022

Equine Times

Page 15

OH-0001250635

Page 16

Equine Times

April 2022