equivet-breeding-centre

Do Horses Prefer Patting or Scratching?

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 07:02:37 GMT

To Pat or to Stroke your horse as reward / comfort

Recent study results lead researchers to believe it's better to scratch a horse in reward, rather than to pat.

To pat, or not to pat. That is the question we horse people have been asking ourselves , and it’s also one that a group of British equitation scientists recently aimed to resolve.

And their study's results lead them to believe that it seems better to scratch, not pat, to reward a horse, said Emily Hancock, MSc, under the supervision of Sarah Redgate, PhD, both of Nottingham Trent University in Nottingham, the United Kingdom. Hancock presented the research at the 2014 International Society for Equitation Science conference, held Aug. 6-9 in Bredsten, Denmark.

“Wither scratching could potentially increase horse/human bonding and act as a more effective reward,” Hancock said, adding that scratching is a natural behavior among horses, whereas patting is not. “Riders and handlers should be encouraged to scratch rather than pat their horses as a reward.”

The issue of patting versus scratching had not previously been addressed in scientific studies, she said. In her study Hancock and her fellow researchers observed 16 horse/rider combinations in the Grand Prix Special dressage test of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Overall, pats dominated any other type of non-aid contact: Riders issued 350 pats throughout the Grand Prix competition and only three strokes.

Of the 16 riders, 15 patted their horses when they finished the test, and 12 of these patted for at least a full minute. As a result, 34% of the horses displayed visible behavioral reactions, mainly speeding up their movements when they received the pats, Hancock said. However, it’s possible that this acceleration was the result of the rider moving forward in the seat, she conceded.

The research group then investigated the effects of patting and wither-scratching in five riding school horses as well as five rescue horses that had never been victims of abuse or adverse handling. The riding horses were accustomed to being handled, patted, scratched, and brushed, but the rescue horses were not.

In the study handlers patted each horse for 30 seconds four times, with 15-second breaks between each patting session. They also scratched the horses on the withers four times for the same intervals. As a control, handlers just stood quietly next to the horses for the same amount of time. The team recorded heart rate and behavior for all three parts of the experiment.

The researchers found that horses moved their ears around more when they were patted. When they were scratched on the withers, they tended to put their heads down, Hancock said. Even more remarkable, she said, was the fact that wither-scratching seemed to prompt behaviors that weren’t seen at all in patting or during the control phase.

“We noted a lot of mutual grooming and especially upper lip movement during the scratching phases, but there was just none of this at all when the horses were being patted,” Hancock said.

Interestingly, the riding school horses showed more positive behaviors than the rescue horses did, perhaps because of their isolated housing situations, Hancock said. “Obviously when these horses are individually housed, they can’t participate in this mutual grooming,” she said. “I think they appreciated it more.”

Patting, by contrast, resulted in “much more movement, more head-shaking, more moving back and forwards, slightly more raised heads, and more pawing,” Hancock said. “But we saw no pawing at all during scratching.”

A 4-year-old rescue horse, the youngest in the study, had the most extreme reaction to patting, raising his head high and taking seven steps back, she said.

Heart rate, though, did not vary significantly between the groups. Although previous research on wither-scratching alone (not compared to patting) has consistently revealed lowered heart rates during the scratching, Hancock’s study did not show this, she said. “But their behavior still made it clear that they enjoyed the scratching,” she said.

Article by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA

Christa Lesté-Lasserre is a freelance writer based in France. A native of Dallas, Texas, Lesté-Lasserre grew up riding Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, and Shetland Ponies. She holds a master’s degree in English, specializing in creative writing, from the University of Mississippi in Oxford and earned a bachelor's in journalism and creative writing with a minor in sciences from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She currently keeps her two Trakehners at home near Paris.

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Hold Your Horses - What to expect from mares in spring

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 05:51:06 GMT

HOLD YOUR HORSES - what to expect from mares in early spring

The standardbred industry breeding season traditionally began foaling from 1 ^st September & breeding from the 1 ^st October – a regime that suits the natural cycle of all mares in the southern hemisphere. In recent years it was changed - foaling from 1 ^st August; breeding from 1 ^st September!!!

PREGNANT - Obviously they must foal before breeding them again. These mares are not affected by the time of year.

SPRING OESTRUS - These mares have recognised that it is spring & have started showing. They are in season for prolonged periods often with small follicles that will not ovulate. This is nature’s cleaning period; their cervixes are relaxed so they can drain any excess fluid & they have an acid uterine environment which encourage them to clear naturally any bacterial uterine infections that they may have carried over from the previous season. These mares will show to the stallion. This is the one that brings owners & stud masters unstuck because it can last for prolonged periods. Owners see them showing (interpret this behaviour as cycling) & don’t understand why they cannot be bred. There are things that can be done to shorten this period. Cumates & ovulatory drugs may bring on an ovulation but they shorten nature’s cleaning efforts & the resultant fertility can be low. Most mares have a much higher fertility on their second cycle of the spring.New

DIOESTRUS - These mares (a small percentage) have already begun to cycle (ovulated) & are ready for prostaglandin. They will be ready to breed when they come into oestrus. This is the stage we expect to find in mares kept under lights. In a small percentage of cases the corpus luteum seen on scanning may be from mares that have cycled early in winter or throughout the winter. Occasionally these mares switch off at the start of spring & are very difficult to get cycling again.

Most of these problems are overcome by starting scanning for the breeding season in October. If you are paying your veterinarian for individual scans (ie your mare is not at a stud & under contract) significant veterinary fees could be incurred in September without achieving anything for breeding the mare.

It is recommended to start getting your empty mares examined in October when the incidence of spring oestrus will be much lower. Good luck to all breeders for the current breeding season.

Artificial Lighting

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 03:27:03 GMT

ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING FOR BROOD MARES

ADVANTAGES

Dry mares will cycle earlier, avoiding the inconvenience of spring oestrus early in the breeding season (spring oestrus is constant cycling without producing a good follicle or ovulating) and anoestrus (small). Both conditions can be difficult and expensive to treat.

Wet mares will have their gestation period reduced by about 10 days while still producing a normal size foal.

Foaling mares will have their foal heat at about five days, allowing them to be re-cycled earlier and covered at 12-14 days. (However, the natural cleansing period after foaling is affected.)

HOW DO WE DO IT?

The lighting system must achieve the equivalent of 16 hours of daylight per day. In practical terms this means switching on the lights one hour before dusk and switching them off at midnight. A good system will have the lights on a timer that switches the lights off at midnight and opens a gate to allow the mares back in to their paddocks.

Another way to achieve this amount of light (and reduce the electricity cost) is to give one hour of light at 9.5 hours after sunset. To do this, check the weather segment in the daily media (television or newspaper) which will state the time of sunset for the following day. For example – if the sunset is at 5.15pm the lights will need to be turned at 2.45am and off at 3.45am. BUT – for the program to be successful you MUST keep track of the sunset time and adjust the light switch timer accordingly.

Longer periods of lighting and/or continuous lighting are expensive and can be counterproductive.

THE GOOD NEWS!

Previous recommendations have been 7 foot candles (= 70 lux) ** of light at hoof level. Recent research indicates that the amount of light required may not be as much as previously thought - just enough light to illuminate the area will be sufficient and the lights are only required for 35 days from 21 st June.

RUGS

Rugs will keep the dry mare stress free during the colder months, thereby helping them to cycle earlier. Similarly, rugging will reduce the stress for in foal mares, and may reduce the risk of abortion. They can also be stabled, but DO NOT be tempted to leave the lights on all night, as this will upset the dark / light balance.

WHEN TO BEGIN

Light “treatment” must be commenced from the 21 st June (the shortest day of the year) and continue until early September.

**** One foot candle is a standard measure of intensity of illumination and is the amount of light from one candle in a one foot radius at ground level. In other words, 7 foot candles will allow enough light for your mare to read the racing results.

Recent research indicates the amount of light required is not as much as previously thought and the lights can be turned off after thirty-five (35) days. Just enough light to illuminate the area will be sufficient.

Light Reading

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 05:45:56 GMT

LIGHT READING

ANOTHER HORSE OWNER IS BORN

So you've bought yourself a yearling? Congratulations, you're in for a lot of fun. The breaker confides that he likes your filly very much. Words and phrases like 'Intelligent', 'smart on her feet', 'quick learner' and 'lovely mover' come forth. He broke in last years Oaks winner and your filly is at least as good as she was at the same stage. If anything yours is better.

How easy is this? Your trainer isn't the sort of bloke who gets carried away, he tells you, but honestly this filly could be anything. He doesn't want to get your hopes up too high, but he suggests you buy her younger brother before your barrier trials. And by the way have you paid up for her for the Slipper? Make sure you do.

Months later your trainer has her moving along at three-quarter pace. Words like 'freak', 'champion' and 'do you remember a filly that used to race called Toy Show', come down the phone lines, even though he reminds you that he's trained so many winners he can't remember.

He adds that 'mum's the word' and not to tell anyone, even your own mother about her ability or she'll start in the red at her first race. He rings you one day. You nearly have a heart attack getting to the phone, she's a little shin sore. Nothing to worry about. We could persevere and race her, but she's too good to risk. We'll put her away for the big races later on.

You plan your holidays from work so you are free around Golden Slipper time. The day arrives. She's entered in a barrier trail. You're there with the wife and kids, new binoculars and stop watch around the neck. You spot her before the trial. To your untrained eye she looks a bit like Bint Marscay, only bay. The trainer calls you over and divulges that 'you don't get any money for barrier trials'. You don't want to show her up do you? You'll get a better price for her if she lobs along behind then and gets a bit of experience. Of course she runs last. The trainer gives you the impression that he's delighted with the run. He introduces the jockey who rode her. He squeaks out something you don't quite catch and the trainer beams. So you beam.

Now the big day comes. She's entered in a Maiden at Gatton and you can hardly contain yourself when she's quoted a 25/1 in the paper before the race. You do a few quick calculations in your head and dollar signs drown your thoughts of what you are going to do with all the winnings. You buy a new suit and tie to match your filly's racing silks. You later discover that you are the only person at a Gatton wearing a tie. You meet the trainer half and hour before the race and for the first time you notice he has a nervous twitch. You notice a sense of hesitancy, an aura of tentativeness about him that you hadn't noticed before. Now phrases like 'it's pretty hard to win first up', 'don't want to knock her about' and 'she'll be improved by the run' flow from his lips. You ask if you should back her. Maybe have something going each way. 'I wouldn't be going mad'. She runs last.

'Kingston Town got beaten at his first start' and 'she's still very green' come from the trainer. ''Is that her back there' and 'why didn't she win' come from the kids, and 'we could have had a pool for the cost of this animal' comes from the wife. Like a parent with an ugly child, you just have to make the best of it. Your expectations drop just a smidgen. Instead of the Golden Slipper you leaf through the calendar looking for a maiden at Esk. Your trainer relates the Reckless legend - he had over 200 starts before he won a race. Super - another 199 starts to go.

Further training bills and nine runs later things haven't improved. Prior to her first run your cheque for her training expenses was in the return mail, but now you are almost two months behind with the payments. You call the bloodstock agent again. He tells you the market has dropped. It's a pity you raced her, she would have been worth more if she hadn't raced. Didn't the trainer tell you she was a 'cockroach'?

By now your enthusiasm hasn't just waned, it's been totally destroyed. Not only have you stopped driving hundreds of miles to see her but you don't even bother listening to her race on the radio or you wouldn't even if they broadcast the Surat meeting.

The filly has a spell. And your attitude has changed, instead of insisting that she has nothing but the best, you haggle the agistment property over the rates and suggest they just put her into the back paddock with the sheep. 'She doesn't have to be hand fed in the winter does she?' 'Aren't horses supposed to eat grass'.

Perhaps a change of trainer is the answer, someone with a different (and cheaper) training technique, but not some twitchy con man. Your butcher recommends a mate in Ipswich who trains greyhounds but is willing to give racehorses a go. He sounds perfect. And it doesn't really matter that he doesn't have the phone on, you can communicate by letter if need be.

He enters her in a race at the Warwick Picnics. This sounds like fun! This is what racing is really all about. People tell you that Robert and Jane Grieve usually go to this meeting. It's supposed to be lot of fun. Picnics from the boot of the Holden, champers and pate. All that sort of thing. You should make a weekend of it. You buy a cravat in your filly's racing colours and turn up in Warwick with the wife and kids. It's pouring rain and the family want to go back to the motel to watch the midday movie.

To your untrained eye your filly, which you hadn't seen for three months, looks like a refugee from knackery. She's decidedly thin. But your trainer tells you in broken English that she's as fit as she can be and he's done his best to get excess weight off her. She ran a long last and you get back to the motel in time for Neighbours. The following week you receive a postcard from the trainer telling you he is going to Malta to care for his invalid mother. The filly returns to the agistment farm and your receive a whopping vet bill. You enquire as to how long horses usually live and are told up to 25 years or so.

Oh well, just another 22 years to go!!!!!!!!!

Stud Protocol

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 05:28:32 GMT

STUD PROTOCOL

VACCINATIONS - MARES

Unless the vaccination history is known it should be assumed that the mare is unvaccinated. The majority of studs require that all mares are vaccinated against Strangles, Tetanus, Equines Herpes Virus (EHVI) and Salmonella.

A previously unvaccinated mare will require:

EHVI - two doses one (1) month apart with a booster six (6) months later. I think you have already given at least one dose in April - so if previously unvaccinated, give a repeat dose this month (if it is two (2) months between doses, there is no problem) and a booster in November. If they are previously vaccinated, give next dose in October of if early mares are to foal in September, you could bring it forward to the end of August for all mares every year.
Salmonella - two doses one (1) month apart if previously unvaccinated. The first dose should be given in June with the second dose in July i.e.: before EHVI. If the mare has been previously vaccinated, a single does approximately one (1) month before foaling will suffice. This should be repeated every year one (1) month before foaling.
Strangles and Tetanus - if previously unvaccinated give one (1) dose of strangles and tetanus combined, followed by a strangles only two (2) weeks later and a combined dose again two (2) weeks later. If previously vaccinated, a single dose of the combined vaccine will suffice, again approximately one (1) month before foaling. This can be given at the same time as salmonella on the opposite side of the neck.

It is important to also maintain the vaccination status of dry or maiden mares ie: include them with wet mares for EHVI boosters and give them an annual booster of Salmonella, Strangles and Tetanus say, for convenience, on the first of August.

VACCINATION - FOALS

I will assume all mares have had boosters before foaling.

Salmonella vaccination should be started at three (3) months of age with two doses one month apart.
Strangles and Tetanus should be commenced at three (3) months - three doses as for mares.

I suggest starting all three vaccinations when youngest foal is three (3) months old. Again all three vaccinations can be given together.

EHVI does not have to be given until five (5) months but I would suggest giving all foals first dose in March, second dose in April and six month dose in November/December approximately two weeks before coming into boxes for yearling sale preparation. I would not booster Strangles, Tetanus or Salmonella prior to sales but advise new owners to booster in February.

WORMING

Worm all horses every eight (8) weeks regardless of pregnancy, including foals from six (6) weeks of age. Aim for last dose approximately two (2) weeks before foaling date. Ensure all horses are done for Bots once a year, preferable in May or June after the frosts with a Boticide - this can be Equimec, Equest or any of the 'plus' pastes which contain Neguvon. Neguvon 'plus' paste should only be used once each year. If Bot eggs are still visible on mares at time of this worming, scrape off or swab with warm water or kerosene. This will hatch them out although the empty shells may remain visible.

Any mares returning from Southern Studs should be done with Equest on their first treatment after returning home to ensure they have no tapeworms.

TEETH

Should be rasped or at least checked once yearly from two (2) years of age. Two (2) year olds should have Wolf teeth removed when first rasped. For convenience and to avoid rasping in late pregnancy, I suggest combining teeth with your Boticide drench in May/June.

FOALINGS

Check all mares for caslick operation at least three (3) weeks before due date and open if necessary. Mares with very bad vulval conformation may be left closer to foaling if monitored.

Check colostrum with colostrometer (available for approximately $350.00) in the two to three (2-3) days before foaling to ensure mare has adequate colostrum.

Try and establish a colostrum bank as early as possible in the foaling season. At least one (1) litre of colostrum can be collected from a high producing mare in the first twelve (12) hours without affection her foals supply. Always measure colostrum levels in frozen colostrum before freezing and freeze in 500ml aliquots in one (1) litre plastic bottles. Label each bottle with name of dam, date of collection and colostrum levels. Always thaw slowly in hot water, never in the microwave.

Monitor all foalings closely. If nothing showing after ten (10) minutes of getting down, have a feel and ensure head and legs are coming and if not, correct and/or call me. Once head and legs are showing, foal should be out in twenty (20) minutes (more commonly ten (10) minutes). If you have any doubts, call me immediately; you can always send me back if she delivers before I get there.

Afterbirth (placenta) should be passed within approximately thirty (30) minutes but can be left six (6) to eight (8) hours. If not passed within eight (8) hours, call me. All placentas should be spread out and checked when passed to check for missing pieces/tears etc.

FOAL CHECK

Notify me of any newborn foals so we can check the mare and foal within the first twenty-four (24) hours. We will check for passage of meconium, eyelids; H.I.A and leg deformities and do an IgG test to ensure adequate absorption on colostrum. Foals, which are still low in IgG, may require a plasma transfusion.

We may also choose to treat the mare at this time and repair her caslick.

BREEDING

Examine any mare, which you have any doubts about being in foal, in July so that if empty they can go under lights.

Lights or no lights, all barren, slipped or maiden mares should be examined mid August so that they are on track for early September services.

All mares should be swabbed on first examination (a swab certificate will be issued to go with them to the Southern Studs).

Mares foaling at Highhaven before 25 August should be examined at approximately day ten (10). If they have still not ovulated and are clean, they may be suitable for foal heat cover. If ovulated, they can be treated and be given prostaglandin five (5) days later. They should then be ready for cover at approximately day twenty (20) after foaling.

Mares foaling at Highhaven in October to December must be covered on foal heat and should be examined on day five (5) and seven (7).

All covered mares should be scanned t welve (12) to fourteen (14) days after cover. If in foal, they should be re-examined at approximately days twenty-five (25), thirty-five (35) and forty-five (45). Mares returning from Southern Studs after early tests should be re-examined on the same schedule.

All mares tested in foal should be re-examined in January or February to ensure they have retained their pregnancies.

Feeding a starving horse

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 05:01:49 GMT

FEEDING THE STARVED HORSE

It is an unfortunate fact that sometimes horses are neglected to the point of starvation. The task of helping these horses recover their health is difficult but there are many horse lovers who willingly take on the role to save a horse that is found in an emaciated condition.

There are risks to introducing food to these horses. They can develop "refeeding" syndrome when they are given concentrated calories, and this in turn can lead to heart, respiratory and kidney failure usually 3 to 5 days after the initial meal.

New research has shown that the best approach to introducing food to starved horses is to provide frequent small amounts of high quality lucerne hay. The amount should be increased slowly at each meal and the number of feedings decreased gradually over 10 days. After 10 days to 2 weeks horses can be fed as much as they will eat. The horse will show signs of increased energy after about 2 weeks. Ears, eyes, and head movement will be the first noticeable improvements. Some weight gain can be achieved in 1 month, but 3 to 5 months usually are needed to rehabilitate back to a normal body weight. Veterinary care and nutritional advice should be sought because complications can arise .

Note: Reproduced with the approval of the RIRDC Equine Research News.

Crush Design

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 03:55:24 GMT

A horse crush is a must for all property owners in order to allow safe and easy access to any horse that requires or home treatment or veterinary procedures. The design of the crush should ensure the complete protection of both the handler and the veterinarian whilst the horse is being treated.

With access to a well designed crush routine management practices can be performed quickly and efficiently. These include drenching, castration, vaccinations, dentistry, pregnancy testing and ultrasound scans and branding. A crush will also facilitate husbandry tasks like clipping & washing.

All reproductive examinations on mares, including ultrasound scans, should take place in a secure examination crush - you should never assume that any mare is safe to do a rectal examination on without being in a crush. Even the quietest, most tolerant mare can have a bad day or get bitten by a hornet.

Your veterinarian may not be able to perform rectal examinations if he or she feels at risk, as it is possible that even a mares mildest reaction may cost your veterinarian his / her life or at the very least his / her livelihood.

For some small breeders, or individual owners installing a crush may seem a relatively expensive process, however it will pay dividends in terms of convenience, piece of mind, and quality of the workmanship able to be performed.

Factors to consider before installing a crush.

There are a few simple rules

The crush should be safe and secure, and of suitable dimensions for the breed.
The height of the rear gate should not be greater than 85cm. (Remember it will become higher as the mares dig out the floor. (This may occur if the floor is not cement.)
The stocks should be built to be suitable for both left & right handed palpators.
The crush should not be built against an existing wall. If you build against a right side wall, a left handed palpator has to stand directly behind the mare & vice versa. With difficult mares, it is important to be able to stand to one side initially.
There should be a moveable bar or chain in front to keep the mare firmly back against the rear gate.(This bar will always have to be able to come further back than you would expect - so make sure there is plenty of room.)
There should be somewhere safe to put the scanner; preferably at about shoulder height & where the screen is not in direct sunlight, however good lighting is essential for many other procedures such as wound suturing. The support for the scanner should not be part of the stocks - even the best built stock will move if a mare becomes agitated.
There should be as anclosure adjacent / close to the mare to confine her foal so that the foal is safe and secure whille the mareis being examined.
Power should be available to operate the ultrasound scanner & other veterinary equipment.
Water should be accessible for disinfection purposes.
The crush should have clear access from the rear, and preferably the front as well to allow for access to the horse's head for procedures such as endoscopic examinations, drenching
dental work.

Dimensions of a standard mare crush are listed below:

Height at sides: 1400 mm
Height of rear gate: 850 mm
Width: 800 - (700 mm internal)
Length: 1850 - (1800mm internal)

(These dimensions are for an thoroughbred mare, and will need to be adjusted for smaller mares or pony breeds. Alternatively, slots can be made along the side rails at the front to enable a bar to be placed in front of the chest.)

A safe design would incorporate full sides, with material such as cattle rail, sheet metal or mesh with a rubber conveyor on the insides for safety.

MARE EXAMINATION CRUSH / STOCKS

CRUSH DESIGNS

The crush design shown below is at the Avoca property where the Equivet recipient mares are kept and scanned prior to arrival at the Equine Breeding Centre for embryo transfer. These stocks work well for scanning multiple mares.

Arena Surfaces

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 03:27:42 GMT

While there are no universal recommendations for the perfect arena surface there are certain characteristics that are required to ensure the comfort & safety of the horse & rider as well as satisfying criteria for the intended use of the arena.

A “perfect” arena surface should be:

Cushioned to minimize concussion to the horse’s legs
Firm enough to provide traction
Not slippery
Not too dusty
Not overly abrasive to horse hooves
Inexpensive to install
Easy to maintain

Once installed, learning to manage & maintain the surface is important as it will change over time due to usage & weather, & good footing requires regular, consistent management .

For further information see the link below:

http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/ub038.pdf

Natural Disasters

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 02:56:24 GMT

The recent cataclysmic weather events throughout Queensland have caused heartache for many horse owners as they struggle to come to terms with the devastation that these horrendous floods have exerted on their properties & livestock. However there are many things that can be done to minimize the trauma for both you and your horse during natural disasters. The northern parts of Australia are particularly prone to natural disasters such as cyclones and floods. However in the southern states the increasing frequency of bushfires magnifies the risk of fire damage to property and consequent burn injuries to horses.

Preparation for these emergency situations should always start well before the emergency exists.

Then you will have an action plan that can be put in place immediately to facilitate the best protection possible for both you and your horse. Although the physical outcomes of these disasters are vastly different, a lot of the precautionary principals are the same.

PLANNING FOR NATURAL DISASTERS

Have an emergency plan & make sure all members of your household are aware of its existence. The plan should include contact details for all household members, a designated meeting place, emergency contact numbers including police & emergency services, medical & veterinary contacts and relevant health information as well as details of how to shut off electricity, gas & water supplies. Details of your insurance company should also be included.

Everyone’s situation differs according to the size and nature of their enterprise. Therefore it is important that all horse owners consider their circumstances and develop an individual survival plan, rationally and calmly, before a natural disaster season is imminent.

Make sure you have a means of clearly identifying your horse

Include details in brand-resize the emergency plan. This could be description and / or brands, but a more reliable means is by microchip and having the details of the microchip registered with the National Pet Registry (Phone: 1300734738) or by lodging details of your property and horse registration with your State Department of Primary Industries. Other means of identification for an impending emergency can be as basic as ‘painting’ your name and phone number on the horse itself, clipping the details in the hair, or painting them on the hoof with permanent markers. Although tags on halters or neckbands can be useful, they may be an impediment to the horse if it becomes entangled in a fence or bushes.

Establish the area on your property that is most likely to be safe in an emergency.

Consult your local council about flood plans. Obviously the safest place in a flood is the highest ground, but it needs to be protected from debris that may be passing at speed in floodwater or high winds. It also needs to be accessible after an extreme event so that help can be obtained. In the case of fire find the largest possible area with the least amount of vegetation, ideally as close to gates as possible and far away from highly flammable eucalypt trees. A low lying / damp area or dam can be useful, or even a large sand ménage.

Make sure you have an emergency evacuation kit prepared

This should include items for humans as well as horses

Non-perishable food items & bottled water.
Horse feed & water, buckets, halters & lead ropes.
First aid kit with veterinary, & human medical supplies as well as sanitation items
Torch & extra batteries.
Battery powered radio & extra batteries.
Communication aids (mobile phone, uhf radio)
Sturdy footwear, warm clothing, waterproofing, hat & gloves.
Woollen blanket & towels.
Wire cutters, plastic sheeting & duct tape, a whistle & utility knife.
Important documents including insurance papers.
A copy of your emergency plan.

DETERMINE THE SAFEST PLACE & MOST APPROPRIATE TIME TO EVACUATE

STAY OR GO? This is your decision – but DO NOT stay until the last minute as late evacuation may be a deadly option. Suitable evacuation areas may include local showgrounds, racetrack or sale yards as directed by your local emergency services director; or somewhere safe with family or friends. Whatever place you decide, try to establish several retreat routes from your property in case fire or flood blocks your escape.

Make sure vehicles (including floats) are in good working order, ensure that the vehicle has adequate fuel and keep a copy of the emergency plan in the glove box.

All horses (even broodmares & foals) should be trained to load in a float so that they can be shifted without delay when a natural disaster does occur.

NEVER let horses out on the road

They not only run a high risk of being injured, but represent a hazard to passing vehicles. If they cause a traffic accident you may be legally responsible.

PRACTICE the plan BEFORE the natural disaster (cyclone / fire / flood) season so that all members of your household are familiar with the role they need to play to keep both people and your horses safe.

As you move to your evacuation area, close stable doors and gates as you leave. This not only secures your property but will prevent the horse from returning to their familiar but unsafe surroundings in the event that the horse breaks free.

Feed shortages may occur after fires or floods depending on the magnitude of the disaster, so be prepared to search for available feed and for possible price increases. Remove feed stores to higher ground if floods are expected.

PREPARING FOR FLOODS & THE AFTERMATH:

A flood emergency is generally of reasonably long duration, so plan to have rations and water for both you and your horse for at least 72 hours. All feed and hay should be kept in plastic bags to prevent the possibility of the build up of the botulinum toxin in damp, rotting feed. Botulism is a disease that causes progressive paralysis and can be fatal, but you can protect your horse by vaccination.

DO NOT DRIVE OVER FLOODED ROADS AS YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT MAY BE BELOW THE SURFACE – OR EVEN IF THERE IS A ROAD SURFACE AT ALL!

Insect control

A significant issue during floods, as biting insects not only cause severe annoyance to horses, but can be responsible for the spread of diseases such as Ross River Virus in humans or Equine Infectious Anaemia in horses. Make sure that your veterinary / first aid kit includes insect repellent.

Mud can pose a serious hazard

Even to the extent of being responsible for limb fractures when a horse is caught & struggling in deep, sticky mud. However a more common threat is “mud fever” or “greasy heel”, caused by a dermatophilus bacterium. This can invade the skin when the horse is standing for prolonged periods in wet, muddy conditions. Skin around the pastern area becomes inflamed and cracked and the resulting discharge may cause hair matting. Consult your veterinarian for advice on treatment.

Rain scald or mycotic dermatitis

Another skin condition caused by the Dermatophilus organism and generally appears on the back. It is most common in warm, humid areas and usually appears within 2 – 5 days of continuous rain. Treatment is similar to greasy heal, but rugging can help to keep the back dry and prevent infection.

Leptospirosis infections

also represent a risk after flooding due to the presence of the spores excreted in the urine of infected animals in wet, muddy conditions. Although less common in horses than cattle, it can still occur and will cause a high fever and severe depression and possibly blood in the urine. It may also cause abortion in pregnant mares. A vaccine is available to prevent your horse from contracting this disease.

Other health hazards

Common in flood situations include foot abscesses caused by bacterial infection invading cracks in the hoof wall, pneumonia and generalized skin wounds - particularly on the legs. Always consult your veterinary surgeon for advice – by phone if necessary.

WHEN FIRE THREATENS AND THE AFTERMATH:

Fill troughs, baths and water buckets for emergency use.

WEAR FIRE SAFE ATTIRE:

For You

Woollen / cotton fabrics (synthetics may be highly flammable)
Long pants and long button down shirt sleeves or woolen jumper and a wide brimmed hat.
Sturdy leather gloves to protect hands from radiant heat.
Sturdy leather boots with a good tread.
A cotton scarf worn as a face shield – it can be dampened if necessary.
Goggles to protect eyes from smoke or burning embers.

For Your Horse

Use leather halters & cotton lead ropes.
DO NOT use any synthetic gear (including fly veils).
Remove all equipment from your horse if it remains in the paddock. Rugs can burn and metal buckles can become very hot.
If possible wet manes & tails, or even drench the coat if the horse has to pass through fire as this may help to protect the horse for a short time.
If you are shifting a nervous, fractious horse, a temporary blindfold may help.

DO NOT shut horses in a stable or small yard . If horses are left in a large area they will be able to best position themselves to remain safe.

Horses most commonly suffer facial burns if they have to pass through fire. Other problems include lung damage caused by smoke inhalation, coronet damage, swollen eyelids that may reduce vision and lacerations if they happen to run through a fence. The nature and extent of the injuries will determine whether or not first aid will be sufficient, but at all times be guided by advice from your veterinary surgeon.

Care must be taken when re-entering burned areas as hot spots may still flare up, or hot ash pits may be present where root systems have burned.
Fallen power lines may also present a hazard, so consult your electricity provider if you are concerned.
Make sure that fences are secure.

REMEMBER – Whatever the natural disaster, good forward planning will help to minimize the impact and will protect the safety & well-being of your horse.

Vaccinations

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 06:41:18 GMT

Vaccinations are a reliable, effective and simple aid in the prevention and control of several horse diseases including tetanus, strangles, Hendra virus, equine herpes virus, rhodococcus (rattles), rotavirus, and salmonella. The cost and effort of vaccination is very small compared with the probable financial and emotional cost of treatment.

TETANUS

Cause

A bacterium ( Clostridium tetani ) that is commonly found in the environment, particularly in soil, dust and manure. The bacteria enters animals through a puncture wound in the skin.

Signs

The disease causes increasing stiffness of the muscles due to spasms. As it progresses the horse may not be able to swallow and will have an unsteady gait.

It may stand in a "Saw Horse" pose

(see image right)

The third eye may prolapse

Eventually the horse will be unable to get up, the limbs will become increasingly rigid and finally the horse will be unable to breathe.

Treatment

Antitoxin injections can be administered by your veterinarian, along with medication to control the spasms in the muscles and supportive therapy. Treatment extremely costly and generally unsuccessful.

Vaccination Protocol

The tetanus toxoid vaccine is given into the muscle.

The initial course is two injections 4-6 weeks apart followed by a 12 month booster.

Boosters should be given every 2-3 years or when the horse has an open wound.

Mares should be vaccinated one month before foaling to give the foal immunity.

STRANGLES

Cause

Strangles is a highly infectious disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus Equi . Strangles commonly occurs in large outbreaks as it is easily spread between horses. Horses carry the organism in their throat and guttural pouches behind the jaw. They can have nasal shedding of the organism for several weeks after clinical signs of the disease have disappeared.

Signs

The horse will develop a fever , show signs of depression, stop eating and have a profuse nasal discharge. Lymph nodes (glands) in the throat become swollen and painful and the horse may have difficulty breathing and swallowing. The swollen areas of the throat may eventually rupture and exude a thick, creamy - yellow pus.

Treatment

Veterinary treatment should begin as soon as clinical signs appear.

Good nursing is essential to make the horse feel more comfortable and help it with eating and drinking.

Vaccination Protocol

The strangle vaccine is given into the muscle. The initial course is three injections given two weeks apart followed by an annual booster. (The vaccine may be administered as a combinated tetanus / strangles injection)

NOTE: This vaccine may not always prevent the disease, but will help to minimise the severity of the symptoms.

HENDRA VIRUS

Cause
Hendra virus is a zoonotic disease which means it can be transferred from animals to humans. It is spread by flying foxes to horses when horses eat or drink the bodily fluids from the flying foxes. It can spread from horse to horse by direct contact with body fluids or by indirect contact with contaminated equipment. The death rate of horses that contract the disease is around 75%.

Signs

There are a broad range of signs and not all may be present in any one horse, but there is generally rapid deterioration with associated respiratory or nervous signs.

General signs include rapid onset of fever, depression, increased heart rate and discomfort / shifting of weight on legs.

Respiratory Signs

Respiratory distress, increased heart rate and a nasal discharge that progresses from white froth to blood stained at or near death.

Nervous Signs

A wobbly gait, apparent loss of vision in one or both eyes, aimless walking / circling in a dazed state, head tilting, muscle twitching, urinary incontinence and eventually the horse is unable to rise.

Treatment

Because the disease is transmissible to humans, at the present time all horses that contract Hendra virus are required by Biosecurity Australia to be euthanised.

Strict personal protection equipment (PPE) MUST be used by persons handling horses suspected of having Hendra virus.

Vaccination Protocol

Vaccination is by injection into the muscle

The initial course is two injections 3 - 6 weeks apart followed by a 6 month booster.

Annual vaccinations are then required.

All vaccinations MUST be administered and recorded by your veterinary surgeon.

EQUINE HERPES VIRUS

Cause

Two distinct viruses - Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and Equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4).

Signs

Horses develop a fever, depression, loss of appetite and acute respiratory disease with coughing and a nasal discharge. Some strains may also show neurological signs with mild incoordination, loss of bladder and tail control and some skin desensitisation around the vulval area.

Mares may abort several weeks to months after infection. Infection in mares can lead to an “abortion storm” on studs, where most mares in contact mares will abort.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment, but nursing care and antibiotic treatment by your veterinarian will help to minimise secondary bacterial complications.

Vaccination Protocol

The vaccine - Duvaxyn EHV 1,4 – is given by injection into the muscle.

The initial course of two injections 4-6 weeks apart should be commenced at 5 months of age, followed by booster vaccinations every 6 months.

Mares that have had their initial course should be vaccinated at 5, 7 and 9 months of their pregnancy to help control abortions.

RHODOCOCCUS (RATTLES)

Cause

“Rattles” is caused by the bacterium Rhodococcus equi. It lives in the soil and is ingested from the pasture and also spread by nose to nose contact. It is very infectious, particularly in young foals, and can have a high mortality rate.

Signs

Foals develop a high fever, depression, have a thick greenish-white nasal discharge and a cough with a typically ‘rattley sound.

Treatment

Your veterinarian may prescribe a prolonged course of antibiotics and supportive fluid therapy for foals that become severely dehydrated.

Management strategies such as good pasture rotation, minimising dust in yards, removing manure in contaminated paddocks and ensuring that foals have adequate antibody levels will help.

Vaccination Protocol

An effective vaccine is not yet commercially available, but foals can be tested for antibody levels (an immunoglobulin or IGG test) when 24 hours old and plasma administered by your veterinarian if the antibody levels are too low.

ROTAVIRUS

Cause

Rotavirus is a highly infectious disease affecting mainly young foals. It is spread by direct contact with contaminated faeces.

Signs

Severe watery diarrhoea, depression and loss of appetite. Foals can suffer serious dehydration and mal-absorption (inability to obtain nutrients due to severe diarrhoea).

Treatment

Isolation of sick foals is important to limit spread. Supportive veterinary treatment is essential with fluid therapy and extra nutrition either intravenously or by stomach tube.

Vaccination Protocol

A vaccine is available for mares and should be given at the 8th, 9th and 10th months of pregnancy.

SALMONELLA

Cause

A bacterium, Salmonella enterica, causes acute, severe diarrhoea and even death. Can be caused by contaminated feed or water, or by contact with animals actively shedding the bacteria. Stress such as surgery, change of diet, travel or another existing disease appears to play an important role in the development of the disease.

Signs

In a mild case there may be moderate depression, fever, loss of appetite and soft, but not watery, faeces. In more severe cases there will be severe depression, profuse watery diarrhoea and often abdominal pain. They may develop dehydration and severe colic and toxic shock (sometimes called colitis). This form can often be fatal.

Treatment

Veterinary treatment is essential and consists of massive fluid therapy and medications to control the inflammatory bowel response.

Vaccination Protocol

A vaccination is given by injection into the muscle.

Mares - An initial course of two injections 4 weeks apart followed by a booster 6 weeks before foaling.

Foals - An initial course of two injections 4 weeks apart and a 3rd dose 6 months later followed by annual boosters.

The important message is – PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE.

Rattles in Foals

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 05:27:07 GMT

‘Rattles’ in foals is an infection caused by the bacterium Rhodoccus Equi. It is an extremely debilitating disease, sometimes with a high mortality rate, and has the potential to cause immense financial and emotional hardship – particularly in studs where large numbers of foals are bred.

The Rhodococcus Equi bacterium is a common soil dwelling organism which can live in the soil for approximately one year. It can be ingested from the pasture by the foal and it survives and multiplies in the foal’s gut. It can also be contracted by inhaling dust from the soil or from contaminated faecal particles, or by direct nose-to-nose contact with an infected foal. It is VERY infectious - particularly in young foals and can have a high mortality rate.

The disease commonly affects foals between one and six months of age, however research indicates that a foal may become infected from as early as birth onwards. Current studies also suggest that even though the foal may have contracted the infection, in some cases clinical signs may not be obvious until the foal is between 30 and 90 days old. Research by the Queensland Horse Council has shown that the prevalence of “rattles” and the mortality rate from the disease is approximately 28%. This not only represents a huge economic loss to the breeding industry, but the effect of the lung damage that can occur has a huge negative impact on the athletic performance of foals that do recover.

Although ‘rattles’ most commonly causes a severe broncho-pneumonia and lung abscesses it can also affect other body systems causing septic arthritis (infection of the joints), osteomyelitis (infection of bones), diarrhoea, inflammation of the lymph nodes, spinal cord abscesses and other immune related diseases.

Common Clinical Signs include:

High temperature.
Depression
Thick greenish-white nasal discharge.
Cough with typically "rattley" sound.
Lethargy.
Increased respiratory rate.
Respiratory distress – with a “rattley” sound – hence the common name.

Treatment:

Consult your veterinarian immediately you suspect that a foal has a respiratory problem. A prolonged course of antibiotic therapy is essential and should be continued for at least 30 days. Other systemic support, including intravenous fluid therapy, may be necessary for foals that are very ill and / or dehydrated.

Good management strategies may help to minimise the impact of this disease.

Prevention:

Not all foals will develop the disease even though they may have been exposed to the bacteria. It may be a combination of the strength of the foal’s immune system being able to combat the disease as well as farm/stud management practices to reduce dust that can help to minimize the impact.

Because foals mainly contract the disease by inhaling / ingesting contaminated dust the key to preventing infection is careful farm management and attention to animal hygiene.

Maintain foaling paddocks with a good pasture cover.
Avoid keeping foals in dusty yards.
Irrigation of pastures & damping down of holding yards to minimise dust.
Avoid overcrowding of foaling paddocks.
Remove manure daily to reduce faecal contamination of pasture in foaling paddocks.
Rotate and spell foaling paddocks.
Monitor the temperature of young foals daily.
Ensure that foals have an adequate volume of colostrum from the mare.
Give foals an IGG test at birth and treat with plasma if they do not have a sufficient level of immunoglobulins (antibodies) in the blood.
Isolate suspect cases from other foals.

Once the disease becomes established on a property it can be difficult to treat – so the old adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ is certainly true of ‘rattles.’

REMEMBER

For a stud manager or individual owner it is management strategies that are most likely to influence the prevalence of the debilitating disease ‘rattles’ on a property.

Strangles

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Sun, 13 Sep 2020 23:16:17 GMT

STRANGLES OUTBREAK WARNING

There have been several outbreaks of strangles in South East Queensland recently, and although strangles is rarely fatal, it is a highly contagious disease that could cause havoc in the equine industry. This is particularly significant during the breeding season when transfer of horses between properties is at its peak.

CAUSE: A bacterium called Streptococcus Equi

SIGNS: Strangles is an upper respiratory tract infection & signs can include:

A thick, creamy discharge (pus) from the nostrils
Elevated temperature
Enlarged lymph nodes (glands) under the jaw & in the throat area
Lack of appetite
Depression / listlessness
Difficulty breathing / swallowing due to the nasal discharge & swelling in the throat area
Pneumonia can result if the infection progresses to the lungs causing a large number of abscesses and possible death

The incubation period after contact with an infected horse is from one to three weeks.

VACCINATION SCHEDULE:

Strangles vaccine by itself may be used, or in recent years a combined tetanus / strangles vaccine (Equivac 2 in 1) has been developed that provides immunity for both diseases.

The primary vaccination involves three intra-muscular injections at two week intervals
To maintain immunity against strangles a booster vaccination should be given annually for life

FOALS should be given the first of their three vaccinations at three months of age.

BROODMARES should be given a booster vaccination in late July to provide immunity to the newborn foal until it is old enough to be vaccinated.

STALLIONS should also have a booster vaccination before commencing stud duties.

UNVACCINATED ADULT HORSES require three injections at two week intervals.

PREVENTION: Employ best practice bio-security measures AT ALL TIMES.

Hand washing between handling horses
Isolate new arrivals from resident horses for at least 14 days
Keep stables clean and disinfected at all times
'Ensure that each horse has its own feed and watering containers
Do not share tack or grooming equipment
Obtain information regarding vaccination status of new arrivals
Use double fencing between paddocks to prevent nose-to-nose contact

TREATMENT: Veterinary treatment should be sought as soon as clinical signs are observed. Swabs may be taken to confirm the diagnosis of strangles if necessary.

Antibiotic therapy and good nursing are essential to aid in recovery
Infected horses should be isolated immediately to prevent the spread of the disease
Horses should NOT be transported unless absolutely necessary to minimize stress.

REMEMBER - VACCINATION IS THE BEST PROTECTION

The Newborn Foal

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 21:55:59 GMT

THE NEWBORN FOAL

The experience of raising a foal is one of the great joys of owning a horse, but in order to rear a healthy foal the first step is proper preparation of the mare prior to foaling.

In the weeks before foaling

When to start watching

The gestation period (length of pregnancy) for most mares is from 335 – 345 days. However you should begin watching your mare closely from 330 days and be aware of any changes either in her behaviour, such as leaving the other mares, or waxing (a drop of milk on the end of the teats) indicating that she may be close to foaling. Prepare a clean environment for the foaling – preferably a well grassed, sheltered area - that will allow the mare to be closely monitored and leave her ample room to get up and down easily during foaling. She should be moved to this environment at least 2 weeks before foaling for exposure to the bacterial population in the area so that adequate levels of environment specific antibodies are built up in the colostrum.

Make sure that you have your veterinarian’s contact details available and phone for assistance immediately if you are worried, as it is critical that the foal does not become stressed due to a prolonged labour.

A normal, uneventful delivery should happen within 20 minutes of the mare starting contractions.

After foaling the mare should remain lying down quietly with the foals hind legs still inside her and with the umbilical cord intact so that the foal continues to obtain blood from the mare.

(Fig. 1) The umbilical cord may separate spontaneously or be broken when either the mare or the foal attempts to stand.

Be on hand to remove the membranes from the foal’s face so that it can breathe, then leave the mare & foal lying down to bond with each other and observe them from a distance. (Fig 2)

Immediately after birth the normal foal will shake its head a few times and endeavour to sit up. As it becomes stronger it generally succeeds in gaining a normal sitting position during the next 15-20 minutes.

A t first its efforts to stand are very clumsy and it may fall over at several attempts, but it will gradually gain strength and should be able to gain its feet within the first hour. (Fig. 3)

Provided the foal is getting stronger there is usually no reason to interfere unless the mare is upsetting the foal. This can sometimes happen in maiden mares, and it may be necessary to simply restrain her with a halter and lead rope as the foal attempts to find the teat and suckle. If she fidgets and moves away and refuses to let the foal drink it may be necessary for your veterinarian to tranquilize her until she becomes accustomed to the foal and accepts it drinking. (Fig. 4)

THE FIRST FEW HOURS OF THE FOAL’S LIFE ARE CRITICAL.

A HEALTHY NEWBORN FOAL SHOULD:

Breathe within seconds of birth
Lift its head within 5 minutes
Stand within 60 minutes
Vocalize (call to the mare) 60 minutes
Attempt to suckle within 60 minutes
Walk / canter within 90 minutes
Takes its first sleep within 2 hours.

IT IS A VERY BUSY TIME FOR THE NEWBORN FOAL.

Once the foal is established bathe the umbilical stump with dilute iodine solution to prevent infection. The stump should dry within 3 days, but if it continues to leak fluid (possibly urine), or becomes smelly, call your veterinarian.

NEW FOAL CHECK LIST

You may suspect trouble and need to call your veterinarian urgently if your foal appears normal at birth and any of the following signs appear:

Behavioural changes – foals should become stronger and more active over the first few days. The first sign of trouble may be increased lying down and sleepiness.
A distended abdomen and failure to pass urine in the first 8 hours.
Failure to pass meconium – with frequent straining to pass manure and signs of abdominal discomfort.
A jaundiced or yellowish appearance and listless behaviour.
Diarrhoea with depression and loss of appetite. (Do not confuse this with the normal loose motions that accompany “foal heat” in the mare, in which case the foal will still be bright, alert and still drinking.)
Any swelling in the joints or lameness.
Discharge, odours, swelling or staining around the umbilical stump.
A build up of milk in the mare’s udder which may indicate that the foal is not suckling adequately.

BUT REMEMBER – most foals are active, curious and normal and are well worth the time and effort it takes to ensure their well-being.

Equine Amnionitis & Foetal

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 21:24:49 GMT

MARE ABORTIONS & CATERPILLARS

Reproductive loss is a major cause of concern for all horse breeders, especially the thoroughbred industry where abortions can cause up to 10% of losses annually. In the absence of other established causes such as Equine Herpes Virus, breeders and researchers in Australia have been searching for answers to this problem. During 2004 in the Hunter Valley region of NSW a consistent pattern of abortions emerged. This became known as Equine Amnionitis and Foetal Loss (EAFL) and comparisons with the syndrome identified in Kentucky as Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS) were made.

In 2006 the principals of Equivet Australia – Max Wilson & Robyn Woodward – visited Lexington in Kentucky en route to the UK for the breeding season. They found Lexington to be an incredible place and truly the American home of the thoroughbred, where there are over 450 studs within a 40km radius of Lexington and almost 20,000 mares being bred annually. The area is serviced primarily by two huge veterinary practices, each employing almost 50 veterinarians and 200 lay staff during the breeding season. Stud principals from the area combined with the Gluck Research Centre to compile a data base of information about the problem of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS) which they attribute to caterpillars. These findings have been made available to Equivet Australia.

KENTUCKY RESEARCH FINDINGS

Mares that aborted (and no other cause was established) were in areas where Malacosoma americanum (Eastern Tent Caterpillar) is found. There are two syndromes - Early Foetal Loss (EFL) at 15 - 45 days & Late Foetal Loss (LFL) at 9 - 10 months. Time from access to caterpillars to abortion is 8 - 13 days for EFL or 3-15 days for LFL.

In the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, mares often graze native pastures in areas populated with trees that provide a habitat for caterpillars.

Initial investigations in 2004 showed that the abortion outbreak occurred in late March to May coinciding with the time when processionary caterpillars move from the trees.

During 2005/2006 studies at the University of Queensland showed that exposure to preparations made from the processionary caterpillars (or their shed exoskeletons) were responsible for causing pregnancy loss in the mare or deficits in the newborn foal. Shed exoskeletons accumulate in the nests as the caterpillars pupate. When the caterpillars leave the nest to migrate, the nest frequently disintegrates and falls onto the ground. See Fig.1. The exoskeleton is light and fragile and as it falls can easily drift onto surrounding pasture where it can be picked up by grazing horses.

The results of this Queensland study indicate that the barbed fragments from the setae (small hairs) of the exoskeleton may penetrate the intestinal wall and allow bacteria into the bloodstream thereby causing infection of the placenta and subsequent abortion.

CATERPILLAR FACTS

Processionary caterpillars - Ochrogaster lunifer (processionary caterpillar) and Leptocneria reducta (white cedar moth caterpillar) - have been found in large numbers on many broodmare farms in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. The natural hosts of the caterpillars are eucalypt and acacia species, including the mountain coolibah, white box, white cedar, and wattles commonly found in eastern Australia. Late summer / autumn is the season when the caterpillar nests can be seen hanging in the trees as a silken bag. See Fig. 2. A caterpillar colony can consume the foliage from an entire tree before moving on, however the defoliated tree usually recovers.

The caterpillars are grey & hairy with a brown head. See Fig. 3.

When the caterpillars emerge from the nest & go looking for a new host tree they can form a procession of up to 100 caterpillars on the ground and travel long distances. See Fig. 4. Caterpillar exposure is more likely in times of drought when mares resort to grazing areas under trees as feed becomes scarce.

Exposure to hairy caterpillars can cause an intense allergic reaction in humans resulting in quite severe skin shes. In properties where abortions have occurred it has been reported that some horses grazing under trees populated with caterpillars displayed skin reactions, however not all mares that aborted showed detectable abnormalities.

PREVENTIVE METHODS

There is some evidence that when mares are known to be in contact with caterpillars giving blanket treatment with antibiotics on a regular basis throughout the pregnancy may be effective in preventing abortion due to infection. However this method would be both time consuming and very expensive.

Another method would be to inject the infected trees with systemic insecticides to kill the caterpillars eggs. This would not be effective unless there is rainfall and the sap is running in the trees, and again the cost and doubtful efficacy would suggest that alternatives would be preferable. In some cases insecticides can be sprayed on to foliage, which will make direct contact with the caterpillars and cause them to die.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Remove mares away from pastures where known caterpillar habitat trees are present, or leave a large margin when fencing off areas with affected trees.
Any supplementary feeding of mares should be done away from trees using elevated feeders to reduce the risk of contamination.
Remove caterpillar nests from the trees in February/March before the caterpillars leave the nests and dispose of them immediately or the caterpillars may burrow into the ground and disappear. A cherry picker can be used for this purpose if the trees are tall, but cost may be prohibitive.
Replace the trees with others that are NOT the natural food of the caterpillars.

Colic

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 03:47:19 GMT

Colic is NOT a disease

But rather a collection of signs that should alert the vigilant owner to the fact that the horse is experiencing abdominal pain. The term "colic" is generally used to describe pain associated with the digestive tract and can range from mild discomfort to extremely severe pain. Colic should NEVER be ignored because many of the conditions that can cause colic are potentially life-threatening.

What are the signs?

Often identifying the signs of colic can be a major problem for the horse owner, as the signs can vary greatly between individuals and also depend upon the severity of the problem. There are many signs of colic - some of the most common include:

Sweating
Pawing at the ground
Turning head towards the flank
Kicking or biting at the abdomen
Stretching out as if trying to urinate without doing so
Continuously swishing the tail more than usual
Walking around in circles
Repeatedly getting up & lying down or attempting to do so
Rolling on the ground
Failing to shake when they get up from lying down
Curling of the top lip
Not eating or reduced appetite
Increased or decreased gut sounds
Change in the nature of the droppings
Increased passing of wind
Distension of the abdomen
Increased heart & respiration rates
Increased temperature
Depression

WHAT TO DO?

TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION - Timing can be critical in minimizing the impact of the colic and allowing it to be successfully treated either medically, or in more severe cases, by surgical intervention.

First put on personal protective equipment (PPE) as colic symptoms have been observed in Hendra virus cases.

OBSERVE THE SIGNS & NOTIFY YOUR VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY

Behavioural (as above – pawing, kicking, rolling, sweating, depression)
Digestive activity ie droppings or lack of them, passing wind
Vital signs (temperature, heart & respiratory rates).
Try to remember if there have been any changes if routine.
Medical history (deworming, any past history of abdominal pain)
Breeding history (Is it a pregnant mare?).
Be aware of the insurance status and/or value of the horse.
Remove feed until your veterinarian has made a diagnosis.
If horse is rolling, put it on a lead and walk the horse around to help ease discomfort while waiting for your veterinarian.
DO NOT WALK THE HORSE UNTIL IT BECOMES EXHAUSTED.
Do not endanger either yourself or others if the horse is behaving violently but wait for your veterinarian to arrive.
Keep the horse as calm & comfortable as possible.
Administer any medication the vet has advised but DO NOT administer drugs without advice as they may camouflage the problem and interfere with accurate diagnosis.
Check the condition of your other horses as sometimes a change of feed can cause colic.

DIAGNOSIS / TREATMENT

A veterinarian will assess the signs to diagnose and establish the severity of the colic. Your records of the signs (see above) will greatly assist this process. The veterinarian may pass a stomach tube to determine the presence of gas in the stomach and also perform a rectal palpation for any evidence of a blockage. Blood tests may also be taken to asses the degree of shock.

Treatment will vary depending on the nature of the colic, and your veterinarian will decide the appropriate course of action. Colic management will generally include pain relief and medications to aid in re-establishment of normal digestive function.

A horse with colic or undergoing treatment may refuse all its normal feeds but will often eat fresh green grass unless the colic is extremely severe.

REDUCING THE RISK

The unique anatomy of the horse digestive tract can predispose to colic, however good management can play a key role in colic prevention.

Establish a set routine for feeding and exercise - avoid sudden changes.

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO REDUCE THE RISK OF COLIC

Feed a good quality diet composed mainly of roughage as the horse is an adaptive grazing animal. In its natural environment the horse will consume small quantities of feed over the entire day.
Feed according to the amount of work and/or the horse’s condition eg. A horse in full work, a pregnant or lactating mare will need additional energy in the diet.
Make dietary changes gradually. Introduce a new feed mixed with the existing diet over several days.
Divide any concentrate food evenly through the daily feeds - preferably mixed with chaff. DO NOT feed one single feed of a large quantity of concentrated feed.
Regular dental care
Minimize confinement time (eg a stable or small yard)
Provide fresh, clean water at all times (except immediately after strenuous exercise. When the horse is excessively hot when only small amounts should be offered).
Check hay, bedding, pastures and the environment for any toxic substances (eg mould, poisonous plants, or any foreign material - hay twine, plastic bags etc).
Avoid feeding off the ground on sandy soils or dirt / crusher dust yards - try to use feeders.
Implement a regular worm control program - consult your veterinarian for advice.
Any change in the intensity and duration of any exercise program should be undertaken gradually.
Reduce stress where possible. Horses experiencing a dramatic change in environment or workload (eg. traveling long distances, at shows) are at high risk of digestive dysfunction.
Maintain accurate management records of feed, parasite control and exercise regimes.

IN SUMMARY

Any horse can be susceptible to colic, however with appropriate care and management, the diligent horse owner can minimize the risk and have a long and happy relationship with their horse.

Alternative Therapies - Aloe Vera

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 05:28:38 GMT

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES - ALOE VERA

THE HISTORY OF SOME COMMONLY USED "ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES" - ALOE VERA

(Article by Dr. Charissa Francies Smith BVSc Dip Ac Acacia Animal Care; AVA Queensland News; December 2010.)

Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis, Aloe chinensis)

Aloe vera is a plant commonly used as a treatment for skin disease, and is a component of skin treatment formulas such as the shampoos released by Ken Mason in his Dermacare range in the late 1980's. Since then there have been a plethora of veterinary shampoos and gels using Aloe vera.

The commonly accepted first record of use was in a Sumerian clay tablet, found in the city of Nippur, inscribed around BC 2200. The first detailed discussion of Aloe's medicinal value is probably in an Egyptian document written BC 1550. This document gives twelve formulas for mixing Aloe wih other agents to treat both internal and external human disorders. Copra's Indigenous Drugs of India, 400 BC, showed it had widespread use "for external application to inflamed painful parts of the body and for purgation [internal cleansing]."

Dioscorides (41AD - 68 AD), master of Roman pharmacology, attributed to its juices "the power of binding, of inducing sleep." He noted as well that it "loosens the belly, cleansing the stomach." He further added that this "bitter" Aloe (the sap) was a treatment for boils; that it eased haemorrhoids, that it aided in healing bruises; that it was good for the tonsils, the gums, and all general mouth irritations; and that it worked as a medicine for the eyes." Dioscorides further observed that the whole leaf, when pulverised, could stop the bleeding of many wounds. This was the first comprehensive examination of its many uses to reach the western world.

Arabian physicians picked up the works of Dioscorides which were overlooked in medieval Europe apart from the works of the great feminist nun, Hildegtard von Bingen (1098-1179 AD). Its use was not common in Europe until the crusades (1096-1270 AD) when it is thought people people returning brought back the knowledge. In the middle ages Arabic herbalists were the forefront to western medicine especially in Iraq where some of the greatest practitioners existed, such as the Persian-born physician Avicenna (980-1037 AD). He is considered the inventor of distillation. Uses of Aloes in Arabia were recorded in texts reported to be now in the British Museum. At around the same time in China, Aloe vera was traditionally used as part of formulas as a bitter cold preparation for heated abdominal upsets and the dried juice of the leaf was the part used. This use was unlike the full leaf pulverising and laxative usage in our century. The text in which its use first appeared was "Materia Medica of the Jia You Era" by Zhang YU-Xi and Su Song in 1061. There was Arab migration to China at this time, so it is possible the use of Aloes travelled to China from Arabia.

In the 1800's in Australia, (family history by me) Aloe vera was planted near houses, and at the farm gate, and under the old gum tree as a treatment for parasites, a funny tummy, and the hot sweats, where the inside surface was cleaned from the leaf, a tea made from this and drunk. It was not commonly used for skin problems, as people only mashed up the whole leaf and in my opinion people were commonly overdosed, and too much of the inside of the leaf near the skin was used. My great-grandmother Francies (DOB 1860) used it as a threat to small children following the consumption of sweets. The 1905 British Veterinary Codex, from which students at University of Sydney were taught in 1968, describes several different types of aloe, credits it only with purgative properties, and defines its action as being only in the large intestine, it ignores all the soothing properties, and the differences between the inner and outer part of the plant.

In the post World War One era, herbalists increased in numbers and new authors espoused the use of Aloe vera, such as Mrs M Grieve in "A Modern Herbal" in 1931 where multiple uses and different species are described. In her book, "The Complete herbal handbook for Farm and Stable", Juliette de Bairacli Levi, 1952, used Aloe communis not vera, and refers to Arabic sources and multiple uses. Herbalists and alternative vets started to use Aloe barbadensis commonly as a gut immune system modifier, a skin treatment and cooling laxative and antiparasitic in the treatment of animals at this time.

The nest great step in the Australian veterinary use of Aloe vera comes in Wynn and Fougere's book "Veterinary Herbal Medicine p 464" published in 2007 (and subsequently reviewed by me in "The Veterinarian"). Here the multiple uses of Aloe vera were described in a format which made them easily available to all veterinarians, with scientific references. W and F describe the skin healing, the purgative action, immune modulating actions and actions of acemannan, a gut immune modulator commonly manufactured from Aloe vera. Its use as an anticancer and antiviral treatment is also described and is common among vets of the AHV. The side effects such as reduction in T3 and T4 levels (p 323), and interactions with other medicines is also described.

We are now more knowledgeable in the ways of plants, and know that an Aloe grown in China will have different properties to one grown in Gatton near the cow shed, and that plant will vary according to the season, and the soil. Judging from the texts, the Chinese variety is more cooling. We are aware that the juice has different properties from the heavy gel lining the leaf which is where the purgative and wound stimulating properties come. I keep a small leafed Aloe vera for making soothing gel for burns and allergic reactions, and a larger one for slow healing wounds and gut immunity. They both classify as Aloe vera, but are somewhat different in action!

Hurray for the humble Aloe!

Alternative Therapies - Flaxseed

jai@clearpixel.com.au (Jai Warner) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:45:53 GMT

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES - FLAXSEED

THE HISTORY OF SOME COMMONLY USED "ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES" - FLAX SEED (LINSEED)

(Article by Dr. Charissa Francies Smith BVSc Dip Ac Acacia Animal Care; AVA Queensland News; December 2010.)

Linum usitatissimum (Flax or Linseed)

The oil from the linseed or flax plant seeds has become a common supplement for small animals. It is used to provide antioxidants, and is part of some commercial dry foods. The seed itself is also espoused as a common supplement for pets, and the phytoestrogenic properties (detailed in Mills and Bone), "The Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: modern herbal medicine" 2000, p54 ISBN 0443060169) are commonly overlooked.

It is inexpensive, and if kept cool is long lasting. It came into vogue in the 1990's when according to a lecture at UQ given by Isobel Johnson, the balance of Omega 3, 6 and 9 was recommended to be ideal for dogs as an antioxidant reducing allergic skin irritation. Since then there have been many erudite articles describing its use e.g. Wynn and Chalmers "Alternative therapies for pruritic skin disorders", Clinical Techniques in Small Animal Practice, Vol 17:1 p 37-40. Wynn and Fougere have alerted us to the use of Flaxseed, not the oil as a cancer therapy p 301 "Veterinary Herbal Medicine" (2007, ISBN: 97803230299878).

Up until the 1980's flaxseed oil was commonly known as raw linseed oil, and was used mainly for large animals as a laxative and to put a shine on the coat.

When using it as a laxative in the 1970's for treating horse sand colic, it was mixed as one large beer bottle of beer to 1 large beer bottle of linseed oil, emulsified and used as a drench by stomach tube. This mixture could also be emulsified and used with warm saline (4 litres) and given rectally.

In Mrs M Grieve's book, "A Modern Herbal" (1931) she gives details of the multpile uses of the plant in human medicine over the centuries, but relegates it to a purgative in veterinary medicine. The seeds were used extensively for poulticing, and it is likely this was extended to race horse medicine in earlier centuries.

Bill Smith (my grandfather), repeated winner of Trotting races at Barraba and Tamworth in the 1930s used a combination of sulphur powder, molasses and linseed oil as a regular supplement to his horses to keep them "in trim"; 1 desertspoon sulphur powder, 1/2 cup linseed oil and 1/2 cup molasses per horse per day. At this level, it was not laxative. He also swore that if he gave a desertspoon per day of this mix over summer to his working dogs, he had no trouble with ticks.

The British Veterinary Codex of 1905 describes linseed oil as the fixed oil expressed from the ripe seeds if Linum usitatissimum . It also describes the acrid taste which comes with the oxidation of the oil which can occur rapidly when exposed to high temperatures such as commonly occur in the Queensland summer (this is a drawback to its use. The oxidised oils form trans fatty acids which may be carcinogenic when eaten). The Codex describes the occasional use in dogs for coat improvement, with the development of nausea; this may be due to oxidisation of the oil, to overdose, or to the palmitic and stearic acids whose quality can vary with the plant source. Good quality oil is pale in colour, has a bland smell, and has been kept refrigerated.

The linseed plant has been in use since recorded history. Cloth made from it was found in Egyptian tombs, and Joseph's coat of many colours in the Old Testament, and the shroud of Jesus Christ were made from it. Interestingly, there is little reference to it in Chinese herbal texts or in Culpepper's book, "The Complete Herbal" (1653), even though he has a whole section on the making of oils (Viper oil is most interesting). Aruvedic medicine made use of it following the spread of the plant in the 15-1600's, a large export trade in Linseed had developed by the end of the 19th century (Journal of the American OIl Chemists Society of America Vol 8, Aug 1929). In India it is called Alsi oiol, and its traditional use in animals where its immune modulating, antiparasitic and skin healing properties.

Ethno botanical history shows us we are only just beginning to understand the use of plant species on a broad scale and there is much to be learned. Many properties known to herbalists for centuries are now being proved corect.