Fall is a perfect time to make chore-efficient updates to your horse farm equipment and property. The weather is cool enough for hard work and the timing is good, allowing you to accomplish key tasks that will help you ease into and thrive through the coming winter months, when horse keeping is most challenging. Here is a fall to-do list to get you started:

1. Review your lighting needs.

During the winter, horse owners often have no choice but to feed both the morning and evening meals in the dark. As such, having indoor as well as outdoor lighting will help immensely with chore efficiency. Make sure you have enough light to weigh your hay and to ensure that you’re feeding quality hay that is mold-free and green. Cleaning paddocks and staying mud-free will be easier if there’s outdoor lighting so you can see the manure. Additionally, providing solar lighting along walkways or drives will help make nighttime travels safer. Prepare the proper lighting now, instead of waiting until the temperatures are freezing and you have to feed by flashlight, set up lighting in frozen ground or hang outside lights in sub-zero temperatures.

2. Consider your winter equipment needs.

The simple items are often the most beneficial — for example, a headlamp that frees up your hands for outside evening chores, like filling stock water tanks, or is handy in case of power outages. If winter storms are likely in your region, make sure you have fuel for your generators and cook stoves and batteries for your lanterns on hand. Manure carts that can push through snow (thanks to their higher clearance and wider tires), along with a sturdy manure fork, might also be useful. We like to keep a metal pitchfork and flat metal shovel on hand in case we need to chip away at frozen manure piles for removal.

3. Set up a water supply that won’t freeze or get ice-cold during winter weather events.

A horse drinks 8 to 12 gallons of water per day and prefers water temperatures of around 45 to 65 degrees. Horses drink less when the water is ice-cold, and research shows that they cannot get adequately hydrated by solely eating snow. Inadequate water intake can lead to colic, so make sure your horses are drinking enough. On very cold days, plan to break the ice twice daily — or consider getting a tank heater, a plug-in heated stall bucket or a heated muck bucket for the water.

4. Develop a back-up plan for watering your horses.

If you are concerned that you might lose power to your private well and/or you live in an area that often loses power you should have a back-up plan. Water can be stored in rain barrels or garbage cans. Emergency officials generally recommend keeping a three-day supply of water on hand, which translates to a minimum of 30 gallons of water per horse.

5. Check your turnout blankets.

Look for rips or other needed mending or washing so they will be ready for use when you need them. Blanketing horses appropriately in the winter is key for their ability to maintain body heat during cold weather.

6. Consider your own wintertime, water-proof clothing needs.

This is a fundamental but often overlooked step. As a horse owner, if there’s an emergency, you are likely to be working with horses in inclement weather for an undetermined amount of time. Invest in a good, waterproof jacket, insulated mud boots and insulated, waterproof gloves. These items will go a long way toward helping you stay ahead of your winter chores and will also be crucial if there’s a winter emergency. You are no good to your horses if you become hypothermic and have a medical emergency yourself.

7. Flood-proof your property.

If you live in a flood-prone area (e.g., near a creek, river or wetlands), it is good to review the high-water locations on your property. If it is difficult to visualize or determine where they are, get help from your county or your local conservation district. Acquaint yourself with the historic high-water locations recorded for your property. If you live in an extremely flood-prone area, it may be wise to consider building a “critter pad.” A critter pad is a large mound or small hill that’s built above flood level and is used to keep animals out of water. Critter pads usually require special permitting and must be specifically engineered using the approved fill material to ensure that they can stand up to high traffic, heavy rains and high volumes of water – and, of course, that they will remain above flood levels. In some cases, there may be funding or technical assistance available to help with the development of a critter pad. Contact your local conservation district, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for more assistance.

8. Check your gutters and downspouts.

Now is the time to clean and make needed repairs or additions to your roof runoff system. Doing this will benefit you and your horse by reducing the amount of mud your horse will have to stand in during the winter. It will also make chore time easier. “Keep clean rainwater clean,” as they say, by diverting rainwater away from your paddocks and high-traffic areas to a location where it won’t get muddy. Some good choices include grassy swales, dry wells, rain barrels, stock watering tanks, well-vegetated woods or an unused portion of your pasture.

9. Determine if you need footing for any of your confinement areas.

These areas get a lot of heavy use during winter and can often benefit from being bolstered with additional footing material. Footing — usually coarse-washed sand or crushed rock (no larger than 1 inch) — is generally the best choice and is also the easiest to clear of manure. Having 3 to 6 inches of footing material for horses to stand on will help with drainage and mud management and will also help eliminate erosion.

Taking these steps this fall will not only make your life easier come winter, but it will also contribute to your horse’s health all year long.

Read more tips and ideas on winter preparedness and nature-based solutions for horse property management at Horses for Clean Water.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my horses.

Inflammation has become one of the hottest health topics in recent years, and for good reason. Inflammation is the basis of any disease that ends in “-itis” — which, unfortunately, accounts for a large percentage of presenting medical conditions.

What is inflammation?

In and of itself, acute inflammation is not a bad thing. Inflammation is the body’s way of responding to any type of foreign invader or event. The immune system initiates an inflammatory response in order to handle anything and everything, from a wound or infection to bacteria and viruses.

There are five cardinal signs of inflammation:

1. Redness
2. Heat
3. Swelling
4. Pain
5. Loss of function

All of these signs indicate that the body is working to repair any damaged tissues and remove the potential danger.

Inflammation goes wrong when it becomes chronic, meaning that it is a longer-term issue in which the immune system responds inappropriately. In this case, the body is often on a loop of constant low-level inflammation that involves excessive levels of inflammatory cytokines and other proteins that can cause cellular damage at a microscopic level. This chronic inflammation is what puts us and our dogs at a higher risk of developing serious health conditions, ranging from immune diseases in dogs (such as inflammatory bowel disease, hypothyroidism, etc.) to skin and coat issues to heart disease and osteoarthritis. In many cases, chronic inflammation is a common cause of premature aging and a shorter lifespan because of its impact at the cellular level.

What causes chronic inflammation?

Chronic inflammation in dogs can be caused by environmental toxins or irritants, obesity and, perhaps most notably, an unhealthy diet. While it can be difficult to control or remove every inflammatory agent in today’s world, the good news is that science has made strong links between digestive tract health and inflammation — and nutrition is something that we definitely have the power to change.

In both human and animal medicine, the case for using natural, anti-inflammatory ingredients as a means to combat chronic inflammation is growing quickly. In the animal industry, this field of science is often referred to as immunonutrition, or the study of how specific nutrients can impact the immune system.

For example, any food that your dog may be allergic or sensitive to can cause inflammation, as can synthetics, toxins and other chemicals. In contrast, some anti-inflammatory ingredients in pet food diets include omega-3 fatty acids, pro- and prebiotics and other functional nutrients, such as antioxidants.

What are the signs of chronic inflammation in dogs?

A chronic immune response in dogs can manifest as:

• Low energy and fatigue
• Unwillingness to walk, play or exercise
• Weight management issues (i.e., dogs becoming overweight or obese or suddenly losing weight)
• Itchy, flaky or dry skin, which may lead to infection
• Pain and discomfort
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting, diarrhea or gastrointestinal (GI) distress

The link between the gut microbiome and inflammation

A dog’s gut microbiome is immediately affected by its diet, as food acts as the fuel for the living organisms in the digestive tract.

As such, our responsibility as pet lovers is to provide our furry companions with nutrients that play a long-term role in their health. In senior pets, especially, inflammation and the buildup of oxidative stress can negatively impact the aging process and can even lead to premature aging.

The ability to prevent premature aging — or “inflammaging,” as it has been coined — through the diet is key to canine longevity.

For dogs, science has learned that the smallest ingredients, or micronutrients, often make the biggest difference. One example of the micronutrients that are gaining attention from both scientists and consumers is pro- and prebiotics for senior pets. A 2019 study in senior beagles looked at the microbiome-related effects of a control diet versus a diet that included NVGEN, a proprietary blend from Alltech that includes prebiotics and other gut health promoters.

The dogs that were fed NVGEN showed higher levels of the bacteria that are associated with a healthy digestive tract, while the dogs fed a control diet had higher levels of the bacteria associated with inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Additionally, the dogs that were fed the diet that included NVGEN displayed significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein, a standard measurement of inflammation in the body. Feeding a diet that contained NVGEN resulted in a decrease of the amount of C-reactive protein to a normal level — which is a big deal for promoting healthy aging in dogs!

The anti-inflammatory pet plan

Inflammation is one of the most insidious symptoms of many chronic health conditions in pets. Inflammation can begin to manifest in pets in their younger years and can negatively affect the aging process as they become seniors.

An anti-inflammatory lifestyle is important for dogs at every life stage and includes:

• Managing the dog’s weight
• Feeding an age-appropriate, high-quality diet
• Regular exercise and activity
• Proper levels of mental stimulation (without creating excessive stress)
• Protecting and supporting the microbiome

The bottom line is that promoting a healthy inflammatory response and immune system in pets starts in the gut. Protecting the GI tract with ingredients such as the Alltech NVGEN pack is a critical step in improving pet food diets and, as a result, boosting the longevity of our beloved dogs.

I want to learn more about pet nutrition.

From June 2022, a zinc oxide ban, prohibiting the use of therapeutic doses of zinc oxide (ZnO) in animal feeds to control post-weaning diarrhea in piglets will come into effect in the European Union (EU). Although ZnO can still be used as a feed additive after this date, it will only be allowed at the maximum permitted dose rate of 150 ppm total dietary zinc. Before we discuss why all EU pig producers need to be ready to rear their pigs without pharmacological levels of ZnO by 2022, it is important to understand why the use of high levels of ZnO in swine nutritional diets has increased dramatically across the globe in recent years.  

Where it all began

At weaning, piglets are subject to a multitude of stress factors over a very short period that contribute to gastrointestinal tract and immune system disturbances. These factors can be:

1. Nutritional: Abrupt dietary change from sow milk to a dry, pelleted, predominantly vegetable-based diet formulation.

2. Environmental: Moving to new nursery accommodation with different housing conditions.

3. Health-based: Loss of passive immunity from the sow.

4. Physiological: Abrupt maternal separation, being handled and transported and mixing with unfamiliar pigs from other litters.

Because the pigs are under such stress, the early post-weaning period is typically characterized by poor growth performance (e.g., reduced feed intake) and increased susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhea.

Traditionally, pig producers relied heavily on antibiotic growth promoters in pre-starter and starter feeds to control pathogenic infections (mainly caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli) and improve pig growth performance in the first few weeks after weaning. This was common practice until various governmental bodies banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters, such as the European Parliament in 2003, due to growing concerns over increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The continual spread of AMR has dangerous consequences for not only animal but also human health.

Following this ban, pig producers had to seek alternatives to maintain optimal gut health and to reduce this post-weaning performance drop. As a result, the use of high levels of ZnO in piglet feeds (2,000 ppm or higher) became more widespread and was seen as common practice in the swine industry. It was shown to be an effective and relatively inexpensive tool for preventing and controlling post-weaning diarrhea, with subsequent improvements in piglet growth performance, feed intake and digestion. Although the precise mode of action of ZnO against post-weaning diarrhea in weaned piglets is not yet fully understood, it is believed to be related to a significant improvement in both intestinal morphology (i.e., improved structure and function) and nutrient digestion and absorption. 

Why ban pharmacological levels of ZnO?

Though there are several benefits of using ZnO in piglet feeds (preventing post-weaning diarrhea, maintaining health and performance, etc.), recent reports have highlighted its environmental impact, and we became aware of its contribution to the spread of AMR. It is, therefore, not surprising that regulations around its use are changing and why the EU decided to ban the use of pharmacological levels of ZnO in June 2022. However, it is not all bad news for the European pig industry, as there are several potential benefits to the upcoming ban on ZnO. Some of these benefits are:  

1. Reduced environmental pollution

As previously mentioned, there are environmental concerns over the continued use of high levels of ZnO. This is primarily because zinc accumulates in soil after zinc-rich pig manure is applied to the land as an organic fertilizer. These high levels of zinc in the soil and surface water are deemed an environmental pollutant and health risk and may also impact the absorption of other trace elements, such as iron.

2. Preventing antimicrobial resistance

Recent studies and reports have demonstrated ZnO’s contribution to the increase of AMR, as high levels of ZnO may increase the proportion of multi-drug-resistant E. coli in the intestines of piglets.

3. Avoiding zinc toxicity

Zinc remains a heavy metal and is, therefore, toxic to many living organisms, including pigs. Studies show that prolonged use of pharmacological levels of ZnO may negatively affect piglet health and performance, as demonstrated by a marked decrease in feed intake. 

4. Preventing nutritional interactions

High levels of ZnO can have a negative effect on phytase activity (an enzyme that is included in piglet feeds to enhance digestion), whereby the phosphorous cannot be released from phytase due to the formation of a complex of zinc with P-phytate. When ZnO is removed from piglet feeds, it should have a positive effect on phytase efficiency.

5. Avoiding changes to gut microbial composition

The use of pharmacological doses of ZnO may also cause changes to the gut microbial composition of piglets during the early post-weaning period by suppressing the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacilli. Such changes may negatively affect intestinal development and health in young piglets.

What is in store for pig-producing countries outside the EU?

Canada: Until recently, ZnO was typically included in piglet feeds at 2,500–5,000 ppm in Canada. However, Canada is now in the midst of imposing similar restrictions to that of the EU, which will see the level of ZnO allowed in piglet feeds reduced down to nutritional levels of 350 ppm.

China: The use of high levels of ZnO also came under scrutiny in China, and, as a result, China has drastically reduced its level of authorized dietary zinc supplementation, going from 2,250 ppm to 1,600 ppm in 2018.

United States and some Asian countries: It is very likely that the United States and some Asian countries will also implement similar restrictions on the use of pharmacological levels of ZnO in piglet diets in the near future. Although there are no restrictions currently in place in these regions, it is vital that swine producers avoid over use and start the process of working towards ZnO alternatives so that they are prepared when a ban inevitably comes into effect.

Until recently, ZnO represented one of the vital nutritional strategies for preventing and controlling diarrhea in young piglets and the associated detrimental post-weaning ‘growth check.’ However, increasing concerns over environmental pollution and contributions to the spread of AMR have led to an EU ban on the use of high levels of ZnO in piglet diets. Adopting a holistic strategy that encompasses optimal nutrition, management, biosecurity, health and welfare practices will be key to ensuring that pigs can thrive and survive in a post-ZnO era.     

Learn how the Alltech Seed, Feed, Weed solution can help you remove ZnO from your piglet diets, and start the conversation about how you can begin transitioning to ZnO-free piglet production by contacting the Alltech Gut Health Management team today.

This is part 1 of a 3-part series

*References available upon request

I want to learn more about nutrition for my pig herd.

Antibiotic-free poultry production has been a hot topic in recent years. Many countries have banned the use of antibiotics in animal feed as growth promoters due to concerns about antimicrobial resistance. In other countries, antibiotics that are medically important for humans have been voluntarily or regulated to be removed or significantly reduced in poultry production. There are also places where veterinarians prescribe antibiotics, and sick poultry can still be treated if a veterinarian deems it necessary.

With the reduced use of antibiotics in poultry production, many countries have decided to allow the use of chemical and ionophore anticoccidials to help offset some of the common challenges that arise in poultry production. Chemical and ionophore anticoccidials help manage a common and costly parasitic disease in poultry, coccidiosis.

Some restaurants and retailers have chosen to only use antibiotic-free poultry (e.g., “raised without antibiotics,” “no antibiotics ever,” etc.), in which no antibiotics can be used during poultry production.

Whether antibiotics are reduced or eliminated in poultry production, producers who manage poultry in these systems share the major goals of:

1. Ensuring good intestinal health in poultry to optimize growth performance as well as prevent poultry diseases, such as necrotic enteritis and coccidia.

2. Producing safe, healthy food for the growing global population.

How are antibiotics used in global poultry production?

The three main programs regarding antibiotic use in global poultry production are:

1. “No antibiotics ever” or “raised without antibiotics”: Poultry that has never been fed any antibiotics (including ionophore anticoccidials). Products from these systems are clearly labeled to differentiate them from other production systems.

2. Reduced antibiotic use: Allows antibiotics not used in human medicine (e.g., chemical and ionophore anticoccidials), excluding medically important antibiotics. This type of production may label the meat in some countries, while it may be the standard production system in others. 

3. Antibiotics used as growth promoters (AGP): Some countries still use antibiotics at lower levels with the intent to support poultry growth. However, if producers from these countries are exporting to markets with reduced antibiotic use/“no antibiotics ever” production policies, then they must meet those specific criteria.

Why is antibiotic-free poultry production becoming increasingly popular?

Consumer concerns about antibiotic resistance:

Decades after the invention of penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928, antimicrobials came into wide use in the global poultry industry in the 1940s to treat parasitic diseases and specific bacterial infections, as well as to improve growth and efficiency.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals accelerates the process.

Antimicrobial resistance can impact both animals as well as humans. Antimicrobial resistance (to anticoccidials and antibiotics) can be found in the poultry flock and create issues when managing or treating an illness within the flock. There is still a debate as to whether antibiotic resistance in agriculture or companion animals strongly influences antibiotic resistance in humans. 

There is an acknowledgment that human medicine is the primary driver of antibiotic-resistant infections in humans. However, “no antibiotics ever” poultry production in many developed countries has become increasingly popular due to a consumer perception that antibiotic-free produced poultry is superior to conventionally raised poultry, even if that poultry is raised with reduced antibiotic use.

Recent regulations to ensure human safety:

From a regulatory standpoint, many countries across the globe have introduced policies regarding AGP due to antimicrobial resistance concerns.

Some countries brought in overall regulatory change for all poultry production practices; several have made some regulatory changes, while in other countries, the industry voluntarily made changes. Some retailers and restaurant chains around the globe have chosen to produce or purchase poultry meat raised with reduced or no use of antibiotics. Overall, these examples show that the poultry industry continues to do what is needed to meet consumer demands. 

What are common challenges of antibiotic-reduced or antibiotic-free poultry production?

Common challenges that poultry producers face when switching to antibiotic-free are poor gut health, reduced bird immunity and a decrease in growth performance.

1. Gut health

One of the producers’ top concerns about not using AGP is leaving the birds more susceptible to gut health issues. A healthy gut is more than just the absence of clinical diseases; it is about sustainably producing birds to reach their full genetic potential.

Below is an infographic of a healthy gut that efficiently absorbs nutrients (top image) compared to an unhealthy gut (bottom two images).

2. Poultry immunity and growth performance

Another challenge when considering switching from traditional to antibiotic-free poultry production is poultry diseases, especially enteric diseases such as coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE), caused by species of Eimeria and Clostridium perfringens, respectively. Consideration must also go to viral challenges, which may lead to secondary bacterial issues that take advantage of the weakened immune system. 

In addition to disease, overall poultry health, growth and immune function can be negatively impacted by other stressors, such as feed, water, environmental and behavioral. These stressors, if significant, can themselves create issues. But problems can also develop if there are many small stressors, especially if these are combined with a low, moderate, or high disease challenge.

Depending on the challenge levels, the bird’s natural immunity will not be enough to manage the threat. Because of this, it is always better to work on a preventative rather than reactive basis. Prevention must be a holistic approach that considers feed, water, environment and bird management, as well as an implementable feed additive program. Typically, in antibiotic-reduced or antibiotic-free poultry production programs, a combination of non-antibiotic additives are included in the feed or water as alternatives to antibiotics.

Examples of alternatives to antibiotics: non-antibiotic feed additives

• Probiotics (“direct-fed microbials,” “viable microbial products”): Live microbial supplements with defined microorganisms that beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance.  
• Enzymes: Substances produced by a living organism that help convert a less digestible component of feed (e.g., sugar, fiber, protein) into a more easily absorbed form for animals to utilize.
• Prebiotics: “A selectively fermented ingredient that results in specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, thus conferring benefit(s) upon host health” (ISAPP, 2008). 
• Yeasts: There are 1,500 different yeast species, with a few being used as agriculture feed additives. Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be used in many different forms, including a whole live yeast, the outer yeast cell wall, the inner yeast cell wall and the yeast extract.
• Mannan Rich Fraction (MRF): A second-generation form derived from nutrigenomics analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan oligosaccharides. Research has demonstrated that MRF can support immune defense, gut microbial health, gut function and development.
• Organic acids: Acids with weak acidic properties that do not separate completely in the presence of water. Some examples of organic acids are citric acid, short-chain fatty acids (e.g., acetic, butyric acid) and medium-chain fatty acids (e.g., lauric, caproic acid). Each type of organic acid has unique properties and can be used for different purposes in poultry production.
• Inorganic acids: Mineral acids that contain no carbon atoms and break down completely in the presence of water (e.g., phosphoric acid). Often used to make the pH of water or feed more acidic quickly.
• Phytobiotics: Plant compounds and extracts from herbs and spices with multiple benefits, including antimicrobial, anticoccidial and immune support.
• Postbiotics: Soluble, non-viable metabolites produced by a bacterial or probiotic metabolic process that can reduce the gut pH, prohibit opportunistic pathogen proliferation and enhance host health (Aguilar-Toalá et al., 2018).

How can producers address the challenges of antibiotic-reduced or antibiotic-free poultry production?

Reducing antibiotic use with the Seed, Feed, Weed concept

Imagine sowing seeds of crops you want to grow, fertilizing the crops for optimal growth and weeding out other plants that may prevent your crop from growing optimally.

Applying this concept to poultry, the Alltech Seed, Feed, Weed (SFW) program aids in reducing antibiotic usage by:

• Seeding the gut with favorable organisms for improved performance in young poultry. It is crucial to first seed the intestine with the correct bacteria as soon as possible after hatch.
• Feeding a favorable environment to provide a competitive advantage to favorable bacteria, which are tolerant to acidic environments, unlike most pathogens. Once a beneficial microflora community and intestinal ecology are established, the villi will flourish. The healthier the villi a bird has, the more efficiently nutrients are absorbed, which leads to a better feed conversion rate.
• Weeding out unfavorable bacteria by selective exclusion. The gut can also contain harmful pathogenic microbes, which can damage the villi. It is necessary to weed them out before they can attach to the gut lining and replicate enough to cause disease. 

While antibiotics still have a crucial role in disease outbreak incidences, effective gut health management using the SFW program has been shown to reduce the need for antibiotic use in many commercial flocks, as well as enhance performance across several measures. Ultimately, the SFW program helps ensure poultry producers achieve more efficient, profitable and sustainable production.

As some producers have demonstrated, focusing on gut health is the foundation for performance and profitability in poultry production.

Paired with effective biosecurity, bird, water and farm management, the Alltech SFW solution helps producers get one step further on the path of improved performance and reduced antibiotic use.

References are available upon request.

I want to learn more about poultry nutrition. 

The receiving period can be a stressful time for cattle. Recently, during the Alltech ONE Ideas Conference, Dr. Carlo Sgoifo Rossi gave a presentation titled “Receiving With Ease: Minimizing Stress During the Adaptation Phase.” Dr. Sgoifo Rossi is currently an associate professor in the department of veterinary science and technology for food safety at the State University of Milan. Utilizing his perspective and knowledge of the European beef production system, Dr. Sgoifo Rossi shared some information about the various considerations related to stress and adaptation that producers should keep in mind when implementing feeding programs and management practices.

When cattle are undergoing a transition like weaning and receiving, they experience stressors, including:

• Transportation
• Interactions with other cattle
• Interactions with humans
• Changes in nutrition

These stressors can have a major impact on cattle and can lead to such issues as changes in their immunodeficiency, reduced rumen motility, altered nutrient absorption, increased nutrient requirements and an upsurge of mineral excretion by the kidneys.

Receiving stress can lead to BRD

Regarding immune function, one common but highly concerning issue is bovine respiratory disease (BRD), which can strongly affect the performance of cattle. As illustrated in Figure 1, cattle who arrive and are treated for BRD can exhibit a decrease in average daily gains. It is also important to understand that animals who experience BRD often produce meat with lower marbling and quality grades. Considering all of these factors, mitigating BRD is important not only for the animal’s quality of life but for the producer’s bottom line and the consumer’s satisfaction.

Appropriate sanitary conditions make a difference

While the health of newly arriving animals is impacted by their location of origin, it is also greatly affected by the sanitation and management of the receiving location. According to Dr. Sgoifo Rossi, “The type of vaccination, the type of antibiotics used (and) the type of anti-parasitic product can affect the sanitary conditions of our animals.” Dr. Sgoifo Rossi encouraged producers to approach sanitation with an understanding of their specific herd and facilities and posited that, for some beef production systems, the strategy of going “all-in and all-out with cleaning and disinfection” is the best approach.

Nutrition is critical in the cattle business

When talking about management, we must be sure to properly feed and rehydrate the cattle upon arrival. Ensuring that clean drinking water is readily available and being conscious of the arrival diet are both crucial. Feeding the arrival diets in small amounts multiple times a day is recommended, as this will reduce competition among the animals, giving each of them an opportunity to receive adequate amounts of protein and energy. Arriving cattle can sometimes be considered high risk, making this a critical period for helping them recover properly and get back to normal rumen functionality.

Studies have shown that the appropriate arrival diet should have a crude protein and dry matter composition of less than 13%.

“Several studies show that if we improve the crude protein level of adaptation diets or the energy level of adaptation diets, we increase not only the incidence of morbidity but also the severity of morbidity and, consequently, the risk of mortality,” Dr. Sgoifo Rossi said.

Additionally, with the arrival diet typically being richer in forage and higher in fiber, reducing the chop length of the fiber will also reduce the likelihood that animals will sort through the ration. This is important, because sorting can cause cattle to eat too much starch or protein, which can lead to fluctuations in the pH level.

Consider all of the nutritional needs of arriving cattle

Unsurprisingly, it is also important to consider the nutrients available in the arrival diet. Providing new-arrival animals with the proper nutrients will improve their immunity, digestibility, and energy and protein balances.

To recover rumen and immune system functionality in newly arrived cattle, it is important to consider diets that include the following:

• High levels of digestible fiber
• Yeast
• Mannan oligosaccharides (MOS)
• Slow-release nitrogen
• Vitamins
• Minerals

As mentioned previously, the arrival period is so critical for getting cattle right. Vitamins, minerals and other supplements can help improve their feed and can be fundamental in helping these cattle adapt to their new home. In his presentation, Dr. Sgoifo Rossi mentioned that studies have shown that organic zinc and selenium, live yeast and mannan oligosaccharides can be huge players in the reduction of morbidity and mortality in these potentially high-risk cattle.

Too often, producers and nutritionists underestimate the importance of these ingredients, leading to negative results. Dr. Sgoifo Rossi shared a study completed in Italy that examined the mineral status and mineral plasma levels of cattle after arrival. This trial focused on the evaluation of various mineral levels in the blood immediately after arrival. As shown in Figure 2, 83% of new-arrival beef cattle were in a deficient or sub-deficient condition regarding their copper availability, and 30% displayed deficient or sub-deficient zinc availability and reserves.

Weather can be a stressor

Weather can play a significant role in cattle stress, and more thoughtful management practices should be implemented with the weather in mind. Spring, summer and fall are less of a concern when it comes to sanitation management, but winter is a critical period for sanitation. Producers often forget to consider the relationship between temperature and humidity during the winter and how it can lead to cold stress. This can create a potentially dangerous environment for cattle and can result in increased incidences and more severe cases of BVD. As shown in Figure 3, low-temperature, high-humidity environments can create a risk area where sanitation conditions are an issue, leading to a slower adaptation for arriving animals.

As previously mentioned, there are challenges leading up to and during the receiving period that can result in the highest risks of morbidity and mortality. Implementing the proper sanitation and vaccination protocols, providing sick animals with antibiotics, being proactive about their nutrition, and understanding which management practices to use based on the origin of your cattle, as well as their transportation details and the time of year, are all effective ways to mitigate any potential challenges associated with receiving cattle.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my beef cattle.

In the dairy industry, successfully implementing solutions that “kill two birds with one stone” requires innovation and usable data. Finding ways to reduce the carbon footprint on dairy cattle operations while also maintaining high milk production is just that kind of situation.

It is important to understand that dairy production is on a continuous path of growth. Some insightful data provided by the IFCN shows that global milk production is projected to increase by 35% between 2017 and 2030. This level of growth is promising for the industry but will also present many challenges and raise questions about our ability to provide more with fewer resources while adopting practices that are environmentally sound. To top everything off, all of this must be achieved while also continuing to increase transparency for consumers about how their milk is produced.

The main question is: Can we reduce the carbon footprint of milk while also improving our production and profitability?

Greenhouse gases have been a trending topic among consumers for several years, and this topic is now resonating more with dairy farmers across the world, as new regulations and initiatives are being presented. To achieve reduced emissions, we must look at ways to optimize production — including via nutritional solutions, which will play a very big role as we go forward.

Dairy producers can utilize nutritional solutions as tools for reducing methane emissions from dairy cows, but technologies that offer environmental benefits cannot compromise on animal performance, as doing so would mean requiring more animals to meet the growing demand for food. However, before looking to implement any of these solutions, dairy producers will need to measure their carbon footprint.

TOOL ONE: Alltech E-CO₂

To successfully reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, we must first know where these emissions come from. Analytical services, such as Alltech E-CO₂, identify and quantify these hotspots through accredited environmental assessments. Over the past 10 years and more than 10,000 assessments, Alltech E-CO₂ has found that the two largest sources of emissions on dairy farms are enteric emissions (i.e., methane from the rumen) and feed use. Together, these two sources contribute more than 60% of all emissions on dairy operations. These sources relate to rumen health and an animal’s ability to best maximize the feed it is being fed. By ensuring the production of a healthy and productive cow, we are helping operations improve their production efficiency while also enabling energy to be utilized for milk production and regular body maintenance, rather than being wasted by fighting health challenges. This type of information is critical for identifying targeted solutions that will enhance our methane mitigation strategies.

To successfully reduce a farm’s carbon footprint, we must look beyond one gas in one area and consider the balance of emissions across the entire farm. A lifecycle observation is one way of doing that, and it’s all about identifying opportunities to reduce waste and improve farm efficiency, which will translate to more money for the producer.

Learn more about Alltech E-CO₂ here.

Read on to learn more about two nutritional solutions that work to target the areas where there is room for improvement, as identified by Alltech E-CO₂.

TOOL TWO: Optigen^®

Optigen is a feed ingredient backed by years of robust research data that works to support production efficiency and sustainability. Optigen, a concentrated source of non-protein nitrogen, releases nitrogen into the rumen in a slow-release form. This provides a sustained release of ammonia in the rumen in sync with fermented carbohydrate digestion, thus allowing for efficient microbial protein synthesis in the rumen.  

In order to gather clear evidence that shows how we can use feed strategies to reduce our carbon footprint, the FAO developed a standard guideline for the environmental performance of feed additives in the livestock supply chain. These standards recommend the use of data from meta-analyses and life cycle analyses. Meta-analyses make it possible to combine data from years of multiple studies to arrive at an evidence-based conclusion by using comprehensive statistical procedures. Life-cycle analyses allow us to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions along the entire supply chain or in the production cycle of a particular product. Combining these two approaches demonstrates how feeding technologies can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and/or better sustainability credentials.

Included here is an example of a meta-analysis of Optigen. The data from this meta-analysis indicate that, over the course of around two decades, research has shown that using Optigen is associated with a 23% reduction, on average, of plant protein sources in the diet. Soybean meal, specifically, can be reduced by about 21%, and an increase in feed efficiency of around 3% has also been documented. Additionally, diets that include Optigen and use reduced amounts of plant protein sources have been shown to improve nitrogen utilization efficiency by 4%, leading to a 14% reduction in the total carbon footprint of the diets of animals used in milk production.

 Read the full meta-analysis here.

TOOL 3: Yea-Sacc^®

There are some products on the market — like yeast cultures — that can help improve production efficiency while also reducing the carbon footprint of an operation. Yea-Sacc is a yeast culture based on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain of yeast. Yea-Sacc modifies rumen activity by supporting a consistent improvement in the growth and activity of lactic acid-utilizing bacteria, which helps stabilize the rumen pH. At the same time, it also works to improve the digestion and utilization of nutrients. Thanks to these types of improvements, cows can absorb more nutrients for higher milk production.

Utilizing a meta-analysis approach once again, a collection of 31 studies has shown that feeding Yea-Sacc to dairy cows can lead to an increased milk yield of 1 kg/head/day, on average, and can reduce the carbon footprint and nitrogen emission intensity by around 3% and 5.4%, respectively. These numbers demonstrate that it is possible for milk production efficiency to increase and for the carbon footprint and nitrogen excretion intensity to decrease simultaneously.

Explore the additional benefits of Yea-Sacc here.

At the beginning of this blog, we posed a question: Can we reduce the carbon footprint of milk while also improving our production and profitability? With proven tools like the ones outlined here, the answer to that question is yes: It is possible to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy production and to improve our economic returns and performance at the same time. Based on the data compiled in various meta-analyses, it is clear that there are feeding solutions on the market that farmers can use to reduce their emissions and increase their productivity and profitability in conjunction with nutritional strategies that will help improve production efficiency in dairy systems.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my dairy.

Feed is expensive — especially the grains that serve as the major energy source in most finishing rations for beef cattle. With this expense on the rise, nutritionists work hard to make sure that their feedlot rations for beef cattle are high-quality feeds that support weight gain and feed conversion efficiency. 

Energy is a key element to consider when developing a feed to promote weight gain in beef cattle. Both grains and forages contain energy that is useful when finishing beef cattle. Grains are considered high-energy feeds because the energy in grains comes largely from starch. Starch is composed of glucose chains, which can easily be broken down by rumen microorganisms. The structural components of forage — such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin — surround the nutrients with complex linkages. Rumen microbes can’t always break these linkages, however, limiting the availability of energy in the forage. This is particularly true for feedlot cattle, as the ruminal pH of feedlot cattle is less than optimal for fibrolytic microorganisms, resulting in reduced fiber digestion.

When thinking of these structural components, imagine them as locks protecting the energy and nutrients in feedstuffs. Enzymes — which are either endogenous, from the microbial population, or the exogenous enzymes in feed additives — can break apart these protective structural components, unlocking both the potential of feeds and the potential of the cattle being fed.

Enzymes can make a difference in finishing cattle

The scientific literature shows inconsistent results for enzyme use in beef cattle diets. However, this is likely due to the wide variety of enzymes that have been tested, the vast array of feedstuffs that have been used in experimental diets, and the kind of data that has been recorded. For example, cattle grazing cool-season versus tropical grasses have different enzymatic needs, because those grasses have different chemical compositions. The same goes for cattle consuming corn silage versus barley-based finishing diets. This is especially true in diets that utilize byproducts, as the most easily accessible nutrients have generally already been extracted by the initial industry that processed the material.

• Starch-based diets: Corn, barley
• Forage-based diets: Corn silage, barley silage, hay and grasses
• Byproducts in diets: Corn gluten meal, distillers grains, cottonseed hulls, etc.

The rumen is a complex, enzyme-rich environment. The microbes of the rumen can break down most components of foods — but the extent and speed of this breakdown is often a limiting factor for nutrient release. A common question when discussing rumen efficiency is: Can a small enzyme addition really make a change in rumen function and feed digestion?

For an enzyme to be effective, several factors need to be met:

• It must fill a gap in feed digestion not met by the existing microbiota.
• The type of linkage it opens must be present in the feed.
• The enzyme needs to be stable in stored and mixed feed.
• The enzyme must be active at rumen temperature and pH.
• It must be able to survive in the feed.

Returning to the lock-and-key metaphor about enzymes, any enzyme added to a diet must fit the “locks” on the components of that diet.

How do you measure enzyme efficacy in finishing cattle?

Measuring the effects and value of enzymes can be tricky. Often, researchers expect an increase in the rate or extent of digestion for a particular diet component — and sometimes, they are right. Other times, however, the enzyme acts in an unanticipated way, such as changing the rate of passage to promote feed intake, shifting the metabolites available to microbes in the rumen, or even affecting downstream metabolic processes. If researchers are not measuring these actions, they may conclude that the enzyme had no effect, when in reality, they were simply looking in the wrong direction and missed the action of the enzyme. As such, in enzyme research, it is important to look beyond intake, weight gain and feed conversion and to measure a wide range of parameters to fully capture the effects and mechanisms of a given enzyme. 

Outside of the scientific realm, it’s important to recognize what you expect an enzyme to do when it is added to the diet. Here are a few common reasons for utilizing enzymes:

• By incorporating enzymes into your finishing rations for beef cattle, you may be able to utilize lower-cost ingredients in the diet while still experiencing equal performance.
• Enzymes can help improve feed efficiency in feedlot cattle without making any other changes to the diet.
• Getting more pounds on your animals can be possible with enzymes. Certain enzymes can support superior carcass weight. More pounds per day = more dollars.
• Some enzymes reduce digesta viscosity, which can contribute to better post-ruminal nutrient absorption and support digestive health. Get the most out of your rations.

Look at your cattle’s diet and your goals for your operation. Could enzymes help you reach those goals?

There are enzyme options available — just know your goals

Most research on cattle focuses on tweaking existing procedures, feeding plans, etc. Researching enzymes takes years of trial and error, on both the benchtop and in the animal, to find effective, cost-efficient, scalable options. This type of research is slow but generates the knowledge that can lead to new insights and technologies that allow us to maximize feed efficiency in feedlot cattle. New enzymes are popping up regularly. If you choose to utilize these additives in your feedlot rations, be sure that they are effective on the ration ingredients you use and will provide the results you want in your operation. Consult with your nutritionist or an Alltech representative below to learn more about how enzymes can work in your operation.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my beef cattle.

A comprehensive biosecurity program is the first line of defense in keeping the pig farm safe from outside threats and risks. But what role does nutrition play, both in the sustainability of our food chain and how we reduce the risk of viral diseases in our pig populations around the world?

In a panel discussion at Alltech’s ONE Idea Conference, Dr. Barry Kerkaert, president of Pipestone Management, Dr. Scott Dee, director of applied research at Pipestone Veterinary Services and Dr. Jon De Jong, president of Pipestone Nutrition, discussed how a porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) outbreak in their farms led to a surprising discovery about how it was transmitted and what they have done to help prevent future issues.

Feed as a risk for viral transmission

As people in livestock and agriculture know, a huge part of a farmer’s success depends on animal health. When a farm is challenged by diseases such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) or PED, it is all-hands-on-deck to determine what caused the outbreak and stop it from spreading further.

When PED was first introduced into the United States in 2013, affected farms initially seemed to have no connections, whether animal, transport or people connection. Questions arose surrounding what was causing the virus to spread so rapidly. Then, in early 2014, four barns in the Pipestone system had an outbreak in under 24 hours, prompting an investigation that would eventually lead to a breakthrough discovery about the role of feed in viral transmission.

The feed mill connection

Part of Pipestone’s thorough investigation was looking into the feed mill. As they continued to dig deeper into how PED spread in these secluded farms, they found that the four farms all received feed out of the same batch from the same feed mill. However, other farms fed using the same mill with no disease issues were fed out of a different batch. Because of this discovery, Pipestone decided to pursue feed’s role in transmitting the virus aggressively. Dr. Scott Dee and Pipestone’s veterinary and nutrition teams quickly concluded that feed, based on their observations and collected data, was responsible for moving this virus throughout their farms. It was a monumental discovery — the first time in the history of veterinary medicine that the transmission of PED had been shown experimentally through feed.

Now, seven years later, new studies show that other viruses, such as PRRS, African swine fever (ASF), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), hog cholera or classical swine fever (CSF) and Senecavirus (SVA), live in feed and provide even more evidence that feed ingredients represent a risk for transporting pathogens at domestic and global levels (Dee et al., 2018).

The cost of an outbreak: The financial and human toll

When thinking about disease outbreaks on their sow farms, Pipestone considered the cost to both the farm and the downstream flow. It is estimated that for their farms, with around 5,400 sows, a PRRS break would cost $1.5 million. The cost to include their preferred mitigant as part of their biosecurity program was approximately $0.30–0.40 per weaned pig.

“When I start thinking about mitigation, and we just do the math, $0.30 a weaned pig annualized off those sow farms, we need to prevent one PRRS break every 22 years from feed in order for that mitigation product really to be a breakeven, to pay for itself,” Dr. De Jong said, explaining how using their mitigant of choice was a no-brainer. “So, when we looked at it, it seemed like, geez, I sure think we can reduce at least one break in a 20-year timeframe with the use of a mitigant specifically targeting some of those higher-risk times of the year when we've got some cold weather up here in Minnesota and South Dakota.”

However, the financial toll of a disease outbreak is just a piece of the puzzle. When looking at a mitigation plan, farmers make decisions based on the health and safety of their pigs. Still, it is also vital to recognize an essential of sustainability: the employee — their health and attitude, which makes them want to come to work every day. When the animals are unhealthy, the team’s morale deteriorates, and that can result in higher turnover, usually leading to poorer results.

Biosecurity starts with feed safety

Does feed pose a disease contamination threat on a farm? Absolutely. Is it the leading risk or the only risk? Absolutely not. However, it is part of a biosecurity program that needs consideration and thought. While other factors contribute to disease risk, a comprehensive biosecurity program is one of the most important programs a farm can put in place. It acts as the farm’s guard to keep it safe from outside threats and risks, and the first line of defense starts with feed safety.

To watch the full panel discussion from the Alltech ONE Ideas Conference, click here.

References:

Dee, S. A., Bauermann, F. V., Niederwerder, M. C., Singrey, A., Clement, T., de Lima, M., & Petrovan, V. (2018). Survival of viral pathogens in animal feed ingredients under transboundary shipping models. PloS one, 13(3), e0194509. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194509

I want to learn more about nutrition for my pig herd.

While your average person is still snuggled underneath their blankets in the early morning, Corne VanDenAkker can be found in his barn, tending to the task of milking his herd of cows. There, he reflects on his relationship with farming, which is rooted in a tradition going back almost forty years, beginning when his family made the move from their homeland in Holland to their current homestead in Canada. Upon making the choice to continue this farming tradition, VanDenAkker began farming full-time on his own land and tending his herd after earning a degree from the University of Guelph. Since then, he has grown his herd to over 100 head, added milking robots to modernize his operation, and is continuously seeking how to become a better, more efficient and sustainable farmer.

Through his years of experience, VanDenAkker knows the importance of being cognizant of what goes into his dairy cows in terms of what they eat and the balance of nutrients required to maintain his herd health and optimal milk production. However, he was unsure if he would be able to support his herd with the yields from his own fields. 

Everything we grow goes into our cows

“Everything we grow goes into our cows,” VanDenAkker noted when discussing the 250 acres of corn that is farmed and destined for his own silage. “I didn’t know if I could feed them enough to support the milk.”

VanDenAkker has long used Alltech products such as Yea-Sacc and Optigen in his livestock feed, and five years ago, he was introduced to Grain-Set, an Alltech Crop Science product geared toward grain crops. He began applying it on 40 of his silage corn acres, and over the years since, he has seen consistent results at every harvest. 

“Year after year, we are seeing improved cob fill and an increase in the number of bushels we are getting from those fields when compared to the untreated area,” VanDerAkken said, adding that his average increase is more than 10 bushels per acre.

This crop yield increase is formidable, but the data that really impressed VanDenAkker came after he began feeding his Grain-Set-treated corn silage to his cows. 

“They increased their milk production when we switched,” he said. “I saw a trend in the increase but couldn’t be sure (that it was totally related to Grain-Set).” 

Backed by Science

VanDenAkker’s curiosity about the results prompted him to dig deeper into what he was seeing, and he decided to send samples of both his treated and untreated corn silage for analytical testing. The results spoke for themselves: The Alltech Crop Science-treated corn silage showed a 5.8% increase in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility. This meant that the dairy cows were getting more energy and taking in more nutrients from the feed, allowing them to not only increase their milk production but to also have more balanced rumen health. These improvements help increase farmers’ profitability and make their systems more efficient.       

What is the science behind these results? Simply put: nutrigenomics. Gene expression helps corn silage crops better withstand environmentally stressful conditions, like drought or overly wet soils, and both biotic and abiotic stress. The plants respond by inducing their own resistance to these stressors and improving their own performance.  

Based on these results, VanDenAkker is enthusiastic about his plans to continue using Grain-Set on his silage corn. When asked about the difference he has seen in his cows, VanDenAkker smiled pragmatically and said, “I feed the cows myself, and I can see the results for myself. They are eating better and getting what they need from the feed. I always had good cows, but they are very decent now.”

What is Grain-Set?

Grain-Set is a unique blend of micronutrients and fermentation products and is specifically formulated for cereal, grain, forage and oil crop production.

• Provides nutrients essential for plant metabolic processes
• Increases grain weight and yield
• Optimizes crop uniformity
• Improves grain fill and quality
• OMRI-listed for use in organic production

Have a question? Contact us!

To better understand the seemingly daunting task of achieving sustainability in the equine industry, we can learn from others who have already successfully implemented some environmentally friendly equine management practices. Two Horse Ranch, a five-acre horse property in the busy Seattle suburb of Redmond, Washington — home of Microsoft, Nintendo and 65,000 residents — has implemented several sustainable day-to-day barn management practices in an effort to be a more environmentally conscious horse farm.

On farms with small acreage, everything in the horse farm management system needs to fit together neatly and efficiently — especially with respect to the farm’s neighbors and the ecosystem. Join us on this horse property tour as we look at the land management practices these horse owners are using to reduce mud, manage manure, increase pasture productivity and operate in a way that makes their farm as horse-healthy and eco-friendly as possible.

1. Streamside riparian area. Two Horse Ranch is located on the salmon-spawning stream of Bear Creek. As a result, landowners Rita and Mark Hampson have chosen not to use herbicides or pesticides; chemical runoff, as well as runoff from mismanaged manure piles or muddy paddocks, can adversely affect water quality as well as plant and animal life in the corridor along the stream, called a “riparian area.” Instead, Two Horse Ranch is carefully managed to keep horses well away from the stream banks. Additionally, native trees and shrubs — nature's biocontrol for filtering out dirty runoff — have been planted all along the stream corridor. Vegetation also helps prevent soil erosion and provides food and shelter for fish and other aquatic life. The overhead canopy of trees and tall shrubs shades the water, keeping it cool in the summer, which fish like. Large, woody debris in the stream slows the current, provides habitat diversity and shelters aquatic creatures. These landowners enjoy looking at the beautiful native plants along the water, as well as beavers, river otters, eagles, ospreys, cormorants, herons, mergansers, the occasional deer, bobcats, bears and, of course, rabbits. The center-stage stars of the show are the wild salmon, which return in the fall and migrate upstream to spawn.

2. Paddocks. Using a confinement area as the horses’ outdoor living quarters keeps horses from over-using and subsequently destroying pastures. Paddocks can be designed to be mud-free and still contain “enrichment,” or stimulating opportunities for these highly intelligent animals, helping them avoid getting bored or developing bad habits like wood-chewing or pacing. Rita and Mark have designed large, mud-free dry-lots for their horses that are situated on a portion of their property with well-draining soils. Removing manure daily reduces the potential for mud, and they also use gravel footing (5/8-inch crushed rock mixed with pea gravel) in high-traffic areas to prevent erosion and mud build-up. Occasionally, they also add a pile of sand for the horses to roll and play in as well. They have re-shaped the slope slightly to allow for improved drainage and to reduce the likelihood of water pooling. Surface water runoff is directed toward grassy areas, which provide biofiltration for any potential sediment or nutrients (from manure or urine) so that dirty runoff never reaches Bear Creek.

3. Protecting drinking water. Like many rural landowners, the Hampsons have their own well and septic system. They know that taking care of both systems saves them money in the long run, and it’s also important for water quality, as a failed septic system can cause waste to leak into the groundwater or streams like Bear Creek. Their septic system is located well away from confinement areas and from the creek. The well head for this property is protected with a small well house (pictured here) and is located about 25 feet from the paddock. Daily manure pick-up and efficient drainage of the paddock are essential to protecting the well. Ideally, the well head would be further away from any livestock activity, but small-acreage horse farm owners must often work within their unique constraints to puzzle things together as best possible. 

4. Tree buffers. Along the perimeter of the paddock are native trees, fenced off from the horses, that act as a visual buffer for neighbors (to the right) and as a shelter for birds and small wildlife. Native plants work best for wildlife habitats, as they have evolved over thousands of years in a particular region to provide habitat for a variety of native wildlife species, such as songbirds and butterflies.  

5. Shelters. These individual 14’ x 14’ shelters were designed to provide horses with protection from extreme weather conditions while still offering excellent ventilation and a clean, dry place to feed. The floors are made of rubber stall mats placed over six inches of packed, level gravel. The shelters’ openness allows the horses to see each other and feel comfortable despite being further apart.

6. Chore efficiency. Keeping the proper tools of the trade on hand is important on any horse property — especially on those with small acreage. Keep chore time equipment stored in a handy spot that offers some weather protection. A pass-through provides quick access into and out of paddocks for chores or feeding.

7. Mud control. Both of the shelters on this farm have rain gutters and downspouts, which drain into a simple underground drain field. Diverting this water away from the horses’ living areas reduces mud, helps keep the rainwater clean and recharges the ground water.  

8. Urine management. Odor control is accomplished with help from a “potty spot” of wood chips. For horses that tend to urinate in the same location, wood chips made from woods like cedar or fir — evergreens resist decomposition longer than deciduous trees; be sure to choose something nontoxic — bind with the nitrogen in the urine to help reduce odors. Once a year, the Hampsons refresh this area with more chips, and the old chips are composted.

9. Daily manure management. Manure management is done in yard-waste composting barrels, a type of barrel that is often used for small-scale backyard composting. Eight barrels are used for the two horses, with each barrel holding about four days’ worth of manure. Manure “cooks” in the barrels, generating heat of up to 160 degrees, for about eight days. The temperature slowly drops to about 60 degrees over the course of a few weeks. When more space is needed, the oldest barrel contents are cleared out and stockpiled under tarps to “cure.” The finished compost is spread during the growing season. Compost is a rich soil amendment that improves the productivity of pastures, making grasses healthier and better able to hold moisture. Covering compost piles and/or manure storage areas helps prevent rainwater from leaching nitrogen from the manure or compost and seeping into waterways.

10. Outdoor wash rack. This three-season outdoor wash rack features a geo-grid product as its base to stabilize the gravel footing, allow for better drainage and reduce mud. Three inches of 5/8-inch crushed rock is used under the geo-grid and two inches of pea gravel is placed on top of the grid for better footing. Horses are tied to one of the posts for bath time or to tack up.

11. Pasture. Approximately two acres of pasture are managed via rotational grazing and are only used during the growing season (i.e., from late spring through the fall). To prevent overgrazing and compaction, grasses are never grazed below around three to four inches and horses are never put on soggy soils. A minimum of three inches of leafy grass is needed for rapid regrowth and the biofiltration of nutrients, sediments and chemicals. During the growing season, the Hampsons’ two horses get 25–30% of their feed from the pasture, grazing two to three hours per day. As grass growth slows in the late fall, pasture time doesn't provide a lot of nutrition but is great for giving horses time to just "be horses,” which is imperative for maintaining their health. Improved horse pasture production decreases feed bills — and may even help you avoid vet bills, since there’s little room for toxic weeds in a healthy pasture.

12. Spreading compost. A small, ground-driven manure spreader is used to spread compost during the growing season, from late spring through early fall. Composting manure reduces parasite re-infestation, as well as flies, weeds and odors — and it serves as a free, easy and valuable soil amendment. During the growing season, composted manure is often spread directly from the composting bins, thereby minimizing any handling and storage requirements.

13. Equipment. A variety of small farm equipment makes land management possible on small acreage, including a pasture mower used with a tractor and PTO (power takeoff), a walk-behind string mower for trimming edges or mowing slopes, and a tine harrow for dragging arenas or spreading manure in pastures.

14. Arena. When the Hampsons can’t get out on the trails due to inclement weather or time constraints, this 70’ x 110’ arena is useful for riding or just to exercise their horses. This arena was constructed on a base of native soil mixed with an inexpensive sand/gravel pit-run material that was leveled and compacted. That mixture was subsequently topped with an inch and a half of granulithic sand.

Reducing mud, properly managing manure and making their pastures more productive keeps the Hampsons’ suburban horse property not only visually pleasing but healthier for their horses and chore-efficient for them as owners, all while minimizing the environmental impact of their horses and protecting the local ecosystem.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my horses.