JUNE 2000 BACK ISSUE

Part of Horse Previews Magazine website. Posted on 06/2000; 2:00:00PM.

Equid-Bits

Horse Previews Magazine just received about 150 pages of information from the US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (April 2000). Helen, our editor, ordered me to read them and report. Below is Howdy's duty.

Get a deworming program and check it with a veterinarian. Deworm regularly for bloodworm (strongyles) and rotate among different classes of compounds to delay resistance. Roundworms (ascarids) are primarily a problem for young horses (under 18 months). No program will work unless the manure is cleaned out and removed and the overcrowding of your horses is avoided.

Fumonisins are a product of fungi commonly found in corn. Horses are the domestic species most sensitive to the effects of fumonisins. Equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM) is caused by consumption of feed contaminated by fumonisins. If you get your feed from commercial producers ask if they test their corn regularly for high fumonisin levels. When the price of grain goes up the supply of corn diminishes and the use of poor quality corn may increase the risk of exposure to fumonisins. The feed doesn't have to be moldy to contain fungi.

It might be time to finally bloodtest all stallions out here in the West for Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) and, once tested negative, vaccinate annually. Check this with your veterinarian.

The term "equine" includes horses, ponies, mules, burros, and donkeys. As of January 1, 1998 in all Washington State locations there were 155,000 equine; in Montana there were 130,000; in Oregon there were 120,000; and in the total United States there were 5,250,400 equine.

You can peruse all the pages of this information by getting ahold of: USDA: APHIS:VS, attn. NAHMS, 555 South Howes, Fort Collins, CO 80521. (970) 490-8000

NAHMSweb@usda.gov * http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cahm

Bob Howdy