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The show season is in full swing and horses are subjected to the stress of going down the road on a regular basis. This travel schedule imposes additional requirements for managing the feeding program. Horses like consistency. Changes can cause emotional and physical stress. The more we can keep the routines the same, the easier it is for the horses to cope with the challenges of travel and competition. The following are some suggestions that may be useful to help maintain the body condition, appearance and performance that is required to maintain the competitive status of the horse. First and...

The use of fat in the equine diet has a long history. A very old book, Horse Secrets by A.S. Alexander, published in 1913, points out that horse traders knew back then that adding fat to the diet was beneficial for gaining weight and improving hair coat. They may not have known why it worked, but they knew that it worked! Corn oil was an early oil source as it was available and palatable. Flax seed, boiled to both soften the husk and to eliminate anti-nutritional factors, was also used to provide both fat and protein. The use of vegetable...

The laying cycle is an important part of a hen’s life. An egg, or ovum, starts in the ovary, high in the bird’s body, near the spine. The ovary looks like a cluster of grapes, with some ova larger than others. As the ova mature, they are released into the reproductive tract or oviduct. If there is a rooster in your flock, the egg will be fertilized soon after entering the oviduct. The various structures are added to the egg by the oviduct: egg white, chalazae (“twisters”), and membranes. The final step is the secretion of a calcium coating in...

Weaning can be a stressful time for calves, but by starting on a transitional feed that is designed to get calves eating when their appetite is reduced can help their long-term performance. Research conducted by Oklahoma State University says that newly received calves can have low intake with lower requirements for protein. However, calves with severely depressed intake probably have greater protein needs. One way to mitigate any issues when transitioning calves on feed can be to have a proper transitional formula. Consider the amount of protein, energy, vitamins and trace minerals they may need. Transitional feeds are very palatable...

You love getting tasty eggs from your hens, so how can you keep them healthy, happy, and laying? There are a number of factors that can influence how many eggs a hen lays in her lifetime. Breed The breed you choose is related to the number of eggs you can expect per bird. Certain breeds or hybrid strains can produce large numbers of eggs. Heritage, dual-purpose breeds, including Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, Australorps, and Wyandottes, are bred for both meat and eggs. They produce a good number of eggs over their lifetimes. Hybrids offer high-powered laying ability because they are crosses...