yard, stable ‘n’ paddock


How Safe is Your Forage and Bedding?


UV leather shield for tack


Are you worried about your tack fading or getting damaged by sunlight? Tack is an expensive investment so it is vital to keep it well-maintained and in good condition.


New from Abbey England, Fiebing’s UV Leather Shield is suitable for smooth leathers which are exposed to direct sunlight. This quality product will protect the colour of your leather from fading.


It is recommended to apply the shield once a month and more often for upholstery hides and those which are exposed to increased levels of sunlight. Using this high quality product will keep your tack looking its best and help to maximise its longevity. Fiebing’s UV Leather Shield is available in a 236ml bottle priced around £6.95.


Visit www.abbeyengland.com


As horse owners we are all acutely aware of the risks to the respiratory health of our horses if fed dusty hay, but do you know what else might be lurking in your forage and bedding that could also be potentially harmful?


Mycotoxins are the secondary metabolites of mould, present in the environment and are known to contaminate feed, forage and bedding and often occur in combination, which at the right level, can result in negative effects on horse health and performance. There are over 500 known mycotoxins, with considerable research showing that it is the Fusarium and Aspergillis toxins, including Aflatoxin to which horses are most sensitive. Aflatoxins are closely related groups of heterocyclic metabolites. They are readily absorbed into the blood from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and accumulate in most soft tissues,


including the liver, kidney and fat depots. Symptoms of Alfatoxin contamination can include weight loss, raised temperature, jaundice and poor body condition. It has also been linked to raised liver enzymes and subsequent liver disease. Fusarium mycotoxins include the Tricothecene group, known to affect metabolism and subsequently compromise feed conversion and performance. DON (Deoxynivalenol) is a major contributor to reduced feed intake in many species, including horses. The Tricothecene group has also been linked to immunosuppression in horses. Alltech are at the forefront of research into the effects of mycotoxins and its 37+ testing kit is a convenient submission service for identifying harmful mycotoxins in forage and bedding. Standard analytical testing is limited to just a few strains; this is where Alltech’s 37+ Program


Horse power of a different kind!


Horse manure contains a significant amount of energy and in Finland, the government has moved towards encouraging its use for heating homes in place of fossil fuels.


The droppings produced by just one horse every day, when compressed into pellets or briquettes along with bedding materials, has been measured to have 30kWh of energy, which is the equivalent of three litres of fuel oil. That means just four or five horses could heat a detached house all year round and Finnish research has identified several neighbourhoods that could be energy self-sufficient with horse manure.


Equine Page 46


According to a survey done in Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences, Southern Savonia in Finland produces enough horse manure to heat up 700 detached houses. In 2007, 486 000 tonnes of horse manure was produced, and 46 % or it was left unused in the muck heap. With wood-based bedding material, this was around 497 000 cubic metres and the annual potential energy outcome was calculated as 2,700 TJ/a, which equals approximately 65,000 tonnes of fuel oil. The consumption of fossil fuels in Finland in 2007 was 16 700 000 tonnes measured in fuel oil say researchers. So what are you doing with your muck heap this winter?


www.theequinesite.co.uk


is unique, and is the most advanced analysis available, testing over 37 mycotoxins. A number of tests have been carried out recently at the request of a large well respected equine veterinary practice, which demonstrates the efforts of equine vets to take the problem of mycotoxinicosis more seriously.


Alltech offers a holistic approach to mycotoxin management. Recognising that often the symptoms of mycotoxicosis can be similar to many physiological complaints, the development of the 37+ test allows a definitive answer as to the presence and level of mycotoxins within a sample, and therefore the potential risk rating should that forage be fed as a main dietary component, or bedding used. If you feel mycotoxins might be a contributing factor to poor performance on your yard, learn more about testing, prevention and treatment at www.alltech. com.


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