OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 THE RIDER /43 Equine Wellness: Health and Nutrition Poisonous Weeds: Do You Know What’s In Your Hay?


a variety of alka- loids and glyco- sides which can be toxic to horses when ingested in large quantities. Symptoms


in- Recently I was asked


to attend at a barn that had four horses colic, and one unfortunately had to be eu- thanized, the colic was that bad. The vet suspected it was related to the new load of hay that arrived a couple of weeks beforehand. The clients asked that I examine the hay and there was a sig- nificant amount of weeds present. I sent the weeds off for identification, which can be extremely difficult when examined in their dry state. Fortunately one of the four weeds was positively identi- fied as Yarrow - a toxic weed for horses. The Yarrow plant


(Achillea millefolium) is a common spreading peren- nial herb found in fields, roadways, gardens and waste areas. The plant has


clude colic and photosensitivity. In most cases, re- moving the in- fected hay will clear up symp- toms. The plant has a tall stalk, white


flowers


(even in the dried state) and small feathery green leaves (see pic- tures). A n o t h e r


common poison- ous weed found in hays is Tansy Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea). The bright yellow flower heads are 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter and flower heads are dense forming flat-topped clusters. The flowering period lasts from June to November. Ragwort has a very unpleas- ant smell and a bitter taste for horses. However it loses


this taste when dried pre- senting a danger when found in hay. If sufficient quantities are consumed ir- reversible cirrhosis of the liver can occur. Signs of poisoning include yellow mucus membranes, depres- sion and lack of coordina- tion. There is no known cure to the poisoning and no known antidote, however removing the hay immedi- ately will help. There are many other


poisonous weeds that can present problems to horses, some within minutes of being ingested. A full list of them can be found at these w e b s i


www.horsedvm.com/toxic.p hp


t e s : and


www.omafra.gov.on.ca/eng- lish/livestock/horses/facts/p


oison.htm. These resources also cover plants that can cause mechanical injury to your horse, such as burdock, foxtail, thistles, etc. Meadow


(Alopecurus pratensis),


somewhat resembling timo- thy, contains sharp, barbed bristles or spines on the seed heads. When consumed, the horse is at risk of lesions in the mouth, and can cause pain and reluctance to eat. Deep ulcerations of the tongue, gums and cheeks may lead to abscesses. Prob- lems from this plant usually occur because of a late cut hay when a large number of foxtail panicles are present. Now that you are feed-


ing a new batch of hay for the winter, it would be wise to review the weeds and


Solstice Pecile receives $500.00 (USD) from the Arabian Horse Foundation.


plants with spines, hairs or barbs can be injurious to your horse and may cause death. Be sure the hay contains none of these plants. Hay that has mold should not be fed to horses. Now that you are feeding a


new batch of hay for the winter, it would be wise to review the weeds and make yourself familiar with them. If you are unsure of the species, con- tact your local agriculture representa- tive for assistance.


make yourself familiar with them. If you are unsure of the species, contact your local agri-


foxtail


culture representative for as- sistance. If you suspect that your horse has ingested poi- sonous weeds and is show- ing symptoms contact your veterinarian immediately. It may be life threatening. Here are some general


guidelines when feeding or selecting hay for horses. There should be NO poison- ous weeds present; if non- poisonous weeds are present there should not be more than 10% content. Weeds or


Cheers!


Jean Klosowicz Equine Nutrition Consultant and Educator Superior Equine Health and Nutrition Inc. Bruce Mines, ON www.superiorequinenutrition.com www.feedmyhorse.ca f. @SuperiorEquine


All values are expressed on a Dry Matter Basis (DM); ppm (mg/kg) refers to concentration in the total diet; NRC refers to NRC’s Nutrient Requirements of Horses, 6th ed. All articles are for general information purposes only


and are not intended to replace the advice of a veterinarian, or provide a diagnosis for your horse.


Solstice showing Prince (SGP Infiniti’s Wish) Solstice Pecile re-


ceived a $500.00 (USD) from the Arabian Horse Foundation. She has just graduated from grade 12 at the Cobourg Collegiate In- stitute,


Cobourg,


Coates Creek last year. This mare has won all 3 of her 50 Mile/ 80km Endurance events this year.


Xtremely Irresistable at the FEI Endurance event in


Ontario. She graduated on the Honor Roll. She was in French Immersion which recognized her French courses she took as she came from a French Immer- sion Public school. Solstice will be attend-


ing Fleming College in Pe-


terborough. She is taking Biotechnology. She is tak- ing this course to see if Forensics or Genetics will be her preference in the fu- ture. This course covers both and allows her 4 month placement to allow her to use her skills in an area of choice. Solstice had to put an


application together and get two references showing her horse ability and promoting the Arabian breed.


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