Penn State Horse Newsletter

State of the Equine Industry Forum Planned in Harrisburg Area
The Pennsylvania Equine Council (PEC) will host this year’s State of the Equine Industry, Fall Issues Forum and the Pennsylvania Equine Council’s Annual Meeting at the Holiday Inn East, 4751 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111, on Nov. 12 and 13, 2010.

Health Alerts
Rare Horse Disease in North Carolina and Potomac Horse Fever Found in New York.

Animal Disease Traceability Plan
The National Institute for Animal Agriculture and the United States Animal Health Association was held on Aug 30-31 in Denver, Colorado. The forum focused on suggestions for USDA and the agency’s Traceability Regulation Working Group to provide input for the proposed animal traceability that will replace the dispensed National Animal Identification System.

Wet Fall Weather Has Caused Rain Rot in Horses
Pennsylvania has had a very wet October, and owners of horses kept in wet, humid areas have reported seeing rain rot or “dermatophilosis.” Rain rot or rain scald, is caused by bacteria and often is mistaken for a fungal disease. The bacteria live in the outer layer of skin and cause pinpoint to large, crusty scabs to form.

Be Careful, Do Not Toss Yard Waste Over Pasture Fences!
Horse owners may not be aware that various yard waste “trimmings” can be toxic to horses and other livestock. In urban areas, neighboring homeowners toss yard vegetative plants over the fence, not realizing these can be deadly when consumed by horses. It is always a good idea to establish a good acquaintance with your neighbors and educate them to the toxic affect yard waste may have on horses and other livestock.

Fall Leaves In Horse Pastures
Dispose of Fall leaves properly or compost in an area outside of the horse’s pasture. Horses like the taste and smell of recently fallen leaves. However, the leaves are dense and can compact in the horse’s digestive system and cause compaction colic.

51st Pennsylvania State 4-H Horse Show
Make plans to attend the 2010 Pennsylvania State 4-H Horse Show on October 29-31.

Manure Management Requirements for Horse Farms Are Changing!
Any farm that houses animals in the state of Pennsylvania will have to have a written Manure Management Plan, meeting the guidelines provided in the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Manure Management Manual. The plan simply needs to be kept on file at the farm and doesn’t need to be approved, unless the farm is a Concentrated Animal Operation or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation.

To see a pdf version of this issue, go to http://www.das.psu.edu/research-extension/equine/penn-state-horse-newsletter/pdf/hn.pdf.