Equine Rescue Net - Investigation Example

ERNet - L.I.F.E. Investigation Example


NOTICE OF COMPLAINT AND REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION



On November 9, 1994, at the request of the (snip) 

During the inspection of the horses and burros for BLM brands, I
observed several areas of concern.  In this communication I will address
basically nutritional only, as follows:

1. Salt blocks were observed in only some of the paddocks.  Salt is
required as part of sound nutritional program for equines of all ages
and use.

Authority:

1a. “The mature horse should be supplied with at least sixty grams of
salt per day”  “Salt helps the horse to regulate the cooling mechanism
of the body, and it is critical that an adequate amount be supplied in
warm weather....Even where heat is not a significant factor, a salt
deficiency will cause changes in the appetite or abnormal appetite,
insufficient water intake, rough hair coat, and a poor appearance”
Feeding to Win, Don M. Wagoner, Editor/Publisher.  References Cited:
National Research Council, Nutrient Requirements of the Horse, National
Academy of Sciences.  

1b.  “Sodium and chloride are important in maintaining osmotic pressure
and acid-based equilibrium; they also affect water metabolism.  Sodium
is found primarily in extra cellular fluids, whereas chloride is found
both within and outside cells of body tissue.” Horse Nutrition: A
Practical Guide, Harold F. Hintz, PhD.

1c. “Salt is an essential mineral in your horse’s diet. The Wild
Horse: An Adopter’s Manual, Barbara Eustis-Cross and Nancy Bowker,
Macmillan Publishing, New York.

1d. “Salt, or sodium chloride, is an important part of a horse’s diet
and should always be available.”  A Basic Guide to Horse Care and
Management, Bruce Mills and Barbara Carne.

1e. “Salt. This is an essential part of a horse’s diet.” The Manual of
Horsemanship, The Official Manual of the British Horse Society and The
Pony Club.

2.  Pasture was severely over grazed and could provide little if any
nutrients. 
Horses and burros were feed a medium grade oat hay.  Although  a small
number of buckets for grain and supplement feeding were  attached to the
pipe on paddocks they were insufficient for the number of equines
requiring grain and supplemental feeding.  

Percentage of protein and digestible energy (calories per lb.) is the
most exact method of determining how much feed a horse or burro
requires. In order to calculate proper feed consumption several facts
will be taken into consideration, as follows:

1. A horse or burro should not be feed more that 3% of it’s body
weight.  (See Chart I)

2. Qualitative nutrient requirements of adult, growing, aged, pregnant,
lactating, and/or working horses and burros vary.  (See Chart II)

3. The quality, nutrient and protein content of hay varies depending on
the type or variety of hay, as well as the time it is cut and how it is
cured. (See Chart III)

4. A mature underweight horse or burro with proper veterinary care ie.
worming, teeth floating, free from disease or injury and proper diet
will gain approximately 20-25 lbs. per week. (See Chart IV)


APPLICATION:

To illustrate this I will use a 900 pound horse or foal who will mature
at 900 pounds as an example.

To put Charts I-IV to work let us use a 6 month old foal who will mature
into a 900 pound horse who is being fed Oat hay.  The foal weighs apx.
400 pounds.

This animal will need 12,410 calories per day.  Good quality Oat hay
will average 889 calories per pound of feed.  The foal should be fed 2
pounds of hay per 100 pounds of body weight.  This is 8 pounds of hay. 
Multiply the 889 calories per pound for oat hay x 8 pounds of Oat hay
being feed.  This equals 7,112 calories from the Oat hay consumed by the
foal.  The foal is 5,298 calories short each day!  Even if the foal
consumed the maximum 3% of body weight or 12 pounds of Oat hay, the
total calorie intake would only be 10,668.  Additionally, this foal,
should have a 14.2% protein diet.  The Oat hay is providing only 4.3. 
The difference in the calorie intake and deficient protein factor  must 
be made up by the addition of grain, supplements etc. to the diet. 

As a second example we will use is a mature 900 pound horse (which has
been on a proper  worming program, without teeth problems and free from
disease or injury)  not being used and/or on a maintenance diet being
fed Oat hay.

This animal will need 13,860 calories per day.  The horse should be fed
2 pounds of hay per 100 pounds of body weight.  This is 18 pounds of
hay.  Multiply the 889 calories per pound for oat hay x 18 pounds of Oat
hay being 
feed.  This equals 16,002 calories from the Oat hay consumed by the
horse.  In this instance the horse must begin an exercise program  or
reduce the amount of hay consumed to maintain it’s current weight.

If we take the same mature 900 pound horse and ride it at a walk for two
hours it will need 18,360 calories per day to maintain it’s weight.  The
same diet will be 2,358 calories deficient.  

If the same horse was nursing a foal it would need 24,390 calories.  The
same diet will be 8,388 calories deficient.  Additionally, this horse,
should be fed 13.3% protein diet.  The Oat hay is providing only 4.3. 
The difference in the calorie intake and deficient protein factor  must 
be made up by the addition of grain, supplements etc. to the diet. 


Currently (snip) is purchasing 64 bales of Oat, Barley, Wheat, and
Alfalfa mix hay from the Dan Mueller Feed Co., Sierra Hwy., Canyon
Country, CA.  Grain, supplements, vitamins are not purchased. 
Approximately 960 bales are purchased monthly.  The bales weigh
approximately 100 pounds each.  This totals 96,000 pounds per month.  

The amount of alfalfa is minor enough to be considered moot.  While
there are some slight differences in calories per pound and protein
percent in Oat, Barley and Wheat hay(s) it is within the range of
866-889 calories per pound and 3.4-5.0% protein content.  Samples of hay
collected indicate a lack of whole grain in the hay mixture.  Hay
appeared to be course and stemmy.   This would further reduce the
protein and calorie content. 

There are approximately 170 horses on the property.  The weight of
individual horses has yet to be determined.  Approximately 80% of the
horses would be rated 4 (moderately thin) to 1 (poor) on the Henneke
scoring chart. 

“Using the Henneke scoring system, we conclude that conditions ranging
between 1 and 4 are underweight and need additional fat deposits. 
Determining the cause for underweight horses is a critical step in
remedying the condition,”  Dr. Ginger A. Rich.


And so on...this one actually had 11 pages

Thanks to Barbara Eustis-Cross and  
for allowing us to post this information.
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