News
When to Feed Ration (Diet) Balancers
While recently reviewing farms feed program, the manager explained that some of her horses only received 1 pound of grain per day. She felt their weight was good, but yet they appeared to be lacking something in their diet. She was wondering what type of supplements she could add. When we looked at the tag on her feed, the problem was obvious. Her feed was designed for to be fed at a rate of 0.5 – 0.75 pounds per 100 pounds of body weight. This means that to provide proper fortification for a 1000 pound horse, she would need to...
Chicken Feeds: They’re not all the same.
Did you know that a quality chicken feed is more than just grains, vitamins, and minerals? While these ingredients are necessary, they are only part of a diet that helps your birds live their best life. Quality, higher-technology feeds include beneficial microflora, which are gut-friendly organisms such as bacteria and yeast. These tiny living things populate the chicks’ digestive systems, aid in digestion, and strengthen the chicken’s immune system. Let’s at look some of these added extras that contribute to a chicken’s digestive health. Then you’ll know what to look for when you’re looking for your next feed. Fungal Components...
Spring Garden Hazards
As spring arrives and the first buds appear, gardening can be a relaxing and healthy way to pass the time. But it can also pose some potential risks to our cat and dog friends. With care and some knowledge, these risks can be avoided. Here is a list of potential concerns. Fertilizers and Pesticides: Fertilizers containing blood meal, bone meal, feather meal or iron can be tasty for dogs and particularly dangerous. Ingestion of large amounts of meal containing products can form concretions in the stomach resulting in obstruction and severe pancreatitis. Those containing iron can lead to iron poisoning...
Spring Allergies in Pets
April showers, bring May flowers. Most of us are familiar with this saying. But April showers also bring pollen and mold, and for those with allergies that means runny noses, puffy eyes, sinus pain, sneezing and headaches. For our pets, allergies can also be problematic. While their exposure can be from inhaled molds and pollens (allergens), pets absorb many of their allergens through their skin. The process of absorbed allergens to allergy response and symptoms is a complex one. Inhalant allergies, also called atopy, is a genetic tendency to have a heightened immune response to common, usually harmless, allergens. The...
Horse Dental Care
A horse's teeth change throughout its life and proper dental care is essential for your horse to be comfortable feeding, grazing and carrying a bit. But what types of problems can develop, and how should they be taken care of? Does Your Horse Have Tooth Problems? A horse has from 36-44 teeth, and those teeth wear down as the horse grazes and eats. Because our horses have different diets that are often softer than the fodder their wild ancestors and cousins consume, however, the wear on their teeth may be uneven or slow, and different dental problems can occur. Your...