Environmental Horse Keeping. Small Scale Non-Production Livestock Work Group

Transcription

1 Environmental Horse Keeping Small Scale Non-Production Livestock Work Group

2 What is Environmental Horse Keeping? Mud Management/Pasture Management Manure Management Water Quality

3 Mud Management

4 Recipe for Mud Clean Up Manure Great at holding moisture High Traffic Areas Hooves loosen soil above and compact soil below Add Water Mixes with the loose soil and manure

5 Problems Caused By Mud

6 Harbors Bacteria & Fungal Organisms Thrush Rain Scald Abscesses Scratches

7 Breeding Ground For Insects Annoyance to horse, owner, and neighbor Allergic reactions Spreader of disease Breeding ground

8 Muddy Risks

9 When feeding from muddy ground likely to ingest dirt or sand particles, setting them up for potential colic. More rapidly chilled if standing in mud. Horses and people are at risk of slips and injuries on mud slick footing. Sediment and manure nutrients can negatively affect the fish and aquatic wildlife in streams, ponds, and lakes. Organic waste can leach into the groundwater, potentially contaminating well water you and your horses drink. Violates the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law

10 Pictures courtesy of Snohomish Conservation District, Washington How?????

11 Pick Up Manure Manure = Mud Single Most Important Thing You Can Do To Reduce Mud Reduce Horse s Exposure to Parasites

12 Designate a Sacrifice Area Site the sacrifice lot on higher ground, at least 100 feet away from wetlands, streams, or ponds. Look for an area with a slight slope, but not to much to encourage erosion. Most Importantly do not locate the sacrifice area in a bowl or depression where water naturally gathers.

13 Questions To Ask Yourself When Designing a Sacrifice Area Will the sacrifice area be near your manure pile and hay storage for easy daily chores? Can deliveries be made without moving horse? Do your horses have access to fresh water? Can horse be fed without walking through the sacrifice area? This is important if you ever have to have an inexperienced person feed for you. Can you move horses easily Are ally ways large enough for wheelbarrows and other equipment?

14 The nature of the sacrifice area will become turfless and have the potential for becoming a mud pit. No matter what care is taken in selecting the perfect site for your sacrifice area, mud can still be a nuisance, if not maintained properly.

15 Sacrifice Area Specs The size of the sacrifice area can range from a double box stall (~12 x24 ) attached to a stall, the long narrow enclosure will allow the horse to run and play x 100 in length will allow the horse to trot x 200 will allow the horse to gallop.

16 Construction of Sacrifice Area Gravelly soil where possible, or create good drainage by filling the lot with a layer of stone aggregate topped with finer stone dust. Surround your sacrifice area with vegetation to filter out any organic matter and sediment that might run off.

17 Hogfuel Hogfuel is a bi-product of the logging industry. Stumps and branches are run through a machine called the hog or hogger that chips the bark off the trees. Decomposes fairly quickly, need to remove and replace yearly Avoid wet areas or very organic soils Be picky when purchasing hogfuel make sure does not include poisonous plants

18 Common Options for Footing Gravel or crushed stone, with pieces no larger than 5/8 for horses walking comfort. Sand, use only where horses will not be eating off the ground. These cures will not break down and will last longer than hog fuel.

19 Rules of Thumb Remove the mud down to the solid soil or use a geotextile fabric Apply at least 3 inches of footing General rule of thumb = 1:1 ratio of mud to footing (6 of mud = 6 of footing)

20 Plant Trees Trees drink huge amounts of water and they can significantly reduce the amount of water around your horse facility. A mature Douglas Fir can drink gallons of water per day. Evergreens have the added advantage that they keep using water in the winter when deciduous trees are dormant. If planting trees around horses make sure they can t reach them or they are protected from chewing.

21 Pasture Management

22 A Good Horse Pasture: Palatable forages vegetative, few weeds Dense sod/solid footing Well drained Good water at all times, shelter when needed Free of danger.poisonous plants, junk, loose/barbed wire Properly fenced

23 Grazing Behavior of Horses VERY close grazers pull and tear at grasses Selective (spot) grazers graze the best & leave the rest Graze for long periods of the day (10-14 hours) Consume 2% of body weight/day

24 Pasture Management

25 Mow Stimulates equal growth Cuts weeds before they go to seed Prevents grass from getting too tall and tough, which is not appetizing to horses Uniform 4-5 ideal

26 Dragging Use harrow or homemade devices such as chain link fence or old bedspring Breaks up manure clods and spreads them evenly throughout the area Exposes parasites to elements Mowing & dragging reduces a rough (the place where horses urinate and defecate) they will distribute their manure more evenly

27 Applying Manure/Fertilizer Improve the health of grass Apply according to soil test Best time is before a rain Good idea to keep horses off pasture for a few days/weeks

28 Soil Testing Most important tool in pasture management Test every 3-4 years $ shipping form PSU Extension Recommendations for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Lime

29 Aerating Spring or early summer Helps alleviate compacted soils Increases root regeneration Worm population Allows fertilizer and water to get to the roots Rent from farm equipment suppliers or borrow from local golf course

30 Pasture Management Schedule November/December/January/February/March Restrict animals from wet pastures and surface waters. Collect manure daily from confinement areas April Clip weeds and tall grazes, harrow manure, reseed or overseed pastures if need, begin controlling grazing, apply fertilizer May/June/July/August clip weeds and tall grasses, harrow manure in grazed pastures September/October Clip weeds and tall grasses, harrow manure in grazed pastures, reseed or overseed pastures if needed, apply lime according to soil tests

31 Types of Grazing Continuous Grazing Rotational Grazing Intensive Grazing

32 Stocking Rate Number of animals per acre that allows you to obtain the most out of the pasture without overgrazing Rule of thumb = 1 horse/1 acre; but can vary with area and type of grazing

33 Manure Management

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36 Manure, Why Worry? Parasites Mud Insects Skin & Hoof Disease Wasted Space Unsightliness Odors Environmental Contamination

37 Parasites Parasite eggs can hatch every 3 days Horses can be reinvested Paste wormer is only protects your horse for 48 hours, until it clears their system Small Strongyles Round Worms

38 Wasted Space One 1,000 lbs. horse produces ~45 lbs. manure daily cubic feet/month Bedding = 730 cubic feet/year of waste to manage a year

39 Unsightliness Rotting manure pile Foul juices Source of windblown refuse Environmental concern Upset neighbors

40 Odors Remember downwind neighbors You might like the smell of manure but your neighbors probably will not.

41 Environmental Contamination Contaminate Surface Water Harm Fish & Aquatic Life Contaminate Ground Water Remember We All Live Down Stream, And All Water Flows Downstream

42 How Do You Deal With This??????

43 Basic Management Cleaning stalls Picking up manure in paddocks, pens, and turnouts Break the parasite cycle

44 Staying On Top Of The Heap Stockpile manure & stall waste for crop needs Compost all stall waste Give away Haul manure & stall waste off property Reduce the amount of bedding used

45 Waste Storage Select a high dry spot Keep away from bodies of water do not store where water can run through the pile Easily accessible Confine the pile Treat any runoff

46 Water Quality

47 Keep Clean Water Clean Install roof gutters, downspouts, and underground outlets Install roof gutters - on a 30 x30 barn a 1 rainstorm produces 558 gallons of water that s a lot of water running through your paddocks Gutter slope 1/16 inch for every 1 foot of gutter Outlet away from livestock areas

48 Divert Upslope Water

49 Fence Livestock Out of Bodies of Water Streams Ponds Waterways & other drainage areas

50 Install Stabilized Stream Crossings and/or Watering Areas Use geotextile and stone Hog Slates

51 Treat Dirty Water Vegetative filter area Collect and haul to crop fields

52 If you follow these tips you and your horse(s) will be much happier!

53 For More Information Contact Your Local Conservation District, NRCS, or Extension Office