Hancock County Livestock Project Evaluation Dogs & Horses

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1 Hancock County Livestock Project Evaluation Dogs & Horses Name Club/Chapter Age(as of 1/1) Project Years in Project Possible Points Member FFA 4-H Good eye contact, posture 5 5 Dress appropriate for showmanship Clean, well groomed 5 5 Attitude 5 5 Interview General Knowledge Nutrition and Feeding 5 5 Management and Health 5 5 Housing 5 5 Project Book Correct Books, completed neatly, current Dog Welfare or Horse Hoof Care Section 5 One Page Summary Report 5 Learning and Leadership Experiences 5 Expense Records 10 5 Treatment Record 10 5 Project Animals Identified 10 5 Feed Tag or Equivilant 5 5 Skillathon Points Received Comments Skillathon Completed 5 5 Skillathon Score Total Total Score Grade A = B = C = 69 or below Final Grade Judge's Signature

2 2018 Thank You Skill-a-thon Study Guide Showing Appreciation: Saying Thanks is an important part of 4-H and FFA work. A variety of individuals and community supporters make the Junior Fair Experience happen. A Thank You Note should include variations of the following: Dear Person, Company, or Organization you are thanking: 3-4 sentences including 1. Specially thanking what was done 2. Share an experience about the project 3. General thanks for supporting the Junior Fair program. Sincerely, Your name (Signed) Handwritten notes are preferred. Beginners and Intermediates Members Understand and identify what would make a good thank you. Seniors Be ready to write a Thank you note.

3 2018 Skillathon Conformation Faults Faults or flaws in conformation can occur in the forelegs, hind legs, pelvis, head, and even the neck. Many of these conditions are undesirable, not just because they don t meet a breed standard, but because they cause inherent weakness and may predispose the horse to lameness or injury. Some conditions are acquired (developed due to nutrition, training, etc) while others are congenital (present at birth), and some may be both. If your horse acquires one of these, you may want to determine the reasons for the changes. Many of these problems are present at birth or soon after, and are correctable if they are recognized. However, many of these faults go unnoticed until the horse is one or two years of age, and then it is too late to correct the problem. At that point, they are permanent baggage for the horse and the horse owner, leading to possible other problems. If your horse has any of these issues, it is suggested you do more research on the topic. Beginner: Know 8 of the faults; match picture with names Intermediate: Know 16 of the faults; match picture with names Senior: Know 16 of the faults; match picture, names, description of fault. Conformation Fault Swayback Description the ligaments that support the vertebrae in the back and croup begin to sag, thus allowing the back to sway; proper saddle fit is necessary if using the horse under saddle; may be acquired or genetic Example Parrot Mouth; Overbite the lower jaw is shorter than the upper jaw; a severe overbite results in difficulty chewing, and frequent dental work is required Bull Dog Jaw; (Underbite) the result of the lower jaw being longer than the upper jaw; a severe underbite results in difficulty chewing, and frequent dental work is required Ewe Neck These horses have a concave neck with a depression just in front of the withers.; often are said to have their necks attached upside down. A ewe neck appears to have more muscling on the underside of the neck; may be acquired or genetic

4 Club foot A horse has one hoof with a foot axis of 60 degrees or more; may be acquired or genetic; can be helped with proper hoof care Dropped fetlock; coon footed; sunken fetlock. associated with long, sloping pasterns tending to the horizontal, which breaks the angulation between pastern and hoof. This fault places increased stress on the structures located on the back of the limb, such as the flexor tendons, suspensory ligament, and sesamoid bones that may cause lameness. Ideal Leg-When observing the front legs from a front view (facing the horse), one should be able to draw a straight line from the point of the shoulder to the ground that bisects the leg exactly in half (Figure 12). The hoof and knee should point forward and be bisected in half by the line. The width of the hooves at the sole should be roughly the same as the width of the legs as they originate from the chest. Pigeon Toed; toed-in One or both hooves will point inward; observed from the front. Affected horses bear more weight on the outside of their feet, which places abnormal stresses on all of the the limbs from foot to shoulder. These horses tend to "paddle" their legs when moving. Toed-Out; Splay footed; Narrow chested One or both hooves point outward; observed from the front. Affected horses bear more weight on the center of the foot and causes an abnormal gait called "plaiting ; the front feet may hit each other causing the horse to stumble.

5 Knock Kneed one or both carpi (knees) deviate inward when viewed from the front. This condition predisposes the horse to unsoundness due to an unequal line of concussion Bow Legged one or both carpi (knees) deviate outward when viewed from the front. This condition causes increased tension on the inside of the leg due to unequal distribution of concussion and force. Base Narrow the distance between the horse s forelegs being less at the hoof than at the shoulder; observed from the front. This deformity leads to lameness problems such as ringbone (osteoarthritis of the pastern or coffin joint) because this flaw forces horse to bear weight unevenly, with the horse landing on the outside of the hoof first. This uneven loading of the foot is the reason for the development of osteo-arthritis. Bench Kneed the cannon bone is placed too far laterally or to the outside of the knee offset; observed from the front. This conformation results in more stress being placed on the inside of the cannon bone, especially on the medial splint bone. This flaw often results in horses with splints on the inside of the cannon bone..

6 Ideal leg: From the side a straight line should be able to be drawn from the center of the scapula along the front edge of the knee and bisect the hoof. Calf Kneed a straight line is drawn from the scapula (shoulder blade) to the hoof, the knee will be behind the line; observed from the side. This fault greatly weakens the knee and can lead to chip fractures of the carpal bones (bones of the knee). Buck Kneed A straight line from the scapula (shoulder blade) to the hoof reveals that the knee is in front of the line. The horse might appear to be buckling forward at the knee; observed from the side. Puts an uphill strain on the limb and horse may have a shorter stride; may put extra stress on extensor tendons. Camped Out Entire forelimb is too far forward and away from the body; observed from the side; These horses will exert excessive concussion and stress on their knees, ankles, and hoofs. These horses are predisposed to navicular disease and laminitis. If your horse suddenly stands like this it may be due to toe pain. Camped Under; Camped In Forelimb is too far under its body; observed from the side. This will prevent a horse from having a long, fluid stride and may predisposes the animal to unsoundness. These horses typically exert excessive wear on the hoof with an increase in pressure on ligaments and tendons. If your horse suddenly stands like this it may be due to heel pain.

7 2018 Skillathon Forage and Concentrates The main sources of feed that provide horses energy include forages (hay/pasture) and concentrates (straight grain or mixed). Information on these two sources of energy is attached, as well as list of items the 4H member should be able to identify by sight. Beginner: Understand difference between forages and concentrates; Identify two forages and selected concentrates and answer 3 questions. Intermediate: Explain the difference between forages and concentrates; Identify forages and selected concentrates, answer questions, and identify/explain 2 problems with forages and concentrates. Senior: Explain the difference between forages and concentrates; Identify forages and selected concentrates, answer questions, and identify/explain 5 problems with forages and concentrates. Feed Concentrates Processing/Information Purpose for processing 1 Barley Energy dense, lower in fiber than oats; heavier grain can cause colic 2 Shelled whole corn Shelled--removed from cob to increase nutrient concentration; extremely energy dense and some consider it too hot for horses if feed alone 3 Cracked shelled corn Shelled, cracked-dry rolled Increase digestibility 4 Ground shelled corn Shelled, ground-dry rolled Increase digestibility 5 Whole Oats Safest grain to feed horses; high in fiber and energy; high bulk less likely to cause colic. 6 Crimped Oats Crimped-steam rolled Increase digestibility 7 Whole Grain Oat 8 Wheat Bran By-products of the milling process; used to add bulk to a diet and used to increase phosphorus content. Wheat bran is 12 percent digestible protein. 9 Dried Beet Pulp Dried by product of sugar production; used as a source of fiber and energy and is relatively high in energy and calcium. 10 Soybean Oil Meal By product of oil extraction; increases protein in diet 11 Liquid Molasses Dried by product of sugar production; improves taste and reduces dust 12 Trace mineralized salt Needed to keep horses chemistry in proper balance to function properly 13 DiCalcium Phosphate* Used when both calcium and phosphate are needed in the diet 14 Ground limestone/ calcium carbonate* Used when only calcium is needed in the diet. 15 White salt Keeps the correct balance of water in system for proper body function. 16 Pelletized feed Extruded and pelletized Keep horses from sorting * Calcium and phosphorus comprise most of the mineral matter in the horse s body. About 80% of the phosphorus and 99% of the calcium are located in the bones and teeth, so they are vital in the formulation of the diet. The horse must receive adequate quantities of calcium and phosphorus and in the correct ratio. If the amount of phosphorus exceeds that of calcium, the excess phosphorus will interfere with the absorption of the calcium, resulting in serious effects on the skeleton. A deficiency or imbalance of calcium or phosphorus can result in osteomalacia or osteoporosis (thinning of the bone) in older horses.

8 Forages Problems with forage Problems with concentrates 1 Alfalfa Mold--smell it and look for it Mold-did it get wet? 2 Grass Hay Dust-look for fine dust Bugs/dusty-is it old and/or have bugs 3 Pasture Excessive weeds Feeding by volume and not weight 4 Dry Hay Cubes Excessive stems and few leaves Feeding the wrong type to your horse 5 Pelleted hay Other foreign material (metal, etc)

9 Reference: Texas Horse Owner s Reference Guide Section II: Pasture and Hay Time required 30 minutes USING FORAGES Subject Matter Outline Youth should be able to: Discuss factors that influence digestibility of forages for horses Identify the factors affecting forage quality I. Introduction A. Horses need daily access to hay or pasture, because these forages contribute energy, protein, minerals and vitamins at varying levels, depending on forage species and quality. B. If improved pastures are managed to maximize forage quality and production, they can meet the nutritional needs of mature, nonproductive horses with little or no supplementation from grain or hay for many months of the year. II. Nutrient digestibility A. Although forages contain many of the same nutrients as grain, the balance and availability of the nutrients differ. 1. Because of its digestive tract, the horse is better adapted to use forage than is a simple stomach animal such as a pig, but is limited compared to ruminants such as cattle. B. Forages supply energy. 1. One form of energy is fiber. 2. The horse does not break down fibrous energy compounds, such as cellulose, as well as it breaks down other energy compounds, such as starch. 3. As the fiber content of a forage increases, the availability of energy decreases. C. One way to make the fiber more digestible is to process the forage. D. Forages also can effectively supply protein to horses. Research has shown that horses can digest about 50 to 80 percent of forage protein. E. Forages also contribute vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, D and B, and large amounts of calcium. III. Forage quality A. Forage quality can be determined by chemical analysis for nutrient content, and by visual observations for foreign material, leafiness and color. B. The nutrient content of pasture forage is influenced by management techniques such as fertilization and plant characteristics such as stage of growth. C. Quality indicators that can be seen include color, leafiness, type of hay, stage of maturity and amount of foreign material. 1. The stage of maturity greatly affects quality of both grass and legume hays: As a plant matures, the available nutrients decrease. 2. Leafiness is a good indicator of quality because, compared to stems, leaves contain about twice the amount of nutrients. 3. The presence of much foreign material makes horses extremely susceptible to colic and other digestive disorders. IV. Relating forage use to ration formulation A. All classes of horses should have daily access to pasture or high-quality hay of at least 0.75 to 1 percent of their body weight. B. Testing the hay can help you estimate the nutrient content of forage accurately. 1. The energy content of the hay can be expressed as total digestible nutrients (TDN). 2. One pound of TDN is assumed to equal 2 megacalories of digestible energy. C. Forages can supply high levels of certain minerals such as calcium, but different forages vary greatly in mineral content and availability. 1. Most grain mixes should contain at least a 1:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus, so that the overall balance is never less than 1:1 in the total ration. 2. This balance is especially important when designing rations for growing horses, because mineral imbalances can cause severe skeletal abnormalities. 31

10 Reference: Texas Horse Owner s Reference Guide Section III: Grains, Protein Supplements, Vitamins and Minerals Time required 30 minutes SELECTION AND USE OF FEEDSTUFFS Subject Matter Outline Youth should be able to: Identify supplemental concentrates and their benefits Discuss processing of grains to enhance their performance I. Introduction A. Varied feed ingredients or combinations can be used successfully if the diet promotes normal digestive tract function, meets nutrient requirements and represents a reasonable amount of feed the horse can consume safely. B. All diets should contain enough roughage, with additional nutrients provided in a concentrate feed that is balanced and offered in a way that contributes to the horse s needs and continued well-being. II. Energy sources A. Energy requirements are normally met by feeding one or more cereal grains, which are high in energy density, in a balanced ration. B. The concentrate should provide the nutrients not supplied by roughage. 1. Oats are moderate in energy and protein, and high in fiber; they are reasonably safe for horses, especially those needing limited management. 2. Corn is high in energy density and in weight volume. Be sure to guard against moldy corn poisoning. 3. Barley is intermediate in fiber, has a harder kernel than oats and should be processed. 4. Wheat is an excellent energy source, but guard against using more than 20 percent, and feed it with a bulkier grain. 5. Sorghum grain is high in energy and varies considerably in protein content. C. Colic and/or laminitis can result from diets dense in calories and low in fiber. D. Grains sometimes need to be processed to increase digestibility. 1. Oats: Crimping or flaking increases digestibility by only 5 percent. 2. Corn and barley: They should be cracked, rolled or steam-flaked to increase digestibility by 7 to 9 percent. 3. Sorghum, rye and wheat: Processing is highly recommended, because it increases digestibility by 15 percent. 4. Avoid fine grinding. 5. Pelleting prevents horses from sorting the feed. E. Energy feeds can be made more energy dense by adding up to 10 percent more fat or oil. 1. Such feeds contain twice as much energy 2. Fat-added diets increase the fat percentage of mares milk in early lactation and causes the fat content to stay higher as lactation advances. 3. Performance horses can spare muscle glycogen for short-duration, exhaustive exercise by using energy from fats while working aerobically, which leads to increased stamina and delayed onset of fatigue. 4. Careless topdressing of oil or fat can contribute to digestive disorders and can lower the horse s feed intake. F. Oilseed meals provide sources of supplemental protein. 1. Lactating mares and growing horses require additional dietary protein. 2. Soybean meal has an excellent balance of essential amino acids and is considered a high-quality concentrate. 3. Linseed meal is deficient in one or more essential amino acids and is considered a low-quality protein concentrate. 4. When feeding grain-based rations, use only completely balanced pelleted supplements. 5. Other protein concentrates are plant by-products such as corn gluten feed or corn gluten meal and brewer s grains. 6. Protein concentrates from animal sources are derived from meat packing houses and surplus milk or milk products. G. Provide minerals and vitamins. 1. Because horses cannot regulate their own mineral intake, add the proper amount to the grain mix. 2. Free-choice mineral supplements can be provided to adult horses, but not to young or stalled horses. 3. Horses require the fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins that are normally supplied by green growing forage, sun-cured hays and commercially prepared feeds. 4. Feed vitamins according to directions, so as not to have potential toxicities or to upset the dietary nutrient balance. 57

11 SELECTION AND USE OF FEEDSTUFFS Subject Matter Outline H. Commercially manufactured feeds help balance a horse s nutrition. 1. No individual grain alone is nutritionally balanced for all classes of horses. 2. Most feed companies manufacture a complete line of well-balanced, ready-to-feed horse feeds. 3. The law requires feed companies to list the amount of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber and ingredients on the guaranteed analysis tag. 4. Feeds labeled as horse feeds are generally more expensive than feeds labeled for cattle and other animals. 5. Although cattle feeds can often be fed to horses, make sure the feeds contain no urea, Rumensin, Bovatec, drugs or other additive medications that could cause the horse to become seriously ill or die. III. Summary A. The foundation of a good feeding program is roughage. B. An average guideline for daily roughage intake is 1.0 percent of body weight. C. Nutrient needs not provided by the roughage can then be satisfied by using one or more cereal grains in a concentrate. D. The time and care given to selecting and using highquality feedstuffs is worthwhile in feeding and managing horses, because there will be minimal interruptions from digestive disturbances. 59