Olsen's Grain

Are Sugars, Starches and Grains "Evil" in Horse Diets? By Katie Young, Ph.D., Consulting Equine Nutritionist, Purina Mills, LLC

2012-01-31T08:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever watched a pendulum swing? It swings way to the right, and then goes back to center. Then it swings way to the left, then returns to center again. In human nutrition, the sugar and starch pendulum appears to be returning to center. In equine nutrition, however, that sugar and starch pendulum seems to be hung up way off to the side.

Before we talk about the "evil" nature of sugars and starches (and therefore grains since they usually provide the majority of starches in a horse’s diet), we need to talk about carbohydrates. Sugars and starches are carbohydrates, but fibers are also carbohydrates. Fiber carbohydrates (structural carbohydrates) are important in a horse’s diet, and are primarily provided by the forages (grass or hay) that the horse eats. When people talk about feeding a "low carb" or "no carb" diet to horses, that implies that we need to reduce or eliminate the hay or grass in
the horse’s diet as well as the concentrate (or grain-based) feeds. That is usually not what we want to do, because fiber is essential to maintain the health of the horse’s digestive tract. The sugars and starches are nonstructural carbohydrates or NSC (sometimes referred to as soluble carbohydrates). In some situations it may be beneficial to reduce the NSC in a horse’s diet.

Are nonstructural carbohydrates "evil"? In the horse’s small intestine, most nonstructural carbs are broken down into glucose, a simple sugar. The glucose is then absorbed into the blood stream, and is carried to various tissues where it is used as fuel, or stored as glycogen (in the muscle or liver, where it later used as fuel) or as fat. Glucose is very important for the horse to function properly, as it is the only fuel that can be used by the brain, it is used to a large extent by the hooves, and it is the only substance that can be used for making glycogen. Studies have shown that horses that use up all their glycogen and are not provided glucose to replenish the glycogen stores show greatly reduced performance capabilities. So glucose is vital to the health and well-being of the horse. Again, glucose comes primarily from NSC.

So, again, are nonstructural carbohydrates "evil"? We know that too much NSC (particularly starch) in a horse’s meal can cause problems. We want the NSC to be digested in the small intestine, but if we feed a large meal that contains so much starch that it overflows from the small intestine into the large intestine, it may cause digestive disturbances such as colic or laminitis. Studies have shown that feeding no more than about 0.5% of a horse’s body weight of grain in one meal will reduce the risk of grain overload into the horse’s hindgut, therefore reducing the risk of colic or laminitis.

For laminitic horses (horses that have been previously been diagnosed with laminitis) feeding less NSC may be helpful in reducing the chance of a recurrence. Horses with chronic laminitis may be more susceptible and more sensitive to NSC in the diet.

There are some horses that suffer from disorders such as Cushing’s Syndrome. This disorder may cause a problem in the regulation and use of glucose in the body. The hormone insulin helps regulate glucose, by causing it to be removed from the blood into the tissues where it is used or stored. In horses that suffer from Cushing’s Syndrome, the insulin may not function properly to regulate the glucose, and we see high levels of glucose in the blood. We call these horses "insulin resistant". In these situations, it may be beneficial to feed less NSC so that there will be less
glucose provided by the diet.

There are some horses that suffer from disorders such as Cushing’s Syndrome. This disorder may cause a problem in the regulation and use of glucose in the body. The hormone insulin helps regulate glucose, by causing it to be removed from the blood into the tissues where it is used or stored. In horses that suffer from Cushing’s Syndrome, the insulin may not function properly to regulate the glucose, and we see high levels of glucose in the blood. We call these horses "insulin resistant". In these situations, it may be beneficial to feed less NSC so that there will be less
glucose provided by the diet.

Another situation in which low NSC diets are recommended is for horses diagnosed with "Equine Metabolic Syndrome". These horses are usually obese, and blood tests show them to be apparently "insulin resistant". However, in many cases if the horses are put on low calorie diets and lose weight, their glucose and insulin values return to normal. Once again, are nonstructural carbohydrates "evil"? In my opinion, the answer is a firm "NO". There are some situations in which some horses may benefit from lower levels of NSC in their diets. However, we need much more research to determine where the level of NSC needs to be, because the horse still needs glucose for brain, muscle and hoof function. We don’t know at this point where the lower limit of NSC in the diet is to ensure adequate glucose to supply the body’s needs. We also do not know where the upper limit is to reduce the potential for NSC in the diet to cause problems for insulin resistant horses. As an equine nutritionist, I try to ensure that the total diet includes all the essential nutrients to meet the horse’s nutritional needs without exacerbating any medical
conditions. For most typical horses, the amount of NSC in a standard diet of grass or hay and concentrate feed will cause no problems. In situations where the NSC may be an issue, there are factors to consider other than just how much grain is in the horse’s diet.

Horse owners almost always look at the grain portion of their horse’s diet to reduce the NSC. However, just because a feed contains grains, it does not mean that the feed is high in NSC. Conversely, just because a feed does not contain whole grains does not mean that it is low in NSC. Different ingredients in a feed contain different amounts of nonstructural carbohydrates, and it is the total mixture of ingredients that determines the NSC content of that feed. Purina Mills has several feeds available that are low in NSC. And more importantly, those feeds are formulated to contain all the nutrients necessary to meet the horse’s nutritional needs.

Further, we need to keep in mind that fresh grasses and some hays can contain fairly substantial amounts of NSC. When dealing with a horse that is suffering from a disorder that may be aggravated by high levels of NSC, it is vital to look at the forage portion of the ration as well as the concentrate to determine the best total diet for that horse.

Finally, it is essential to keep in mind that each horse is an individual with individual needs. When we start looking at individuals with special needs such as those with Cushing’s Syndrome, or obese horses, or laminitic horses, there is no cookie cutter approach to meeting the horse’s nutritional needs as well as the medical needs.
Further, we need to keep in mind that fresh grasses and some hays can contain fairly substantial amounts of NSC. When dealing with a horse that is suffering from a disorder that may be aggravated by high levels of NSC, it is vital to look at the forage portion of the ration as well as the concentrate to determine the best total diet for that horse.

Finally, it is essential to keep in mind that each horse is an individual with individual needs. When we start looking at individuals with special needs such as those with Cushing’s Syndrome, or obese horses, or laminitic horses, there is no cookie cutter approach to meeting the horse’s nutritional needs as well as the medical needs.

At Olsen's Grain, we have a large variety of feeds available to meet the needs of horses in many different situations. Our goal is to provide the best nutrition for your horse by supplying the best feeds necessary to support your horse’s health, performance, and longevity.

PROTECTING THE FLOCK

2012-01-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

PASTY BUTT
Often chickens, and chicks in particular, will get pasty butt because of hardened loose droppings. It can be caused by any type of stress that upsets the digestive tract, like a change in temperature. In the winter, the loose droppings will dry quickly and very hard because of heat lamps. It forms a harmful clump and prevents the animal from voiding any manure or waste products, so it's very serious. It can even lead to death.

To treat pasty butt, you need to remove the hardened droppings. If you have to, use a little bit of warm water and soap to try to remove the clump. Then, dry the chicken and make sure it gets back under a heat lamp to dry off and stay warm. You may have to repeat this for two to three days until the chicken's intestinal tract normalizes and they resume producing normal stools. Just as if you visited a foreign country and came down with intestinal problems, it usually takes two or three days to overcome intestinal troubles in chickens as well.

CANNIBALISM OR FEATHER PICKING
Another issue is cannibalism or feather picking, and it can start at a very young age, even with baby chicks. Sometimes, you'll have a smaller bird that maybe hasn't had the chance to drink or eat and is growing slower than the other birds. These birds can be bullies, and they can start picking on the young bird. It could be caused by overcrowding, overheating, different age birds, boredom, long daylight hours, very bright lights, poor nutrition, and it also occurs again right around 16 to 18 weeks when the chickens reach sexual maturity, since they have a little bit more aggression during that time.

There are a number of ways you can eliminate this behavior.

Give the birds more space. If you have one bird that is getting picked on, isolate it for a couple days. Provide it its own feeder and water. Keep it away until it grows up a little it bigger and closer to the same size as the other birds. Then reintroduce it and it should do fine.

Poor ventilation could cause birds to become agitated and pick, so make sure to allow fresh air into your coop.

If you have too much light or if it's really bright, the birds become agitated. Reduce the light intensity. As long as you can see fairly well within the area it should be fine, and the chickens should be more than happy.

You can also put small handfuls of hay out, and create some barriers within the environment with hay bales so the birds can escape each other for a little while.

Purina® SunFresh® Recipe Flock Block® feed is very effective in restoring natural pecking instincts. If you provide this type of a block the chickens may peck on the block rather than themselves. Flock Block® is similar to a scratch only in a block form. If you are going on vacation for a couple days, you can put one of these out in addition to supplying sufficient clean, fresh water. It feeds up to 25 birds for two or three days or maybe longer.

Better Animals - Electronic Newsletter - Family Flock - November 2011

Pet Food and Digestibility

2012-01-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

We are surrounded by choices these days as we set out to buy food for our pets. There are many different foods in many different price ranges, all claiming to be just what your pet needs. How do we know what is really best, especially when we do not have quite all the information?

Digestibility of a product is a critical piece of information that is currently not quantitatively stated on pet food bags because, as of yet, there is no centralized or standardized official testing procedure that results in comparable data that can be put on pet food bags. Digestibility is an indicator of how thoroughly a feed is processed and utilized by the animal that eats it, and it is affected not only by the quality of the food but by the health status of the animal eating it. For instance, an animal riddled with intestinal parasites will digest far less of its food than will a parasite-free animal, regardless of the quality of the food. Therefore, extensive digestibility trials with large numbers of animals are required to truly estimate the digestibility of a given feed.

Most of the values shown on a feed tag or bag are derived by chemical analysis of the feedstuff. Chemical analysis, however, does not address the palatability, digestibility, or biological availability of nutrients in a food. Thus it is unreliable for determining whether a food will provide an animal with sufficient nutrients needed for growth, performance, or lactation. For instance, protein analysis is based on the measure of nitrogen in a feedstuff, since nitrogen is a key element in protein. However, merely measuring nitrogen is not indicative of protein quality (meaning amino acid composition), and nitrogen is a component of many other biological compounds, such as amine sugars. The analysis for fat does not indicate what kind of fat it is, and the fiber analysis likewise does not indicate the source or digestibility of the fiber, only that it is there. Technically, it is possible to make a "food" out of lawn fertilizer (nitrogen), motor oil (fat) and w ood chips (fiber) that will have the same protein, fat and fiber analysis as your favorite pet food! The tag would look great, but the feeding value would be horrible!

So how do you really make sure you are buying a quality product? You can fairly easily determine palatability yourself. If your pet doesn't like the food, it's not very palatable, at least not to your pet. Digestibility and biological availability can be trickier, but not impossible, to determine. The two are interrelated, as more digestible feeds are made from higher quality ingredients that will provide more nutrients that can be readily absorbed and utilized by your pet. Stool size and consistency are major indicators of feed quality: large, soft stools, perhaps with mucus present, are indicative of poor-quality, poorly utilized ingredients that are resulting in a lot of waste. That which goes all the way through the animal is not available for utilization! Poor growth rates in young animals or weight loss in lactating animals is a clear sign that the feed is not meeting their needs, regardless of the nutrient analysis. Dull coats can be a sign in adult animals that they are not getting what they need. And if your pet needs to eat more of a given food in order to maintain its weight, that's a sure sign that the food is not a very high quality feed.

Since higher quality feeds made from higher quality ingredients will generally cost more, price can sometimes be indicative of quality (certainly a high price tag can be put on a low quality feed, but seldom will a truly high-quality feed be offered at basement bargain prices). If you've always been a price tag shopper, consider this: If you pass up Feed A because it costs $23 for 40 pounds and buy Feed B at $20 for 40 pounds, but your pet must eat 25% more of Feed B in order to get the nutrients it needs, have you saved money? Let's see. If your dog needs 1 pound/day of Feed A, that is 40 servings at 57.5 cents per serving. Your dog will need to eat 1.25 pounds of Diet B to get the same amount of nutrients, meaning you get only 32 servings from the bag, at a cost of 62.5 cents/serving. Not such a great deal after all! Checking feeding directions to determine estimated consumption can be of some help, but beware – one cup of one food may not weigh the same as one cup of another food, so you may end up comparing apples and oranges when reading recommendations on bags. Weight is a better measure than volume when determining intake.

Reputation is another indicator of quality. Established pet food companies that conduct digestibility trials, as well as maintaining a customer service department to interact with consumers, are more likely to be putting out a quality product that they are happy to stand behind. If there isn't an 800-number on the bag, then you can probably assume the company isn't very interested in your comments. If they are not testing their feed but rather formulating based on calculated nutrient content (which is based on chemical analysis), then neither you nor they will really know how digestible it is until you feed it. PMI Nutrition conducts extensive digestibility trials on its pet food to ensure that you are getting the highest quality for your dollar.

Remember that nutrition is a complicated process involving not just the presence of nutrients but also their availability and digestibility and therefore their usefulness to the animal. Long-term subclinical nutritional deficiencies or imbalances due to lower quality foods can take a toll on the longevity and eventual quality of life of pets who may appear to be healthy on the outside. Don't take shortcuts with your pet's nutrition!

They give us so much—aren't they worth the very best?

Pit Bull Terriers: A Misunderstood Breed

2011-12-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

Amy Rogier Klenke got Alabama, a Pit, Boxer and Heeler mix, 13 years ago from the Humane Society while she was in college. Since then, she's only had Pit Bulls and Pit mixes and wouldn't think of owning any other type of dog.

"It is all about how you treat and train your dog," Amy said. "American Pit Bull Terriers and Pit bull type dogs are misunderstood, and they get a bad rap. Any animal can be made mean. I have found that Pit Bulls are very loyal and eager to please their human companions, which helps out with their training. They are extremely affectionate and love to cuddle. They are great with kids, but supervision is key, as with any dog or animal."

Unlike the aggressive stereotype that Pits are often given, Alabama is quiet and reserved.

"In a thunderstorm you will find her hiding under the bed," Amy said.

Amy's other four dogs, Cheyenne, Mugsy, Neva and J.D., like Alabama were all adopted or rescued.

"I have grown up with a respect for animals, and it's alarming to me the amount of people that abuse animals and don't care for them," Amy said.

The Klenke's adopted Cheyenne, a 7-year-old Pitt Bull Boxer mix, to be a companion for one of their other dogs.

"She is the queen bee and keeps all the other 'kids' in line," Amy said. "She loves it when we come home and always meets us at the door with a smile on her face. Although we haven't had her certified, we are learning that more and more Pit Bulls are serving as therapy dogs and are considering having her go through the training and certification."

Before switching to a new medication, Amy's husband Aaron occasionally had absence seizures, a type of seizure that looks like a staring spell or like Aaron was daydreaming, when he was overly tired or stressed out.

"Cheyenne could sense the seizures coming and would go to him, sit with him throughout the duration of the seizure and just let him pet her," Amy said. "It was like she was protecting him and making sure he was OK."

Mugsy is an American Pit Bull Terrier that the Rogiers adopted four years ago as a puppy, and he still thinks he is the baby of the family despite topping the scale at 90 lbs.

"He often thinks he is actually a small dog and wants to sit in your lap," Amy said. "He acts tough, but he is big push over."

Neva is Amy's 3-year-old and an American Pit Bull Terrier.

"We call her wiggle butt," Amy said. "She is always happy and can't hide it. She wiggles her entire butt as she wags her tail. She is by far the happiest creature I have ever met, two or four legged."

The Klenke's most recent family addition is J.D., a 2-year-old Pit, Shepherd and Chow mix.

"We started out fostering J.D. for our favorite rescue group Hope Rescues. We were just going to foster him until he found a permanent home," Amy said. "Well, he found one, at our house. He is a little timid sometimes, but he fits in perfectly to our pack."

Hope Rescues, located in Alton, Illinois, is a non-profit organization that started out as a rescue for pets affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It has a no-kill policy and works to rehabilitate physically and mentally abused animals, promote spaying and neutering of pets and educate people on how to treat animals.

"Kim and Jackie, who run Hope Rescues, are very passionate about the animals they rescue, and they give the animals a good quality life while they are waiting for their forever home," Amy said. "All of their animals are either cared for in foster homes or in a boarding/daycare type facility rather than being in a shelter like environment, and these ladies follow up and check on the animals that they adopt out."

Dealing with the stigmas associated with Pit Bulls has been one of Amy's biggest surprises, but she has been able to show Pit Bulls in a different light.

"People are stunned that we have five of them," Amy said. "When Mugsy was a puppy, he came to work with me every day. We wanted to be sure that he was socialized and used to a lot of different people. People loved him, and they were often shocked with they found out he was an American Pit Bull Terrier."

Amy feeds her dogs Exclusive® and Infinia® pet foods, and she's not only a PMI Nutrition customer, but also a PMI Nutrition dealer, working as the assistant manager at Hamel Co-op in Hamel, Illinois.

Hamel Co-op was established in 1920 by a group of area farmers that purchased the local grain elevator, and it became a Purina Mills dealer in 1944. Today, the Co-op is still owned by stockholders and ran by a board of directors, but unlike other cooperatives, is open to the public, doing business with both members and non-members. Working at Hamel Co-op since 2003, Amy has become an expert in feed and seed. She also maintains the Co-op's website, writes their newsletters and hosts an Ag Trivia contest on a local radio station.

"As a pet owner, I am not comfortable selling someone a feed that I would not feed my own pets," Amy said. "I love the Exclusive® and Infinia® products because they are made with natural, wholesome ingredients. They are very palatable and my dogs dig into every feeding. I love knowing that my dogs are getting a nutritious meal without the fillers that are often used in other pet foods. Also, because my dogs' bodies utilize the food better, there is less waste to pick up."

Not having any kids, Amy admits that she and Aaron treat their dogs like their children and spoil them rotten.

"Our Pits are part of our family. They love to have human contact and interaction. They love to go jogging with you just as much as they love to lie next to you on the couch and watch your favorite TV show. If you don't want to spend time with your pets, this is not the type of dog for you," Amy said. "We love coming home to them no matter how our day was, good or bad. They meet you at the door with a smile on their face and a wet slobbery kiss."

2011-12-11T07:06:00.000-08:00

Hunting with a good dog is one of the great joys of being an outdoorsman. An accomplished hunting dog is truly a work of art on paws. But all that activity—the tracking, the running, the swimming in icy water—puts great demands on your dog's body.

Your hard-working hunting dog has much higher energy needs than a sedentary house dog, and the cold frosty mornings of hunting season can add to his energy needs by requiring him to expend more energy just to stay warm. Add a long swim in an icy pond, and the energy burned just by being excited, and your dog will rack up some tremendous fuel requirements. Therefore, you need to feed him accordingly to keep his strength and energy at a high-performing level.

Research has shown that, similar to people, dogs performing long-term endurance (aerobic – meaning "with oxygen") exercise benefit greatly from a diet that is considerably higher in fat. The increased dietary fat serves as fuel for moderate, consistent activity, helping dogs perform longer and better. This does not mean that carbohydrates are not important. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for short, intense anaerobic (meaning "without oxygen") activity such as sprinting and swimming. This activity occurs too quickly for the slower metabolism of fat to be an adequate fuel source. Maintaining muscle levels of a carbohydrate called "glycogen" is very important in supporting a high level of anaerobic performance in active dogs. Therefore, the right combination and levels of dietary fat and carbohydrates working together is necessary to optimally provide for the dog's energy needs. Commercial feeds specifically designed with hunting dogs in mind a re your best bet for providing the right fuel combination for your hard-working hunting buddy.

Protein needs of hard-working dogs are generally greater than those of their more sedentary counterparts. Traditional thought was that exercise only increased the need for energy, not protein. We now know that athletic activity results in production and maintenance of a greater mass of muscle. It also causes adaptive physiological changes that increase the need for and utilization of protein. Stressful exercise can result in "microdamage" in muscle tissue that is not apparent but must nevertheless be repaired. Exercise also results in recruitment and development of specialized cells that contribute to enhanced muscle size and strength, so the muscle can better resist the rigors of the stressful exercise. These processes require more dietary protein than that needed by the average sedentary house pet. And not just any protein will do! Despite today's holistic movement toward plant-based feeds for both people and animals, the reality is that the evolutionary development of dogs dictates that they simply perform better when fed proteins of animal origin. The amino acids (those little building blocks of protein) in animal proteins more correctly match the nutrient requirements of dogs than do those in plant proteins. For dogs with a digestive sensitivity to soy proteins, a feed with animal-based proteins will result in more efficient digestion. A commercial feed designed for hunting dogs and made from high-quality animal proteins and properly fortified with vitamins and minerals will make it easy for you to meet your dog's nutritional needs.

During the off-season, provide plenty of exercise to keep your dog in good shape for the hunting season. The work need not be as strenuous as that encountered during hunting season, but it should be consistent, and feed should be adjusted accordingly. A commercial feed designed for hunting dogs during the off-season will help to keep your dog lean and ready to get back to work when fall rolls around again. You should never just let your dog kick back and be a couch potato, gaining weight and losing muscle tone. Hunting dogs are athletes, and, like people, they need to get in shape gradually and then work enough to maintain a certain level of fitness. As hunting season again approaches, step up the exercise program and gradually switch back to a higher-powered feed so that your dog will be a lean, mean hunting machine on opening day. A dog that is not physically prepared for the rigorous exercise of the hunting field cannot do his best for you and may even st rain muscles or tendons while trying. Proper dietary and fitness support of your hard-working hunting buddy will help keep him lean and strong and performing at his best!

Source: Better Animals - Electronic Newsletter - Pet - November 2011

Why Should I Vaccinate My Pet?

2011-11-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

Just as in humans, VACCINATIONS given to your pet will PROTECT against many DEADLY DISEASES. Even if your pet does not leave the house or the yard, they can be exposed to these diseases through STRAY ANIMALS or free roaming pets in the neighborhood.

The COST of a vaccine is INSIGNIFICANT compared to the cost of treating these diseases,to say nothing of the risk of great SUFFERING and possible DEATH. Most vaccinations give protection against diseases caused by viruses. To date, there is no known cure for any viral disease, only treatments for the many secondary effects that these diseases cause.

Some diseases will ultimately result in the loss of life. Others may or may not lead to such a tragic result, depending on how well the body itself is able to fight off the infection and how effectively the secondary problems that result from the viral infection are treated medically. Sometimes, even if the victim survives the disease, permanent damage may result. For example, sometimes dogs that survive distemper will have seizures when they get older. Fortunately, this can be easily controlled with medication.

Also, by vaccinating your pet, just as your child that goes to day care and public school, you will help PREVENT the SPREAD of these diseases to OTHER ANIMALS. If we were as conscientious about vaccinating our pets as we are our children, then perhaps some of these diseases could be eliminated as have been polio and other diseases in humans.

How do Vaccines Work?

Vaccinations are based on the same principal that natural immunity to disease occurs. They contain actual viruses or bacteria, or portions of them, in a form that will not cause disease, but will stimulate the immune system to be able to destroy these disease causing agents before they can make the animal sick. When these agents get into the bloodstream they are called ANTIGENS because they will stimulate certain white blood cells to produce proteins called ANTIBODIES. These antibodies will then attach to the viruses or bacteria and aid other white blood cells in destroying them. Once these antibodies have been produced by the white blood cells they will remain in the bloodstream for a long period of time to provide immediate protection against any of the viruses or bacteria that they attack that enter the bloodstream. Over time, and this length of time will vary for each different virus, these antibodies will disappear from the bloodstream and eventually there will be none to offer protection. This is why it is important to revaccinate on a regular basis, to be sure that these disease fighting antibodies are present in sufficient numbers to keep disease from occurring. But there is also the ability of the white cells to "remember" the antigens that they have encountered before for a long time, and they will produce antibodies again when the antigen is encountered; the advantage of this is that these antibodies will be produced much more rapidly and in greater numbers than the first time the antigen was encountered. So, even if the antibodies in the bloodstream have dwindled, the immune system still has some ability to fight off an infection.

Vaccinating Your Puppy or Kitten

There are important things you need to know to understand why your puppy or kitten needs to be vaccinated, and why it is so important that they receive a series of these vaccinations.

To begin with, when the mother dog or cat has been properly vaccinated in the past, she will have ANTIBODIES to the diseases she was vaccinated against flowing in her bloodstream. When it comes times for her to deliver, these antibodies will go into the mammary glands, in the "first milk", which is called COLLOSTRUM. This collostrum is a bit different from milk, and it has a different color - sort of a golden, watery color. This is the "milk" that will be present in her breasts when the babies are born. Antibodies are very large molecules (proteins) and only during the first 24-48 hours of the baby's life are the intestines able to absorb them into the bloodstream. This is one reason it is so important for a newborn to start nursing right away. Once these antibodies are absorbed into the bloodstream of the infant, they will stay there for a number of weeks, to provide protection against these diseases. Over time, and this will vary from puppy to puppy or kitten to kitten, these antibodies will slowly disappear from the bloodstream and at some point during the first 4 months of life, the young one will no longer be protected. This vulnerability will occur anywhere from about 6 weeks to 4 months, but there is no way to predict in an individual at what time this will occur. During this time it is very important to begin a vaccination schedule. The vaccinations will cause the puppy or kitten to produce its own antibodies, and thus keep it protected. However, if there are still antibodies present from the mom then this will interfere with the vaccination, and the immune system will not be stimulated. So it is important to vaccinate every three or four weeks, to be sure that the immune system gets stimulated as soon as it can respond, so that the puppy or kitten is not at risk during any period of its youth (remember that any disease is much more dangerous for someone very young). Research has shown that by the age of 4 months, all puppies and kittens that can respond will have responded to a vaccination. So if you continue to have your puppy or kitten vaccinated up to the age of 4 months, or even longer, you can feel confident that it has been protected. Until this time, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you not allow your pet to go anywhere where it may contract a disease. Do not let kittens outdoors (for more reasons than catching diseases!), do not take your puppy to parks or other areas where other dogs are allowed to roam. When you go to the vet's office for vaccinations, keep them in a carrier if possible, do not let them loose on the yard of the clinic or the floor of the clinic. Do not let them come face to face with a sick animal. Once your puppy or kitten has finished its shots, then yearly boosters will keep the immune system "ready to go" to prevent your pet from getting these diseases.

What Vaccines Does My Dog Need?

The major diseases that dogs are vaccinated against are DISTEMPER, PARVO, LEPTOSPIROSIS, CANINE HEPATITIS, and KENNEL COUGH. Most of the time, distemper, parvo, leptospirosis, and hepatitis vaccines are combined into one injection, you may have heard of this vaccination referred to as the 6 in 1, or 7 in one shot. Kennel cough vaccine is given separately, either as an injection or with drops that are placed in the nose. Every dog should be vaccinated on a yearly basis with the combination vaccine to protect against distemper and parvo, and the others as well, and to help prevent the spread of these diseases. Kennel cough vaccine is sometimes given routinely by veterinarians, or sometimes the choice of this vaccination is left up to the pet owner. Kennel cough is very contagious through contact with dogs that are infected with it, but it is not a lifethreatening disease. It is important to have your dog vaccinated against this if he or she will be spending time boarding in a kennel, or going to the groomer's.

RABIES VACCINE of course is extremely important, and this vaccination is required by law, either every year or every three years, depending on the rabies laws of your state.

What Vaccines Should My Cat Get?

Major diseases that cats are vaccinated against include the UPPER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES and FELINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS. There is a vaccine for FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS but there is great controversy surrounding this vaccine, be sure to discuss this with your vet. Which vaccines your cat should receive will depend upon your situation and what your veterinarian feels is appropriate. There is a small risk of a cat developing a very bad tumor, called a FIBROSARCOMA, at the site of the vaccination. Because of this, there is a great deal of discussion going on among veterinarians and feline societies as to how often and under what circumstances a cat should be vaccinated.

The upper respiratory viruses are spread from cat to cat just as the cold virus is spread from human to human. There are 4 major upper respiratory viruses and most often there is one injection that will vaccinate against all 4. This vaccination will not completely prevent infection in every case, but it will help lessen the severity of the infection. Feline leukemia virus is spread most often through bite wounds from an infected cat, but sometimes it can be spread from an infected cat to an uninfected cat through close daily contact when they live together. A cat who stays strictly indoors and is never around any other cats is not likely to get exposed to these diseases. Any cat who spends any time outdoors should be regularly vaccinated for both upper respiratory diseases as well as leukemia, and should be tested for the leukemia virus prior to being given the vaccine. The risk of becoming ill from these viruses is much greater than the risk of developing an injection site tumor. Cats who live in multiple cat households should be vaccinated at least for the upper respiratory diseases. It would also be best to have each cat in such a situation tested for the leukemia virus, to be sure that this disease will not be spread to all the cats of the household. If any are found to be positive, then other noninfected cats in the household should be vaccinated regularly for feline leukemia. The vaccine is not 100% effective, but in most cases will provide protection. Measures should be taken to keep the infected cats separated from the uninfected cats as much as possible.

Of course, the RABIES VACCINE is extremely important, and is required by law. This vaccine is given every year, or every three years, depending on the rabies laws of your state.

Special Considerations

Vaccinations by the BREEDER:

Many BREEDERS will vaccinate their puppies or kittens themselves. They purchase vaccines in bulk and administer them themselves to save money. Sometimes these vaccines are fine, but many times, depending on the manufacturer, they are not good quality vaccines. Sometimes they are not handled properly, and thus will be ineffective, and sometimes very unreputable breeders will say that they have vaccinated when in fact they have not. A reputable breeder will be sure that they buy very good quality, effective vaccinations and they will give them as they are supposed to be given. Howver, in this situation, your safest course of action is to disregard anything the breeder tells you about vaccinations, and take the puppy or kitten right away to the vet to be vaccinated. It will not harm the puppy or kitten to receive an extra vaccine, but there is great risk in not receiving proper vaccines. If the breeder is able to provide you with proof that the puppy or kitten was vaccinated with a reliable vaccine, then you should show this information to your veterinarian, and let them make the decision as to whether or not the puppy or kitten should be vaccinated right away. There are also very good breeders who have all of the offspring vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian, and they will also provide you with a form to indicate such. You should still show this information to your veterinarian, so that they can verify that this has been done, and let you know when your pet should receive future vaccines.

ORPHANED puppy or kitten:

These babies may not have received any colostrum from their mother, therefore may have no protection whatsoever, and it is especially important to start their vaccinations as soon as possible. It is also especially important to see to it that they do not get exposed to disease, so extra stringent measures should be taken to protect them. You should call your veterinarian and describe your situation, let them tell you just exactly what you should do.

OLDER Puppies and Kittens:

If you have a puppy or a kitten that is older than 6 weeks, and never vaccinated, or you do not know whether or not it has received vaccinations, or you could not afford vaccinations when it was younger, what do you do? If the puppy or kitten is less than four months old, you do not have to double up or catch up on the vaccines it has not received. Or if you do not know if it has had vaccines in the past, it does not hurt to have it revaccinated. You just need to get the vaccinations that are appropriate for the pet's age. And you can ask your veterinarian about what is best. Even if the pet is an adult, and you do not know its history, you should have it vaccinated. Adults may not be quite as vulnerable to some diseases, but they are all at risk, if never vaccinated.

DURATION of PROTECTION from a Vaccine

There is much current research being done to determine just how long protection (this is referring to the length of time the antibodies stay in the blood after a vaccine - this is called a "titer") lasts from a vaccine. This research is being done in both human and veterinary medicine. There is evidence to show that protection from several vaccinations in cats and dogs lasts longer than a year, but the length of time will vary for each individual dog or cat, and it will depend on what the vaccine is protecting against. So why should you vaccinate your pet every year? Well, until all of this research leads to more specific information, you should do this to be sure your pet is protected. Also, and I think this is most important, with most veterinarians, when your pet goes in for a vaccine he or she will be given a physical exam. In fact, you can and should insist on this, if your vet does not do it routinely. This is so important because there are many diseases out there that can cause subtle changes in your pet that you may not be able to recognise. And many of these diseases or problems are quite serious, and must be caught as early as possible for treatment to be effective. They may not be so serious, but could be causing great discomfort to your pet. Since they can't talk, how are you to know?

What Are the Negative Side Effects of Vaccines?

VACCINATION REACTIONS:

Dogs and cats can have allergic reactions to vaccines. This does not occur very often, but can occur. Most often, within several hours of receiving the vaccination, they will develop hives, large bumps all over the body. This reaction will occur within several hours of receiving the vaccine. They may experience swelling in the face and neck. If this occurs, the pet needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away, but the reaction is easily treated with steroids, and should disappear by the next day. Rarely, and I stress rarely, they can develop an anaphylactic reaction, which is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. It is the same thing that will happen to a human, for example, you have heard of someone who is allergic to eggs or seafood, and they eat it, this will cause this sort of reaction. Signs of this reaction include vomiting, sometimes diarrhea or defecation, falling over or fainting, agitation, respiratory distress. If not treated medically, immediately, death will result. Allergic reactions occur only when reexposure occurs, and only if the immune system has responded in such a way as to make a human or animal allergic. This is a special response of the immune system that only occurs sometimes, in certain individuals, to certain substances. Such reactions should never happen with the first vaccine given, however on rare occasion a puppy may show a severe reaction to its first vaccine. It is not clearly understood what causes this, but it is thought that there may be some added ingredient in the vaccine that the puppy has been exposed to previously that causes this reaction. And most pets never develop an allergic reaction to any vaccine. But if you are concerned at all about your pet having a reaction you can handle this in a simple manner. You can take your pet to your veterinarian early in the morning, and leave it all day, to get vaccinated. Inform your vet of your concerns, ask him or her to vaccinate your pet very early in the day, and to watch it closely for any signs of reaction. They will be able to deal with such a reaction promptly and successfully should it occur. If your pet has had any reactions in the past, you should by all means inform your vet of this, and discuss with him or her whether or not your pet needs to be vaccinated in spite of the risk. There are medications that can be given prior to vaccination that will help prevent this allergic reaction and other ways of minimizing the risk to the allergic pet.

PERSISTENT SWELLING at the vaccination site:

Sometimes, at the location where the pet was vaccinated, a hard lump will form. This is just a local reaction to the ingredients in the vaccine and should disappear slowly, within a month or so. You should take your pet to the vet, should such a lump appear, to have them check it out, and make sure that is what is causing the lump. They should do this at no charge for you, if your pet was vaccinated there. As with any lump you should keep a very close eye on it, if it is growing, getting larger, or becoming irritated or abscessed, this is a cause for immediate concern, and requires immediate veterinary attention. In light of this, sometimes in CATS a certain type of tumor will form at the vaccination site, called a FIBROSARCOMA! These tumors are very nasty, they are very aggressive at their site of location, they invade the tissues and grow to be quite large. They will most often result in the loss of life of the cat, if not treated, and many times the treatment is unsuccessful. However, it has been shown that when surgery is performed to remove this tumor, if done correctly, with lots of tissue around the tumor removed, that sometimes the cat can be cured of this tumor. At least this can greatly extend the life of the cat. If not completely removed, the tumor will grow back. Many veterinarians these days will vaccinate a cat in the hind leg, in case the vaccine results in a tumor. This way, if a tumor develops, the leg can be amputated and the life of the cat will be saved in most cases. Cats that have only 3 legs actually do almost as well as cats with four, they do not seem to notice the difference, and they can get around quite well, so don't let this alarm you! The surgery is not nearly as painful as it would be for you or I, and the cat will be up and around as if nothing happened within a day to several days.

FEVER, LETHARGY, OR PAIN after vaccination:

Very frequently a YOUNG PUPPY, especially if it is small and/or this is its first vaccines, will appear to be sleepy, lethargic, and painful (for example, it may cry when you pick it up or pet it) for about 24 hours after receiving the vaccine. This is nothing to worry about, the puppy should be back to normal the next day. DO NOT give your puppy any ASPIRIN, TYLENOL, IBUPROFEN, or any other over the counter pain reliever/fever reducers. Aspirin is sometimes fairly safe to give a dog, but this must be only with the approval and direction of your veterinarian. Tylenol (acetominophen) and ibuprofen and related drugs should never be given under any circumstance. Usually this does not reccur with subsequent vaccines. However, if you have any concerns at all about this, just give your vet a call. They should be able to allay your fears. And if the puppy is not 100% the next morning, be sure to call your vet and let them know, something else may be wrong.

CATS will sometimes do the same thing, even when they are adults, especially if they have received multiple vaccines in one visit. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GIVE YOUR CAT ASPIRIN, TYLENOL (acetominophen), IBUPROFEN, or any other over the counter pain reliever/fever reducers. These can easily kill your cat. Vaccine related fever and pain seem to occur more frequently when the cat is vaccinated in the leg. In this case, it might be a good idea to take the cat back to the veterinarian for a check up, he or she may want to prescribe antibiotics if there is a fever, just to be on the safe side. If this occurs, the next time you have your cat vaccinated, you can split the vaccines up, that is, you can have the cat vaccinated with each vaccine at separate times, a week apart is a reasonable schedule.

REMEMBER:

The vast majority of pets do not experience any significant problems with routine vaccinations. The protection that these vaccines give your pet from deadly diseases far outweighs the risks they may encounter in receiving them.

source: http://www.angelfire.com/ab3/rescue/whyvaccinate.html

2011-11-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

If you have a dog who truly exercises strenuously – for instance, shares your marathon training runs, spends long days hunting in the fields, or even chases the kids on their bikes all day – then you have a dog with very different dietary needs than the average house pet.

First of all, the highly active dog has much higher energy needs than a sedentary house dog. Research has shown that dogs performing long-term endurance (aerobic) exercise benefit greatly from a diet that is considerably higher in fat. The increased dietary fat will help them perform longer and better. However, this does not mean that carbohydrates are not important; carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for short, intense anaerobic activity such as sprinting. Maintaining muscle levels of a carbohydrate called "glycogen" is very important in supporting a high level of performance in active dogs. Therefore, the right combination of dietary fat and carbohydrates working together helps to optimally provide for the dog's energy needs. Finally, protein needs of hard-working dogs are generally greater than those of their more sedentary compatriots. Athletic activity results in production and maintenance of a greater mass of muscle as well as other adaptive physi ological changes that increase the utilization of protein. Thus, the very active dog needs a higher protein level in its diet than the average house dog.

If you have a dog that seems determined to be an Olympic champion, provide him with a feed designed to meet the needs of active, hard-working canines. Proper dietary support of the active dog will help keep him fit and strong and performing at his best!

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References: Paul, P. and B. Issekutz. 1976. Role of extramuscular energy sources in the metabolism of the exercising dog. Am. J. Physiol. 22:615-622.

Reynolds, A.J. 1995. Effect of diet on performance. Proc. Perform. Dog Nutr. Symp. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.

Reynolds, A.J., L. Fuhrer, H.L. Dunlap et al. 1994. Lipid metabolite responses to diet and training in sled dogs. J. Nutr. 124:2754S-2759S.

Reynolds, A.J., L. Fuhrer, H.L. Dunlap et al. 1997. Effect of diet and training on muscle glycogen storage and utilization in sled dogs. J. Appl. Physiol. 79:1601-1607.

Feeding for Pregnancy & Lactation

2011-10-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

Fall is a popular time for breeding and whelping, and it is important to consider the nutritional needs that these physiological events place on your dog. Whether you are breeding for business or pleasure, the health and well-being of both dam and puppies is of paramount importance.

Start with a female that is healthy, fit and not over or underweight. An underweight dog may not be able to eat enough to provide for her needs and those of the fetuses, while an overweight dog is prone to having extra-large puppies and birthing problems. Feed your dog a high-quality, highly digestible food, but do not feed her as if she is eating for six! The majority of fetal growth in dogs does not occur until the fifth or sixth week of the nine weeks of gestation, so the dam does not need extra food before that time. Feeding her too much too early will only make her fat. However, after the fifth week the dam's intake should be increased gradually so that she is consuming 25% to 50% more than her normal intake at whelping; this will help her meet the nutritional requirements of the rapidly growing fetuses she is carrying. Feed the dam several small meals per day, as the ever-growing fetuses will be taking up space and limiting the amount of food she can hol d at one time. A high-quality, nutrient-dense food is very helpful for allowing the dam to obtain optimum nutrition from a smaller amount of food.

After whelping, the dam will need to continue to consume food at a higher level than maintenance as she provides milk for her litter. The bigger the litter, the more milk she must produce, and therefore the more energy she will need to consume. Without adequate consumption of a high-quality food designed to meet the needs of pregnant or lactating dogs (performance foods are appropriate; adult maintenance or weight-loss formulas are inadequate for this life-stage), the dam may lose dramatic amounts of weight. This can result in malnourishment of the dam and a reduction in the amount of milk she is able to provide for her puppies. It is also important to ensure that she drinks plenty of water in order to support milk production. As the puppies increase in size and consume more, the dam will need to eat and drink more to produce the required milk. Generally, you should feed her 1.5 times maintenance during the first week, 2 times maintenance during the second wee k, and as much as 3 times maintenance through the fourth week of lactation, depending on litter size and the dam's appearance. It is normal for the dam to lose some weight, but she should not lose a lot.

After the fourth week, the puppies should be showing considerable interest in solid food. Begin to slowly reduce the amount of food the dam eats as you increase the solid food offered to the puppies. Be sure the puppies aren't eating all the dam's food, and vice versa. By the time the puppies are ready for weaning, the dam should be eating no more than 1.5 times her maintenance level and less if she is continuing to produce a considerable amount of milk. A high level of feeding will encourage continued milk production, which can lead to mastitis (mammary gland infection) once the puppies are completely weaned. On the day of weaning, withhold the dam's food (if she is in good physical condition), then slowly reintroduce food over the next several days until she is back up to maintenance level. This should encourage milk production to halt.

If all has gone well, you should have a healthy dam and a litter of strong, robust puppies ready to take on the world!

Source: Better Animals - Electronic Newsletter - Pet - October 2011

2011-10-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges you face as a bird owner is the threat of a common, and potentially devastating, disease called coccidiosis. But once you understand what causes it and how it spreads, you can feel more confident about your ability to limit its impact on your flock.

GOOD HEALTH

Coccidiosis is caused by a microscopic parasite called coccidia that is transmitted via the droppings from infected birds. In other words, anywhere there's a microscopic trace of bird poop—in a waterer, a feeder, or in bedding—there's almost certainly coccidia present.

Symptoms of coccidiosis include weight loss, paleness, ruffled feathers, depression, huddling, unwillingness to eat, and watery or bloody diarrhea. All birds are at risk, but growing birds and young adults ages 3 to 5 weeks old seem most susceptible.

The good news is that birds in relatively good health with strong immune systems are equipped to ward off coccidiosis, as long as they do not become stressed or overexposed to unsanitary conditions. A mild case may even pass unnoticed. Once a flock survives an outbreak, it will be immune to that particular coccidia organism (there are nine different species that can infect chickens, however, so the disease can rear its ugly head in a new form).

The other good news is that each species of coccidia is "host-specific." That means the type of coccidia that could infect your turkeys is not the same type that could infect your chickens (or geese or quail, etc.). So coccidiosis cannot spread from a chicken to a goose—but it can spread like wildfire from chicken to chicken.

When coccidiosis is allowed to proliferate unchecked, it invades the lining of the intestines causing tissue damage and interfering with nutrient absorption. It can be devastating to a flock.

SOUND MANAGEMENT
One of the best ways to prevent a coccidiosis outbreak is by practicing responsible sanitation and litter management. Coccidia thrive in damp, warm conditions, so wet litter around the waterer is a virtual parasite paradise.

Believe it or not, when the conditions are just right, coccidia can survive for up to four years outside a bird's body. And these hardy little organisms can be transmitted via boots, equipment, insects and rodents. So you're going to need a multi-tiered approach to minimize the threat.

Here are some suggestions:

Keep the premises as dry as possible. Coccidia love moisture.
Never introduce new adult birds into your flock. Birds that appear healthy can be carriers of a number of deadly diseases. Quarantine them first.
Raise chicks in isolation. Mature birds can pass along diseases and parasites to vulnerable young birds.
Thoroughly clean and disinfect the brooder between broods. This includes any equipment the chicks will come in contact with. Once the premises are dry, place four to six inches of dry, fresh litter material (wood shavings or a commercial absorbent litter material) on the floor.
Provide clean water at all times. A typical problem is that brooder bedding or dust (containing feces) gets scratched into the water source. If possible, elevate the waterer slightly. Clean waterers relentlessly. If you wouldn't be willing to drink the water yourself, it's not clean enough. And never let the waterer run dry—it will force the birds to search for water in puddles, which are almost certainly contaminated.
Provide clean bedding. Coccidia are spread through the feces of infected birds. If feces are in the bedding, they're on the birds' feathers. And if feces are on the feathers, the birds will ingest them while preening (using their beaks to clean themselves). Replace wet bedding around waterers and add bedding to any problem spots.
Let sunlight do some of the work. Coccidia hate sunlight. It's a natural disinfectant. Incorporate as much natural sunlight into your brooder as possible.
Ask your veterinarian about vaccinating. A commercial coccidiosis vaccine is available, but it's not beneficial for every flock. Consult your veterinarian before using the vaccine.
Remember, exposure to coccidia isn't the threat—frankly, it's unavoidable. Even wild birds carry coccidia. Instead, the serious threat comes from prolonged over-exposure to coccidia in a stressful, unsanitary environment that can overwhelm a bird's immune system.

GOOD NUTRITION
There's one more important weapon that you can employ as part of your multi-tiered defense against coccidiosis: medicated feeds containing a coccidiostat that controls the growth of coccidian in the digestive tract.

Purina® Start & Grow® Medicated is formulated for layer chicks and can be fed until eight weeks of age to prevent coccidiosis. For broiler chicks and turkey poults, there's Purina® Flock Raiser® Medicated. Both of these feeds provide a complete and balanced diet for the birds they were designed for. No other supplemental feeds are necessary. When you consider that a strong immune system is a bird's best natural defense against coccidia and other diseases, investing in good nutrition from the get-go is a smart way to ensure the health of your flock.

Geriatric Pets by Dr. Mikelle Roeder, Ph. D., P.A.S.

2011-09-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

As much as we resist accepting it, the fact is that our beloved pets do grow older and inevitably the day comes when they are classified as "geriatric". Cats age more slowly than dogs and do not appear to show breed differences in aging characteristics. Dogs, however, show great variation in aging due to both size and breed, with small dogs generally aging more slowly than large dogs. Indeed, large dogs can become geriatric as early as 7.5 years of age.

Like humans, dogs and cats experience numerous physiological and behavioral changes with aging. Organs function less efficiently, senses are dulled, and skeletal and muscle mass decline. Hence, geriatric pets have specific nutritional needs that must be met to ensure that they experience the highest quality of life possible during their golden years.

OLD DOGS
Dogs typically lose lean body tissue as they age, changing their ratio of body fat to body lean. Indeed, body fat can almost double in older dogs. This occurs in conjunction with a decrease in the animal's resting metabolic rate (basically how fast it burns calories at rest), since muscle is considerably more metabolically active (calorie-burning) than fat. Many older dogs also tend to be less active, which further contributes to a decrease in muscle mass and metabolic rate. Therefore, unless an older dog reduces its food intake or maintains it activity level, it will likely gain weight. A decrease in both activity and metabolic rate can reduce daily energy requirements by as much as 40%!

Nutritional products designed for the older dog become important to a continuance of quality of life for your pet. A decrease in energy content of the diet may be appropriate for more sedentary older dogs, but high-quality protein must continue to be supplied in order to maintain lean body tissue. Research has shown that older dogs actually need more dietary protein than younger dogs in order to maintain optimal muscle mass. Historically, people have believed that high dietary protein contributed to renal (or kidney) failure in older dogs. Research has disproved this; high dietary protein will not harm a healthy kidney or contribute to its decline. However, dogs of any age with renal disease do need dietary modification to support their metabolism in the face of clinical kidney insufficiency.

The older dog also experiences changes in fat metabolism, one of which is a decreased ability to synthesize certain omega fatty acids from other dietary fats. There is some evidence that these changes may be breed- as well as age-related. This suggests that food designed for older dogs should be supplemented with omega-3 and –6 fatty acids in order to maintain healthy skin and hair.

Age can also impair the canine immune system, and this may, again, be breed-specific. Early research indicates that antioxidants such as vitamin E, beta carotene and lutein may be beneficial in supporting immune health in the dog.

It is of primary importance for overall health to keep your older dog as active as possible. While the aging canine may not be able to chase down a tennis ball or follow a bicycle as he once did, he still needs significant exercise to maintain muscle mass, metabolic rate, and joint health. Two brisk 15- to 30-minute walks per day will keep your dog far healthier than allowing him to settle into a sedentary lifestyle or assuming that he will get enough exercise on his own if left in a fenced yard. He will need your help to ensure that he stays physically active and as healthy as possible.

Your aging dog must rely on you to keep the quality of his life as high as possible. Remember to make sure he has adequate exercise, plenty of clean, fresh water, regular trips to the vet, and a senior dog food (such as Exclusive® Senior) designed to meet his very special needs. After all, he's been your very special friend for years – he deserves the best!

OLD CATS
As in most things, cats are different from dogs in how they age. Cats do not appear to show breed or size differences in aging, perhaps because the difference between a small and large cat is not nearly as great as that between a small and large dog. In addition, the metabolic rate of a cat does not decline with age as much as a dog's, possibly because young adult cats are not that much more active than older cats. Cats also lose less lean tissue and gain less fat tissue than dogs due to aging alone, though this certainly does not mean that they cannot become obese or that their body composition does not noticeably change as they age.

Aging cats do experience a decline in dietary energy digestibility, primarily due to a decreased ability to digest fat, which can also decrease the availability of the omega fatty acids. Most older cats will make up for this deficiency by simply eating more food. However, like the dog, the cat's energy requirements decrease with age, so the older cat that increases its intake may eat too many calories and gain weight. Some cats will need to be fed controlled portions to aid them in weight management. This means the fat in the diet will need to be high in omega-3 and –6 fatty acids in order to meet the needs of the older cat whose intake must be regulated. Cats will also need an adequate source of high-quality dietary protein in order to maintain muscle tissue. Being true carnivores, cats have a high need for dietary protein, and this does not diminish with age.

While only preliminary research has been done with cats, indications are that antioxidants such as vitamin E, beta carotene and lutein may be beneficial for enhancing sagging immune systems in geriatric cats. More work is needed in order to more specifically determine the effect of age and dietary antioxidants on immune system health in cats.

Exercise can benefit a cat just as it does a dog. Playing with your elderly cat or encouraging him to move around will help to keep him healthier longer and help him manage his weight better than if he lapses into a completely sedentary lifestyle. Try keeping his litter box and food at opposite ends of the house or on different floors to encourage more movement.

Foods designed for geriatric pets should contain adequate levels of high-quality protein, the appropriate amount of energy from fat rich in the important omega-3 and –6 fatty acids, and antioxidants. The right food will help your aging pet receive the nutrition he needs without risking the weight gain that can predispose him to obesity-related diseases. You just add the exercise and the love to help your best companion continue to be your buddy for many more years!

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References: Biagi, P.L., A. Bordoni, S. Hrelia, et al. 1991. Gamma-linolenic acid dietary supplementation can reverse the aging influence on rat liver microsome delta-6-desaturase activity. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 1083: 187.

Brace, J.J. 1981. Theories of aging. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 11:811-814.

Case, L.P., D.P. Carey, D.A. Hirakawa, and L. Daristotle. 2000. Geriatrics. In: Canine and Feline Nutrition: A Resource for Companion Animal Professionals. Mosby, Inc., St. Louis, MO.

Chew, B.P., T.S. Wong, T.S. Park, et al. 1998. Role of dietary lutein in the dog and cat. In: Recent Advances in Canine and Feline Nutrition. G.A. Reinhart and D.P. Carey (eds.) Vol. 2. Iams Nutrition Symposium Proceedings, Orange Frazier press, Wilmington, OH.

Finco, D.R., S. Brown, W. Crowell, et al. 1994. Effects of aging and dietary protein intake on uninephrectomized geriatric dogs. Am. J. Vet. Res. 55:1282-1290.

Griffith, B.C.R. 1968. The geriatric cat. J. Small Anim. Pract. 9:343-355

Kearns, R.J. 1999. Effect of age, breed, and dietary omega-6 (n-6):omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid ratio on immune function, eicosanoid production, and lipid peroxidation in young and aged dogs. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. 69:165-183.

Meydani, S.N., MG. Hayek, D. Wu, et al. 1998. Viatmin E and immune response in aged dogs. 1998. In: Recent Advances in Canine and Feline Nutrition. G.A. Reinhart and D.P. Carey (eds.) Vol. 2 Iams Nutrition Symposium Proceedings, Orange Frazier Press, Wilmington, OH.

Meyer, H. and G. Stadfeld. 1980. Investigation on the body and organ structures of dogs. In: Nutrition of the Dog and Cat. Pergamon Press, Oxford, England.

Mosier, J.E. 1989. Effect of aging on body systems of the dog. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 19: 1-13

Reinhart, G.A., D.M. Vaughn, M.G. Hayek, et al 1997. Effect of age on canine hepatic delta-6 and delta-5 desaturase activity. J. Anim. Sci. 75 (suppl.): 227. Abstr.

Strasser, A. H. Niedmuller, G. Hofecker, et al. 1993. The effect of aging on laboratory values in the dog. J. Vet. Med. 40: 720-730.

Taylor, E.J., C. Adams and R. Neville. 1995. Some nutritional aspects of aging in dogs and cats. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 54: 645-656.

Wannemacher, R.W. and J.R. McCow. 1966. Determination of optimal dietary protein requirements of young nd old dogs. J. Nutr. 88: 66-74

2011-08-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

Although best known as an award-winning food, lifestyle and garden expert and for his television programs, P. Allen Smith says he has a secret passion that only those who have shared the experience can really understand.

"Chickens!" said Allen. "As a young child I became fascinated with raising various breeds of these beautiful birds. My fascination began with a brown Leghorn hen that was running loose in front of an old hotel on Main Street in my hometown. After much maneuvering and the help of my grandmother, the hen was finally caught, and I determined that I had a new pet."

Initially Allen had to keep her in a cage, but his family soon moved to a farm where she could enjoy a larger living area. It's on the farm that Allen says his addiction to poultry began.

"Being a curious kid, I was fascinated with all the different breeds and enjoyed raising many kinds," said Allen.

As an adult, Allen continues to enjoy a flock of chickens at his Garden Home at Moss Mountain Farm, which spans more than 500 acres and is located 20 minutes outside of Little Rock, Arkansas overlooking the Arkansas River Valley.

Allen has been a professional garden designer for 25 years and a garden center owner and operator for 10 years. He is the host of two public television programs, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home and P. Allen Smith's Garden to Table, the syndicated 30-minute show P. Allen Smith Gardens, and is a regular contributor on NBC's The TODAY Show. He also wrote the series of best-selling Garden Home books, which includes Bringing the Garden Indoors: Container, Crafts and Bouquets for Every Room, published in 2009.

Allen designed his Garden Home, which is styled after 19th century American farmsteads and includes a Greek Revivial "green" cottage, two terraced gardens, a one acre vegetable garden, orchards, daffodil hill, pastures, sheep and even a donkey named Moose.

Allen raises both Heritage and modern breeds including Jersey Giants, Barred Plymouth Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, Silver Gray Dorkings, Silver Laced Wyandottes, New Hampshire Reds and White Red Laced Cornish. He also has Sebastopol and Toulouse geese along with a flock of Blue Slate turkeys. Those that he is most passionate about are the Heritage Breeds, which is why he founded the Heritage Poultry Conservancy in 2009.

The Heritage Poultry Conservancy is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and support of all threatened breeds and strains of domestic poultry through the encouragement of education, stewardship and good breeding practices.

Heritage Chickens were defined by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) to draw attention to and support the conservation of breeds that have become endangered due to the industrialization of the chicken industry.

The ALBC's abbreviated definition is as follows: A Heritage Egg can only be produced by an American Poultry Association Standard breed. A Heritage Chicken is hatched from a heritage egg sired by an American Poultry Association Standard breed established prior to the mid-20th century, is slow growing, naturally mated with a long productive outdoor life.

For a more information and an in-depth definition, visit www.heritagepoultry.org or www.albc-usa.org/heritagechicken.

For those poultry owners just starting out and not sure which breed to choose, Allen has listed many on his website and recommends starting out with just a few, all of the same breed.

"And like my experience with the Leghorn hen, you will learn a tremendous amount that will enable you to expand your flock in the years to come," said Allen.

Although the obvious benefits of raising chickens are fresh eggs and meat, Allen says that free fertilizer and pest control for your garden are added bonuses.

"They are great recyclers, eating extra or leftover garden and kitchen scraps," said Allen.

Allen feeds his chickens Layena® Plus Omega-3, Purina's new feed that provides three times the Omega-3, an essential fatty acid, that's in a typical egg.* He started using it as part of a feeding trial for Purina and liked the results.

"My flock of heritage chickens deserves the same natural nutrition we provide for our families, and that's why I feed them Layena® Plus Omega-3," said Allen. "It has no added antibiotics, hormones or animal based proteins or fat, which gives me a piece of mind when feeding my flock. The chickens really eat this product well, too. What's great, is it's in a small pellet form so there is very little waste."

Allen loves to cook and has even published a cookbook, P. Allen Smith's Seasonal Recipes from the Garden, which was released in December 2010 and inspired by the abundance of food from his farm and a family of great cooks.

"The Layena® Plus Omega-3 doesn't just help feed healthy chickens it also means healthy eggs for myself. I get a lot of comments about the eggs we produce on the farm. People just love the quality, and they always comment on the color of the yolk," said Allen. "I love cooking for my family and friends and it's important for me to know where my food comes from and how it's grown."

To learn more about Allen, his chickens, Garden Home and to see some of his favorite recipes, visit his website, www.pallensmith.com.

Better Animals - Electronic Newsletter - Family Flock - August 2011

Crate Training

2011-08-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

The American Dog Trainers Network

CRATE TRAINING
A happy crate-trained puppy

a rainbow-colored separation bar

Introduction

Providing your puppy or dog with an indoor kennel crate can satisfy many dogs' need for a den-like enclosure. Besides being an effective housebreaking tool (because it takes advantage of the dog's natural reluctance to soil its sleeping place), it can also help to reduce separation anxiety, to prevent destructive behavior (such as chewing furniture), to keep a puppy away from potentially dangerous household items (i.e., poisons, electrical wires, etc.), and to serve as a mobile indoor dog house which can be moved from room to room whenever necessary.

A kennel crate also serves as a travel cabin for you dog when travelling by car or plane. Additionally, most hotels which accept dogs on their premises require them to be crated while in the room to prevent damage to hotel furniture and rugs.

Most dogs which have been introduced to the kennel crate while still young grow up to prefer their crate to rest in or "hang-out" in. Therefore a crate (or any other area of confinement) should NEVER be used for the purpose of punishment.

We recommend that you provide a kennel crate throughout your dog's lifetime. Some crates allow for the removal of the door once it is no longer necessary for the purpose of training. The crate can be placed under a table, or a table top can be put on top of it to make it both unobtrusive and useful.

Preparing the Crate

Vari-Kennel type: Take the crate apart, removing the screws, the top and the door. Allow your pup to go in and out of the bottom half of the crate before attaching the top half. This stage can require anywhere from several hours to a few days. This step can be omitted in the case of a young puppy who accepts crating right away.

Wire Mesh type:Tie the crate door back so that it stays open without moving or shutting closed. If the crate comes with a floor pan, place a piece of cardboard or a towel between the floor (or crate bottom) and the floor pan in order to keep it from rattling.

Furnishing Your Puppy's Crate

Toys and Treats: Place your puppy's favorite toys and dog treats at the far end opposite the door opening. These toys may include the "Tuffy", "Billy", "Kong", "Nylabone" or a ball. Toys and bails should always be inedible and large enough to prevent their being swallowed. Any fragmented toys should be removed to prevent choking and internal obstruction. You may also place a sterilized marrow bone filled with cheese or dog treats in the crate.

Water: A small hamster-type water dispenser with ice water should be attached to the crate if your puppy is to be confined for more than two hours in the crate.

Bedding: Place a towel or blanket inside the crate to create a soft, comfortable bed for the puppy. If the puppy chews the towel, remove it to prevent the pup from swallowing or choking on the pieces. Although most puppies prefer lying on soft bedding, some may prefer to rest on a hard, flat surface, and may push the towel to one end of the crate to avoid it. If the puppy urinates on the towel, remove bedding until the pup no longer eliminates in the crate.

Location of Crate

Whenever possible, place the crate near or next to you when you are home. This will encourage the pup to go inside it without his feeling lonely or isolated when you go out. A central room in the apartment (i.e.: living room or kitchen) or a large hallway near the entrance is a good place to crate your puppy.

Introducing the Crate to Your Puppy

In order that your puppy associate his/her kennel crate with comfort, security and enjoyment, please follow these guidelines:

Occasionally throughout the day, drop small pieces of kibble or dog biscuits in the crate. While investigating his new crate, the pup will discover edible treasures, thereby reinforcing his positive associations with the crate. You may also feed him in the crate to create the same effect. If the dog hesitates, it often works to feed him in front of the crate, then right inside the doorway and then, finally, in the back of the crate.

In the beginning, praise and pet your pup when he enters. Do not try to push, pull or force the puppy into the crate. At this early stage of introduction only inducive methods are suggested. Overnight exception: You may need to place your pup in his crate and shut the door upon retiring. (In most cases, the crate should be placed next to your bed overnight. If this is not possible, the crate can be placed in the kitchen, bathroom or living room.)

You may also play this enjoyable and educational game with your pup or dog: without alerting your puppy, drop a small dog biscuit into the crate. Then call your puppy and say to him, "Where's the biscuit? It's in your room." Using only a friendly, encouraging voice, direct your pup toward his crate. When the puppy discovers the treat, give enthusiastic praise. The biscuit will automatically serve as a primary reward. Your pup should be free to leave its crate at all times during this game. Later on, your puppy's toy or ball can be substituted for the treat.

It is advisable first to crate your pup for short periods of time while you are home with him. In fact, crate training is best accomplished while you are in the room with your dog. Getting him used to your absence from the room in which he is crated is a good first step. This prevents an association being made with the crate and your leaving him/her alone.

A Note About Crating Puppies

Puppies under 4 months of age have little bladder or sphincter control. Puppies under 3 months have even less. Very young puppies under 9 weeks should not be crated, as they need to eliminate very frequently (usually 8-12 times or more daily).

Important Reminders

Collars: Always remove your puppy or dog's collar before confining in the crate. Even flat buckle collars can occasionally get struck on the bars or wire mesh of a crate. If you must leave a collar on the pup when you crate him (e.g.: for his identification tag), use a safety "break away" collar.

Warm Weather: Do not crate a puppy or dog when temperatures reach an uncomfortable level. This is especially true for the short-muzzled (Pugs, Pekes, Bulldogs, etc.) and the Arctic or thick- coated breeds (Malamutes, Huskies, Akitas, Newfoundlands, etc.). Cold water should always be available to puppies, especially during warm weather. [Never leave an unsupervised dog on a terrace, roof or inside a car during warm weather. Also, keep outdoor exercise periods brief until the hot weather subsides.]

Be certain that your puppy has fully eliminated shortly before being crated. Be sure that the crate you are using is not too large to discourage your pup from eliminating in it. Rarely does a pup or dog eliminate in the crate if it is properly sized and the dog is an appropriate age to be crated a given amount of time. If your pup/dog continues to eliminate in the crate, the following may be the causes:

The pup is too young to have much control.

The pup has a poor or rich diet, or very large meals.

The pup did not eliminate prior to being confined.

The pup has worms.

The pup has gaseous or loose stools.

The pup drank large amounts of water prior to being crated.

The pup has been forced to eliminate in small confined areas prior to crate training.

The pup/dog is suffering from a health condition or illness (i.e., bladder infection, prostate problem, etc.)

The puppy or dog is experiencing severe separation anxiety when left alone.

Note: Puppies purchased in pet stores, or puppies which were kept solely in small cages or other similar enclosures at a young age (between approximately 7 and 16 weeks of age), may be considerably harder to housebreak using the crate training method due to their having been forced to eliminate in their sleeping area during this formative stage of development. This is the time when most puppies are learning to eliminate outside their sleeping area. Confining them with their waste products retards the housebreaking process, and this problem can continue throughout a dog's adult life.

Accidents In The Crate

If your puppy messes in his crate while you are out, do not punish him upon your return. Simply wash out the crate using a pet odor neutralizer (such as Nature's Miracle, Nilodor, or Outright). Do not use ammonia-based products, as their odor resembles urine and may draw your dog back to urinate in the same spot again.

Crating Duration Guidelines

9-10 Weeks

Approx. 30-60 minutes

11-14 Weeks

Approx. 1-3 hours

15-16 Weeks

Approx. 3-4 hours

17 + Weeks

Approx. 4+ (6 hours maximum)

*NOTE: Except for overnight, neither puppies nor dogs should be crated for more than 5 hours at a time. (6 hours maximum!)

The Crate As Punishment

NEVER use the crate as a form of punishment or reprimand for your puppy or dog. This simply causes the dog to fear and resent the crate. If correctly introduced to his crate, your puppy should be happy to go into his crate at any time. You may however use the crate as a brief time-out for your puppy as a way of discouraging nipping or excessive rowdiness.

[NOTE: Sufficient daily exercize is important for healthy puppies and dogs. Regular daily walks should be offered as soon as a puppy is fully immunized. Backyard exercize is not enough!]

Children And The Crate

Do not allow children to play in your dog's crate or to handle your dog while he/she is in the crate. The crate is your dog's private sanctuary. His/her rights to privacy should always be respected.

Barking In The Crate

In most cases a pup who cries incessantly in his crate has either been crated too soon (without taking the proper steps as outlined above) or is suffering from separation anxiety and is anxious about being left alone. Some pups may simply under exercised. Others may not have enough attention paid them. Some breeds of dog may be particularly vocal (e.g., Miniature Pinchers, Mini Schnauzers, and other frisky terrier types). These dogs may need the "Alternate Method of Confining Your Dog", along with increasing the amount of exercise and play your dog receives daily.

When Not To Use A Crate

Do not crate your puppy or dog if:

s/he is too young to have sufficient bladder or sphincter control.

s/he has diarrhea. Diarrhea can be caused by: worms, illness, intestinal upsets such as colitis, too much and/or the wrong kinds of food, quick changes in the dogs diet, or stress, fear or anxiety.

s/he is vomiting.

you must leave him/her crated for more than the Crating Duration Guidelines suggest.

s/he has not eliminated shortly before being placed inside the crate.
(See Housetraining Guidelines for exceptions.)

the temperature is excessively high.

s/he has not had sufficient exercise, companionship and socialization.

Buying a Crate

Where to buy a crate: Crates can be purchased through most pet supply outlets, through pet mail order catalogs and through most professional breeders. Some examples are:

Crate Size and Manufacturers:

Dog Size:

Small: (Vari-Kennel #100 or General Cage #201)

Toy Poodles, the Maltese, etc., with average weight of 6-10 lbs.

Medium Small: (Vari-Kennel #200 or General Cage #202/212)

Mini Schnauzers, Jack Russells, etc., with average weight of 11-20 lbs.

Medium: (Vari-Kennel #300 or General Cage #203/213)

Cocker Spaniels, Field Spaniels, small Shelties, etc., with average weight of 21-40 lbs.

Large: (Vari-Kennel #400 or General Cage #204/214)

Huskies, large Samoyeds, small Golden Retrievers, etc., with average weight of 41-65 Ibs.

Very Large: (Vari-Kennel #500 or General Cage #205/215)

German Shepherds, Alaskan Malamutes, Rottweilers, etc., with average weight of 67-100 lbs.

Extra Large: (General Cage #206 or Mid-West #89-Z, 89-E or 99)

Newfoundlands, Great Danes, etc, with average weight of 110 lbs. plus.

The Cost of A Crate

Crates can cost between $35 and $150 depending on the size and the type of crate and the source.

The Cost of Not Buying a Crate

The cost of not using a crate:

your shoes

books

table legs;

chairs and sofas;

throw rugs and carpet, and

electric, telephone and computer wires.

The real cost, however, is your dog's safety and your peace of mind.

Alternative Method Of Confining Your Puppy

There are alternative methods to crating very young puppies and puppies who must be left alone in the house for lengths of time exceeding the recommended maximum duration of confinement (see Crating Duration Guidelines). We suggest the following:

Use a small to medium-sized room space such as a kitchen, large bathroom or hallway with non- porous floor. Set up the crate on one end, the food and water a few feet away, and some newspaper (approx. 2'x3' to 3'x3') using a 3 to 4 layer thickness, several feet away. Confine your puppy to this room or area using a 3 ft. high, safety-approved child's gate rather than shutting off the opening by a solid door. Your pup will feel less isolated if it can see out beyond its immediate place of confinement. Puppy proof the area by removing any dangerous objects or substances.

By Robin Kovary, with Barbara Giella

Weaning: Separating the bunny from the rabbit

2011-07-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

“Better Management”
Rabbit E-newsletter
May 2010

Eventually the time comes when every bunny has to be weaned, taken away, from their mother. This change is one of the most stressful times of a rabbit’s life, but there are certain tricks of the trade that will smooth the transition from the doe’s milk to regular feed.

Rabbits are generally weaned between four and six weeks of age, but they can also go all the way up to eight or nine weeks. The time of weaning will vary depending on the size, breed and preference of the owner as long as the rabbits are old enough and capable to be on full feed.

“Weaning at four weeks of age is a great time for better feed efficiency,” said Dr. Gary Lynch, Purina’s Technical Nutritionist. “Weaning earlier is a cheaper transition because the bunnies are no longer going through the mother for nutrition. For the smaller breeds, you might want to wait a little longer because you’re not worried about maximizing production. You might go up for about 6 weeks then.”

When you’ve decided on the appropriate time to wean the bunnies, remove the doe from the original cage into her own smaller one. By keeping the bunnies in their own cage along with their litter mates, it will reduce their stress. Those that are interested in showing will also often segregate their bunnies so they can better regulate their body condition

Once you’ve weaned taken the doe, their original food source from the cage, many recommend gradually working the bunnies onto their full feed. A good rate is starting at 60 percent on the first day, increasing to 80 percent on day two and reaching a full feeding plan on day three. The total amount should equal the amount of food they can consume in about 20 or 30 minutes.

It is also suggested to feed the bunnies a high fiber diet like Rabbit ChowTM, Fibre3®, or Natural AdvantEdgeTM. A change in feed should always be done my first mixing it in slowly with the original feed. Long stem grass and Timothy hay are also popular choices to add in with a newly weaned bunny.

One of the largest problems rabbit owners will face when they’re weaning bunnies is the appearance of enteritis, or bad diarrhea, in some of their bunnies. Because it is such a stressful time, it often takes a toll on the young rabbits.

“You can tell if there’s enteritis by observing the litter for signs of fecal matter on the backs of litter mate,” Lynch said. “When you see that, segregate that rabbit into a separate cage, and don’t feed it at all for 24 hours. You can then give them a reduced diet for 24 hours.

Rabbit Tips: Better Management from the 4-Square Philosophy for Success

Better management of your rabbits means keeping up a good habitat for owners of both pet and show rabbits. Good management techniques are one of the essential squares in Purina’s 4-Square Philosophy for Success in raising rabbits. With research and suggestions from rabbit owners and breeders across the nation, Purina has defined quick tips for management practices.

1. To decrease disease problems, do not overcrowd your rabbitry.
2. Having a good sanitation program is one of the most important things you can do to keep your rabbits healthy.
3. Use a disinfectant such as bleach to clean the pens, but wash it off after several minutes. It is recommended that a disinfectant like bleach have a 15-minute exposure time for proper disinfection.
4. Have a program in place to keep the rabbitry free of pests and rodents such as flies, spiders, mice and rats.
5. Haul the rabbit droppings away from the rabbitry so flies do not find the rabbitry as easily. Droppings make great compost for vegetable and flower gardens.
6. Have a weekly cleaning plan, and stick with it year round.
7. Keep animals out of direct sunlight, as rabbits cannot tolerate the heat, and the sunlight will fade their coats.
8. If you provide proper housing, good ventilation, maintain sound genetics, keep good records, have a sound nutritional program, have a good sanitation program, a good pest control program, and isolate sick or new stock, then you increase the chances of having a fun and healthy rabbitry.
9. Provide fresh feed and water each day to every rabbit. Dispose of old feed that remains in the feeder or feed bowl, so each rabbit has clean feed each day. Wash each water bowl daily to decrease buildup of algae.
10. Do not house male rabbits together once they reach sexual maturity since they will fight.
11. Female rabbits can be housed together in small groups and will usually not fight.
12. In hot weather, frozen plastic bottles can be placed in the cage to help keep the rabbit cooler.
13. Aluminum cans and small pieces of untreated wood can be placed in the cage for toys.
14. Do not make the nest box too big or the doe will use it for a bedroom and a bathroom. The nest box should only be big enough for the doe to get in and take a rest and then get out.
15. If a resting board is provided as a place for the rabbit to sit off the wire, then the board should be cleaned and disinfected at least twice each week or as needed to decrease disease problems.

Hot Weather Tips for Goat Enthusiasts

2011-07-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

Some people think goats are low maintenance. But successful goat owners know it takes a lot of care to keep goats healthy and happy, especially in hot weather. Here are some tips to help you keep your goats cool and comfortable this summer:

• Position water containers in the shade. Algae grows rapidly in water that receives direct summer sun.

• Keep water troughs clean. Dirty water leads to illness.

• In extreme heat, or if you will be away for long periods, add ice blocks to your goats’ water.

• Change drinking water several times a day in hot weather. Goats will not drink water contaminated with urine and manure (including that from dogs, cats and birds). Make sure water is also free of pesticides and other toxic substances.

• Water is essential for temperature control, waste excretion, electrolyte balance, digestion and more. Fresh, clean water should be available to goats at all times. This is especially important for pregnant and nursing does. Water is also critical to bucks and wethers for proper maintenance of their urinary tracts.

• Urinary calculi occurs when stones form in the urinary tract and block the urethra, interfering with urination. Genetics, disease and nutritional imbalances play a role, but inadequate water consumption can result in concentrated urine, which can increase the risk of urinary calculi, especially in hot weather. Increase water intake by offering free choice salt. This will help dilute the urine.

• Goats don’t need to live in the lap of luxury, but they do need something more than a stuffy shed to get in out of the sun or rain. Make cross ventilation a priority, especially in the summer.

• Goats hate rain and mud. A dirt floor is okay, as long as it is kept clean and dry. A raised, slotted floor is even better.

• Goats sleep low to the ground, and breathing ammonia fumes is harmful. Ammonia builds up more quickly in the summer heat. Kneel down in your goat shed. If you can smell ammonia from eight inches above the floor, your shed is overdue for a thorough cleaning.

• A dirty shed with dirty bedding can lead to skin sores, mastitis, respiratory ailments, foot problems and more. These problems can escalate in the summer heat, so keep your goats’ shelter immaculately clean.

• A bout of diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration in the heat of summer. Keep cool, clean water available at all times. Persistent diarrhea in young kids can lead to death if left untreated. If symptoms persist, consult your veterinarian.

• Shear long-haired goats before summer the summer heat sets in.

• Remember, goats are playful and inquisitive. They’re always looking for something to do. A raised platform in the pasture (preferably in shade) can be a great place for goats to play.

• Goats are especially vulnerable to stress when transported in hot weather. So keep the following in mind:
--minimize transport time as much as possible.
--provide for proper ventilation and keep the truck moving to prevent heat build up.
--avoid transporting does in late gestation.
--stop to check goats periodically in transit. Make sure they’re not in distress.
--build in plenty of time to rest, water and feed them along the way.

Have a great summer!

Hot Weather Tips for Your Fine, Feathered Friends

2011-06-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

They say, if you’re raising poultry, it all comes down to feed, water, heat and light. But in the summer, beating the heat is equally important. Water and proper shelter can play a big role in your flock’s health and welfare. Here are some tips to help you and your flock survive the summer months.

• Birds require unlimited access to fresh, clean water, especially in the hot summer months.

• Birds—even free-range birds—need access to shade in the summer. If there is none, you’ll need to create it by building a structure.

• Placing your poultry in a well-ventilated area will reduce the incidence of heat stress. In a chicken coop or chicken house in summer, make sure nothing obstructs the flow of fresh air, and don’t allow ammonia to accumulate.

• A misting fan or fogging system in a well-ventilated area can help birds cool themselves.

• Position water containers in the shade. If water is too hot (or too cold) chickens will not drink enough to keep egg production up.

• Adjust waterers to shoulder height. This will help keep the litter dry.

• If food, bedding or feces gets into drinking water, change it.

• Ducklings and goslings need access to fresh, clean drinking water. However, they love to play in water and will quickly soil it. Use a water dispenser that allows only their bills to enter. Put distance between their feed and water dispensers to prevent cross contamination.

• Grown ducks need access to water at least one or two inches deep in order to groom themselves.

• Ducks and geese do not require swimming water, but they must always have fresh drinking water available.

• Baby turkeys sometimes need extra coaxing to drink water. One trick is to put a few bright-colored marbles in their water. When they peck at the marbles, their beaks will slip into the water. Pretty soon, they’ll get the hang of it. Remove the marbles before the birds get enough to swallow them.

• Digestion generates body heat, so feed poultry during the coolest times of the day.

• Severe heat stress can affect egg quality, egg size and hatchability. It can also increase the rate of mortality.

• Heat-stressed birds consume less feed, so meat-type chickens (i.e., broilers) will grow more slowly and hens will produce fewer eggs—even more reasons to add adequate shade and ventilation.

• Birds don’t have sweat glands, so they cool themselves by panting. Panting can be a sign of heat stress, and the act of panting can alter a bird’s electrolyte balance. If you suspect heat stress, talk to your veterinarian about adding electrolytes to your birds’ water.

• One of the best ways to prevent heat stress is to prevent overcrowding. To instantly reduce the heat, reduce the number of birds in the house.

• Avoid unnecessary activity. Summer heat places enough stress on birds. Take care not to disturb them during the hottest time of day.

• Signs of an unhealthy chicken:

--less active than the rest of the flock

--the comb is pale and limp (the comb is a good barometer of health)

--breast is concave and the keel bone becomes prominent

--liquid diarrhea (versus a semisolid green and white splotch, which is normal)

--unusual breathing or wheezing (some panting is normal in hot weather, but not to excess)

If one of your chickens exhibits any of these symptoms this summer, talk to your veterinarian.

• Poultry experience a major moult (shedding feathers) in late summer. It consumes a great deal of energy, so they may devote most of their calories to replacing their feathers and maintaining body temperature instead of producing eggs. Be sure to provide a good quality feed during this time.

• Germs multiply even more quickly in the summer heat. To keep your flock healthy, disinfect incubators, feeders, water containers and other equipment periodically, particularly between broods.

Have a great summer!

Lost Pets: What to do and Where to Start

2011-05-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

Generally pets run away because of boredom, loneliness, sexual urges (if they aren't spayed or neutered), fear or an unexpected event, curiosity, or if they're in a new home and trying to get back to something familiar. Our pets are part of our family, often some of our best friends, so when we can't find them, it can be stressful and emotional. Knowing where to start in your search can help save valuable time that could be the difference in whether or not you and your pet are reunited.

One of the most helpful things you can do is something that should be done before your pet is lost. Collars, ID tags with contact information and up-to-date city and vaccination tags will make identification and getting in touch with you much easier for anyone that might find your pet. You can also have your veterinarian implant a traceable microchip into your pet's skin. Most shelters scan incoming dogs for these chips when they come in. Even if you have a microchip, your pet should still have a collar with your contact information to make it easier for individuals that might find your pet.

If you notice your pet is missing, the first step is to search your home and property. Pets often get into some peculiar spaces, so be sure to check behind and under furniture, in closets, under your porch, house or car and in barns or sheds. Once you've confirmed they are missing, try to figure out how and why they escaped. This can help you determine where to search.

Walk around your neighborhood with a friend or family member. Call for your pet and try to talk to as many people as you can that might have seen him or her. Bring a photo so you can show them what your pet looks like. If your dog is very social, parks and neighborhood yards are good places to look. If they're shy, look for places he or she might be hiding. Bring a leash, some treats, a favorite toy and a light with you. These will be helpful when you find your dog or if your dog is hiding in a dark place, which they often do when injured. Have someone stay at your house in case your pet wanders back while you're out searching. You can also put something of yours or your dog's outside your house, such as their bed or used towels, so they have a familiar scent to detect.

If you still can't find your dog after searching, call to see if your dog has been picked up and taken to a local veterinarian, shelter or animal control facility. If any of the dogs they have found sound remotely like yours, go in and check, as often your description and someone else's might not match. If they don't have your dog, be sure to leave a description and photo of your dog along with your contact information. Visit these locations every few days for the first couple of weeks then once a week for following weeks.

Rarely will people try to keep a pet that's not theirs, but they will often try to find its owner for a few days before taking it to a shelter, so put up fliers and posters throughout your neighborhood, at major intersections, at parks, at grocery stores, coffee shops and on any community bulletin boards. Although an old tactic, it's still effective. Use bright colors and other things that attract attention. Include a photo of your dog with a description, where your dog disappeared from, if you know, and on what date. Don't put your name and address on the flier, instead list a phone number for people to contact you.

You can also create an electronic version of your flier to share online and to send to shelters and veterinarians. There are websites specifically for lost pets that you can register on and you can also post free ads on sites like Craigslist. Many local newspapers or advertisers will also run lost pet ads for free.

If someone does contact you about finding your dog, never go to pick up your dog alone. Bring a friend or two and always meet in a public place. Never give your address out to someone that says they found your pet. Be cautious of people that are trying to take advantage of your situation and trying to scam you. Most importantly, don't give up!

Keeping your flock safe from Predators & Pests

2011-05-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

Spring is finally here, and for many people, that means new chicks and pullets. For others, it's time for a break from the coop and a little fresh air. Whether you're learning the ropes or a poultry professional, don't let predators and pests catch you and your flock off guard.

Possums: Possums arrive at night and can dig underneath pens, killing an entire flock, especially chicks. They are also talented egg stealers. Signs that you've had possums in your coop or run include finding chickens with a bite in their thigh or missing a leg, or worse, finding only feathers and missing an entire chicken.

Raccoons: Raccoons are very persistent and clever and work to find just about any opening to get into a pen. In fact, they will lure chickens to the wire, reach through and grab the chicken, killing it very quickly. Also, because they have opposable thumbs, raccoons are very good at opening latches. A sign that you've had a raccoon is finding chickens with missing heads or limbs, ripped open necks and breasts and missing eggs.

Foxes: People who live close to an undeveloped area or near a vacant lot or perhaps a railway might be surprised to find out there is a high probably that foxes are living nearby. Foxes are very crafty and will stake out coops for days or even weeks and attack in the daytime, making them a serious predator. If you don't have chickens in runs and they're out semi-unprotected, foxes will grab them and kill them. Foxes are excellent at digging and can climb surprisingly well. Signs that you have had a fox include broken necks, feathers strewn around the ground and missing chickens, and feathers in areas away from the coop.

Coyotes: Coyote attacks will be similar to those of foxes, except they are not good climbers. They are, however, very skilled diggers.

Stray dogs: Not only are stray dogs themselves a predator, but they can cause your flock to be more susceptible to other predators as well. Stray dogs that run into your yard can scare and scatter your chickens, causing them to take flight, get on rooftops, jump on fences and go into trees. This will make them more prone to be subjected to other types of predators that might be lurking around.

Hawks & Owls: Hawks are very prevalent and can take out a chicken quite quickly since they're not expecting an attack from above. Just as hawks will often prey on songbirds that feed at feeders, they'll swoop down and attack chickens that are outside the coop or run. Owls are very similar to hawks in their attacks, but will attack during the night, whereas hawks attack in the day.

KEEPING YOUR FLOCK SAFE
An important part of keeping your flock safe from predators is having an enclosure or run already built. Often people will build their coop and let their chickens roam the backyard, putting them in the coop at night, but not having an area that's secure during the day. If you do this, you have an increased risk of predator attacks. Just because it's light outside, doesn't mean your chickens are safe. Listed below are a few tips to help you protect your birds and build a sturdy, effective coop and run.

Use a small welded wire for coops and enclosures—One inch by half an inch with a 16 or an 18 gauge is best. This will prevent a lot of predators from reaching through the wire and will last a long time.

Bury the wire at least 6 inches in the ground or have a very solid foundation so predators cannot dig underground or under the perimeter and get in to the chicken coop.

Use a spring latch to prevent animals from accidentally or intentionally opening gates.

Set up motion sensor lights and objects that move such as pinwheels or flags to startle predators.

If you free-range your chickens during the day, be sure the enclosure is secure. Put a fence up and/or make sure you or somebody is outside watching them. Many people introduce their pet dogs to their chickens and train them to protect the flock from other predators.

Be sure all your birds are safely locked into the coop at night.

It's Spring - Ready, Set, Ride!

2011-05-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

By Dr. Katie Young, Consulting Equine Nutritionist, Purina Mills, LLC

Now that the weather has finally warmed up, horse owners are starting to spend more time with their horses, and are looking forward to even more enjoyable riding weather. There are some nutritional concerns, however, during this season, and some management issues we should address to ensure the health and performance of our horses.

First, as we start working our horses more, we must increase the plane of nutrition to ensure that the horse’s increased requirements are met. Energy is possibly the most important nutrient to consider in a working horse. As a horse works harder, its energy (calorie) requirement increases, and we must supply those additional calories in a form that will not compromise the horse’s digestive health. We can add more calories by increasing the amount of grain in the ration, but grain is high in starch, and too much starch (and other soluble carbohydrates) may lead to digestive disturbances such as colic and/or laminitis. Safer energy sources include fat and fermentable fibers. Feeds such as Purina’s Ultium® Competition, Strategy® Professional Formula GX, and Omolene #500® Horse Feed are higher in fat and fermentable fibers, and lower in starch than traditional sweet feeds, therefore are excellent feeds to increase the calories in a working horse’s diet. Omolene #200® Horse Feed is another excellent feed for these situations, as more of the calories are supplied by fat, and less by starch. These performance feeds also contain the amino acids, vitamins and minerals to support the increased demands of the performance horse. Keep in mind that all feeding changes must be made gradually, so it is important to gradually increase the amount of feed as the horse’s work load increases.

If you are not planning to ride your horse hard, however, or your horse is naturally an easy keeper, a concentrated feed such as Nature’s Essentials® Enrich 32® Supplement may be the best way to meet the horse’s nutritional needs without adding many calories. If your horse stays in good body condition (not too fat or too thin) on just hay or pasture, feeding one to two pounds of Nature’s Essentials® Enrich 32® or Enrich 12® Supplement will provide the protein, vitamins and minerals that the horse needs to stay healthy.

Next, we need to keep in mind that the forage portion of the horse’s diet may be changing, and we must be aware that some of these changes may be problematic for some horses. For some horses, the advent of spring means that the source of forage changes from hay to fresh grass. If this is the case, the horse owner should take care to minimize the risk of laminitis as horses are exposed to fresh pastures.

Why can fresh grass cause laminitis in horses? During the process of photosynthesis, plants manufacture sugars that are either used for metabolic processes such as growth, or are stored as polysaccharides such as starch or fructan. The storage form of the sugars depends on the plant species. In certain situations, such as the warm sunny days and chilly nights that we see in the spring and the fall, the plants use fewer sugars for growth, and therefore store more as polysaccharides. This can cause problems for horses, especially when the sugars are stored as fructan, because fructan does not appear to be digested in the horse’s upper gut (where starch is digested and absorbed), but instead passes into the hindgut where it is fermented by the microbes. It is this fermentation of fructan that appears to be a trigger factor for colic and/or laminitis, similar to a grain overload in horses. The fermentation of fiber carbohydrates in the hindgut is normal, and does not cause digestive disorders in the horse. Other environmental conditions that can affect the amount of polysaccharide storage in plants include drought stress, duration and intensity of sunlight, salinity (salt content) of soil, and overall health of the plant. Again, some species of grass, including cool season grasses, tend to store sugars as fructan, while others, the warm season grasses, tend to store sugars as starch and are less likely to cause problems.

How then do we manage pastures to minimize the risk of laminitis? Horses that are kept on pasture year-round usually adjust to the new grass as it grows. Nature does a fairly good job of making the pasture change gradually. The problems usually occur when horses have been confined and fed a hay and grain diet during the winter, and are then abruptly turned out on the lush green pasture in the spring. Further, horses that have been kept up through the winter may overeat when turned out because of the palatability of the lush green foliage. This sudden change in the diet, especially when it includes a rapid influx of the unfamiliar fructan into the hindgut, may trigger digestive upset.

There are several ways to prevent or minimize problems when introducing horses to spring pastures. Feeding hay immediately before turn-out may help keep horses from overeating, since they are less likely to overeat on an already full stomach. Restricting grazing time will also help minimize risks. A suggested schedule is: thirty minutes of grazing once or twice a day on the first day of grazing; then increase grazing time by 5-10 minutes per day until the horses are grazing 4-6 hours per day total. At this point, they have adapted to the green grass.

One final consideration when getting back into the saddle is the condition of the horse. On that first warm sunny day, it is very tempting to head out to the barn for a nice, long trail ride to enjoy the great weather. However, if you have not been riding your horse regularly through the winter, your horse is not conditioned for that type of physical activity (and possibly neither are you!). To prevent muscle soreness, and possibly “tying-up”, horses should be gradually reintroduced to work. Start with slow, easy work and short workouts, and gradually increase the intensity and duration of the workouts until your horse is adequately conditioned. This will help decrease the risk of problems and injuries in your horse. It may take up to 90 days to get a horse properly conditioned for strenuous physical workouts.

Once your horse’s nutritional and management considerations are addressed, and your horse is adequately conditioned for the desired workload, you are ready to head out and enjoy the season!

Purina Challenge

2011-04-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

SOURCE: Land O' Lakes Purina Feed

March 21, 2011 10:10 ET

Purina Introduces 60-Day See the Difference Feeding Challenge

Purina Challenges Animal Owners to See the Difference Purina Feeds Will Make for Their Animals

ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwire - March 21, 2011) - For more than 116 years, Purina^® has seen the difference its feeds make in animals across the country. Now, Purina invites animal owners to take its 60-Day See the Difference Challenge to see the difference for themselves. Animal lovers can register and learn more about the feeding challenge online at www.PurinaDifference.com.

"Purina prides itself in providing nutritional feed options to support the needs of many animals, and we guarantee that animal owners will see a difference with our feeds or their money back*," said Chris Goodwin, marketing manager, Land O'Lakes Purina Feed. "It's a challenge you can't lose. We're so confident you will be happy we're guaranteeing it or we'll buy your feed back."

Participants can register up to two species online at www.PurinaDifference.com for a 60 day trial of Purina^® Feeds. Species included in the Challenge are horse, flock, rabbit, goat, cattle and show animals. Upon registration, Challenge participants will receive a welcome email and valuable coupons for Purina^® feed. After completing the 60-Day See the Difference Challenge, participants will be asked to submit information on the trial and nutritional performance of the feed.

As an added bonus, Challenge participants also will be enrolled in the Purina Difference^™ Rewards Program and will receive future offers and feed savings of $15 to $50 off depending on the specie and product trialed. As part of the Rewards Program, customers can participate in the Purina Refer-A-Friend Program and can earn up to $25 in Purina^® feed coupons.

Challenge participants are encouraged to share their testimonials and photos online at www.PurinaDifference.com. Also found on the site is a full list of eligible feeds included in the Purina 60-Day See the Difference Challenge, information on the Purina Difference^™ Rewards Program, additional offers and real-life Purina feed testimonials.

About Land O'Lakes Purina Feed LLC
Land O'Lakes Purina Feed LLC (www.landolakesinc.com) is a national organization serving producers and their families through 4,700 local cooperatives and independent dealerships throughout the United States. The company, in combination with its wholly owned subsidiary Purina Mills, LLC, is North America's leading feed company, providing producers, cooperatives and dealers with an extensive line of animal feed, ingredients and services designed to help agricultural producers, dealers and cooperatives compete in the global marketplace.

*Land O'Lakes Purina Feed, LLC will provide a refund on qualifying Purina^® products purchased for and associated with the animal(s) enrolled in The Challenge at PurinaDifference.com. Original proof of purchase must be dated between February 15, 2011 and December 31, 2011, and valid enrollment in The Challenge must have been completed at PurinaDifference.com by the animal owner on or by October 31, 2011. Refund(s) will be based on original proof of purchase and average 60-day intake per animal enrolled in The Challenge to validate claim.

DIATOMACEOUS EARTH

2011-04-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

Before working at Olsen’s Grain I had never heard about DIATOMACEOUS EARTH (nor could I even think about how to pronounce it). I have come to learn about its many applications and it is just truly amazing to me. What is it you may be asking yourself? Good question.

Diatomaceous Earth (which I will now refer to as “DE”) consists of the fossilized remains of hard-shelled algae. It looks like a white-talc like substance. It is very light and has an abrasive feel to the touch.

So how does one use DE? Well, you can use it for bug control. Bugs with exoskeletons such as the ant, flea, or bed bug cannot tolerate DE. After researching this topic I found two possible explanations. First, this crushed up shell substance will act as a razor blade and physically cut up the pest by getting stuck in between its joints. Secondly, I’ve read that it dries out the bug, causing them to dehydrate. DE works in dry conditions so that makes sense. Moisture will reduce its efficacy. I sprinkle mine around the perimeter of my home for controlling the bugs in a preventative manner. It can also be used in animal housing or inside of the homes inside wall cavities or sill areas. You can even puff it into your soft furniture! I can’t wait to try it on the red anthill.

Is it safe for pets? Yes. You can actually lightly rub it into your pets fur to ward off fleas, ticks and lice. It is a more natural way of de-fleaing your pet without chemicals, which is what I really like about it. I would suggest putting a face mask on yourself and your pet because inhaling the powder could cause lung irritation even though you should not worry because it is non-toxic.

I have also read that it can act as an absorbent. It can be added to things like the litter box to help with odor control and to help keep the box clean. I haven’t tried this yet but I would like to now that I know. I think it will be great for my coop this summer to help eliminate mites and lice from the hens. Since it helps eradicate pest breeding, I am going to use it for the flies that love to linger around the coop! I read one article that says they give DE to their pets and livestock so that the DE will be passed out through the manure of the animal to help prevent flies from growing in the manure. Very clever!

Well, the list of applications goes on and on. Bug control and super absorbency are only a couple that I touched on but it can also be used for grain storage, a natural wormer, an abrasive etc. This multi-use product is so worth looking into. It is versatile and extremely affordable. We have 50 lb. bags available as well as small mini bags that we put together. Give it a try this summer!

2011-03-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

Social skills might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about your dog, but they are an important part of making your pet experience a positive one for you and others around you.

As with most things, socialization is easiest to begin teaching at a young age. The most sensitive period for socialization in dogs is between three and 12 weeks old. During this time, try to create pleasant interactions between your dog and people, other dogs and other animals. This will help them feel more comfortable, be friendlier and less fearful when they experience these situations later in life. Consider taking your pet to puppy obedience and training classes when they are about four months old, especially if you're a first time owner. Continue to socialize your pet throughout his or her life. Evidence shows that just like people who learn a second or third language forget how to speak it if they don't use it often, dogs that stop socializing lose their skills.

Before letting your dog come into contact with others, talk to your veterinarian to make sure your dog has all the necessary immunizations, is parasite free and is on a parasite control program.

Tips for Meeting New Dogs and People

Pick a neutral location. If either of the dogs is on their "home turf" they may be more aggressive.

Maintain control. Keep both dogs on a leash, but try to avoid pulling back unless absolutely necessary since doing so might unintentionally put your dog into an aggressive position.

Use positive reinforcement. As dogs are getting to know each other, talk to them using a friendly, happy tone.

Keep meetings short. On first visits consider taking your dog on a walk and meeting other dogs in passing or distracting him or her with simple commands.

Watch body language. If either dog begins to act aggressively, try to interest each dog in something else, and if need be, pull them back.

Once the dogs begin to tolerate each other, end the meeting and move on to a new experience.

Give your dog a small treat when it meets someone new and behaves properly.

Introduce your dog to a variety of people of different sexes and ages.

Bring your dog to loud, busy places. If your dog is really nervous keep visits short and upbeat. While you're there, practice basic commands and offer praise when your dog focuses on you.

Avoid forcing your dog to approach things that scare him.

Don't crouch down to comfort your dog when he or she is scared, they will think you're nervous, too. Instead, offer a treat as a distraction.

To practice knocking or doorbells, put your dog on a leash and have someone knock or ring. As they do it, offer your dog a treat as a distraction. Reward good behavior and ignore barking. When your dog is calm, let your guest offer him a treat.

When bringing a new dog into your home, initially have him or her meet your other dogs separately if you have more than one.

Body Language

Playful—crouching down in the front and keeping the back end in the air.

Aggressive—hair standing up on back, baring teeth, deep growls, stiff-legged gait, prolonged stares

Raising Baby Chicks

2011-03-10T14:22:00.000-08:00

With chick season right around the corner at Olsen's Grain, it's easier than ever to start or add to your flock. Be prepared when you pick up your chicks with these simple tips.

Having everything set up and on hand before you pick up your chicks will make the process much easier. All the necessary equipment and supplies can be obtained from Olsen's Grain.

Equipment

Heat lamps and/or brooder stove

Litter and/or shavings

Brooder guard

Feeders

Waterers

Sanitizing solution

Cleaning brushes

Rake

Pitchfork or shovel (for large areas)

Egg flats or shallow pans

40-watt light bulbs

SunFresh® Recipe Feed

Dust masks for cleaning the brooder and coop

Housing
A chick's first home is a brooder. Chicks should be kept indoors or in a heated brooder until they have their feathers (5 to 8 weeks old) and should not be housed with older birds. The brooder should be warm, dry and ventilated but not drafty. It should also be easy to clean. Cages for rabbits or guinea pigs or even aquariums are some easy to find options.

If you have a small number of chicks, warming them with heat lamps placed about 20 inches above the flock works well; however, for a larger group of birds in a large room such as a shed or a garage use a supplemental heat source like a brooder stove.

A few days before you pick up your chicks, clean and disinfect the brooder and other equipment so it has time to completely dry. Dampness can result in chilling and increase the risk of disease. Once the brooder is dry, place four to six inches of dry wood shavings or a commercial absorbent litter material on the floor.

Adjust the brooder stove and/or heat lamps 24 hours before your chicks arrive and make sure the temperature is at 90°F. Chicks can get overheated, which can be as dangerous as getting chilled. Although a thermometer can be helpful, watching your chicks' behavior will tell you if you need to adjust the heat. Chicks that are huddled under the lamp are too cold. Chicks that are sprawled away to the brooder's edges are too hot. Chicks moving around all parts of the brooder area are comfortable. The temperature can be gradually reduced 5°F per week to a minimum of 55°F.

Feed
Fill feeders and waterers with SunFresh® Recipe feed and water. Place them around the edges of the comfort zone. This will keep the water and feed from getting too hot and will help keep them cleaner, since chicks under the warmth source could kick bedding and feces into them. This also encourages the chicks to move around and get exercise. Chicks drink a lot, so be sure to have at least two one-quart or one one-gallon waterers for every 25 to 50 chicks. You can dip the beaks of several chicks into the water to help them locate it and others will follow.

Feeders on the first day should be clean egg flats, shallow pans or simple squares of paper with small piles of feed on them so it's easy for the chicks to access. You can put proper feeders in once the chicks learn to eat from the flat feeders. Waterers should be emptied, scrubbed, rinsed and refilled daily. Wet litter around the water should also be removed daily.

As your birds grow, adjust the height of the feeders and waterers to the height of the back of a standing bird. This will help to keep the chicks from defecating in their feed and water.

Whether you pick your chicks up or have them delivered, the transportation process can be quite stressful. This stress can cause a condition called pasting up—when feces builds up on a chick's vents, preventing them from releasing additional waste. Check your chicks daily and remove any feces with a warm wet cloth to prevent them from getting backed up.

Remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after cleaning feeders, waterers or brooders and after handling the chicks.

For more help raising your chicks visit www.purinamills.com/newchick and register your chick to receive a free monthly e-newsletter that offers tips corresponding each month of your chicks' lives or call any of our Olsen's Grain locations.

CHICK DAYS: Getting Great Starts on Your Flock and Garden

2011-03-10T14:15:00.000-08:00

With harsh winter storms happening across the nation, it's hard for some of us to think about spring, but it's almost here and so are the baby chicks! Beginning this month, Purina dealers across the country are kicking off the Great Starts™ program and Chick Days, a series of special events providing new chicks, savings and expert advice for both new and longtime chicken owners like you.

Dealers will be offering advice and guidance on how to raise baby chickens from freshly hatched chicks through laying, including details on proper nutrition to provide the best eggs. They'll also be offering savings on the supplies you need to get started. Purina caters to both the smaller backyard flocks with five pound packages of Purina® SunFresh® Recipe Start & Grow® and Purina® SunFresh® Recipe Flock Raiser®—two products formulated specifically for baby birds—and Purina® Layena® product in a twenty-five pound and fifty pound bag since adult laying hens, even in small flocks, consume a quarter pound of feed per day. A twenty-five pound bag is ideal for a small flock's monthly feed requirements.

REGISTER YOUR CHICK
To keep both beginners and seasoned poultry owners up to date on care for their new chicks, Purina is continuing the "Register Your Chick" program. For more information and to get started, visit www.purinamills.com/newchick. From there, you can sign up for a free e-newsletter program that gives you time-released management and care tips through your chicks' first year. It provides information about how to keep chicks healthy and growing, producing eggs when they are mature, and how to keep them safe from predators. It also includes basic management tips like hand-washing and sanitation practices like cleaning the eggs.

CHICKENS IN THE GARDEN
We all like the taste of fresh eggs, why not have fresh, homegrown fruits and vegetables, too? The 2011 Great Starts program is not only focusing on chickens' abilities to produce fresh, homegrown eggs, but also their role as garden composters, tillers and exterminators. The combination of chickens and gardens are part of the locavore movement—people's desire to manage the freshness and quality of their family's food and reduce their carbon footprint. With both a flock and a garden, you not only get fresh vegetables and eggs, but the chickens will produce fertilizer after eating the garden waste in addition to their feed, help control the pests and prepare soil before planting.

FIND YOUR LOCAL PURINA® DEALER
Ready to add more chicks to your flock? Contact your local Olsen's Grain as soon as possible to get our chick schedule.

Mites, Fleas, Ticks & Lice

2011-02-10T16:01:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, many of your pets will be infected with a few pests throughout their lifetime. Between interaction with other animals and either living outside or frequent field trips, sometimes those pesky mites, fleas, ticks and lice will latch on. Do your four-legged friends a favor and use the following quick guidelines to help you take care of them as soon as possible!

Mites
Mites are tiny parasites that can cause sores, itchiness and infection. Watch out for mites on very young and very old dogs, in particular. Their weaker immune systems makes them more likely to catch the pests. Because mites are so tiny and there are so many different varieties, it's best to take your pet to the veterinarian and get their opinion on the best way to treat them. Treatments will often include an itch relief and miticidal medication such as dips, lotions and medicated baths.

Ticks
Ticks, perhaps the most disturbing of all the pests that bother our pets, are parasitic arthropods that feed on the blood. Some ticks will spread diseases, so treatment and removal of these pesks need to be treated correctly. Ticks latch onto your animals while they're outside, often in tall grass or plants found in wooded areas. Ticks will not detach until they have finished their meal and should be removed as soon as they're spotted. To remove the tick, cover your hands with a pair of latex gloves and use tweezers to grab the tick right where they're attached to the animal. Avoid squeezing the body of the tick, but pull the tick straight out from the skin. Make sure to remove the head. There could be some bleeding, but don't worry, that is normal. Apply light pressure to the wound. Keep the wound clean and check on it every day to ensure there is no infection. You can then either dispose of the tick by burning it, flushing it down the toilet or by storing it in a small, airtight container like a pill jar. In some instances, saving the tick could come in handy if there is a future illness and the illness needs to be identified.

To prevent ticks, check your pet daily to catch the pests before they've latched on. You can also treat your yard with a pet friendly pesticide or apply a monthly tick prevention product to your pet.

Fleas
Fleas are perhaps the most frustrating of all the pests your animals can contract. They are hard to get rid of, can spread throughout the house and will be irritating to you and your family. Once you have fleas, insecticides are almost always needed to get rid of them. Many different products are available for home treatment. When using these products, be sure that you read all directions carefully!

Treatments must be applied to both the environment affected by fleas and the pet itself:

Environment—The application of insecticides should be very thorough including carpets, rugs, and any beds your animals may sleep on. All toys and clothing should be removed and cleaned or destroyed. Everything should be vacuumed, so the unhatched flea larvae are awakened and the insecticides treat them as well. Insecticides should be used very carefully. Be sure to avoid treated surfaces until they have dried completely.

Pet—The pet must be treated in addition to the environment, as just one or the other would be ineffective. When choosing a product be sure to read the instructions carefully and ensure that it is safe for your animal. Many flea protection treatments can be applied monthly and prevent ticks as well.

While you may have completed the proper treatment, you still may see fleas for up to two weeks afterwards. Continuing to vacuum the area will encourage the pupae to hatch, so the newly emerged adult fleas can be treated by the insecticides. If fleas continue to hang around beyond four weeks, another treatment may be required.

Lice
While dogs, cats and humans can all get the tiny lice insects, the ones found on each are all different types. So while you cat could have lice, the one positive is that you don't have to worry about that spreading to your dogs or children.

The signs of a louse attack are all in the coat—if your animal is getting a scruffy, dry coat, losing hair, and getting extra itchy it could be lice. You'll be able to see the small nits, or eggs, by combing through your pet's hair. Treatment can be completed with one of the many types available from your veterinarian, including shampoos, sprays, powders, and a lice dip. You may need to use the product for several weeks.

Dog dental care

2011-02-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

Brush-Up On At-Home Dental Care

Annual dental exams with a veterinarian are necessary for your dog’s optimum oral health. Although some procedures should only be done by a professional, you can still take advantage of an at-home dental health care program for added assurance and prevention. Brushing and routine examinations for your dog are two preventative measures that can easily be done at home.

While performing oral exams, look for warning signs like bad breath, red or swollen gums, a yellowish-brown crust of tartar around the gum-line, or pain or bleeding when you touch the gums or mouth. These signs are all expressive of gingivitis and other gum diseases. Watch for discolored, fractured or missing teeth. Consult your veterinarian if you notice any bumps or masses forming inside the mouth.

Step-By-Step Guide to Brushing Your Dog's Teeth

Here are some easy-to-follow steps to brushing your dog’s teeth. This process will start off gradually, but will pick up in no time. Try not to overly restrain your dog because it may imply something negative. Be positive and excited during the process and your dog will be positive and excited as well.

It’s all about introducing something new and having a positive response. Dip your finger into some beef bouillon and call the dog as if you had a dog treat. Let your dog lick off the liquid, then proceed to gently rub the teeth and gums. Keep it brief. After a few sessions this will be a welcomed occurrence and you can move on.
Repeat the first step, but this time wrap a small strip of gauze around your finger to let your dog become familiar with a new texture. Rub the teeth in a circular motion. Again, keep the sessions brief to avoid discomfort or disinterest. Praise your dog to let it know it’s doing well.
After your dog is used to the gauze, you can switch to a dog toothbrush. Before actually brushing, let your dog get used to the texture of the bristles. You can do this by applying something that tastes good to the bristles and having your dog lick it off.
Once your dog is used to the brush you can introduce a toothpaste or rinse (use pet specific products, DO NOT use human products). Dog toothpastes are generally flavored with poultry or something your dog will immediately enjoy. Let your dog lick it off your finger, then gently rub it over the gums like in Step 1.
Now that your dog is used to all the tools you can start brushing. Remember to start small and work your way up. The canines are large and easy to reach. Start with these, then take a break. Increase the number of teeth you brush each session. Stay positive and praise your dog to keep dental health an enjoyable part of your dog’s life.

The hardest thing is getting started. Once you and your dog have gotten used to the routine, make it a daily occurrence. If you can’t do it daily, every other day will still keep plaque from materializing and will have an overall positive effect on your dog’s oral and dental health.

At-home dental health care is not only limited to you. Your dog can also participate while having fun. A number of dog toys are designed specifically to reduce plaque and tartar build-up. Become familiar with your dog’s chewing habits to help you pick out an appropriately sized and textured chew toy.

reprinted from Dog.com

2011-01-31T11:34:00.001-08:00

Mother and daughter, Laurie and Kelsey Adams, from the northern foothills of San Diego County, Calif., have both experienced success in the world of show rabbits. Since 2004, they've both been in the American Rabbit Breeders Association Domestic Rabbit Purina Convention winners photographs.

Laurie began raising rabbits nearly 12 years ago. She was already showing horses and livestock, and checked out a rabbit show when she saw an ad in the newspaper. What she saw at the show piqued her interest, so she decided to give raising rabbits a try. Initially she promised her husband she wouldn't have more than 10 cages at a time, but she soon found that promise impossible to hold.

"The rabbit show bug bit me and I was soon hopping down the bunny show trail and expanding my cage space," says Laurie.

Although raising rabbits isn't her profession, it is her passion.

"I love the bunnies and the challenges of breeding and conditioning show animals," Laurie said. "The sometimes fierce competition and the lifelong friendships made around the show table make this a very worthwhile endeavor."

Laurie's daughter Kelsey got involved with rabbits at the young age of 8, starting out with French lops.

"She loved the big rabbits," said Laurie. "I would walk behind her with my arms around her, helping her carry them to the show table."

Growing Up:
When Kelsey joined 4-H, she needed a smaller rabbit for showmanship. After talking to judges and breeders, the Adams decided on a Himalayan. Kelsey won her first rabbit in a raffle, and although he was a great starter rabbit, he wasn't great on the show table. When Kelsey got a show quality rabbit named Ken, he won many awards, launching Kelsey and Laurie into the world of "Himmies."

In high school, Kelsey joined FFA and decided to have a herd of New Zealands for meat pens. She developed an impressive herd that won many best in show awards, as well as Grand and Reserve Champion meat pen at the San Diego County Fair. Kelsey showed her New Zealands for the last time at the American Rabbit Breeders Association Convention in 2009, winning a first, two seconds and a fourth place with the four rabbits she brought.

Raising Himalayans:
Laurie still raises Himalayan rabbits, one of the oldest known breeds. The original color of a Himmie is black, but blue, chocolate, and lilac varieties were later developed. Laurie has a relatively small rabbitry with 70 cages and raises and shows all four varieties of Himalayans. Kelsey also kept a small group of Himalayans, in addition to her New Zealands, to show and breed. She and Laurie share a barn and trade between themselves.

"The Purina rabbit products are the best I have ever used," said Laurie. "I use the Purina® Rabbit Chow™ Show Formula for the actively showing rabbits, and a mixture of the Purina® Rabbit Chow™ Professional and Purina® Rabbit Chow™ Complete for the brood animals and young."

By using Purina feeds, Laurie doesn't have a problem at weaning time with diarrhea or lack of appetite. Her bucks stay active and her does have a high conception rate.

Additionally, her show animals maintain the condition necessary for active competition and wins. She has won several ARBA Convention Himalayan best of breed and best opposite sex of breed, an American Himalayan Rabbit Association best of breed, along with numerous best in show wins.

"Genetics is an important part of a successful show animal, but if you can't get it conditioned, it's not going to win," said Laurie, "Purina products put a wonderful bloom on my animals."

Laurie purchases her Purina® Rabbit Chow™ feed from her local Purina dealer, R Hay and Grain in Escondido, Calif.

"R Hay and Grain is one of the best feed stores I have ever worked with," she said. "They make sure they always have what I need and it is always fresh."

The challenge of raising and showing rabbits and the people Laurie has met during the process has been a lot of fun. She's bonded with her fellow competitors and has friends from across the country she's met through showing. Finding the right breeding cross and the edge that makes a great animal stand out are some of her greatest rewards. Laurie enjoys teaching her rabbits tricks, and says her best was a Mini Lop named Dale, who loved to run through sprinklers and fetch small sticks.

"He would chase the sticks and bring them back to me, and could sit up and beg for treats, just like a dog," says Laurie.

A Common Bond:
For Laurie, sharing her passion for rabbits with her daughter has always been a fun part of raising them. But just because they're family doesn't mean there isn't a healthy competition between the two on who can put the best rabbits on the show table.

"She definitely has her own ideas on her breeds and what she likes," said Laurie about Kelsey. "As she's gotten older, we have had some very lively discussions on the good and bad points of certain rabbits."

Even though Kelsey is now in college and isn't able to do as much with the rabbits, Laurie considers herself lucky that Kelsey still lives at home, giving the two time to work out in the barn together.

"I miss her going to shows with me," Laurie said. "It seems that some of our best talks have been driving to shows or working in the barn. Having a common interest has given us a chance to share some real quality time."

Although you can purchase a cheap rabbit hutch for around $100, if you're looking to either spend less or create a customized hutch, building your own can be a great alternative. Many plans, in a variety of styles, are available online for free. Below are directions and plans from Purina® to help you create a DIY hutch that will protect your rabbit in nearly every climate.

Building Materials

• 2 ft. 2" x 4" (door support) • 66 ft. 2" x 2" (back, front, side framing)

• 80 ft. 1" x 6" (roof and hinged panels)

• 72 ft. 1" x 3" shiplap, 8 pieces. — 8 x 4" (back)

• 42 ft. 1" x 2" (braces and nailers)

• 9 ft. x 30" 1/2 x 1, 16 gauge, galvanized mesh (floor)

• 15 ft. x 24" 1 x 1, 14 gauge, galvanized mesh (front and sides)

• 36 sq. ft. 45# felt roofing paper

• 21 x 1 x 1/2" x 4" door latches

• 8 Hinges (door and side cover)

• Miscellaneous nails, hooks, eyes and wire

Note: Hutch size varies depending on what breed you own. These plans are for medium breeds. If you raise small breeds (3 to 6 pounds) you can cut the hutch length to 3 feet instead of 4. Giant breeds (14 pounds and heavier) need more room. For them, extend these plans and make each hutch 6 feet long. All the sizes listed above are sizes recommended for one doe and her litter.

Things to Remember When Designing and Maintaining Your Hutch:
• Your hutch should protect your rabbit from drafts, but also provide clean, air circulation—using wire mesh on part of the hutch works well.
• Your hutch should provide space equal to four to five times the body size for each rabbit you are housing.
• Bedding should be one to three inches thick—don't use pine or cedar shavings.
• Provide an area of solid floor for your rabbit to rest on and to prevent sore hocks—carpet, wood, and synthetic fleece cloth work well.
• Keep your hutch one to three feet off the ground.
• Clean bedding each week and remove soiled bedding daily.

Purina® Rabbit Chow™ Professional Natural AdvantEdge® is a completely balanced food specially formulated to produce shiny fur, rapid growth, and excellent reproduction. This nutrient dense formula is high protein and high energy food, making it the perfect choice for those who desire accelerated breeding and/or lustrous fur growth, all while feeding less per day.
• The Natural AdvantagEdge®—superior, consistent, natural* nutrition FREE from all fillers, preservatives, and artificial colors

• Formulated for excellent fur quality—Vitamin A, essential vegetable oils and high protein for excellent growth and fur quality

• High-protein formula—high protein and energy food for accelerated breeding programs and optimal wool production

• Added lactobacillus, yeast and balanced fiber—supports digestive health with added yucca shidigera to aid in odor control

• Complete, natural nutrition—no additional supplements necessary and great for rabbits of all ages

• High-quality plant proteins—loaded with natural nutrients found only in plants that optimize vitality and support immune function

• Nutrient dense—feed less per day, saving you money

• Highly palatable—for proper intake and growth

• Purina FeedGuard® Nutrition System—stringent quality standards help ensure many of the industry's highest quality ingredients available are used, provides greater nutritional consistency bag after bag, and considers all key nutrients and their interactions with each other to better support overall rabbit health

As always, when changing your rabbits from one feeding program to another, make the change gradually, over a five to seven day period. Mix the new feed with the old, gradually increasing the amount of the new feed (it's always important to allow time for the rabbits' intestinal flora to adjust to any new feed). Continue to feed at the same time each day—evening is best. Clean the feeding dish daily so uneaten food does not become stale and moldy. And always provide plenty of clean, fresh, cool water to rabbits at all times.

*with added vitamins, minerals, and trace nutrients

Article from the Better Animals® electronic newsletter (January 2011-Rabbit)

2011-01-19T15:17:00.000-08:00

FEATURED STORY | Healthy Living for the Entire Family

"One could say we are health nuts," said Christine Glogowski. "As a family, we seek to have optimum nutrition."

Christine and her husband, Bob, market wellness products for USANA Health Sciences, a science-based, research and development nutritional company. USANA develops and manufactures nutritional supplements, weight-management products, and personal-care products.

"What a joy it is to help others improve their lives," Christine said.

TOBY
Growing up Christine always had a dog, but when she got married and it was time for her to have children of her own, she and Bob decided to wait to get a dog until their kids got older. Owning a puppy takes a lot of time and work, and Christine knew that with three little kids running around it would be difficult to take care of a dog as well.

"We got Toby when our children were 10, 8 and 6," said Christine. "In a way, I'm very glad we waited because I didn't have to choose between taking care of a baby and getting the puppy outside quickly to go to the bathroom."

The Glogowskis got their first family dog, Toby, four and a half years ago. He is a golden retriever and definitely lives up to his name. Retrieving tennis balls and chasing "red dot," the Glogowskis' pointer laser, are some of his favorite things to do. But Toby wasn't always able to do his favorite activities. He has Myesthenia Gravis, which affects his voluntary muscles, mostly in his hindquarters. Before being diagnosed, he wasn't able to run, chase balls, or climb stairs and even had trouble going to the bathroom. Fortunately after testing, positive diagnosis, and treatment Toby's back on his feet and doing fine.

"He is such a nut once it gets dark outside," said Christine. "He knows where we keep 'the laser and perks up when we say the magic word, 'red dot'."

As a member of the Glogowski family, Toby likes to do his part to help out. Each year the Glogowskis and some of their relatives go camping in the beginning of August.

"Every year we bury a time capsule," said Christine's daughter Laura. "One year Toby decided to dig the hole for us!"

HEALTH NUTS
Like Christine said, healthy living isn't just a thing for the human Glogowski family members. When Christine went into her local feed store she was told about the Infinia Holistic™ pet food trial and quickly jumped at the chance to participate.* Infinia Holistic™ pet food uses fresh, never-frozen chicken or turkey, or savory, natural bison or salmon. Each bag also contains a variety of flavorful superfoods including sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, kelp, and parsley that are full of vitamins and minerals that support immunity, vitality, and longevity. She transitioned Toby onto Infinia Holistic™ dog food and could tell that he loved it since he was excited for mealtime again.

"As a family we understand the science of nutrition and how critical that is for humans as well as dogs," said Christine. "It was an easy choice for us to make the switch to Infinia™ Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe. Feeding a product with probiotics, glucosomine, and other healthy ingredients was the right thing to do for Toby. We don't eat junk food, so why would I feed junk food to my dog?"

"These animals give us such joy and comfort in our lives. For us humans we have one body for the rest of our life, our animals are the same. It's our responsibility to give them the best that life offers," Christine said.

If you have any questions about healthy living for Christine or you would like to learn more about USANA Health Sciences please visit www.LMShealth.usana.com.

*The Glogowskis were provided with Infinia™ products at no charge in order to fully test them prior to going to market.

PET TIPS | Winterizing Your Pet

Food and Water
When it's cold outside, dogs and cats often need to eat more food to keep warm, especially if they're active. As always, make sure that your pets haves fresh, unfrozen water available to drink at all times so they don't get dehydrated.

Housing
If you have an outside dog in a dog house, make sure it's ready for winter by repairing any holes and adding a warm bed and a door or plastic flap to keep the cold air out. You can also put up sheets of plastic along the walls of outdoor runs to stop cold drafts and make it more enjoyable for your dog. For dogs that come into the garage, make sure that they too have a warm bed to lie in.

Keeping Your Pet Warm
Long haired dogs that are bred to withstand the cold and snow love the winter months. However, if you have a short haired dog they don't have enough fur or fat to insulate them. Consider getting them a coat or sweater that has a high collar and covers from the base of the tail to the belly.

Keep your cats inside, or offer them constant access to shelter such as a barn or garage. Also provide them with some sort of warm bedding such as a cat bed or basket with blankets.

Remove ice, salt, mud, and snow from your pet's fur and feet as soon as possible. If your dog is long-haired, trim the hair between its toes and footpads to make cleaning easier.

Additional heat sources used in the winter, such as fireplaces and portable heaters, can severely burn your cat or dog. Protect them by putting screens on fireplaces and keeping portable space heaters out of reach.

Hypothermia
Hypothermia occurs when animals spend too much time exposed to cold temperatures, so your pet can't keep their body temperature from going below normal. When your pet's body temperature goes between 89 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit, it is classified as mild hypothermia, between 77 and 71 F moderate, and between 46.5 and 32 F severe. Symptoms for mild cases include shivering, depression, lethargy, and weakness. As it gets more severe muscles stiffen and heart and breathing rates slow. If you suspect hypothermia, try to warm your pet by wrapping it in blankets and using a hot water bottle wrapped in fabric and contact your veterinarian.

Frostbite
Just like people, animals can get frostbite too. It happens when the body pulls blood from the extremities, including the ears, tail, or paws, to keep the core warm. Frostbite damage often isn't visible for a few days. But if the skin looks reddish, white, or grey or is scaly or peeling, it could be frostbite. Get your pet warm by soaking its extremities in warm water (don't rub), and then wrapping your pet in blankets, and take it to your veterinarian.

Puppies and Seniors
Don't leave puppies outside for long periods of time, because they can't handle the cold as well as adult dogs. If taking your puppy outside to housebreak it is difficult, you can consider paper training him inside or using a puppy training pad. Cold temperatures are also difficult on older dogs, especially if they have arthritis. Make sure they have a thick, soft bed in a warm area, and consider making its living environment easier to get around.

Holidays
Decorations and snacks are an integral part of celebrating the winter holiday season for many families, but they also bring new risks for your pets. Certain plants including mistletoe and holly can be toxic to your pet, so keep them out of reach. Also, cover or hide all electrical cords from lights and decorations such as tinsel, ribbon, fake snow, and glass ornaments so your pet can't chew on them. Not only will this protect your pet, but it will also keep your decorations from getting ruined. At holidays many of us have candies, chocolate, alcoholic beverages, meats, and other foods available. Although a few treats of meat might be okay, letting your dog eat other human foods and drink can upset its stomach or be toxic.

Automobiles
Although it's necessary for your car during the winter months, antifreeze is deadly to your pets. Pets love the sweet taste, but even a small amount can do a lot of damage. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills and store it in a secure place.

To stay warm, cats and kittens often climb into engines of cars. Before turning on your car, bang on the hood, honk your horn, or look under the hood to avoid accidentally hurting your furry friend.

Never leave your cat or dog left alone in the car, during the winter they can become even colder than outside.

GET TO KNOW | Infinia™ Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe

Infinia™ Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe is a holistic nutritional formula that is grain-free and perfect for dogs in all life stages. With its flavorful superfoods and fresh, never-frozen turkey and chicken as the number one ingredient, there's no room or need for unnecessary fillers. Infinia™ knows no boundaries, and all the ingredients inside each bag work together for your pet's health and well-being, supporting healthy and digestive systems, active bodies and beautiful coats.

• Antioxidants—from sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, berries and added vitamins and minerals to support the immune system
• Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids—from salmon and canola oil to help keep your dog's coat shiny and skin soft
• Fiber—from chicory root and microbials like those found in yogurt to help maintain a balanced digestive system
• DHA (a natural component of mother's milk)—from salmon oil to help support healthy brain and vision development in growing puppies

INFINIA™ HOLISTIC SUPERFOODS
This select blend of ingredients including fresh, never-frozen turkey and chicken, salmon oil, sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, kelp, and parsley, are full of vitamins and minerals that work together to support immunity, vitality, and longevity.

The information contained in this article is from PMI Nutrition's Better Animals e-newsletter.

Formulating Horse Feeds - Different Formulation Strategies Produce Different Results

2011-01-16T17:01:00.000-08:00

Karen E. Davison, Ph.D.
Manager- Equine Technical Services
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed

When choosing a horse feed, looking at the guaranteed analysis can help you determine if the nutritional content of that feed is appropriate for the age and activity level of your horse. You would think that two products that both contain 14% protein, 6% fat, etc. would be pretty much the same feed. However, products with similar guaranteed analysis may be manufactured using very different formulation strategies and have very different formulas. This can affect the nutritional value for your horse. The most common formulation strategies are “Least-cost” formulas and “Fixed” or “Locked” formulas. Both of these strategies have benefits and draw backs. There is a third strategy that Purina uses for premium horse feeds, “Constant Nutrition” formulas, which is more nutritionally accurate than either of the other strategies.

Least-cost formulas allow a manufacturer to adjust the ingredients in the formula based on cost of those ingredients. As long as the formula still meets the guaranteed analysis, the manufacturer can change the ingredients used in the formula. In some circumstances, the change in ingredients doesn’t change the effectiveness of the diet so it makes sense to meet the nutritional needs of the animal in the least expensive way. There would be no benefit to making a more expensive ration to achieve the same results. For instance, if you are feeding cattle and being paid for weight gain and a least-cost formula will not change the rate of gain or feed efficiency of the cattle, but will be less expensive to feed, that just makes good business sense. However, in some cases, especially when feeding horses, a major change in ingredients can dramatically alter the effectiveness of the diet, even when the nutrient levels don’t change. A good example of this would be substituting cottonseed meal for soybean meal in a diet for growing horses. Soybean meal and cottonseed meal may both have similar total protein content and could be interchangeable in a formula to meet the protein guarantee. However, cottonseed meal does not provide the same quality of protein to support growth as soybean meal and young horses will not grow as well eating a feed with cottonseed meal as the protein source. So, in this case, the least-cost formula may be less expensive per ton but the loss in animal performance will negate any cost savings. In addition to potential for reduced performance, there is always the potential for reduced palatability or digestive upset in horses when large shifts in ingredients can occur in their feed.

With a fixed or locked formula the same ingredients and amounts of ingredients are used every time the feed is made, regardless of price or nutritional variation of those ingredients. This sounds like the most consistent way to make horse feed however, there is a draw back. All ingredients, even very good quality ingredients, have some variation in nutritional content. All oats will not have the same protein or mineral content. If the formula is completely locked and not taking into account the nutritional content of the individual ingredients, the level of nutrition provided in the finished product can vary. Horses do benefit from consistency in their diet but they don’t have a specific requirement for certain ingredients. The purpose of ingredients is to provide nutrients the horse needs. So, while a fixed formula does provide the same amount of ingredient in every bag, it may not provide the same level of nutrition. For example, a horse feed made of 49% oats, 20% beet pulp, 16% corn, 8% alfalfa and 7% soybean meal would average 14% protein, using the average book values for these ingredients. However, with the typical range in protein content of these ingredients, the end product could range from 12.4% to 21.1% protein. Other nutrient levels will vary as well. So, while a fixed formula does insure a consistent ingredient profile, it may not provide the most consistent level of nutrition for the horse.

“Constant Nutrition” formulation is a key part of the Purina FeedGuard™ Nutrition System. This strategy provides consistent, reliable nutrition in every bag of premium Purina horse feed. Under the Purina FeedGuard™ Nutrition System, stringent quality standards are set for ingredients which are purchased only from an approved list of suppliers that meet those strict criteria. Then, when ingredients arrive at a manufacturing facility, the ingredients are inspected, sampled and analyzed for nutrient levels. This is more accurate than using published book values or supplier averages for nutrient levels of ingredients. If an ingredient is approved, then the tested nutritional content is entered into the formulation system, which makes small adjustments in amounts of ingredients to maintain a consistent nutrient level in the finished product. There are strict restrictions for how much adjustment is allowed to ensure consistency in formulation. For example, the amount of soybean meal may be adjusted slightly to compensate for a lower protein in another ingredient, but cottonseed meal couldn’t be substituted for soybean meal. This formulation strategy ensures that horses receive the most consistent nutrition possible.

Eggs

2011-01-08T16:22:00.000-08:00

Whether you're keeping it simple with scrambled or trying out something a little trickier like soufflé or crème brulee, eggs are an essential part of many people's diets. They offer almost every vitamin and nutrient needed for life, including iodine, phosphorous, selenium, choline, antioxidants, and vitamin B2, B5, B9, B12, and D, not to mention they're a great source of protein. Check out the recipes below for delicious takes on old favorites as well as new recipes that you'll be sure to love. Adding your own fresh eggs, will make them that much better!

DEAD MAN'S MISERY: VANILLA WAFER DESSERT
1 Box vanilla wafer cookies
1/2 cup softened margarine or butter
6 eggs separated
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. boiling water

Crust:
Finely crush one box of vanilla wafer cookies, and cover the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish with a thin layer of the crumbs.

Bottom Layer:
Place 3 egg yolks into a mixing bowl and beat well. Add 1/2 cup softened margarine and mix well using an electric mixer. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and 2/3 cup chopped pecans, mix until well blended. In a separate bowl beat 3 egg whites until stiff. Gently fold in egg whites into mixture. Carefully spread completed mixture over the top of the vanilla wafer crumbs in the pan. Sprinkle a thin layer of wafer crumbs to cover the bottom layer filling. Set aside in refrigerator while you prepare the top filling layer.

Top Layer:
Combine 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 2 Tbsp. boiling water in a mixing bowl with the electric mixer, blend well. Add 3 well beaten egg yolks and mix well. Gently fold in 3 stiffly beaten egg whites. Remove pan from refrigerator and carefully spread top layer mixture on top of the layer of crumbs. Sprinkle a final thin layer of crumbs to cover the top layer filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve. It's best to chill overnight before serving.
* Use caution in consuming raw eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness.

EGG WHITE BRUSHETTA OMELET
3 egg whites
1 tsp. water
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. fresh chopped basil leaves
1 plum or Roma tomato, chopped
1 small clove fresh garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. finely shredded parmesan cheese

Whisk egg whites, water, salt and pepper in a bowl until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl toss together, tomato, garlic, parmesan cheese, and basil. Lightly coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Pour egg white mixture into pan and cook on medium heat until eggs begin to set up on bottom. Lift up edge of eggs with spatula and push the cooked part toward the center of pan while letting the uncooked portion run underneath. Continue cooking until eggs are almost set and bottom is slightly browned. Spread vegetable filling over half of the omelet and fold over to cover. Cook on medium to low heat for 2 minutes.

GRANDMA'S FRENCH TOAST
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
8 slices French bread

Lightly coat skillet or griddle with butter or cooking spray and turn to medium heat. Whisk eggs with milk until well blended. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and mix well. Dip 8 slices of French bread into egg mixture until well coated. Place slices onto griddle or skillet and cook until lightly brown on underneath side. Flip and cook until lightly browned on second side. Remove to plate and lightly butter. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, powdered sugar, syrup or any of your favorite toppings.

EASY EGG SOUFFLÉ
8 slices of bread
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
3 eggs beaten
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
3 drops hot pepper
2 Tbsp. melted margarine
2 cups onion

Trim crusts off bread. Place four slices on the bottom of a greased 9" square baking dish. Top with 4 oz. Sharp cheddar cheese. Repeat with remaining bread and cheese. Combine eggs, milk, salt, mustard, Worcestershire, and hot pepper. Pour mixture over bread and cheese layers, cover and refrigerate overnight. Uncover and drizzle with melted margarine. Bake at 350 F for approximately 60 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when you poke it. For even more flavor, add chopped ham and green peppers to the mixture.

Chickens begin laying eggs between 18 and 22 weeks of age, depending on the breed and environment. Don't be surprised if your hens lay smaller eggs that have softer shells in the beginning. They will reach their peak egg production (90 to 95 percent) about four to six weeks after they begin laying. For their first year of egg production, hens will almost lay an egg a day, producing nearly 25 pounds of eggs! It takes approximately 25 hours for a hen to produce an egg, so the time of day at which they lay will gradually increase.

After the first 12 months, egg production will drop to about 65 percent, and your hens will lay less often. However, the eggs that they do lay will be larger (jumbo eggs) than the eggs produced by younger chickens. Once your hens have reached between 2 and 3 years of age, they are basically finished with peak production laying. To keep your egg production going, and to have a constant supply, it is suggested that you raise new replacement chicks each year. This way as your laying hens are getting older and decreasing in production, your new chicks are getting ready to start their peak production.

To make sure your hens have the most productive laying cycle, it's important to manage them correctly. Age obviously plays a huge factor in the laying cycle, but so does light, disease, and nutrition.

Light
A chicken's internal clock is dictated by sunlight. The amount of light they receive is directly related to their production of eggs; the less light they receive, the fewer eggs they produce. To maintain a more consistent production level, you should maintain a constant light source throughout the year. Purina recommends giving laying hens 14 to 16 hours of light (natural or artificial) a day.

Illness
Making sure your chicken has a balanced diet will help reduce the effect of nutritional health challenges that could decrease egg production. Additionally, you can consider getting your hens vaccinated, especially if you take birds to shows, purchase additional birds and add them to your flock, or have had a problem with disease in the past.

Nutrition
If a hen isn't receiving the correct nutrition, her egg production will decrease or even stop. The quality of her eggs will also suffer. Purina® Layena® SunFresh® Recipe provides your laying hens with the balanced diet they need to produce healthy hens, and high quality eggs. Learn more about Purina® Layena® SunFresh® Recipe in the Product Spotlight.

Purina® Layena® SunFresh® Recipe takes "natural" to a whole new level by using only the freshest, highest quality sun-grown grains and plant proteins to give birds the wholesome, healthy goodness and fresh taste they deserve.* Made from natural plant-based ingredients free of all animal proteins and fats, Purina® Layena® SunFresh® Recipe contains all the quality nutrients laying hens need to produce lots of strong-shelled, healthy, golden-yolked eggs.

• Certified Natural*—our guarantee that this is the very best feed providing safe, natural nutrition for poultry
• SunFresh® Recipe—formulated with sun-grown grains with a recipe free of animal proteins
• Superior Nutrition—gives great appearance and healthy eggs
• Essential Amino Acids—enhanced with lysine and methionine to give birds the healthy nutrients they need to produce plenty of tasty eggs
• Exclusive Level of Marigold Extract—for rich yellow yolks
• Key Levels of Calcium and Manganese—strong shells with few cracks
• Proprietary Level of Vitamin A—strong reproduction and overall health
• Key Level of Vitamin E—supports a healthy immune system

*with added vitamins, minerals, and trace nutrients

Why Is He Eating THAT?- Unusual Eating Behaviors in Horses

2011-01-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

Karen E. Davison, Ph.D.
Manager-Equine Technical Services
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed

Horses are expected to eat grass, hay, grain, maybe treats like carrots or apples. They aren’t expected to eat dirt or manure, but sometimes they do. Both behaviors are offensive and worrisome to horse owners, but are they really harmful to the horse? The term “pica” refers to persistent eating of non-nutritive substances for at least one month’s time. This activity exists in many animals, including humans, and is most common in younger animals. It has been reported that 10 – 32% of children between 1 – 6 years of age engage in pica. In some cases, specific nutritional deficiencies may trigger unusual cravings, such as a long-term phosphorus deficiency causing herds of cattle to eat bones or significant amounts of dirt. However, in horses these behaviors are not defined as stereotypic stable vices because they appear to represent a normal physiological or foraging response.

Unusual oral behaviors in horses include coprophagy and geophagia. Coprophagy, eating manure, is normal in young horses from 5 days to 2 months of age. Foals typically eat their mothers’ manure but occasionally consume their own or an unrelated adult’s feces.This practice is more common in foals confined to stalls than those on pasture, and is uncommon after 6 months of age. The purpose of coprophagy in foals has been speculated to be a mechanism for populating the digestive system with bacteria and protozoa necessary for a fully functioning cecum. These microbes are required for effective fiber digestion, which is necessary for a foal to fully utilize a grass or hay diet as it grows and consumes more forage and less mare’s milk.

There has been no nutritive motivation identified for coprophagy in foals, but mature horses eating protein deficient diets will often begin eating their manure. In these cases,coprophagy ceases when adequate protein is provided. Horses in starvation situations or those without adequate hay or pasture (consuming less than 1.3 lbs of hay per 100 lbs of body weight) have also been found to eat manure. There are reported cases of coprophagy in horses older than 6 months of age consuming diets that are very adequate in protein, fiber and provide a complete balance of vitamins and minerals. These reports appear to be more common in the springtime, with stabled horses, and more often in young stallions. Boredom may be the reason coprophagy appears more in confined horses than pastured horses. Parasite infestation would be a primary concern in these animals, so routine cleaning of facilities and a good deworming program would be important.

Geophagia refers to eating dirt and is reported to be fairly common in feral horses. Geophagia is not simply horses taking in dirt while grazing close to the ground or eating grain off the ground, but is a behavior where horses actively bite into the ground to specifically eat dirt. Dirt-eating has been proposed to be a search for salt or minerals, but analysis of soils shows no consistent mineral profile of consumed versus non-consumed soils. The soils tested varied tremendously in mineral content. Domestic horses consuming diets providing plenty of salt and mineral have also been seen consuming dirt.So, geophagia is probably not simply a pursuit of minerals. Anecdotal evidence indicates dirt-eating may be more common in stallions than mares or geldings, but no studies of gender effects on geophagia have been reported. Although geophagia is generally harmless, consumption of sandy soil can cause colic or diarrhea. Some horses are more prone to eating sand than others, even when eating the same diet under the same conditions. Grazing sparse pastures on sandy soil, horses that are thinner and younger,and feeding grain on the ground are all factors that contribute to increased ingestion of sand.

If individual horses are observed exhibiting unusual eating behaviors such as coprophagy or geophagia, horse owners should evaluate the nutritional balance of the diet, the availability of ample roughage, and the general environment for potential causes of the behavior. A veterinary exam to detect parasite infestation or other health issues may also be warranted. If the diet is adequate, the horse is healthy and other factors are not at play,then it may be a simple case of boredom. Decreasing time spent in confinement,providing a companion and increasing exercise may help alleviate the problem.

Forage for Horses

2010-12-29T10:23:00.000-08:00

By J. Kathleen Young, Ph.D

Why should horse owners be concerned about forages for their horses? Horses need to be fed at least one percent of their body weight daily (dry matter) as forage. Most horses are fed more than that; many receive two or more percent of their body weight per day in grass or hay. This means that a 1000 pound horse may easily eat 15-20 pounds per day of hay, along with 3-6 pounds of a grain ration. When problems occur that may relate back to nutrition, people usually look at the grain ration. However, when the vast majority of the horse’s diet is hay or grass, we must pay more attention to the important nutritional role that the forage plays in the horse’s nutritional status.

Quality of Forages

There are several factors that affect the quality of hay, therefore the nutrient content. The higher the quality of the hay, the better the horse’s digestive tract is able to digest and absorb the nutrients contained in the hay.
The factors that affect the quality of the hay include plant species, fertilization, maturity at time of harvest, season at which hay is harvested, climate conditions, storage conditions, and age (time since cutting). The maturity of the plant at time of harvest determines the hay quality more than any other factor. Young, leafy, immature plants contain more protein, energy and minerals than older, stemmier plants. As a plant matures, it contains more indigestible fiber (lignin), therefore is less digestible for the horse, as well as containing less protein, energy and minerals. To ensure high quality hay, plants should be harvested at the proper stage of maturity, for instance, timothy should be cut in the pre-bloom or early-bloom stages for the highest nutrient content.

Plant species (e.g. grass vs. legume) has an impact on the nutrient content of the hay, but not as much as most horse owners believe. The maturity of the plant when it was cut has much more influence. Alfalfa tends to have more protein, energy and calcium than grass hays, but research has shown that a good quality grass hay may provide more nutrients than a medium or low quality alfalfa because the higher quality grass hay is more digestible (less fibrous). For example, for protein to be of value to a horse as amino acids, it must be digested and absorbed (as amino acids) in the horse’s upper gut (stomach and small intestine). Since the fiber in hay can only be digested by microbes in the horse’s hind gut, the more fiber in the hay, the more that hay is digested in the hind gut. In one study, when horses were fed medium quality alfalfa hay, only 2% of the protein was digested in the upper gut. This means that 98% of the protein was of no benefit as amino acids to the horses. Horse owners sometimes feel that alfalfa is always a better choice for horses than grass hays, but that is not necessarily true. Further, high quality alfalfa may not provide enough fiber to maintain a healthy hind gut in the horse. A certain amount of indigestible fiber (bulk) is necessary to ensure the health of the microbes in the hind gut, as well as helping to maintain proper motility in the hind gut.

Fertilization primarily affects yield per acre rather than nutrition of any one bale of hay. The season at which the hay is harvested affects quality in that digestibility is highest for forages harvested in the spring, somewhat lower in mid to late summer, and then it rises slightly in autumn. Climate conditions, such as excessive moisture or drought can affect the quality of hay, especially since climate conditions can affect when the hay is cut. Often the plants become more mature than optimum because climate conditions are not conducive to harvesting at the best time.

Storage conditions and age (time since cutting) primarily affect vitamin content of hays. Many vitamins are not very stable over time and lose biological activity. Environmental conditions such as heat, sunlight and rain can hasten the loss of vitamin activity in hay.
Characteristics to look for in choosing high quality hay include:
· High leaf to stem ratio (indicates less mature plants)
· Small diameter stems (less mature plants)
· Fresh smell and appearance
· Cleanliness
· Color (faded, yellow or brown color may indicate aged hay or poor storage conditions)
· Few seed head or blooms (less mature plants)
Hay analysis may provide more information, but the results need to be interpreted with caution. For instance, the crude protein determined by analysis does not indicate the site of digestion in the horse. A hay that tests high in crude protein and also high in acid detergent fiber (ADF) is not well digested in the horse’s upper gut, thus the amino acids from the protein are not readily available for absorption in the upper gut. A hay with lower crude protein and lower ADF may actually provide more nutrients, including protein, energy and minerals to the horse.

Are Sugars, Starches and Grains "Evil" in Horse Diets?

2010-12-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

Katie Young, Ph.D., Consulting Equine Nutritionist
Have you ever watched a pendulum swing? It swings way to the right, and then goes back to center. Then it swings way to the left, then returns to center again. In human nutrition, the sugar and starch pendulum appears to be returning to center. In equine nutrition, however, that sugar and starch pendulum seems to be hung up way off to the side.

Before we talk about the "evil" nature of sugars and starches (and therefore grains since they usually provide the majority of starches in a horse’s diet), we need to talk about carbohydrates. Sugars and starches are carbohydrates, but fibers are also carbohydrates. Fiber carbohydrates (structural carbohydrates) are important in a horse’s diet, and are primarily provided by the forages (grass or hay) that the horse eats. When people talk about feeding a "low carb" or "no carb" diet to horses, that implies that we need to reduce or eliminate the hay or grass in the horse’s diet as well as the concentrate (or grain-based) feeds. That is usually not what we want to do, because fiber is essential to maintain the health of the horse’s digestive tract. The sugars and starches are nonstructural carbohydrates or NSC (sometimes referred to as soluble carbohydrates). In some situations it may be beneficial to reduce the NSC in a horse’s diet.

Are nonstructural carbohydrates "evil"? In the horse’s small intestine, most nonstructural carbs are broken down into glucose, a simple sugar. The glucose is then absorbed into the blood stream, and is carried to various tissues where it is used as fuel, or stored as glycogen (in the muscle or liver, where it later used as fuel) or as fat. Glucose is very important for the horse to function properly, as it is the only fuel that can be used by the brain, it is used to a large extent by the hooves, and it is the only substance that can be used for making glycogen. Studies have shown that horses that use up all their glycogen and are not provided glucose to replenish the glycogen stores show greatly reduced performance capabilities. So glucose is vital to the health and well-being of the horse. Again, glucose comes primarily from NSC.

So, again, are nonstructural carbohydrates "evil"? We know that too much NSC (particularly starch) in a horse’s meal can cause problems. We want the NSC to be digested in the small intestine, but if we feed a large meal that contains so much starch that it overflows from the small intestine into the large intestine, it may cause digestive disturbances such as colic or laminitis. Studies have shown that feeding no more than about 0.5% of a horse’s bodyweight of grain in one meal will reduce the risk of grain overload into the horse’s hindgut, therefore reducing the risk of colic or laminitis.

For laminitic horses (horses that have been previously been diagnosed with laminitis) feeding less NSC may be helpful in reducing the chance of a recurrence. Horses with chronic laminitis may be more susceptible and more sensitive to NSC in the diet.

There are some horses that suffer from disorders such as Cushing’s Syndrome. This disorder may cause a problem in the regulation and use of glucose in the body. The hormone insulin helps regulate glucose, by causing it to be removed from the blood into the tissues where it is used or stored. In horses that suffer from Cushing’s Syndrome, the insulin may not function properly to regulate the glucose, and we see high levels of glucose in the blood. We call these horses "insulin resistant". In these situations, it may be beneficial to feed less NSC so that there will be less glucose provided by the diet.

Another situation in which low NSC diets are recommended is for horses diagnosed with "Equine Metabolic Syndrome". These horses are usually obese, and blood tests show them to be apparently "insulin resistant". However, in many cases if the horses are put on low calorie diets and lose weight, their glucose and insulin values return to normal.

Once again, are nonstructural carbohydrates "evil"? In my opinion, the answer is a firm "NO". There are some situations in which some horses may benefit from lower levels of NSC in their diets. However, we need much more research to determine where the level of NSC needs to be, because the horse still needs glucose for brain, muscle and hoof function. We don’t know at this point where the lower limit of NSC in the diet is to ensure adequate glucose to supply the body’s needs. We also do not know where the upper limit is to reduce the potential for NSC in the diet to cause problems for insulin resistant horses. As an equine nutritionist, I try to ensure that the total diet includes all the essential nutrients to meet the horse’s nutritional needs without exacerbating any medical conditions. For most typical horses, the amount of NSC in a standard diet of grass or hay and concentrate feed will cause no problems. In situations where the NSC may be an issue, there are factors to consider other than just how much grain is in the horse’s diet.

Horse owners almost always look at the grain portion of their horse’s diet to reduce the NSC. However, just because a feed contains grains, it does not mean that the feed is high in NSC. Conversely, just because a feed does not contain whole grains does not mean that it is low in NSC. Different ingredients in a feed contain different amounts of nonstructural carbohydrates, and it is the total mixture of ingredients that determines the NSC content of that feed. Purina Mills has several feeds available that are low in NSC. And more importantly, those feeds are formulated to contain all the nutrients necessary to meet the horse’s nutritional needs.

Further, we need to keep in mind that fresh grasses and some hays can contain fairly substantial amounts of NSC. When dealing with a horse that is suffering from a disorder that may be aggravated by high levels of NSC, it is vital to look at the forage portion of the ration as well as the concentrate to determine the best total diet for that horse.

Finally, it is essential to keep in mind that each horse is an individual with individual needs. When we start looking at individuals with special needs such as those with Cushing’s Syndrome, or obese horses, or laminitic horses, there is no cookie cutter approach to meeting the horse’s nutritional needs as well as the medical needs.

At Purina Mills, we have a large variety of feeds available to meet the needs of horses in many different situations. We have a number of equine nutritionists and veterinarians involved in current research to determine the best blends of all ingredients and nutrients to provide the safest and most effective ways to feed horses. Our goal is to provide the best nutrition for your horse by supplying the nutrients necessary to support your horse’s health, performance, and longevity.

For more information on Purina Horse Feeds, or to find the dealer nearest you, visit http://horse.purinamills.com or call (800)227-8941.

How Important is Protein in Your Horse's Diet

2010-12-12T06:40:00.000-08:00

by Karen E. Davison, Ph.D., Land O’Lakes Purina Feed Manager-Equine Tech. Services

Most horse owners have, at some time, purchased their horse feed primarily based on the protein content of that feed. “I need a good 14% sweet feed.” or “What do you have in a 12% horse feed.” or even, “How much is your 14% calf creep feed? I’m not paying extra for the same thing just because there’s a horse on the bag.”; these are statements most feed store owners have heard. One reason for the focus on protein is because it is an important part of a horse’s diet, but also because the percent protein is one of the few pieces of information stated on the feed tag. Also, some products are named just by the percent protein; “Super Horse Feed 10”, “Super Horse Feed 12”, etc. This focus on percent protein in a feed presents a couple problems for the horse.

First, you might be surprised to learn that horses don’t actually have a dietary protein requirement. Instead, they have an amino acid requirement. Amino acids are the building blocks for protein. When you consider that all tissues in the body have a protein component, you might wonder what makes those tissues different. What makes muscle different from skin or hair, when all are made largely of protein? The difference is in the amino acid content of the proteins in that tissue. Amino acids are strung together to build proteins and the order in which they are connected determines which protein is made. Of the 22 known amino acids making up proteins in the animal body, 8 are classified as essential (cannot be manufactured by the body and must be supplied in the diet) and 14 as non-essential (can be manufactured by the body with proper nutrition). The purpose of protein in the diet is to supply the amino acids needed for tissue growth, repair and maintenance. Not all dietary protein sources supply the proper balance of amino acids to the horse.

For example, cottonseed meal and soybean meal are both ingredients used to supply protein in feed products. Both ingredients will contain around 40 – 45% protein, however, soybean meal has a better amino acid balance for horses than cottonseed meal. If you feed two groups of foals different diets containing the same protein level but one diet has soybean meal and the other is made with cottonseed meal, the youngsters eating soybean meal will grow better than those eating cottonseed meal. Both groups consume the same amount of total protein, but the foals on cottonseed meal are deficient in lysine, one of the essential amino acids.

When you look at the scenario of using a calf creep feed instead of a horse feed, you must understand that cattle can utilize protein sources like cottonseed meal to meet their amino acid requirements. Their digestive systems allow them to make use of lesser quality protein sources. So, what might be a very good calf creep feed would be a very marginal growing horse diet.

Second, the percent protein in the feed doesn’t give the whole picture of how much protein that diet supplies to the horse. For instance, if a horse is eating 10 lbs of oats which are 11.5% protein, he is getting 1.15 lbs of protein from those oats (10 lbs X 0.115 = 1.15 lbs). If that horse’s owner decides to change to Omolene 200 which is 14% protein, you’d think the horse would be getting more protein, right? Well, because Omolene 200 has about 30% more calories per pound than oats, you’d only need to feed 7 lbs of Omolene 200 to keep the horse in the same body condition. That would supply 0.98 lbs of protein (7 lbs X 0.14 = 0.98 lbs). You’d actually provide less protein feeding the higher protein feed, but the amino acid balance provided by the Omolene 200 would be more beneficial to the horse.

Protein is a major component of the body. Not only in building cells and repairing tissues, but proteins also form antibodies to combat invading bacteria and viruses; they make up enzymes and some hormones; they build nucleoproteins such as DNA; they carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle activity. Without the proper balance of amino acids in the diet to support all these functions, body systems begin to decline. The amino acid balance in the diet will be reflected in a horse’s hair coat, hoof quality, muscle tone and overall health and bloom. So, when you make a decision on which product to feed your horse, consider the amount of protein, but also take into account the amount of feed you will need to provide each day along with the quality of the protein sources used in that feed.

For more information on Purina Horse Feeds, or to find the dealer nearest you, visit http://horse.purinamills.com or call (800)227-8941.

Fleas, Worms and Winter Months

2010-12-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

While in some of the more northern climates, concerns about fleas and worms tend to drop off over winter months because of the cold, frozen conditions outside, parasites can and will easily continue to live within your house. Since dog owners may stop topical or oral treatments for fleas and worms over the winter, this can often been the first stepping stone to these parasites reaching problematic levels by the spring when owners start to treat again. In some areas, especially those that are in the far south, fleas and parasites may become more problematic as the winter season approaches since the humidity increases from the very dry summer conditions.

In the vast majority of areas, especially those in the mid to southern regions of most countries, vets strongly recommend year round treatment for fleas, heartworm and intestinal worms. This is because the eggs, larvae and juvenile stages of these parasites can still be present in the environment. Some types of worms can live for years in the egg stage, safely protected from both insecticides and pesticides within their hard, almost rubberized shells. They can survive winter freezes, spring thaws and even long term exposure to cold and wet conditions within the soil.

In Home Hazards

Perhaps ironically, the very inventions and devices we use to help keep our houses well heated and comfortable in the winter months are the very things that are also helping fleas and other parasites stay healthy and happy year round. Furnaces provide constant heat that allows fleas to stay active and reproduce over the winter, something they simply wouldn't be able to do if they were outside. In addition humidifiers that keep our dog's skin and hair soft and shiny over the winter also work to provide just the perfect conditions for fleas, worm eggs and larvae and the many other types of mites and parasites that our dog may bring in with them in the autumn. These minute eggs and larvae can easily find a safe, warm and ideal spot to lie dormant in between the cushions on the couch, in the deep pile of the carpet or even in the dirt around your favorite floor plant. Dog bedding is also another favorite spot for these pesky visitors to spend the winter.

The other thing to keep in mind is that every dog, cat or mammal in the house can be a good living environment for fleas, most types of worms as well as some of the other more problematic parasites and protozoa. This means that your cats, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs or other smaller pets may also be harboring fleas and other parasites. When treating your house in the winter months don't forget to treat these animals as recommended, plus also clean their bedding and cage areas to decrease the chance of fleas being passed back and forth between household pets.

Ongoing Treatment

It is absolutely critical to controlling flea problems to treat year round. There is little if any cost saving in not treating for three or four months if you have to spend literally hundreds of dollars in insecticides and pesticides to treat your carpet and furniture in the spring. Remember that many of the fleas will lay eggs that simply fall off the dog and remain dormant until they hatch and become adult fleas in a few months. While in the egg stage there is little that can be done to kill these pests other than to vacuum and routinely wash bedding and carpets.

By treating the dog all year round for fleas, adult fleas on the dog are limited. This means that when their numbers are limited there will be fewer eggs that are produced, meaning fewer fleas in the spring to continue on with the cycle.

Worms

Worming needs to be ongoing since worms have the nasty habit of being able to remain dormant in the dog for long periods of time. Worming medications are designed to actually anesthetize the worms, causing them to let go of the intestinal lining and be flushed out of the dog with the body waste. Anthelmintics don't actually kill the worms; if they did actually poison the worms they would also be somewhat toxic to dogs. Even so, some dogs are highly sensitive to different types of worming medications so always check with your vet before using any medications.

Since the medications don't actually kill the adults, they don't circulate through the dog's body and kill the larvae that are migrating. Most worms, including the heartworm, move throughout the body in their lifecycle. Worming medications only deal with the worms in the intestinal area, except in the case of heartworm, where this specialized medication can actually remove the worms from the heart and respiratory areas. Regular worming throughout the year prevents any possible recurrence either from larvae that matures and returns to the intestinal area from other parts of the body or from re-infection from eating larvae or eggs.

In the winter dogs are very likely more engaged in cleaning types of behaviors such as licking. Licking the feet is a common self-grooming practice of many dogs, but is also the way that many types of intestinal worm eggs end up getting into your dog's stomach. Routine cleaning, vacuuming and washing of bedding will help keep these eggs out of the environment. Since some worms can be transferred from dogs to humans, often with mild to serious health concerns, routine worming is something every dog owner needs to consider.

The cost of routine worming and flea treatments, especially with the new generations of topicals that treat many different parasites at once, is really relatively small. If you compare the monthly cost of a simply once a month application to expensive vet bills to rid your dog of severe infestations it is really very worth the small cost. It will also give you the peace of mind that you are helping your dog's overall health all year round and keeping pesky parasites out of your home on a year round basis.

Original article from http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/102281465.asp

10 Tips to Prevent colic

2010-11-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

It causes normally placid horses to pace and paw at the ground. The pain it brings drives horses to continually lie down and rise, swing their heads from side to side, or grow restless. It is also the number one killer of horses across the country and around the world.

What is this common, extremely painful, and potentially fatal abdominal condition?

It is known as colic and chances are your horse is more susceptible to it than

you may realize. However, there are simple ways to help promote good digestive

health and help prevent colic in your horse.

colic types
Contrary to popular belief, colic is not a disease. Instead, it is a combination of symptoms that result from abdominal pain, intestinal displacement, or gastrointestinal obstruction.

Basically, there are three types of colic:

		Gas Colic - the most common form of colic, occurs when gas collects in your horse's bowels and causes pain, and sometimes a distended bowel, as it passes. Horses with gas colic will often swing their heads from side to side, stomp their feet, pin back their ears, roll their eyes, and exhibit gassy stomach rumblings.
		Obstructive Colic - this form of colic is often divided into two categories: impaction colic occurs when food masses, parasites, or other foreign bodies accumulate in the bowels and prohibit passage through the intestines; sand colic occurs when pasture sand or soil is ingested and accumulates in your horse's gut. Both cause lethargy, restlessness, pawing, excessive sweating, and an absence of normal abdominal sounds.
		Twisted Gut - this form of colic is caused by a physical twisting of your horse's intestine. It causes extreme pain, excessive sweating, discomfort, progressive restlessness, and is non-responsive to simple pain relief medication.

colic causes
Horses have sensitive digestive systems. Therefore, any number of factors can cause colic in your horse, pony, or other equine. Although all horses are susceptible to colic, regardless of age, sex, or breed, some horses seem to be predisposed to colic due to digestive system anatomy or function. Regardless, the most common causes of colic include

	Bloodworms (strongyles) that damage blood vessels near the bowel
	Roundworms (ascarids) that accumulate and block intestines
	Sudden diet change that upsets stomach and digestive function
	Lack of drinking water that causes food to bind together, causing an impaction
	Horses that gulp food without chewing, which often results in impaction
	Ingestion of sand or dirt, which accumulates in the intestines

colic prevention
Effective colic prevention relies on good digestive health. Use the following ten steps to maintain proper function of your horse's digestive system and help prevent colic. However, any immediate change to your horses diet, exercise, or daily routine can also cause colic and, therefore, needs to be gradual.

	Feed a high quality, roughage-rich diet. Grass is best, followed by hay. Grass or hay should always be available. Feed smaller amounts of grain unless work demands or your veterinarian suggests more.
	Mimic natural grazing schedules by feeding two or three smaller portions of grain throughout the day, as opposed to one single feeding that overloads the digestive tract.
	Offer fresh, clean water at all times. Use stock tank cleaners to keep troughs clean and free from insects. Hang a water bucket in your horse stall and fill it daily to encourage your horse to drink.
	Regularly deworm your horse with a suitable Ivermectin-based wormer. In addition, pyrantel-based continuous wormers may also help control internal parasites.
	Offer frequent, if not continual, pasture turnout. Daily exercise is very important. If necessary, build an electric horse fence to help contain your horse while he exercises and plays in the pasture.
	Use feed pans to lift feed away from sand and other contaminants but still mimic natural, heads-down grazing postures. Elevated wall feeders lift equine food even farther off the ground.
	Use manure forks and suitable buckets to muck stalls frequently. Also harrow pastures to break up manure and help break the parasite life cycle.
	Remove noxious weeds and other indigestible substances from hay, bedding, and pasture grass. Suitable perimeter sprays and traps can kill insects before they invade your horse's hay or stall bedding.
	Arrange for regular dental checkups. Properly aligned teeth are better at chewing food, which leads to improved digestion and less chance of impaction.
	Use digestive supplements to promote beneficial bacteria growth, bulk up fiber intake, and improve digestive health. Some are even formulated to help flush sand out of your horse's digestive tract. Calming supplements can also help reduce anxiety that can lead to digestive stress during travel. Olsen's Grain has everything you need to help prevent colic from high-quality feeds to psyllium & electrolytes. Stop by and ask any one of our associates to help you with your pet needs.

Holiday Pet Safety Checklist

2010-11-10T19:31:00.000-08:00

Keep your pets safe during the holiday season by following these tips:

* Many holiday plants can lead to health problems in dogs and cats. Among the plants to keep out of reach are holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and lilies.

* Snow globes often contain antifreeze, which is poisonous to pets.

* Pine needles, when ingested, can puncture holes in a pet's intestine. So keep pet areas clear of pine needles.

* The extra cords and plugs of holiday lights and other fixtures can look like chew toys to pets. Tape down or cover cords to help avoid shocks, burns or other serious injuries. Unplug lights when you are not home.

* Anchor Christmas trees to the ceiling with a string to keep it from falling on pets.

* Do not let pets drink the holiday tree water. Some may contain fertilizers, and stagnant tree water can harbor bacteria. Check labels for tree water preservatives and artificial snow, and buy only those that are nontoxic. Some folks use screens around trees to block access to electrical cords and gifts.

Very important: do not put aspirin in the water (some folks do this thinking it will keep the tree or plant more vigorous). If a pet ingests the aspirin-laced water, his health or even life can be at risk.

* Pets, particularly cats, can be tempted to eat tinsel, which can block the intestines. Hang tinsel high and securely to keep it out of reach of pets.

* Keep other ornaments out of reach of pets. Ingestion of any ornament, which might look like toys to pets, can result in life-threatening emergencies. Even ornaments made from dried food can lead to ailments. And remember, shards from broken glass ornaments can injure paws, mouths and other parts of the body.

* Put away toys after children open their gifts. Small plastic pieces and rubber balls are common causes of choking and intestinal blockage in dogs. Ingested plastic or cloth toys must often be removed surgically.

* Avoid toxic decorations. Bubbling lights contain fluid that can be inhaled or ingested, snow sprays and snow flock can cause reactions when inhaled, styrofoam poses a choking hazard, tinsel can cause choking and intestinal obstruction, and water in snow scenes may contain toxic organisms such as Salmonella.

* Keep candles on high shelves. Use fireplace screens to avoid burns.

* Holiday guests and other activity can be very stressful and even frightening to pets. It can also trigger illness and intestinal upset. Make sure pets have a safe place to retreat in your house. And make sure they are wearing current I.D. in case they escape out a door when guests come and go.

* Reduce stress by keeping feeding and exercise on a regular schedule.

* Always make time to care for your pets. Some folks get lax about walking their dogs, and a few resort to letting pets out on their own. This puts the animal in danger, while also leading to nuisance complaints and dog bite incidents. Remind pet owners not to take a holiday from responsibly caring for their pets.

* When pets are stressed by holiday activity or during travel, they may require more water. Dogs typically pant more when they feel stressed. Keep fresh water available for them to drink.

* Do not let guests feed your pets human food. There are many holiday foods, including fatty meats, gravies, poultry skin, bones, chocolate and alcohol, that can cause illnesses from vomiting and diarrhea to highly serious pancreatitis and other toxic reactions. In addition, candy wrappers, aluminum foil pieces and ribbons can choke pets.

* Keep pets away from gift packages as well as your gift wrapping area. Ingested string, plastic, cloth and even wrapping paper can lead to intestinal blockage and require surgical removal. And pets have been severely injured by scissors and other items left on floors and tables.

* Keep pets away from the garbage. Use pet-proof containers.

* If you suspect that your pet has eaten something toxic, call your veterinarian and/or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's 24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP.

* If your pet ingests glass, broken plastic, staples or other small, sharp objects, call your veterinarian. In the meantime, you can give your dog supplemental fiber in the form of whole wheat or other high-fiber bread, canned pumpkin or Metamucil, any of which can help bulk up the stools the help the foreign material pass through the dog's digestive system. Dosages depend on the size of the dog. For Metamusil, try a teaspoon for a small dog, a tablespoon for a big dog. For pumpkin, feed one-quarter to two-thirds of a cup. Some folks recommend feeding the dog cotton balls to help pass the foreign objects, but others in the veterinary field caution against this since cotton balls can compound the problem.

* By the way, now is a good time to double-check smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and other safety devices and replace batteries. Safety, of course, is the key reason -- but here's another good reason. When batteries run low, the devices often emit alert or alarm sounds at frequencies that can be painful and frightening to many pets. If you're not home when the alert/alarm sounds, your animals will have to endure that sound until you return, which can be traumatic. So always keep fresh batteries in those devices.

Happy holidays to you and your pets!

Fall pet care tips for dog owners

2010-10-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

Fall Pet Care Tips for Dog Owners

By Suzanne Alicie

As cooler weather moves in, there are certain things that responsible pet owners should take care of before winter hits. Autumn is the ideal time to do several basic pet maintenance tasks to ensure that your dog has a warm and comfortable winter.

Bath and Treatments - I always give my dog a good end-of summer-bath, followed by all the basic grooming and treatment applications. Fall seems to be a time when dogs experience some itching and allergic reactions that affect their skin. Finding and treating itchy hot spots, applying flea and tick prevention medication, cleaning ears, and clipping nails are all part of fall bath time around my house.

Check Equipment - Fall is a good time to do an end-of-season check of all collars, leashes, harnesses, fences, leads and runs. You don’t want to end up chasing your dog through the cold of the winter weather when he escapes from a broken fence or when his leash breaks. That is definitely not on my to-do list; I prefer to hibernate in the winter. Making sure these items are all in good condition before the snow flies is a good way to prevent having to wander the streets calling for Fido in cold temperatures.

Outdoor Preparations - If your dog spends time outdoors in the winter, it is crucial to make sure he has clean warm bedding and shelter from the elements. A garage or a large insulated doghouse will make a big difference in the warmth and comfort of your outdoor pet. All outdoor bedding should be washed and treated for fleas and ticks before replacing it in the dog’s space.

Remember that the cooler weather may be a relief from the heat of summer, but winter presents its own challenges to the health and comfort of your dog. Provide plenty of water, and premium quality dog food such as CANIDAE to keep your dog’s energy and metabolism up. Also keep in mind that just because you may not want to go out walking in the cold weather, your dog still needs to get exercise. A fenced yard or run can be the answer to your prayers throughout the winter months.

Winter Coat Care - Be sure your dog brush is up to par and ready for a busy season of brushing as your dog grows a thicker winter coat. And if your dog lives indoors, that same thick coat will likely shed throughout the winter since it is too warm for inside.

Another thing to check at this time is your vacuum, because a house full of dog hair and a broken vacuum do not go together. Dog hair is very hard on filters and vacuum cleaners in general. Until our most recent purchase 2 years ago, we had to buy a new vacuum every year. My new vacuum is made for homes with pets, and if you are a dedicated pet owner you may want to look into one of these. They are available from a few different brands and have great attachments for pet hair.

Autumn is the time when many people make home repairs and preparations for winter; your dog and his supplies should also fall into those preparations. This way, you know that you and your canine friend are prepared for cold weather, and that your dog will have a comfortable, warm winter no matter how cold the winds blow.

Winterize Your Horse

2010-09-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

By Dr. Katie Young, Equine Nutritionist, Purina Mills, LLC

Now that winter is approaching and the temperature is dropping, horse owners need to consider how to winterize their horses. During the cold season, horse owners must make sure that their animals receive proper feed, water and shelter to stay healthy and comfortable. Further, since riders usually put a lot of time and effort into getting their horses ready for shows, trail rides, or other events during the warm months, if they maintain their horses over the winter, all that effort won't go to waste and have to be started over in the spring.

Feeding

Many horse owners believe that when the weather is cold, horses need to be fed rations containing more corn, because they think of corn as a heating feed. However, corn and other cereal grains do not cause the horse to become warmer, they simply provide more energy (calories) to the horse. Hay, which contains more fiber than grain, provides more of a warming effect internally, as more heat is released during the digestion of fiber than of starch from grain. Therefore, horses are more able to maintain body heat if adequate hay is provided in the diet.
Further, good quality hay is important during cool weather and winter months when pasture grasses are short or are not growing. Horses need at least 1% of their body weight per day in roughages to maintain a healthy GI tract, but 2% or even more may be appropriate during cold weather, especially when the horse lives outdoors.

Although grain does not provide as much of an internal warming effect as hay, it is often necessary to supplement a horse's winter ration with additional grain to boost calorie supplies. Cold temperatures increase the amount of calories a horse needs to maintain body weight, as well as support activity or production. Because a horse may digest feed less efficiently as the temperature drops below the horse's comfort zone, additional feed may be required to maintain body weight and condition. It is important to maintain the horse in a body condition score of 5-6 (moderate to moderately fleshy) because a layer of fat under the skin provides insulation against the cold. Further, horses in moderately fleshy condition require less dietary energy for maintenance in cold weather than thin horses. In general, feeding an additional 1/4 lb of grain per 100 lb body weight to nonworking horses will provide adequate calories during cold, windy and wet weather. Working horses may require up to an additional 1/2 lb per 100 lb body
weight, depending on workload, to maintain body weight during cold weather. Feeds such as Purina Ultium, Strategy, Race Ready or Omolene 200 may be especially helpful in these situations, since the added fat provides more calories than grain alone.

Senior horses, which are unable to chew hay completely due to poor teeth and suffer from less efficient digestion and absorption of nutrients in the GI tract, need a feed specifically designed for them such as Equine Senior especially during winter months. Equine Senior contains enough roughage and added fat to ensure that the older horse can meet its fiber and calorie requirements without depending on long-stemmed hay or grass.

Water

Water should always be readily available to the horse. Snow is not a sufficient substitute for water, as the horse cannot physically eat enough snow to meet its water requirement. Ideally, the temperature of the available water should be between 45 degrees and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is too cold, the horse may drink less, thereby decreasing water and lubrication in the gut and increasing the chance of impaction-induced colic. Further, if the horse drinks less water, it may also eat less feed, resulting in loss of body weight and condition. Finally, if a horse is forced to drink very cold water, its energy requirement will increase, because more calories are required to warm the water to body temperature inside the digestive tract.

Shelter

Another consideration in cold weather horse care is housing or shelter. In general, even in cold climates, horses are happier and possibly healthier outdoors. Closed and heated barns are often inadequately ventilated. Horses living in poorly ventilated stables tend to develop respiratory diseases more often than horses maintained in pastures, even during cold weather.

If given the opportunity, horses adjust to cold temperatures with little difficulty. A horse's comfort zone is very different from that of a person. In the absence of wind or moisture, horses tolerate temperatures down to near 0 degrees Fahrenheit, and even colder if shelter is available. Horses living outside should have access to adequate shelter from wind, sleet and storms. Trees, brush, or an open-sided shed or stable can provide adequate shelter. In severe cold, horses will group together to share body heat. They may all take a brisk run to increase heat production, and then come back together to share the increased warmth. A long thick coat of hair is an excellent insulator and is the horse's first line of defense against cold temperatures. Horses that live outdoors during the winter should be allowed to grow a natural, full winter coat. Horses that live indoors will need adequate blankets in the cold weather to ensure that they do not get too cold. With sufficient thought and care by the horse owner, even horses that live outside in very cold climates will survive quite well during the cold winter months

Exercise

Many horses are given the winter off from work due to the cold weather, the rider’s lack of time, or because they are given a break after a heavy show season. However, if horses are let off for too long, they may forget some of what they have been taught and lose the fitness level that they gained over the year of work. So, to prevent the winter slump, here are a few suggestions:

1. Longe the horse once or twice a week. This not only gets the horse exercising, but it gives you an opportunity to brush, clean feet, check for injury, and evaluate the overall condition of the horse.
2. If longeing is not possible and you have more than one horse, you can ride one and pony the second. This can be a good time saver and gets both horses working.
3. If time is available and weather permits, ride your horse or horses whenever possible. Keep in mind, your horse is not in the same shape and does not have the stamina as when you were riding more in the warmer seasons, so you cannot work as hard nor expect as much from the horse. Be sure to cool the horse down completely after work to reduce the risk of pneumonia, cold, or colic.
4. Another option is to check with local stables to see if their facilities are available to non-boarders. Often, stables allow outside horses and riders to use indoor and/or outdoor arenas for a fee.

Winter may not be the easiest time of year for enjoying our horses, but with proper feed, water and shelter, and some exercise and conditioning, our horses will make it through comfortably and be ready to go again as soon as the weather allows.

Reference: http://horse.purinamills.com/stellent/groups/public/@purinasites/documents/web_content/ecmd2-0033394.pdf

5 Things every dog and cat owner should know

2010-09-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

No matter how careful we are as pet owners, dogs and cats sometimes still manage to cut themselves, get overheated and eat things they really shouldn't. We here at Olsen's Grain want to help you be prepared should trouble strike.

Here's what is recommended you do in these five common situations:

1. Treating A Cut or Scratched Paw
One of the most important things clients can do if injury is on the animal's paw is to put pressure on it with a clean towel and bring the pet into the nearest veterinary hospital. Don't apply a tourniquet because it can decrease blood supply to the injured limb and be dangerous. And you should probably avoid rinsing a wounded paw in water. Sometimes that will release a blood clot that's formed.

2. Evaluating Vomiting and Diarrhea
If your pet's vomiting or diarrhea occurs more than just a couple of times, or if there is blood in it, or any suspicion of the dog or cat having gotten into a toxin, the pet needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away. Otherwise, if vomiting occurs just a couple of times, withhold food and water for at least six hours and see if the condition subsides. If they continue to vomit or become lethargic, or if they're a puppy or a very small, toy breed dog, bring them into a vet because they can dehydrate quickly.

3. Dealing With Heatstroke
Heatstroke is especially a risk during summer months and particularly here in Arizona. Signs include panting, increased respiratory sounds, collapse, seizure, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Remove the animal away from the heat right away. Soak towels in room temperature or tepid water -- not cold water or ice – and place the wet towels over the dog and put a fan in the room to allow ambient cooling. Put the towels over the dog's torso, over their back, chest and abdomen. The mistake people make is dousing the animal in ice-cold water, and that can actually cause the blood vessels in the skin to constrict and it could cause the animal's core temperature to rise and make the temperature worse. The most important thing is to get the animal to the vet. They may need intravenous fluids if they're severely dehydrated.

4. Handling Household Toxins
Chocolates, onions, raisins, grapes, various plants, as well as household chemicals are commonly ingested by animals, or people give their pets over the counter medications, such as Tylenol or Advil or Aleve, and all of these can be very, very toxic or fatal to pets. If you suspect your pet may have ingested something toxic, the best thing to do is to call the ASPCA National Poison Control Center, a 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435 and take your pet immediately to a veterinary hospital. (FYI, consultation fee may be applied to your credit card for the ASPCA Poison Control service.) Don't try to induce vomiting without professional advice, it can be dangerous.

5. Responding If Your Pet Is Hit By a Car
Quick thinking and knowing what to do can help save your pet after an accident. If the injured animal is not able to move put them on an immobile surface, like a flat board or big, giant piece of plywood and strap them down so that if they have a spine injury or neck injury, they won't further injure themselves. Then get the pet to the nearest veterinary facility. Even the nicest pet can lash out when they are injured and in pain. You can use a towel over the animal's head or use a pair of nylons to put around the animal's muzzle and tie it shut, so that the person helping the pet keeps from getting bitten.

In general, one of the best things you can do, says is to take a basic pet first-aid course. You can learn things like the Heimlech maneuver. The American Red Cross offers Pet First Aid classes at their locations across the country, so check their Web site to find your local Red Cross chapter.

A Pet's Ten Commandments

2010-09-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however, you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.
Author Unknown

Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them.

Olsen's Goes Pink

2010-08-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

Olsen’s Grain Inc. Hosts Local Purina Pink 50 Event to Support Breast Cancer Research

Purina to host more than 50 events across the United States to unite animal lovers in support of breast cancer research and to feed today for a difference tomorrow.

(Prescott-07/30/10) – Olsen’s Grain Inc. in Prescott is thinking pink as they gear up to host The Arizona Equifest Team Roping from 8:00am to 6:00pm on Saturday, September 25th at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds in Prescott, AZ. The event is one of more than 50 events taking place in September and October across the United States as part of Purina’s "Pink 50 Campaign," an effort to unite animal lovers everywhere and raise awareness to support breast cancer research. Area ropers and families are invited to attend and help make a difference.

Get out your "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" shirt and wear it to the roping!

The Arizona Equifest Roping will feature four ropings starting with a #13 pick or draw and a #11 pick or draw. The main roping will be the "PINK" Super 9 followed by a #8. The "PINK" Super 9 will feature 2 DHS saddles to average winners, buckles to 2nd, breast collars to 3rd, and headstalls to 4th and 5th. On top of all the prizes Purina Mills is adding $1000 to be split between breast cancer research and the top header and top healer
wearing "PINK"! In addition to all this every roper wearing pink will receive a FREE bag of Purina horse feed.

"The purpose of the Pink 50 Campaign is to reach out to women in rural America—raising awareness about breast cancer, educating and sharing information and supporting one another," said Christy Goodwin, Marketing Manager, Land O’Lakes Purina Feed. "At Purina, we’ve always been passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of animals and their owners."

In addition to the more than 50 Purina events taking place across the nation in support of breast cancer awareness and research, Purina also will be turning its top animal feed packages pink. Purina plans to donate a portion of the proceeds from every pink bag sold to breast cancer research. Select animal feeds include Equine Senior®, Strategy® GX, and Omolene #200® horse feeds, Layena® SunFresh® Recipe poultry feed, Rabbit ChowTM Complete Natural AdvantEdge® rabbit food, and Goat Chow® goat feed.

The Pink 50 Campaign was inspired by Purina’s Equine Senior Horse Tales Contest held every other year that encourages horse owners to share their heartfelt stories.

"Many of the stories we receive from horse owners describe how their horses offered an escape from cancer and other illnesses and how their horses provided comfort to family members as they stood by and helped mothers, daughters, fathers and sons through treatment," said Goodwin.

The Pink 50 Campaign is Purina’s effort to continue the fight against this disease—bringing people and their animals together in communities to make a difference.

For more information on Purina’s local Pink 50 event, please contact Olsen’s Grain Inc. at olsenschino@cableone.net or log on to www.horse.purinamills.com.

About Land O’Lakes Purina Feed LLC
Land O’Lakes Purina Feed LLC (www.landolakesinc.com) is a national organization serving producers and their families through 4,700 local cooperatives and independent dealerships throughout the United States. The company, in combination with its wholly owned subsidiary Purina Mills, LLC, is North America’s leading feed company, providing producers, cooperatives and dealers with an extensive line of animal feed,
ingredients and services designed to help agricultural producers, dealers and cooperatives compete in the global marketplace.

Laying Hens

2010-08-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

If you were one of the lucky folks that adopted some chicks this year at Olsen's you either have noticed or will notice VERY soon that the hens are laying eggs. Here is some information for first time poultry owners that might need a little more knowledge about this new stage of hen development.

Egg Production
Healthy pullets will begin laying at about 20 weeks of age. It is not necessary for a rooster to be present for egg laying to commence, but without a rooster, all eggs will be unfertilized. Hens will be at peak production at about 30 weeks. Excellent production would be considered 80% to 90%, but breed, housing, weather, management, parasite load, and nutrition can all affect rate of lay.

Eggs should be gathered three times daily and more often in hot weather. Store the eggs at 55°F and 70% to 75% humidity if you plan to keep them for hatching. Eggs for eating should go in the refrigerator. Eggs are laid with a protective coating which helps to keep bacteria out, and it is best if this is not disturbed. Excessive washing can force bacteria through pores in the shell and into the egg and greatly reduce its chance for successful incubation and hatching. If washing is necessary, be gentle and quick, and use only water. Be sure to use water that is warmer than the egg. Dry and cool the eggs as rapidly as possible.

Frequent egg gathering serves two purposes:

It helps to keep the eggs cleaner and prevent bacterial growth, thus eliminating the need for washing.
It lessens the opportunity for hens to learn the bad habit of egg-eating.

Why do Hens Stop Laying?

Light: Many things can cause hens to stop laying eggs, but the primary reason is decreasing day length. Hens need a minimum of 17 hours of daylight to sustain strong production. If your hens are not provided with supplemental light, they will naturally stop laying eggs when daylight hours drop below 12 hours. Hens may also stop laying if light abruptly decreases by a few hours. This is a hormonal response regulated by a tiny gland (called the pineal gland) that responds to changes in light. One 40-watt bulb per 100 square feet of coop space is enough to keep birds laying. Use an automatic timer to keep light and dark hours constant. Just a day or two of too little light can end a laying cycle.

Nutrition: Inadequate nutrition is another reason hens stop laying and, surprisingly, the missing nutrient is often water. Hens need a constant source of fresh water. And they do not like it very cold, so it is very important to check and refresh waterers often in the winter. Cool water in the summer will help the birds combat the effects of heat. Never underestimate the importance or power of clean water at the right temperature!

Inadequate protein and/or energy can cause a production decrease. A shortage of dietary calcium will result in weaker eggshells and, eventually, weak bones as the hen robs her skeleton of calcium in an attempt to manufacture shells. Feeding too much “extra” feed, such as scratch grains or table scraps, can dilute and unbalance the complete nutrition in the hen‘s pellets or crumbles, thereby negatively affecting her production and health. Hot weather will inhibit a hen‘s appetite, causing her to eat less which results in a drop in egg production on even the best diets. Feed a high-quality feed and severely limit table scraps and alternative feeds to obtain maximal egg production.

Disease: Diseases and parasites will both reduce a hen‘s productivity, as well as her comfort. Build a relationship with a veterinarian who can help you establish a good flock health program. Never introduce new adult birds into your flock (without quarantine first), as adult birds can be apparently healthy carriers of a number of deadly diseases. Keep all premises as dry as possible to limit growth of coccidia, an insidious and stubborn parasite that flourishes in dampness and causes coccidiosis.

Age: As with so many things, egg production too decreases with increasing age. Good hens will productively complete two egg-laying cycles of 50 to 60 weeks each. After that, production will drop off greatly.

Stress: Any kind of stress – extreme temperatures, excessive handling or moving, fright caused by predators or noisy children (they‘re all the same to a hen!) – can negatively impact egg production. Keep your hens‘ environment as serene and comfortable as possible to help maintain health and productivity.

Secrecy: Sometimes what appears to be a reduction in egg production is really the result of free-range hens hiding their eggs. Be sure you have enough nesting sites for the number of hens you are keeping, especially if you are allowing some to be “broody”. Make sure the nesting area is warm, comfortable, dimly lit, and well-bedded with clean litter. Give the hens lots of good reasons to lay their eggs where you want them.

Molting
Molting is the process wherein hens lose feathers and grow new ones. It occurs naturally after 10 to 14 months of production, or it can be caused accidentally by temperature extremes, running out of feed or water, a decrease in light, or disease. Hens will not lay eggs during a molt. Molting gives birds a chance to rest. After seven to eight weeks they will return to Speckled Sussex Hen production for a second cycle, though they will not be as productive the second time around. However, they will often lay larger eggs than during their first cycle.

Culling
If you don‘t want to wait through a molt, you can cull non-laying birds and replace them. You should also always cull lame or sick chickens, as they are not productive and may spread disease. A hen will give many clues that she is no longer laying. Non-laying hens have small, dull combs rather than bright red combs like layers. Their vents (where eggs come out) will be small and dry, not stretched by egg production. The width between their pubic bones will be just one finger, not two or more, and the depth between pubic and keel bones will be only a few finger widths rather than four or more. The feathers will be ragged, with no apparent new feathers. Culls that are not sick are still a good meat source.

On the other hand, culling may not be an option for less productive or non-productive hens that have endeared themselves as pets, or if your goals are primarily to simply watch and enjoy your birds rather than obtain maximal egg or meat production from them. With good care, many types of poultry can live 20 years or more!

Infinia

2010-08-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Hiliary Smith
VAN LEUVEN Communications
800-520-1834 ext. 4
hiliary@vanleuvencommunications.com

Olsen's Grain Offers New Exclusive® Pet Food and Infinia™ Holistic Dog Food

DEWEY, Ariz. (Aug. 11, 2010) – Olsen's Grain is proud to share the latest in pet nutrition with Dewey and surrounding communities. Today’s pet owners are not only reading nutrition labels for their family, but for their pets as well. Research shows that many people are trending to view nutrition for their pets in a similar fashion as they would view their own nutritional needs – with a balance of proteins, select carbohydrates, select fats and fruits and vegetables. The new & improved Exclusive® Pet Food formulas and all-new Infinia™ Holistic Dog Food offer 14 unique products to make it easier for consumers to select healthy options to feed their pet.
“We are excited to be able to share the new Exclusive® and Infinia™ products with our community,” says Mike Olsen of Olsen's Grain. “We are a select retailer of Exclusive® pet foods. Since these brands are a well-kept secret of independent retailers like ours and are not nationally advertised, we can offer these pet foods, packed with exceptional ingredients, at a great value to our customers - and offer, through our frequent purchase program, every 7th bag of Exclusive® pet food or every 9th bag of Infinia™ pet food, FREE.”
The new Exclusive® Pet Food is “nutrition with a purpose…healthy pets from head to tail.” The new products are formulated with hardworking, purposeful ingredients for nourishing pets. In all formulas, natural chicken, turkey, bison, lamb or salmon is the first ingredient. These palatable proteins are the building blocks of great formulas. Other key ingredients in all products include:
Omega Fatty Acids & DHA
Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids support the health of the skin as well as the quality of hair or coat; they also contribute to healthy immune function. Every Exclusive® and Infinia™ product provides an optimal balance of Omega 3 & Omega 6 fatty acids from flaxseed, fish meal and/or salmon oil.
DHA is a specific Omega 3 fatty acid that is found in mother’s milk and is important to the development of strong vision and a healthy brain. It is included in all Exclusive® and Infinia™ pet foods.
Antioxidants
Vitamin E, along with added selenium, zinc and copper, are key components of your pet’s immune system. Exclusive® formulas are fortified with these vital nutrients to support immune system function and tissue integrity for overall health.
- more-
Digestive Health Support
Digestive health is vital for efficient digestion and utilization of nutrients in pets, supporting their overall health and vitality. Exclusive® and Infinia™ pet foods start with quality ingredients and include some healthy extras:
• Chicory root a natural source of soluble fibers that provides the best environment for the good bacteria which helps support a consistent, healthy digestive tract.
• Dried fermentation products are actual microorganisms –which include Lactobacillus and Enterococcus species, commonly found in the digestive tract that help support a pet’s digestive health.
“Whether your pet is a companion or a performer, we are dedicated to building premium pet foods that optimize your pet’s important purpose in life,” said Mary Corley, marketing manager for Exclusive and Infinia Brands. “These wholesome pet foods are only available from knowledgeable PMI Nutrition dealers, like Olsen's Grain in your community, so that you get the information, education and support you need with every purchase.”
PMI Nutrition is also proud to be at the forefront of holistic nutrition with new Infinia™ holistic dog food by Exclusive® pet food.
The new Infinia™ line features three recipes, each with multiple protein ingredients and Infinia Holistic™ Superfoods including salmon oil, sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, kelp, parsley – chock full of vitamins and minerals – together supporting immunity, longevity and vitality.
The fourth recipe features the grain-free Infinia™ Zensitive™ Blend, a unique formulation offering peace-of-mind to customers who prefer a more select grain-free ingredient list.
“Pet owners are looking for smart, healthy options when feeding their animals, and that’s exactly what PMI Nutrition provides,” Corley said. “We are confident in both our nutritional approach, and in the results we have gotten in our feeding trials.”
Here are a few of the testimonials from participants who were provided the products at no charge in order for PMI Nutrition to fully test the products prior to going to market.
“Nicki is the very first AKC Champion being fed Infinia Holistic™ pet food. She finished her championship on the prestigious Florida Circuit in January, 2010. She is a very “finicky” eater and we got some of the Infinia™ Bison & Potato Recipe to try her on. She loved the food and gobbled it down. We got some weight on her and finished her championship.” L.V. “Chip” Rainwater - Hayesville, NC
“We are careful about what we feed our dogs since both have allergies; they’re licking and itching constantly. Sydney used to go all day without eating and was not excited about his specialty feed. Now Sydney and our other dog come running when I open the feed bin! And six weeks later, both of them look great and seem to be content.” Greg Helton – Waxahachie, TX
“The new and improved Exclusive® Chicken & Rice Formula Adult Dog Food has high-quality ingredients that can meet all of your dog’s nutritional needs in one package. I had eight dogs in a variety of growth stages on the trial to determine if the new formula would meet all of their needs. Overall, they were extremely excited about being fed and ate more readily. As a breeder, I feed close to 25 dogs and when it came time for feeding my dogs on the trial, the other dogs congregated around wanting a taste!” Tammy Goldammer-Stuart - Lohman, MO
To learn more about the new Exclusive® pet food line and the new Infinia™ Exclusive® Dog Food visit www.exclusivepetfood.com and www.infiniapetfood.com.
PMI Nutrition, LLC products include Infinia Holistic™, Exclusive® and Red Flannel® pet foods. Whether your pet is a companion or a performer, PMI Nutrition, LLC is dedicated to building products that optimize your pet’s important purpose in life. The products are only available from knowledgeable retailers in your community, so you get the information, education and support you need with every purchase. We’re here for you; we’re here for your pet–every step of the way. To find a local retailer, visit infiniapetfood.com or exclusivepetfood.com.

Pet Tips From Our Friends at Purina Mills

2010-07-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

In this months Better Animals e-news letter there was a great article on preparing for summer. Please read it below.

Summer is finally here, which means outdoor barbecues, lounging around at the pool and, of course, air conditioning. Things like jumping in the water and spending time in the cooler indoors are ways that we help beat the heat during the warm summer months, but don't forget to help your pets do the same. The warm weather can be tough on animals, sometimes causing them to overheat, which can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, or even death. Following these tips will help them enjoy the summer months as much as you do.

Fresh, cool air: Proper ventilation is important for your pets at all times, but that can be a little more difficult to maintain in the warm summer months. Never leave pets in a parked car in summer; even with windows partially open, the temperature rises very quickly and can kill a pet in less than 10 minutes! Pets that are at greater risk of overheating - older, overweight, long- or thick-coated pets and dogs with short muzzles - should be in an air-conditioned environment during hot weather. If possible, bring outside pets indoors on very hot or humid days.

Shade: Make sure your pets have a place out of direct sunlight if they are outside. A doghouse sitting in the sun is not considered shade. If the doghouse is the shady spot, be sure there is some cover over the house or that the dog can seek cover from the sun in another outside area.

H2O: Outdoor pets should always have plenty of cool, fresh water to drink and a safe, shaded area to retreat to. Make sure water is kept in a tip-proof bowl.

Play: Avoid vigorous exercise during the heat of the day. Take dogs out in the early morning or evening hours when the heat is not so intense. Stop and let your dog drink often while exercising. Remember, hot asphalt can seriously burn the pads of their feet.

Hygiene: Your pet's coat helps insulate him from the heat as well as protect against sunburn. Clipping or shaving pets too close in an effort to keep them cool can actually result in less protection. If you choose to give your pet a summer cut, keep it to a one-inch length and never shave down to the skin.

Warning signs: Signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion may include heavy panting or drooling, unsteadiness, glazed eyes, rapid pulse, a deep red or purple tongue, vomiting and loss of consciousness. If this happens, seek veterinary care immediately.

If you would like to receive these great articles and tips monthly from Purina Mills please visit betteranimals.com and sign up.

The Arizona Equifest

2010-05-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

Join Olsen's Grain at The Arizona Equifest on June 12, 2010. This event brings about 2500 people together for a day of equine and pet fun. It is held at the Historic Prescott Rodeo Grounds in downtown Prescott, Arizona. This is a FREE event so bring the whole family.

Look at the schedule of events at the following link:

http://www.olsensgrain.com/Equifest/Equifest.htm

Blogsite, Facebook and Twitter

2010-05-04T13:55:00.000-07:00

We're now up on Blogspot, Facebook and Twitter.

Website: http://www.olsensgrain.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100001039586437

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/olsensgrain