This document provides an overview of a live webcast on environmentally friendly horse management practices. It introduces the presenters and defines best management practices as proactive ways for horse owners to protect the environment. It then describes various best management practices including good pasture management, manure management, water diversions, and vegetated buffers. Biological control methods for flies are also discussed, including the use of parasitic wasps, pathogens, and their pros and cons. Sources for further information are provided.

1. My Horse University and eXtension’sHorseQuestwelcome you to this live Webcast. Introduction to Environmentally Friendly Horse Management Dr. Jenifer Nadeau Associate Professor Equine Extension Specialist University of Connecticut info@myhorseuniversity.com | www.myhorseuniversity.com | 517-353-3123

2. Meet our presenter: Dr. Jenifer Nadeau University of Connecticut Dr. Christine Skelly Michigan State University Question facilitator: Please note: This presentation is intended for users with high-speed internet connections. Unfortunately, we cannot offer support for dial-up users at this time.

3. Objectives Define best management practices. Describe some objectives of best management practices. Describe some best management practices for pasture. Describe some best management practices for rivers and streams.

4. Objectives Describe some best management practices for controlling runoff. Describe some best management practices for manure management. Describe biological control including its pros and cons. List sources for further study and information on this topic.

5. What is a “Best Management Practice?” A proactive way for horse owners to protect the environment Used alone or in combination with other practices

6. Objectives of Best Management Practices Decrease soil erosion Protect water quality of ground and surface water Scenic landscapes

7. Types of Best Management Practices Pasture Management Manure Management Water Diversions Vegetated Buffers

8. Good Pasture Management Provides feed/recreation for horses Reduces movement of soil and manure to water bodies Improves property aesthetics

9. Pasture Planning Considerations Total number of horses that will use the pasture How horses can be grouped/size of group Desired length of turnout period Land resources available

10. Grass Needs Enough leaf area for sunlight to reach for photosynthesis Rest periods to maintain roots and allow leaves to re-grow Proper soil pH/fertility to increase grass vigor, reducing competition from weeds Protection from hooves when wet or other vulnerable times

11. Pasture Management:Pasture as Forage 1.5% BW/day through hay or access to pasture MINIMUM of 15 lbs of roughage per day Eat about 1-1.4 lbs/hr on pasture Mature horses need coarse forage (>8” tall) for healthy digestive systems

12. Pasture Management: Percent of Ration that should be Forage Maintenance 100-80% (NRC 100-75%) Work: light 80-60% (NRC 100-75%) heavy 50-25% (NRC 60-50%)

13. Pasture Management:Pasture as Only Forage Fat and fiber supplement recommended Must have additional P, Se, Zn, Cu and Vitamin A (Hoffman 2001)

14. Pasture Management:How do I tell what grass I have? Need to see seed heads Know what was planted Books/websites

15. Pasture Management:How do I tell what grass I have? Books/websites may aid in identification: Pasture and Range Plants Pub: Fort Hays University Forages: An Intro to Grassland Agriculture Barnes, Miller, Nelson Plant Image Gallery: http://www.noble.org/imagegallery/

16. Pasture Management:How do I know how much fertilizer to apply? Get a soil test, available from the cooperative extension service or feed & supply stores

17. Pasture Management:What do I do about invasive plants? Use broadleaf weed killer such as 2,4 D - “Weed Be Gone” before clipping Remove weeds before seed heads mature Roundup may cause colic in horses Let it rain after use, then OK to put horses out but read label to be sure http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/midatlantic/romu.htm

18. Pasture Management:How can I maintain my pastures well? Many grasses need 2-6 weeks rest period to regrow roots and shoots Most grasses need to rest when they are down to 1 ½ to 2 inches high Remove manure or drag before rest periods

19. Pasture Management:How can I maintain my pastures well? Clip pastures before rest periods Remove weeds before seed heads mature Remove mature grass for uniform re-growth Add livestock to graze steep/rocky land where mowing is difficult

20. Pasture Management:Rotational Grazing A system of dividing pastures so that grass can rest when it is only 1 ½ to 2 inches high Can use portable or temporary fencing or create a system of paddocks Take horses off when grass is too low; put back on pasture when it re-grows to 6-8 inches high, only 4 inches for Kentucky bluegrass and white clover pasture

21. Pasture Management:Sacrifice Areas A selected area is sacrificed from the grazing system and is used to confine animals in order to protect pastures from over-use at critical times Need to have minimal size, creating a good surface, location near the barn but away from water bodies/runoff, daily manure removal

22. Pasture Management:Benefits of Well-Planned Sacrifice Areas Hoof-friendly surface for better horse health Reduction of mud and ice Ease of manure removal/management Improved aesthetics Reduction of manure- or soil-laden runoff to water bodies Reduction of fly-breeding habitat Improved pastures utilizing the sacrifice area as a management tool

23. Pasture Management:Should I re-seed my pastures? If you have nothing but weeds and bare soil – yes! Otherwise, if grass is present, try using some of these tips to revive your pasture such as rotation, resting, testing soil pH and fertility and adjusting it as needed

24. Pasture Management:When do I plant new grass? Depends on your area of the country; check with the cooperative extension service May plant in spring or fall

25. Ideas to Improve Your Pasture Management Put in a sacrifice area Improve the footing of your sacrifice area Divert water away from your sacrifice area Create/refine a rotational grazing system Clip the field Soil test and fertilize only as needed

26. Watercourse Management:Stream Crossings A way for horses to get across stream without causing erosion or stream contamination Need to consider stream characteristics, location, purpose, traffic, longevity, cost and design Can use culvert or bridge

27. River and Streambank Management:Vegetated Buffers-What are they? Placed between horse-keeping activities and watercourses Creates distance to prevent pollutants from going into sensitive areas Are vegetated with dense grass, shrubs, trees, to slow the flow of water

28. Vegetated Buffers: Benefits Reduce risk of injury due to mud and ice Fewer lost shoes Improve look of property

29. Vegetated Buffers: What do they do? Slow runoff to watercourses Absorb nutrients that would end up in the surface water Traps sediments and solids carried in runoff Stabilizes streambanks, shorelines

30. Vegetated Buffers: What do they do? Provides shade for fish, keeping water temperatures cool, oxygen levels high Provides food/habitat for wildlife & organisms that fish feed on

31. Vegetated Buffers: How do I make one? Determine desired width – 200 ft from sensitive areas is ideal Install or move existing fences to keep horses out of buffer area, and provide water for horses if needed Plant grasses or improve those present to get a dense growth, mow twice a year to help keep grass dense and reduce weeds If possible, allow a strip of shrubs, trees, grasses to be established

32. Ideas to Improve Your River/Streambank Management Keep horses out of water bodies through fencing Create a vegetated buffer

33. Runoff Management: Water Diversions Diversion – way to redirect water around an area of concern and outlet to a stable suitable site Keep clean water clean Reduce erosion and mud

34. Two Types of Water Diversions Diversion Ditch or Swale Roof Gutters

35. Diversion Ditch or Swale Must handle predicted quantity of water Constructed across a slope to intercept runoff and redirect or divert it to another location Sized & stabilized depending on velocity, soil type, slope

36. Roof Gutter Discharged through downspout Divert to dry well/underground pipe

37. Runoff Management: Decreasing Soil Erosion Need more than 2 acres per horse (if on pasture full time) Avoid wet soils Use sacrifice area (well drained, no organic matter, minimal size)

38. Runoff Management:Decreasing Pollution of Water Bodies Vegetative buffers along streams Divert polluted runoff from sacrifice lots toward level pastures, away from wells/surface water Spread manure on pastures in fall

39. Runoff Management:Decreasing Pollution of Water Bodies Use soil test before applying N, P, K, Ca Keep animal density <1.5 horses/acre to prevent excessive P levels in soil if using pasture year round Apply limestone to maintain soil pH>6.0

40. Manure Management: Location Ensure an adequate distance from runoff, slopes, water bodies, wells, property lines – check local zoning ordinances for minimum setbacks

41. Manure Management: Cover It! Cover the manure pile either as simply as using a tarp or creating a roofed structure Helps reduce fly breeding Helps speed up decomposition and reduces volume of manure on property Keeps rainwater from washing manure from pile and contaminating clean areas

42. Manure Management: Size Make sure storage area is big enough for the time period you need to store it To calculate, measure your average daily waste (manure and bedding) x number of days between planned removal for composting, disposal, or utilization

43. Manure Management: Storage Options Covered Dumpsters 3 walled structures with roof or tarp cover Covered compost piles Covered or enclosed truck bed/manure spreader Trash cans with lids – if small

44. Manure Management: What do we do with it all? Have a sanitation company haul it away Have a local farmer or landscaper remove it, or bring it to them Give it to friends, family, neighbors for landscaping Manure cooperative Composting

45. Manure Management:Benefits of Composting Kill parasites/weed seeds in waste Improves soil quality if applied to fields Does not cause nitrogen depletion caused when un-composted horse waste is spread Contains plant nutrients that help plants grow!

46. Manure Management: Composting Basics Needs oxygen – active or passive piles Maintain temperature at 140 degrees F Minimum size is 4x4x4 Can use 3 bin system or windrows Should be as moist as a wrung out sponge – can cover or add water as needed

47. Manure Management: Composting Basics C:N ratio – should be 20:1 to 40:1 Location away from runoff and water bodies

48. Ideas to Improve Your Manure Management Cover your manure with a tarp Buy a small manure spreader Build a portable structure over your manure Move manure further from a water body or well Divert water away from your manure storage area Try composting

49. Biological Control

50. Why do flies need to complete their life cycles? Appropriate breeding materials Optimum moisture Adequate warmth If eliminate one, prevents breeding

51. Integrated Fly Control Program Must include: General farm sanitation (manure & organic waste management, including weed control) Moisture control Judicious use of insecticides Mechanical and biological control

52. Definition of Biological Control Reduction of pest populations by natural enemies, typically involves active human role Biological control agents – predators, parasitoids, pathogens

53. A Successful Natural Enemy has: A high reproductive rate Good searching ability Host specificity Adaptability to environmental conditions Synchronization with its host (pest)

54. A Successful Natural Enemy has: Health and robustness Pre-adaptation General mobility Persistence at low prey densities

55. Predators, parasitoids and pathogens Predators – mainly free-living species that consume a large number of prey during their lifetime, ex. lacewing & lady beetles Parasitoids – species whose immature stage develops on or within a single insect host, ultimately killing the host – ex. many species of wasps, some flies

56. Predators, parasitoids and pathogens Pathogens – disease-causing organisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses that kill and/or debilitate host and are relatively specific to certain insect groups

57. Horse Insect Pests Mainly the house fly and stable fly Life cycle of fly and parasitoid: Courtesy of Ciba-Geigy Corporation.

58. Horse Insect Pests House and stable flies can be controlled by parasitoids Parasitic wasps: Spalangiaendius Spalangianigoraenea Spalangiacameroni Spalangianigra Muscidifurax raptor Muscidifuraxzaraptor

59. Horse Insect Pests Pathogen for use in controlling mosquitoes: Lagenidiumgiganteum Possible future pathogen for use in controlling worms in horses: Duddingtoniaflagrans

60. Pros of Biological Control Long-term control Relatively inexpensive Target specific Environmentally friendly

61. Cons of Biological Control Slow to act Less effective Potential non-target effects Requires appropriate timing Requires release of correct number of enemies

62. How do you use these parasites? They are shipped as parasitized pupae in sawdust You place a small handful on “hot spots” – roughs in pasture, near water troughs, etc. You dig a ½” hole in ground, drop in a small handful of the sawdust and pupae, and cover with straw, manure or earth to protect against wind, birds or insecticides They travel 30-50 m in search of viable larvae and pupae

63. When do you use these parasites? Are house flies and stable flies your major problems? Do you have an effective waste management program? Can you get the right type of wasps and are they affordable for you? Is it the right time of year – April 15 – Sept 30 in our area?

64. How much will this cost? Varies depending on company and number of horses For 1 horse, around $155.00 up to 20 horses for around $400 per shipment

65. Is it effective? Estimates of success vary Hokkanen and Pimental (1984) estimated level of partial success to be about 14% (1 in 7 attempts), fully successful 5.5% (1 in 18 attempts) 2 independent test studies by USDA completely suppressed a population of houseflies w/in 30 d and eliminated stable flies at a poultry house after 98 d

66. Is it effective? Multi-year study in cooperation with the University of California reported a 93% reduction in the population of common biting stable flies DeBach and Rosen (1991) estimated level of partial success to be about 40% for 416 insect species, fully successful for 18% (75) of these species

67. Summary: Biological Control Biological control agents can be effective against house and stable flies when used properly Biological control agents are cost effective Biological control methods should be used with other methods such as waste management, weed control, moisture control, and mechanical control More studies are being done, with emerging information in the area of using pathogens, not just parasitoids on horse pests

68. Websites of Interest http://www.ct.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/rc&d/km_heap-program.html http://www.eXtension.org/horses

69. Future Webcasts February 10 – Horse Manure Management by Dr. Ann Swinker March 10 – Horse Pasture Management by Dr. David Freeman

70. Sources Joyce Meader, Livestock Extension Educator, UConn Forages: An Introduction to Grassland Agriculture by Barnes, Miller, and Nelson Picture Aids to Grass Identification by Hartwig Hoffman RM. 2001. Optimal nutrition and supplementation of horses on pasture. Cornell Nutrition Conference for Feed Manufacturers. 62: 89-99.

71. Sources Arbico’s Biological Fly Control Program. Biological Control. http://www.equinescienceupdate.co.uk/worm4.htm Biological Control of Flies. Lee Townsend, Extension Entomologist. University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Biological Control of Livestock Pests. http://res2.agr.ca/lethbridge/scitech/kdf/theory.htm Ciba-Geigy Corporation Farm & Ranch Equipment - Fly Parasites http://www.buyfarmstuff.com/products/ranch/fn/fly-p1.htm

72. Sources Fernandez,AS, Hennigsen E, Larsen M, Nansen P, Gronvold J, Sondergaard J. Equine Veterinary Journal (1999) 31(6): 488- 491. http://www.rube-goldberg.com/html/printflyswt.htm http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/mosqbred.htm Lysyk, T.J. 1993. Seasonal abundance of stable flies and house flies (Diptera:Muscidae)in dairies in Alberta, Canada. Journal of Medical Entomology 30: 888-895.

73. Sources Non-Toxic Solutions for Controlling Manure Flies and Biting Flies in Stable and Pastures. IPM Laboratories Weeden, Shelton, Hoffman and Li. Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America. Cornell University. http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/info/biocont.html

74. Upcoming Events at UConn Connecticut Horse Symposium – March 21/22 www.canr.uconn.edu/ansci/equine/horsesymp.htm Sigma Alpha Open Horse Show, UConn – April 18

75. Upcoming Events at UConn Draft Horse Plow Match, UConn – April TBA 4-H Mounted Clinic, Hartford Co. Camp – April 18 4-H Hippology Contest, UConn – April 25 UConn Horse Auction – April 25 Horse Judging Contest, UConn – April 26 Riding Camp Safety Certification Clinic – June 6

76. Questions? For questions or more information about this and other horse-related topics: jenifer.nadeau@uconn.edu Website: www.canr.uconn.edu/ansci/equine/extension The University of Connecticut supports all state and federal laws that promote equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination. An equal opportunity employer and program provider.

77. Questions?

78. Thank you for attending this live web presentation! For more information about My Horse University please visit us at: www.myhorseuniversity.com info@myhorseuniversity.com | www.myhorseuniversity.com | 517-353-3123