• Basic Information
• Additional Info

Basic Information

• Project No. and Title: NE1441 : Environmental Impacts of Equine Operations
• Period Covered: 10/01/2016 to 09/30/2017
• Date of Report: 01/31/2018
• Annual Meeting Dates: 08/31/2017 to 08/31/2017

Participants

The following list of people participated in our meeting held on August 31, 2017. This meeting was hosted by Virginia Tech and was completed by online conferencing. Bridgett McIntosh, Virginia Tech Amy Burk, University of Maryland Aubrey Jaqueth, University of Maryland Carissa Wickens, University of Florida Donna Foulk, Pennsylvania State University Heather Stofanak, Pennsylvania State University Krishona Martinson, University of Minnesota Laura Kenny, Pennsylvania State University Robert Causey, University of Maine Mark Rieger, University of Delaware Mike Westendorf, Rutgers University Jennifer Weinert, Rutgers University Carey Williams, Rutgers University Ethan Schoolman, Rutgers University

Accomplishments

Impacts

1. Impact Statement #1 Background: New Jersey Equine Producers are often less likely to sign up for assistance with environmental management programs supported by Rutgers Cooperative Extension, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. These producers are less likely to implement environmental and conservation best management practices either because they are unaware of the need or unaware that there are opportunities and organizations for assistance. This is particularly a need as environmental requirements for farmers are increasing in the rural and urban interface. Audience: New Jersey Equine Producers New Jersey Extension and other Educators Technical and Governmental Staff such as the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the USDA - Natural Resource Conservation Service Activities: The primary target audience was New Jersey Equine Producers. This program exposed equine producers to the latest in environmental research for equine farms, provided information on how to manage diet to decrease nutrient excess on horse farms, help them to understand USDA’s NRCS funding programs, give them an opportunity to sign-up for these programs, and provide an opportunity to network with other managers and owners of New Jersey equine farms. This program exposed producers to some of the latest in environmental research for equine farms, provided information on how to manage diet to decrease nutrient excess on horse farms, helped producers to understand USDA’s NRCS funding programs, gave producers an opportunity to sign-up for funding programs, and provided a chance to network with other managers and owners of New Jersey equine farms. Impact/Outcome: Over 200 people attended these meetings. In 2016, of the 154 people who signed up for the meetings, 31 signed up for conservation programs with the USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service. These conservation programs would include funding for conservation and nutrient management plans on farms and for the implementation of conservation best management practices on farms. Results for the 2017 year are not included. More meetings are planned for 2018. These meetings educated producers about basic conservation needs on equine farms and resulted in conservation management plan sign-ups with the USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service.
2. Impact Statement #2 A literature review concerning methodologies for assessing pasture and grazing management practices was compiled and published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (see publications). The review provides guidance on the selection and use of a wide variety of methods for assessing pasture and grazing management practices. · The NE1441 group hosted an equine section of the 2017 Waste to Worth Conference held in Raleigh, NC. The participants ranged from scientists, extension personnel, NRCS employees as well as industry personnel. The equine section hosted multiple talks on both summary topics and original research dealing with environmental aspects of equine operations; in addition to a tour of two equine manure composting facilities. The results of this project have been disseminated through oral and poster presentations at the 2017 Waste to Worth Conference held in Raleigh, NC. Additionally, information was disseminated through the NRCS Pasture Ecology Course held in Raleigh, NC and hosted by NCSU 6 to 15 June 2017.
3. Impact Statement #3 Extension and outreach efforts focused on Best Management Practices for protection of water quality on small horse operations during the past year have included two county level equine BMP workshops (July and October) with an emphasis on manure and pasture management and creation of a statewide small farms BMP working group comprised of state specialists, regional and county extension faculty, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Florida Water Management District personnel. Program evaluations indicate an overall increase in attendees’ knowledge of and confidence in their ability to implement manure and pasture management practices to reduce environmental impacts. Specifically, 78% of attendees indicate they plan to adopt manure management practices, e.g. composting. Outcomes to date from the statewide small farms BMP working group include two successful grant applications to support development of manure and pasture management demonstration sites and educational resources for 4-H youth horse project participants and equine owners/equestrian facilities.
4. Impact Statement #4 Indiscriminate use of dewormers has caused an alarming increase in resistant equine parasites. Cases of resistant small strongyle parasites are being reported worldwide. Many horse owners contribute to the development of resistant parasites by deworming horses every eight weeks and maybe using products that are totally ineffective. Adoption of new deworming practices can decrease the proliferation of resistant parasites and maintain the effectiveness of the products that are available. In 2015 and 2016, 221 farmers completed one of 6 short courses offered statewide. 100% adopted at least one practice to reduce parasite burdens, 92% adopted two or more practices. Participants reported a moderate to large increase in knowledge about: parasites and their life cycles (94%); resistance development (91%); fecal egg counts and strategic deworming (88%); and pasture and manure management as tools to reduce parasite burdens (88%). 94% of the participants reported that they planned to use fecal egg counts as a basis for their deworming program; 85% planned to use pasture and manure management practices to help reduce parasite exposure. In order to monitor egg shedding and identify low and high shedders, the farm partners and Extension staff met every 8 to 12 weeks to conduct fecal egg counts. De-worming efforts were focused on horses with moderate to high small strongyle egg contamination potential. Product resistance occurs at the farm level and was determined by conducting pre and post deworming egg counts on all horses on the farms. For the purpose of the study, only data collected from farms that had a minimum of 3 horses that were moderate to high shedders (generally 300 to 500 eggs per gram) was utilized to determine product efficacy. Resistance was indicated when pyrantel and benzimidazole dewormers failed to reduce egg shedding by at least 90%; ivermectin by 95%. In 2015 and 2016, 66 farms participated in the study. Many of the farm managers discovered that horses on the farm did not shed any eggs or were low shedders during the monitoring period. Of the qualified farms that had a minimum of 3 horse that were moderate to high shedders, 82% showed reduced efficacy when dewormed with pyrantel and 95% showed reduced efficacy when dewormed with fenbendazole. This would indicate that there is significant resistance to these products on PA farms. Ivermectin showed 100% efficacy on all qualified farms. What we have learned to date is that: • Most PA horses in the study have good immunity to small strongyles and the immunity remains consistent. High shedders tend to remain high and need to be strategically dewormed. • There is significant resistance to pyrantel and fenbendazole on many but not all Pennsylvania farms. • It is critical for horse owners to use a comprehensive approach to manage parasites to reduce the rate of resistance development. • Farm managers will adopt changes to their parasite management program when they have the knowledge and tools necessary to make those changes.

Publications