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Rutgers Update '07 Looked at Bigger Picture Published courtesy of Horse News
The Rutgers Equine Science Center understands the butterfly effect of the horse: one change has a thousand repercussions. The topics presented at the Center's annual Equine Science Update, held Dec. 11, reflected this domino effect. Despite the sleet and wind, a standing-room-only crowd gathered at the N.J. Agricultural Museum on the Cook campus to hear the latest equine research Rutgers has been involved in.
The Equine Science Center continues to take a national lead in researching things that affect the horse and the equine industry. The Center is working to ensure not only are there healthy horses to ride, but that there are green pastures, quality water and a vibrant support community for them, as well as future leaders to continue the legacy that is being built. Most importantly, the Center is standing tall in front of community and legislative members who accuse the horse of pollution or reduce it to a frivolous hobby.
The past science updates have focused on nutrition and health of the horse. As a change, this year's venue went farther afield, reviewing research on the horse's impact on the ecological system. Research on nutritional and joint health rounded out the evening's presentations.
Ecological Impact
Postdoctoral associate Valdis Krumins covered the use of equine manure for energy. The popular term "bio-energy" is used to describe the conversion of animal waste into fuel. This is already being done in Europe and in the U.S. on large cattle and swine operations.
“The average horse produces 12 to 13 tons of wet waste a year. This includes bedding, urine and-manure," said Krumins.
Multiplying that tonnage by the number of horses in the state equals over 170,000 dry tons of manure created in the Garden State each year. That could translate into $10 million of recoverable energy annually.
Equine waste is unique in that bedding is often mixed with it. This additional material, usually wood shavings or straw, can add to the energy value, but also poses a threat in clogging the equipment that processes the raw material. Studies are currently underway to determine the impact of the bedding on the production process. Once a model for creating bio-energy from manure is established, there still persists the question of economic viability. Is it cost effective for a small farm to produce bio-energy or should regional facilities be established?
The possibility of manure as an energy resource is offset by the concern of its run-off polluting fresh waterways. At the request of the Equine Science Center, Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension conducted a study to determine whether or not the accusation that horse farms in the Colts Neck area are responsible for the pollution that closed several New Jersey beaches is true. The study, presented by Rutgers Agricultural and Natural Resources agent Bill Sciarappa, vindicated the horse in this particular case; the culprit turned out to be urban erosion caused by man. While agriculture is a major pollutant throughout the nation, New Jersey is a leader in reducing pollution through establishing best management practices for horse farms.
This study also suggested that horse pastures, acting as sponges, could work as buffers for flood control and erosion. Unfortunately, many pastures are overcrowded and have lost the turf that facilitates absorption. Studies are now underway to find pasture grasses that will develop extensive root systems and withstand heavy foot traffic while simultaneously providing balanced nutrition for horses.
Nutritional Updates
Dr. Sarah Ralston, associate professor in the department of animal sciences, updated the audience on the young horse research program. For the past two years, her research has focused on total mix ration cubes, or TMR. Its advantages are consistency in quality and availability, ease in storage and handling and better control of excreted nutrients that may contribute to water pollution. TMR cubes are a standard in the cattle industry and are now being formulated and evaluated for horses. Total mix ration cubes are designed for free choice access and are roughage based. In addition to sustaining weight gain in young horses, they were also evaluated for blood glucose levels.
Findings from the past several years’ studies on insulin resistance and glucose levels' effect on growth have sent Ralston back to the drawing board. Her glucose/insulin research is now delving deeper into the role of genetic influence and the metabolic pathways of diseases associated with insulin resistance.
"IR may be a marker but it is not the cause," said Ralston.
Graduate student Emily Lamprecht updated the audience about her research on equine joint-use trauma which accounts for 68% of training days lost with horses. She described the development of three models that can be used for evaluating changes in joint health after intensive exercise. They involve blood markers, synovial fluid analysis and thermography.
Lamprecht explained how intensive exercise creates cellular damage and causes inflammation, oxidative stress on tissues and possible osteoarthritis. Lamprecht stressed inflammation is the body's reaction to cellular damage and has benefits. The problems arise when the stresses become chronic, which then lead to joint health damage. Oral supplements are being evaluated for their potential in positively affecting joint health. The study's goal is to develop a means for early detection and prevention of injury to joints from use-trauma and to design a training protocol that will reduce lameness from intensive exercise.
Supplementing for more than joints was the focus of Dr. Carey Williams' presentation. For the past two years Dr. Williams, the cooperative extension equine specialist, has studied nutritional profiles of horses competing at the Jersey Fresh CCI*** event held at the Horse Park of N.J. In both years, nearly half of the competitors have volunteered participation - filling out extensive questionnaires on feeds and supplementation and allowing Williams' team to draw blood from the horses before, during and after the event. The data has not been fully analyzed, but Williams was able to share information on the types of supplements used by the top athletes in this discipline. A quick rundown of supplement usage showed the following:
A quick analysis did expose that those horses without fresh pasture as a component of their diet showed consistently lower blood levels of vitamins compared to horses with fresh pasture as part of their nutritional program.
Rounding out the evening were announcements about two new equine courses Rutgers Equine Science Center is offering: Advanced Equine Health Care and Management and Developing Future Leaders for the Equine Industry. Information on these courses as well as a downloadable video of the equine Economic Impact study can be found at esc.rutgers.edu.
The health and training of the animal is only one component of the equine industry and the Equine Science Center is on a quest to make sure all the components are looked at in the big picture to insure the health of the industry. Horses need space, use land, eat crops, produce waste, affect water quality and are emotional targets for enthusiasts as well as detractors. New Jersey is leading the nation in producing scientific research in all of these areas. The Center is looking at the dominos and where they will fall next.
For more information see esc.rutgers.edu. |
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