4AA-2FSO: Horse and Horseless Activities for 4-H Clubs

Fernanda Camargo | May. 20, 2025 (New)

Coming up with horse-club activities can sometimes be a struggle, especially when owned horses are not an option. In this publication, you will find fresh ideas for 4-H Horse Club indoor activities and field trips. These experiences connect youth to relevant horse programs through hands-on learning that fosters positive youth development and links young people to other 4-H opportunities.

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ASC-198: Selecting Ducks

Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | May. 19, 2025 (Minor Revision)

As with many domesticated species, ducks are selected for different purposes, primarily meat or egg production. They are also valued for their feathers and down. It is important to choose a breed of duck that best suits your particular needs.

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ASC-271: The Impact of Heat Stress and Fescue Toxicosis on Beef Cattle Reproduction

Tyler Purvis, Les Anderson, Darrh Bullock, Kevin Laurent, Jeff Lehmkuhler, Katherine VanValin | May. 19, 2025 (New)

Heat stress is a common problem facing beef-cattle producers throughout the United States, and in 2003 was estimated to cost the U.S. beef industry $369 million dollars annually. Heat stress occurs when an animal is creating and absorbing more heat than they can dissipate, which increases core temperature and physiological stress. Common symptoms of heat stress include increased respiration rates, panting, or standing in water such as ponds or puddles. Heat stress results in negative impacts on growth, health, and reproduction. Cattle can have reduced conception rates, growth rates, and milk production during the summer. During severe heat stress, conception rates can fall to 10%-20% or lower compared to 40%-60% conception rates observed in cooler months.

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ASC-268: Managing and Mitigating Equine and Nuisance Wildlife Interactions

Fernanda Camargo | Feb. 24, 2025 (New)

Many of the resources used to care for horses and other domestic animals can also be attractive to a variety of wildlife. These resources include easily accessible feedstuffs, water, and shelter in the forms of barns, storage sheds, or shade trees. Some of these uninvited guests can bring unintended consequences to your property, like disease, hazardous terrain created by burrows/holes, property damage, and feed and water contamination.

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AGR-281: Improving Kentucky Horse Pastures

Chris Teutsch, Krista Lea, Ray Smith, Bob Coleman | Feb. 13, 2025 (New)

For many horses, quality pasture can provide almost all nutrients needed for maintenance or light work for much of the year. Pasture reduces the cost of keeping horses while providing safe footing and minimizing impacts on the environment.

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ASC-270: Overview of the Mineral Nutrition of Yaks

Jeff Lehmkuhler, Katherine VanValin, Darrh Bullock, Les Anderson, Michelle Arnold | Feb. 12, 2025 (New)

Mineral nutrition is a critical aspect of livestock management, particularly for yaks grazing on the challenging terrains of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau or the diverse range conditions of North America. As these animals adapt to their environments, understanding their mineral requirements becomes vital for ensuring health, productivity, and overall well-being.

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IP-56: Assessment of the Potential for Livestock and Poultry Manure to Provide the Nutrients Removed by Crops and Forages in Kentucky

Les Anderson, Jenny Cocanougher, Richard Coffey, Bill Crist, Ron Fleming, Kim Henken, Doug Overhults, Tony Pescatore, Monroe Rasnake, Bill Thom | Feb. 5, 2025 (Revised)

Livestock and poultry manure has been used for many years to provide basic fertilizer nutrients to improve crop and forage production. In addition, it has long been known that the chemical and physical properties of soils can be improved by applications of animal manure. Because of these benefits, much of the manure produced by livestock and poultry has been and continues to be applied to cropland and pastureland. Not only does this practice benefit crop production, it also has the environmental benefit of recycling nutrients to the soil from which they originated.

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ASC-267: Controlling the Calving Season

Les Anderson, Katherine VanValin, Darrh Bullock, Jeff Lehmkuhler, Kevin Laurent | Dec. 11, 2024 (New)

In 2017, the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), a USDA source for cattle production statistics, reported that less than half of cow-calf herds across the country had a defined calving season. One reason is that most herds surveyed (85%) had fewer than 50 cows and therefore the cattle enterprise was likely not the primary source of income for these producers. Two common arguments against having a controlled breeding and calving season are, “I do not have anywhere to put the bull,” and “I like having a calf ready to sell whenever I need it throughout the year.”

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PR-860: 2024 Cool-Season Grass Horse Grazing Tolerance Report

Gene Olson, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch, Jimmy Henning, Tim Phillips, Laurie Lawrence | Dec. 6, 2024 (New)

Cool-season forages such as Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and orchardgrass are dominant pasture grasses for horses in Kentucky. Variety evaluations for yield have been carried out for many years, but little work has been done to evaluate varieties of these grasses for persistence when subjected to close, continual grazing by horses.

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ASC-262: Increasing Calories in Your Horse’s Diet and Other Tips

Fernanda Camargo | Oct. 14, 2024 (New)

Not all horses are made the same. With hundreds of different breeds and uses, a lot of caring horse owners may become overwhelmed and not fully understand the different demands of each individual horse, resulting in some horses with sub-optimal body condition scoring. If you have a horse that needs to gain weight, here are some practical tips that will help you achieve your goal.