A2O-Lancaster Farming, Satuiday, March 1,2003
PREGNANT MARE
MANAGEMENT
Fredrick Hofsaess, Ph.D.
Profiteer of Animat Science
A&jijPbok forward to pastures
iutteST green in the coming days
of B|MBg, it is also the time for
ma rmto foal. Here are a few sug
gestions in the waning days of
winter to prepare for the “big”
day.
Pregnant mares should be
gaining weight in the last three or
four months of pregnancy. De
pending on thereof the mare, a
150-200 pound gain in body
weight may be desired just to
counteract the weight of the foal,
fluids and placenta.
Adjust energy and protein in
take to allow for adequate condi
tion. Mares, which are in poor
condition at foaling, will not like
ly improve during lactation;
which is nutritionally more de
manding.
Pregnant mare should have
been vaccinated for Rhinopneu
monitis during the fifth, seventh,
and ninth months of pregnancy.
If they have not, vaccinate for
Rhino at least once along with
Tetanus, Flu, and perhaps En
cephalomyelitis and West Nile.
Vaccinating six to eight weeks
before expected foaling will allow
adequate time for the mare to
produce antibodies, which should
be passed to the foal through the
colostrum. Maintain a frequent
deworming schedule to reduce
the transfer of parasites to the
foal after birth. Check dewormer
labels for the safety of individual
products for use on pregnant
mares.
~ i 1 ~rt Futt n Rr„ C
E
E
E
Hay, Straw &
Grain Auction
Every Thursday 10 am
Located on the
corner of RT 272 &
222 at Wakefield, PA
717-548-2492
717-548-2371
Randall Ranck
Auctioneer 003117-L
Consignments Wanted
No Out of State Checks
Exercise is an important con
sideration. 'Provide adequate
exercise/ turnout for late preg
nant marches exercise will re
duce stocking up and the abdo
minal edema that frequently
occur in late pregnancy.
If mares have been in run-outs,
move them fb the foaling area
several weeks before expected
foaling, if possible. By moving to
the foaling barn, mares will be
come more relaxed in this new
environment and sufficient time
tidlEbe provided for immunity to
develop against the many com
mon organisms found in this en
vironment.
Check the foaling area for pro
truding nails and other objects
that may result in injury to the
mare or foal.
Stock up on supplies which
may be needed at foaling. Include
clean straw bedding, and mild io
dine for the umbilical stump.
If you are not familiar with
foaling mares, contact your veter
inarian ahead of time for advice
and read up on the normal pro
gress of mares in late pregnancy.
Several good videotapes are
available on the topic.
Preparation is key to successful
foaling. Start evaluating the pro
gress a mare is making toward
foaling well in advance. Some
mares “follow the book” and
start developing an udder, and
undergoing other pre-foaling
changes several weeks ahead of
the actual foaling while others do
not.
With good pregnant mare
management, you will help keep
your mare healthy and safe and
have a welcome addition to your
stable.
E
Ag Technology Program Part Of
Conservation Conference
COLUMBUS, Ohio With
agricultural technology changing
the way business is conducted,
growers and industry profession
als are learning to use such ma
terials to improve communica
tion and develop more efficient
record keeping.
An Ohio Agricultural Technol
ogy Association (OATA) Pro
gram will be offered at the Con
servation Tillage and Technology
Conference to help broaden the
knowledge and use of how tech
nology, like hand-held comput
ers, software packages and
broad-band Internet, can im
prove business with clients and
co-workers.
The conference will take place
March 3-4 at the Ohio Northern
University Macintosh Center in
Ada, Ohio. The OATA Program
is scheduled for March 3 from 2
p.m. to 5 p.m.
“We decided to bring some
thing new and different to the
table this year about communica
tion and record keeping technolo
gies for today’s agriculture,” said
Stierwalt To Conduct Show Clinic In Delaware
HARRINGTON, Del. Every
year during March, the cattle
show season begins with the
spring clip, halter breaking or re
training of your show cattle.
As a fundraiser for the upcom
ing 2004 AIJCA (American-In
ternational Junior Charolais As
sociation), the junior members of
the Colonial Charolais Associa
tion have invited Kirk Stierwalt
of Stierwalt Show Cattle to con
duct his nationally acclaimed
show and grooming clinic.
The clinic will be con
ducted March 28, 29, and
30 on the Delaware State
Fairgrounds, Harrington,
Del.
Stierwalt is well known
on the national show cir
cuit and has spent many
years teaching showman
ship and grooming on his
ranch and has recently
taken his clinic on the
road.
Tips on clipping, hoof
Nathan Watermeier, an Ohio
State University I \tension Tech
nology Program Leader The
program features educational
sessions regarding issues that a
lot of growers, researchers, and
industry professionals deal with
on a day-to-day basis.”
The half-day program will
kick off with a presentation by
Grant Mangold, an agricultural
communications consultant. He
was also the senior technology
editor of ©glnnovator, an online
news source about information
technologies in agriculture.
Other program highlights in
clude 30-minute sessions on
hand-held equipment that can be
used in the field then applied to
software back at home or the of
fice; broad-band and how grow
ers and agri-businesses can use
the Internet or wireless services;
and bar-coding and location veri
fication technologies for fertilizer,
pesticide or manure applications
that are used in specialty crop
production.
The Conservation Tillage and
trimming, show day dressing.
showmanship, feeding, and gei£ Each will receive
eral care will be part of this thud grooming supplies, a T-shirt, and
day clinic. ' while they are at the clinic.
Participants bring their own AH proceeds from the clinic
cattle so they will gain handron. will go toward hosting the
experience and confidence'with 2004 Show and Confer
the heifer or steer they will ’l)6 J /p nee being held in Timonium,
showing. • ,• * _ Md.
The clinic has a2O persgfi To register, please contact Lisa
limit. The cost of the cliniw%-> Dunaway at (302) 734-7726, or
$350 with a $175 deposit that IS download the registration fomi
due with the regisrfatioap'forrn. from http/
The remaining balahce *is due www.persistencefarm.com.
Technology Conference is de
signed to bring together speakers
from land-grant universities, the
farming sector and agricultural
industries and organizations to
discuss a wide range of topics in
cluding agriculture-related panel
discussions, precision agriculture,
soil fertility, water quality, insect
and disease management, strip
till research, value-added farm
ing, crop management and pro
ducer programs.
The tillage conference is being
sponsored by Ohio State Univer
sity Extension, Northwest Ohio
Soil and Water Conservation
Districts, United States Depart
ment of Agriculture Natural Re
sources Conservation Service,
USDA Farm Service Agency and
the Ohio No-Till Council.
Registration after Feb. 24 is
$3O a day or $4O for both days.
For a copy of the agenda, regis
tration information, or directions
to contact the Hancock County
Ohio State Extension office at
(419) 422-3851 or the Allen
County Soil and Water Conser
vation District at (419) 223-0040.
upon arrival at the clinic.