by Dr. Kris Hiney -- Nothing is more devastating to the horse owner than to have a treasured partner be afflicted by the painful, crippling disease of laminitis. Laminitis can be a debilitating disease that may ultimately result in the death of the horse or humane euthanization. Unfortunately there are so many factors that can manifest in development of this syndrome that it can be difficult to sort through. Read More
Posted in Articles Dr. Kris Hiney Equine Articles By Dr. Kris Hiney

Feeding Horses with Respiratory Allergies

April 3, 2012 10:50:42 AM CDT

When some horses are exposed to dusts and molds, they develop allergies. Why some horses do and others do not develop allergies is unknown. There is some evidence that this disease may be genetic. Horses born to affected parents are three times more likely to develop RAO than horses born to non-affected parents. Therefore, if you know your horse is predisposed to RAO, it is even more important to identify the symptoms and to properly manage its environment. Read More
Posted in Articles Dr. Kris Hiney Equine Articles By Omega Fields

Preparing for the Breeding Season

January 4, 2012 9:49:07 PM CST

While breeding season may be the last thing on anyone’s mind at this time of year, it will be coming soon. Now is the time to ensure that your mare or stallion is going to be at their optimal reproductive efficiency. While much of a mare's or stallion's fertility depends on other factors such as age, condition of reproductive organs, etc., there are some basic management steps we can take to ensure that as few cycles of inseminations are needed to get a mare pregnant. Read More
Posted in Articles Dr. Kris Hiney Equine Articles By Dr. Kris Hiney
Imagine a bright spring day. You excitedly turn your horse out to indulge in the fresh spring grass as a special treat. You return in a few hours to collect your companion, but instead are met by an unhappy painful horse, slowly limping its way back to the gate. Sound familiar? Unfortunately for some owners, this is an all too real scenario. Many horses suffer from carbohydrate sensitivities, or metabolic syndrome, which make them extremely susceptible to changes in carbohydrates in the diet. Read More
Posted in Articles Dr. Kris Hiney Equine Articles By Dr. Kris Hiney
In the following article I will attempt to define the wide array of terminology that one finds in equine nutrition, such as crude fiber, neutral detergent fibers, and non-structural carbohydrates, among others. Read More
Posted in Articles Dr. Kris Hiney Equine Articles By Dr. Kris Hiney

Minimizing the Stress of Weaning

September 6, 2011 1:06:03 PM CDT

The fall season is here and with it often comes the time for weaning of our foals. Many successful weaning strategies exist but it is important for the manager to choose the optimal one for their facilities and management style. These decisions are important and can affect the growth, well being and even the future behavior of your foal. Read More
Posted in Articles Equine Articles Dr. Kris Hiney By Dr. Kris Hiney

 

Newton, WI, July 29, 2011 – Omega Fields® and Kristina Hiney, Ph.D., are pleased to release a series of articles discussing lipid nutrition for horses. The series discusses how fat is digested and handled in the equine, the types of fats fed to horses, and the many beneficial effects that can be realized through the addition of fat to the diet of our horses.
 
Besides being necessary for normal body function, the benefits of adding fat to the equine diet are many, including meeting the animal’s caloric needs in a more efficient and beneficial manner, enhancing a horse’s performance, lowering digestive risk associated with a diet higher in high energy cereal grains, lowering heat production of horses living in hotter climates, and producing a calming effect on horses.
 
Perhaps more than the owners of other animals, horse owners tend to want to know about what is best for the health and welfare of their animals. They learn from their veterinarians and farriers, and search for advice from experts like Dr. Hiney, desiring more in-depth knowledge of how their horses grow and develop in order to decide what’s best for them. The Lipid Nutrition Series is just the latest in a succession of articles authored by Dr. Hiney for the benefit of the horse owner.
 
Dr. Hiney is a professor of Equine Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Wisconsin—River Falls and Omega Fields’ Equine Nutrition Advisor. She has authored or co-authored seven peer-reviewed publications as well as numerous abstracts. She is also a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, the National Reining Horse Association (where she is a carded judged), and the North Central Reining Horse Association.  She trains and shows her own horses in the reining horse industry. Dr Hiney is a monthly contributor to Omega Fields’ Health-E-Letter, writing about all aspects of equine health.
 

To read all of the articles in the lipid nutrition series, as well as other equine articles by Dr. Hiney, go to http://www.omegafields.com/blog/cat/articles-equine-articles on the Omega Fields website.

Posted in News - PR By Omega Fields
Fats are an easily digestible source of calories which can readily supply the extra energy that performance horses may need. Fat may lower the heat load on the horse compared to traditional diets, which may aid in performance in hot climates. Finally, fat may even help calm the horse compared to when they are fed high starch diets. But is there any other reason to feed fats that may help you get to the winner’s circle? Read More
This month we begin a series looking at the value of incorporating fat into the diets of our horses. We will discuss how fat is digested and handled in the equine, the types of fats fed to horses, and the many beneficial effects that can be realized through the addition of fat to the diet of our horses. Read More
Now that we are aware of the potential problems of the skeletal system of the foal (see Part 1 of this series, Developmental Orthopedic Diseases: What are they and why do they occur?), we will address some management techniques that may aid in preventing their occurrence. These include dietary management of the mare and foal, exercise needs, controlling growth rate and even selection of appropriate breeding stock. Read More