ANTHRAX IN TEXAS

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) announced today that ranches in Sutton County have laboratory-confirmed cases of anthrax in horses, deer, and cattle. Laboratory results are pending for several other sites in the county, where livestock and deer losses have been reported. MORE...

MORRIS ANIMAL FOUNDATION HOSTS EQUINE CONSORTIUM SUMMIT

Morris Animal Foundation, the world's largest private funding source for companion animal and wildlife health studies, gathered some of the nation's top authorities in equine research in Colorado on May 25-29 to pinpoint equine health priorities and address the possibility of new consortium grants that will fund large-scale programs to advance equine health. MORE...

HEART SIZE AND RACING PERFORMANCE IN TROTTERS

When it comes to the hearts of Standardbred racehorses, size does matter. Danish researchers recently published the results of an echocardiographic study in which they found that heart size correlated with athletic performance. However, "excellent cardiac function is only one of the important requirements to become a successful athletic horse," concluded the authors. MORE...

DUNG BEETLES

Dung beetles are amazing insects that spend their lives mucking out your pastures. The adults use liquid contents for nourishment, and they lay eggs in small manure balls (brood balls) they bury in the ground. In the process, they serve as Nature's clean-up crew, getting rid of the manure "pat" and facilitating natural fertilization and aeration of the soil. To read more about Nature's cleaning crew, read "Dung Beetles" in the July issue of The Horse. MORE...

AAEP ASK THE VET: INTERNATIONAL BREEDING

Q. I brought two Walking Horse mares to France. I would like to breed to a U.S. stallion and want to know what the success rate might be with shipped frozen or cooled semen. Will I run into importation red tape?

A. Click here for the answer.

Sponsored by The Merck Veterinary Manual Ninth Edition.

POLL: WEST NILE PREVENTION METHODS

The Horse wants to know--What types of measures have you taken to prevent West Nile virus in your horse? Vote here.

Results of Last Week's Poll What part of your barn needs the most renovation? All of it!: 25.23% (109) Lighting and wiring: 12.04% (52) Stalls: 11.11%(48) Roof: 10.42%(45) Other: 9.72%(42) Flooring: 9.72%(42) Feed room: 8.33%(36) Ventilation: 7.64%(33) Aisleways: 5.79%(25) Total votes: 432 Other parts of readers' barns that reportedly need renovation include the tack room, wash rack, and drainage areas.

AAEP HEALTH LINK: VACCINATION INDICATIONS

It is so easy to forget those annual vaccines, but they can and do keep horses healthier, and in some cases, alive. So how do you begin to decide what vaccines to give? Click here to read more about equine vaccinations.

BOOK EXCERPT: PRINCIPLES OF VACCINATION

Vaccination is a major part of a preventive medicine program, but many programs for individual horses and even for large stables are often based on incomplete understanding of the principles of vaccination and the particular needs of the animals for which the program is designed. Learn more about tailoring vaccination programs to your horse's needs with Understanding Equine Preventive Medicine.

MATCHMAKING: ADOPTABLE HORSE

Arizona is an 8-year-old bay Arabian mare. She has not yet been started under saddle, but she has good ground manners and a willing attitude. For more information about Arizona or others at Hope for Horses in Woodinville, Wash., visit www.hopeforhorses.net or e-mail [email protected].

Are you a registered not-for-profit organization with an adoptable horse? Send a photo, description of the horse, and your web site URL here to have your horse listed.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• July 9-10--Wild Horse and Burro adoption event in Sterling, Ill.
• July 8-12--American Society of Parasitologists Annual Meeting in Mobile, Ala.