The old sailors saying ‘water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink’ rings too true after the devastation of the recent floods in Queensland and Northern New South Wales. While we usually welcome the rain to fill dams and water pastures and crops, too much water can severely compromise the availability and quality of food and water resources and have detrimental effects on equine health. The following information will help you to decrease your horses’ risk of post-flood disease and loss of condition.
Drinking water
Dams, ponds and water troughs that were submerged during the floods may be contaminated with chemical run-off, agricultural toxins and debris. Check your horses’ water sources thoroughly to make sure that they are safe before allowing horses to drink from them. Muddy, brackish water and water containing debris, especially old chemical containers, should be avoided and fresh drinking water should be provided in clean buckets until the original water source has been cleared for animal consumption.
Pasture Availability & Quality
After flooding and being churned up with debris, pastures are often not suitable for grazing for quite some time. Additionally, grasses growing on flooded pasture have often been leached of essential nutrients, making them significantly less nutritious than they previously were. This may leave you relying on hay and premixed feeds to supply the bulk feed and nutrition that your horse requires and can be quite costly. Supplementing your horses’ diet with protein and vitamin concentrates will help to prevent loss of condition and will promote recovery from stress and injury that may have occurred during the floods. ePro® Topline Xtra contains essential amino acids and omega-3 & 6 fatty acids to support cellular repair and immune function.
Debris
One of the most devastating effects of the floods is the homes, properties and natural resources that have been destroyed from the force and volume of the water. As a result of this, many pastures have been littered with rubbish, chemical waste containers, trees and wreckage that can be extremely dangerous for your horse. Chewing on plastic bags and other waste can cause colic, while the wreckage of destroyed buildings can litter paddocks with nails, large splinters and glass which can easily cause hoof punctures and body wounds. It is essential to check your paddock and clear it of all debris. If the area is too large, clear it in stages, fencing horses off from unclean areas.
Hooves
With many wet days prior to the floods and the time taken for flood waters to recede, horses in QLD & NSW have been standing on wet or damp ground for quite a long time. This significantly increases the risk of hoof and foot infections such as white line disease and greasy heel, while the softening of hooves in the wet conditions makes them much more susceptible to bruising of the sole which may lead to abscesses. Using a high quality protein supplement such as ePro® Total Performance Xtra will encourage healthy hoof growth, strengthening the walls and soles and helping to grow out damaged hooves .
Parasites
The pooling of water in usually dry areas significantly increases the breeding habitats for mosquitoes. After flooding there is often a steep rise in the mosquito populations, causing serious discomfort and irritation to horses and exacerbating Queensland Itch. To help your horse repel the mosquitoes and repair damaged skin, without having to use harsh and sometimes painful and burning external treatments, add 15 – 30 grams of ePro® Garlic Xtra to his feed each day.
Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the flooding. ePro® Equine Professional is committed to improving your horses health and performance and we encourage you to contact us if you need any information on helping your horse to recover.
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