Ask an Expert    Horses & Business Dusty Dinner       Failed Foaling       Cool, Clear Water Q. The hay we brought in for the winter is pretty good quality grass hay, but it seems to be pretty dusty. I understand that respiratory problems can result from feeding dusty hay; is there a way to feed what we have without harming my horses? A. Equine nutritionist Kylee White from the Horse Place in Edmonton, Alberta shares her opinion: While feeding dusty hay is not a preferred option, if it contains no mold (visible as white or black matted areas) and isn't too dirty, you could improve it's palatability and make it safer for you horses by wetting it down before feeding. To soak hay, use 2 large tubs. Drill penny sized holes in the bottom of one and put it in the other. Sit both on the ground next to a wall on which a hook can be attached. Put a few sections of hay in the top tub and soak it with water. Then lift the inner 'strainer' bucket and hang it on the hook; let it drain and it will be ready to serve in a few minutes. Dump your dirty water and you're ready for the next batch. Another method of dampening hay is to steam it. Put the hay you are using for the next feeding in some kind of container that has a good lid, such as a plastic garbage can or even in a 'muck bucket' that is covered by a heavy plastic bag (like the ones shavings come in). If you place flakes of hay with the stem ends up and down and leave some space at the top of the container, the hay will steam more completely. Use a kettle to heat water (1 1/2 to 2 litres of water will steam hay for 4 horses) and when it boils pour some over the hay and some down the sides so it gets to the bottom. Cover it immediately to trap the steam and a few hours later you have wonderful hay. Steaming hay not only gets the hay completely dampened and therefore controls dust better than wetting it and also makes the hay smell as if it was just cut and fresh...horses love it. These methods do add time and labour to feeding, but your efforts are worthwhile for the health (and enjoyment) of your horses. Back to Top Q. A friend of mine just lost a foal; it was still born and had a palate deformity. Her veterinarian asked her if the mare had been turned out on green feed in the fall. Why would she have asked that question? I am interested because my own horses are turned onto barley fields after harvest. A. Mike Scott, a veterinarian with Moore and Company, Calgary Alberta, provided his insights on this subject: Your question doesn't have an easy answer. Your friend's veterinarian was likely curious about the mare's exposure to green feed because of an ongoing study being conducted by the Western College of Veterinary Medicine into something called Congenital Hypothyroidism and Dysmaturity Syndrome. I happened to be one of the researchers involved in looking into this Syndrome in 1994-95. The Syndrome, which is specific to western Canada, has been recognized since the late '70s. It is characterized by foals being born weak or dead with contracted tendons and a deformed jaw (elongated lower or shortened upper) - both signs of skeletal immaturity that are a result of malformation of the thyroid gland or lack of thyroid function. An extensive survey conducted by the WCVM of western Canadian horse breeders into the management of broodmares and breeding herds led researchers to conclude that the common denominator in the occurrence of CHDS was the feeding of green feed to mares during pregnancy. Green feed, if cut during a period when the crop is stressed by frost or drought, can have a high nitrate content. Consumption of water with high nitrate content in third world countries has been shown to result in thyroid diseases in people; it seemed likely that high nitrate in green feed could cause similar thyroid problems in horses. However, further testing involving feeding pregnant mares green feed with high nitrate content failed to prove the theory. Still, it is possible that a relationship exists between a mare eating green feed and the type of foaling problem experienced by your friend. Research into CHDS is still being done at the WCVM, spearheaded by Andy Allen. So, while there is no definite conclusion that can be drawn about why your friend lost her foal, her vet's interest in a green feed connection probably relates to this study. Back to Top Q. In the heat of the summer I find my two water troughs grow green scum at a tremenous rate. I hate dumping water every day or two to scrub them. Any suggestions for an easy way to keep tanks clean? A. Corrine Ostkowski who has worked as a stable manager for various equine facilities, including Western Sky Farms in Manitoba, had these suggestions for labour-saving care of algae-plagued waterers: No matter what you do, water troughs or bowls do require occasional scouring, but there are some tricks to keeping algae growth to a minimum. Try keeping a few 2-8" Plecostomus fish (suckermouth catfish, available from pet stores.) They will feed on algae that accumulates on the sides of the trough. Depending on the size of the trough, you will need six or more, the larger the better. Algae will still grow in the water, so it will eventually turn green and need changing but the sides will be relatively clean and need little or no scrubbing. Since you have two troughs, stagger refillings - when one needs to be flushed, catch the fish and put them in the other trough, which will have some algae on the sides and have sun-warmed water. Then refill the first trough with fresh, cold water. When algae growth starts to accumulate, repeat the process with the second trough - moving the fish from one trough to the other. This keeps a constant food supply and temperature for the fish. You should also place a large rock in the bottom of each trough for the fish to hide under. Plecostomus are not hardy - so when fall comes they should be removed from the troughs and kept in a good-sized indoor tank to over-winter. Another useful tank fish is the common goldfish, which will eat mosquito larvae and other small water-breeding insects. Big "apple" snails, available at pet stores, will also work as algae-scrubbers. Put some copper tape around the lip of the trough to keep them from crawling out. Just be sure it won't touch the water. When it does come time to clean algae-green from buckets and troughs, I like to use Power Paste from Orange Glo. The Power Paste cleans the algae fast and easy and rinses really clean so I don't have to worry about the animals drinking it. Bleach or other paste cleaners containing bleach will also do the trick; just be sure to rinse thoroughly before refilling the troughs with drinking water. Back to Top IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: At westernhorsereview.com our 'Ask an Expert' page is not intended to replace diagnosis or treatment of your horse by your veterinarian or other professionals; westernhorsereview.com does not assume any legal responsibilty.