Choke is the common name for oesophageal obstruction. In horses it is not an obstruction of the airway (like it is in humans) and therefore it's not immediately life-threatening.

Dry hay, apples and sugar beet are examples of feed which may be caught in the food pipe once swallowed. Feed can rapidly expand after swallowing, preventing it from being passed down into the stomach. Eating too quickly can also cause choke. In rare and extreme cases, choke can cause oesophageal scar formation, oesophageal rupture and even pneumonia.

Common signs of choke include:

• excess salivation
• discharge from the nose
• coughing
• swallowing
• anxiety
• reduced water consumption and dehydration

Often the obstruction will pass on its own but, if not, provide sedation and pass a tube through the nose and down into the oesophagus to gently push the obstruction into the stomach. In severe cases the horse may need to be anaesthetised to do this safely. Anti-inflammatory and antibiotic medication may be prescribed for the aftercare of some choke cases.

To help prevent choke in your horse, we recommend soaking dry feedstuffs, feeding greedy horses separately from others, and maintaining good dental care.

If you suspect your horse might have choke, please call us.

Is your pony a little on the portly side?

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a disease commonly seen in ponies. If left untreated, it can have dire consequences, including hyperlipaemia or ‘fatty blood’, laminitis and, in severe cases, even death.

Ponies are prone to persistently high levels of insulin, which is the hormone responsible for keeping blood glucose at normal levels. Rich feed raises blood glucose levels, which in turn raises insulin levels. This is similar in some ways to type 2 diabetes in humans. In horses, insulin resistance causes fat to be laid down excessively and can damage the lamina within the hoof.

Signs of EMS to watch out for in your pony include:

• easy weight gain
• a cresty neck
• abnormal fat deposits
• laminitis

If we suspect EMS in your horse, we'll check with a blood test.

This condition is managed by controlling your horse's diet and encouraging exercise. A diet very low in simple carbohydrates such as grain and concentrate feeds is recommended, and often access to pasture must be restricted. Medications can be prescribed to aid management in severe cases, and any signs of laminitis will also be addressed.

If you have any concerns about your pony's health please call us.

Efficient breeding of beef cows maximises the number of calves on the ground, as early in the calving period as possible. This allows the maximum amount of time for the calves to grow out, which gives your business the opportunity to ship as much beef out the gate as possible.

The issue with reproductive diseases is that in general they cause subfertility at the herd level. Essentially, this results in cows calving later in the calving period and some cows failing to calve at all.

The key reproductive diseases to be concerned for are:

Pestivirus is a highly contagious virus that is spread through nose-to-nose contact. It is estimated to cost the Australian cattle industry $114 million annually. A crash can reduce the calf crop by 25-50%, and the disease has been shown to produce ongoing annual losses of 5-10% in herd, where pestivirus persists.

Vibriosis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacterial infection. It is spread between bulls and cows during breeding. Untreated, infected bulls and a small percentage of cows and heifers are the carriers of the bacteria. The bacteria have no effect on bull fertility but cause inflammation of the reproductive tract in heifers and cows. The disease delays conception and causes abortion.

Leptospirosis is a bacteria that can infect both cattle and humans. There are 2 common strains in Australia, and these two strains make up the difference between 5in1 and 7in1. The bacteria are primarily spread by urine from cattle and can live in stagnant water for months. Human infection can cause serious disease often resulting in hospitalisation.

All three diseases have effective vaccines and, in combination with good management, can be managed well on the farm. Call us for more information.