As exhibitors gear up for a busy show and rodeo season this summer, Oklahoma State University Extension animal health specialists advise owners to closely monitor the health of their horses and implement smart biosecurity measures to safeguard against infection. 

A case of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy was reported at a Tulsa horse show in April.

The virus can be transmitted through common drinking areas, humans who handle horses, and carried on clothes or hands, spreading from horse to horse.

As exhibitors gear up for a busy show and rodeo season this summer, Oklahoma State University Extension animal health specialists advise owners to closely monitor the health of their horses and implement smart biosecurity measures to safeguard against infection.

“Equine herpes myeloencephalopathy is the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus-1, which is a very common virus within our equine population,” said Dr. Rosslyn Biggs, clinical assistant professor of veterinary clinical sciences and OSU Extension director of continuing education. “We’re particularly concerned because in most instances, there’s a 30-50% mortality rate if a horse starts exhibiting neurologic signs.”

Clinical signs of a neurologic issue could include:

Incoordination

Instability

Lethargy

Loss of tail tone and hind limb weakness

Head tilt

Urine dribbling

The virus can also appear in neo-natal form or abort foals in pregnant mares. The incubation period is seven to 14 days after respiratory or nose-to-nose transmission. Biggs said common drinking areas and humans who handle horses may transmit the virus; it can also be carried on clothes or hands, spreading from horse to horse.

Once we have a detection, we want to isolate and monitor those horses who came in contact with the infected horse. At a very minimum, take their temperature twice a day and look for any signs of fever. Neither ill nor exposed horses should travel.

When attending a show, exhibitors and horse owners should practice careful biosecurity and only use stalls that have been disinfected. A 1:10 ratio of bleach to water mixture is effective for spraying down stalls. If symptoms appear in a horse, isolate the animal, determine with a veterinarian’s assistance if the condition is contagious and notify show management immediately.

“In Oklahoma, it’s required that any equine neurologic case be reported to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture,” Biggs said. “ODAFF has funds to do free testing on horses that are neurologic to determine the potential cause. It’s a concern for the equine industry in Oklahoma and nationwide.”

Biggs discusses equine herpes myeloencephalopathy on a Vet Scripts segment of SUNUP, the production agriculture television show of OSU Extension. SUNUP airs Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. and Sundays at 6 a.m. on OETA.

Source: Oklahoma State University

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The benefits of Texas beef

According to Texas Farm Bureau:

A cow here. A cow there. Cows everywhere! A recent Texas landowner survey indicated 83% of the land is privately owned by rural working lands.

Texas is the top beef-producing state in the nation, and raising cattle is the largest part of Texas agriculture. Beef production is the number one ag enterprise in Brown and most surrounding counties.

And that means tasty, flavorful beef in all forms on your table.

The ways ranchers raise cattle in the Lone Star State are as diverse as Texas itself. Grass-fed, grain-fed, cow-calf, stocker, purebred operations—all play a unique role in providing a safe, nutritious product for niche and mainstream consumer markets.

A priority shared by all Texas cattlemen and women, however, is providing proper care to raise livestock.

Part of that responsibility is treating animals when they get sick.

Responsible antibiotic use on the farm and ranch is safe, and needs practice. It’s case specific. Ranchers consult their veterinarian and work quickly to administer treatment, so a disease doesn’t spread and puts all livestock at risk.

Ranchers also have training programs, like the Beef Quality Assurance program, that help them better understand animal care and handling practices.

Raising cattle with those principles leads to quality beef.

Enjoy a lip-smacking-good meal of steak or roast? How about a juicy hamburger? You can’t have the real thing without cattle.

And what about cheese, butter, a cold glass of milk? Or ice cream on a hot summer day? You need ol’ Bessie around for that.

Cattle also bring in more than $13 billion annually to the Texas economy. Now that’s a lot of moola!

But there’s more.

Cattle provide insulin and other valuable medicines. Their fats and fatty acids are used to make deodorant, lotions, cement, chalk and candles.

Plastics, lamination, wallpaper, adhesives and more are made from hooves and horns.

Cattle hair is used for air filters, brushes, insulation and felt. Bones are used for charcoal, fertilizer and glass. Their internal organs are even used to make instrument strings, tennis racket strings, vitamins and more!

Byproducts of the hide include medicines, leather, gelatin, flavorings and adhesives.

And if you’re concerned about the impact of cattle on the environment? Don’t be. Cattle only count for about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, the staggering majority of greenhouse gases are due to transportation and electricity production.

Cattle are also the ultimate recyclers. They eat the byproducts of ethanol in your car, the cotton t-shirt you wear and even the beer in your glass. Without cattle, hundreds of thousands of pounds of byproducts would end up as waste in landfills. Instead, cattle can convert them into tasty protein.

They even upcycle land that is unsuitable for human food consumption and sequester carbon while doing so.

Eating beef, and all meat, is a choice—free of climate guilt. Bite into these five facts that show you beef is much “greener” than you’ve been led to believe.