Healthy horses have millions of beneficial microorganisms located all over their bodies. These beneficial microbes are in harmonious balance and go unnoticed until disease-causing bacteria to upset the balance. Unfortunately one of the issues on today's farms is high stocking rates of the same animal class can cause internal parasites. This is a common problem on small blocks that have horses. Often the stocking rate is high, and the pasture management is not high, fertility management is often non existent, pastures are old and as a result animal health issues develop.In addition pastures and feeds contain only a small portion of the beneficial micro-organisms that horses require as part of their regular diet to be healthy.
A good option is to introduce EM (Effective Micro-Organisms) to these farms. EM is fully organic and made up of beneficial, healthy, live microbes that are safely and conveniently packaged to restore the balance of the environment in which they are used. This will enable the following problems to be addressed:
- Internal Parasites will be reduced significantly
- Microbial activity will be enhanced which will provide a “fertilizing” effect.
- Fertilizer requirement will be much lower
- Manure will be broken down faster
- Health issues will be reduced significantly
Management Recommendations
- Harrowing Dung plus EM-Ready to use applications
Combine the harrowing operation with an EM-Ready to use application.
Monthly harrowing with EM-Ready to use application @ 20 litres per ha is a very good option for providing a fertlising effect and dealing with internal parasites. See attached note for producing EM-Ready to use. (develop a sprayer to fit on tractor or ute 12 volt low pressure)
- Collecting dung and treating with EM-Ready to use
This option involves collecting the Dung, putting into a drum or tank and adding both water and EM-Ready to use. This could be operated like a septic tank…adding fresh manure weekly or whenever. Then adding EM-Ready to use weekly or monthly and then decanting weekly or monthly and this is added back to the paddocks as a fertilizer.
I imagine 2 tanks or drums….one higher than the other and with an outlet at about halfway from the top drum flowing into the second drum. The top drum has the manure added and the lower drum will just have the liquid manure flowing into it. This drum will be decanted for applying to the paddock. Some stirring equipment could be added to the first drum.
This option is more labour intensive and also needs sprayer equipment. However this could be used for commercial collection and application to horse farms. This option would require quite a large capital input.
Please contact us for more information as to how microbes can play a beneficial role in animal husbandry. EM is a cost-effective means to maintain horse well-being and improve stable conditions.
