The University of Kentucky's Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering has a unique structure. While students receive engineering degrees from the UK College of Engineering, administratively, the department is in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. This symbiotic alignment with two of UK's colleges often fosters a focus on agricultural and/or equine topics in the department's required two-semester capstone course.

Dr. Laurie Lawrence of the University of Kentucky describes recent equine nutrition research from her lab, from deciphering forage composition to monitoring obesity. She also shares common misconceptions about feeding horses.

MatMaCorp in Lincoln, Nebraska, developed a PCR device that was designed for veterinarians to run real time assays in the field. This self-contained device, which weighs 6 pounds and is the size of a laptop, can produce results within one to two hours. Ted Kalbfleisch, PhD, associate professor at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center, was a part of the collaborating team that led to the MatMaCorp device receiving emergency FDA approval for COVID-19 testing. 

University of Kentucky’s 10th annual UK Equine Showcase is underway virtually. The event is continuing the life journey theme initiated in 2020 and is emphasizing weanling to yearling horses, presenting both completed and work-in-progress projects relevant to this age group.

The University of Kentucky hosted the first session of its 10th annual Equine Research Showcase in a virtual setting Jan. 5. Scott Stanley, PhD, professor of analytical chemistry at the UK Gluck Equine Research Center kicked off the series and the evening’s session with a talk on therapeutic medication usage in performance horses, with a focus on bisphosphonates, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and other medicines in the juvenile horse.

University of Kentucky hosted the first session of its 10th annual UK Equine Research Showcase in a virtual setting Jan. 5. The session emphasized musculoskeletal topics in weanling to yearling horses and presented both completed and work-in-progress projects. Jennifer Janes, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, associate professor of anatomic pathology at UK’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory presented on bone pathology in equine Wobbler Syndrome during the session.

The University of Kentucky hosted the first session of its 10th annual UK Equine Research Showcase in a virtual setting Jan. 5. The session emphasized musculoskeletal topics in weanling to yearling horses and presented both completed and work-in-progress projects. James MacLeod, VMD, PhD, director of UK Ag Equine Programs and John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight chair at the Gluck Equine Research Center, rounded out the evening with a talk on sesamoid bone maturation and research underway in his laboratory and with collaborators.

Congratulations go out to Martin Nielsen, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVM, Schlaikjer professor of Equine Infectious Disease at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center for winning a Winnie Award for best educational film at the 2020 EQUUS Film and Arts Fest. Nielsen was recognized for for his series The Parasite Journey of The Horse. This is the second year in a row he has earned this award.

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension agents and Ag Equine Programs will host a virtual Pastures Please!! pasture management workshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m. EST on Jan. 26.

The beginning of a new year is a great time to set priorities for the rest of the year. Focusing some of our efforts on improved pasture management could potentially have positive impacts on our horses, our wallets and the environment. Like many resolutions, it is a yearlong undertaking that requires advanced planning.

The University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center has released a white paper and video recordings of its Nocardioform Placentitis Panel from the fall, just in time for the 2021 breeding season.