Eastern tent caterpillars have begun to hatch, with the first detections in Southern Kentucky last week. According to entomologists in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the caterpillars, which can cause foal losses, are expected in Central Kentucky by this or next week and Northern Kentucky a few days to a week after that.

The UK Ag Weather Center’s degree day (DD) model for alfalfa weevil indicates that many counties in Kentucky are likely to exceed 190 DD (used as a starting point to begin scouting) by the third week of March. Once temperature accumulations reach 190 DD, growers are advised to look at their alfalfa fields and begin alfalfa weevil larval counts.

A University of Kentucky student is conducting research to better understand the relationships between historical horse race wagering, live race wagering and purses at Kentucky racetracks.

Lutz Goehring, PhD, Warren Wright, Sr. – Lucille Wright Markey Endowed Chair in Equine Infectious Diseases at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center, will replace Peter Timoney MVB, PhD, FRCVS, recently retired professor and Frederick Van Lennep Chair in Equine Veterinary Science at the Gluck Center,  as OIE Reference Laboratories expert for equine rhinopneumonitis (EHV-1), according to an official communication from the OIE.

Renovate means to renew and improve. This publication discusses managing a pasture or hay field that has become less productive and renovating or “renewing” it so that it will become more productive. In Kentucky, this usually means adding lime and fertilizer, controlling weeds, and planting an adapted legume such as red clover and/or ladino white clover. The primary benefits of renovation come as a result of getting legumes established in grass-dominated fields.

The University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has opened its search for chair of the Department of Veterinary Science and director of the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center.

Joro spiders, which are the size of a human palm and can fall from great heights, should pose little concern for most Kentuckians. Jonathan Larson, University of Kentucky entomologist, does not expect the large spider to appear in the state this year.  

Exhausted horse syndrome refers to a range of metabolic and physiologic conditions that may occur when horses become fatigued. Affected horses may display a decrease in energy, appetite or appear stiff and weak. In serious cases, cardiac arrhythmias, shock, muscle damage, colic and diarrhea may develop. Horses that are under-conditioned, performing in endurance events or exercised in hot or humid environments are at higher risk for exhaustion. If exercise is not immediately halted and treatment initiated, then life-threatening complications may occur.

Horse pastures are fertilized to ensure a reliable supply of energy, protein, and other nutrients for a long season of grazing. Management of plant nutrients maintains a balance of improved grasses and legumes and suppresses many pasture weeds. Properly fertilized pastures look good and harm neither animals nor the environment.

Most of the tall fescue growing in Kentucky is colonized by the tall fescue endophyte, a fungus which causes disorders in livestock that feed on the infected grass. The animal disease syndrome is called fescue toxicosis, which some researchers estimate may cost Kentucky producers over $200 million yearly. This problem can be greatly reduced by identifying the infected fields and replacing them with endophyte-free or novel endophyte tall fescue varieties or by managing them in a way to minimize the impact of the endophyte on herd productivity. One of the simplest ways to reduce toxicity symptoms in cattle is add red and white clover to existing tall fescue stands.