Main description:

Horse Pasture Management, Second Edition provides updated coverage on strategies for managing behavior, grouping, environments and feeding needs of grazing horses. Sections cover the structure, function and identification of forages, continuing into nutritional value of pasture plants. Management of soil, the function of a pasture ecosystem and management of plants in a pasture is covered next, followed by forage yield determination, horse grazing behavior, feed choices of horses, management of grazing horses, and how to calculate how many horses should be grazing relative to land size. Advantages of grazing more than one species of animal are described.

Management of hay and silage are included since year-round grazing is not possible on many horse farms. Several chapters deal with interactions of a horse farm with the environment, including climate and weather and other living things. The book also covers strategies for managing manure, erosion, and water quality. It is ideal for researchers, scientists and students involved in animal science, specifically equine studies. Agriculturists, equine managers and veterinarians will also find this book useful.

Contents:

1. Forage Plant Structure, Function, Nutrition, and Growth
2. Identification of Temperate Pasture Grasses and Legumes
3. Nutritional Value of Pasture Plants for Horses
4. Soils for Horse Pasture Management
5. Introduction to Pasture Ecology
6. Pasture Plant Establishment and Management
7. Forage Yield and Its Determinations
8. Grazing Behavior, Feed Intake, and Feed Choices
9. Managing Equine Grazing for Pasture Productivity
10. Mixed Species Grazing
11. Production and Management of Hay and Haylage
12. Climate, Weather, and Plant Hardiness
13. Matching Plant Species to Your Environment, Weather, and Climate
14. Managing Manure, Erosion, and Water Quality in and Around Horse Pastures
15. Fencing and Water Systems
16. Pasture-Related Diseases and Disorders
17. Coexisting with Wildlife
18 University of Kentucky Horse Pasture Evaluation Program
19. Identification and Control of Weeds and Toxic Plants
20. Relative Advantages of Various Forages
21. Unique Pasture Situations for the Southern United States
22. The Role of Horse Farms in Sustainability Contribution and Reducing Climate Change