Countermeasures for Equine Laminitis
Summary
Laminitis is a painful, disabling, common and costly disease of the horse and pony. Both the digestive and metabolic forms of laminitis (commonly referred to as founder) are linked to nutrition. This presentation discusses the most current science based information focusing on stategies to help reduce the occurrence of equine laminitis through the management of nutritionally related risk factors associated with pastures, hays, feeds and the animals themselves.
Presenter Information
Dr. McIntosh is the Extension Horse Specialist for the University of Tennessee, headquartered at Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Her main role is to develop and implement adult and youth equine educational programs throughout Tennessee. In 1997, she earned her B.A. in Biology from Hollins College where she was a member of the I.H.S.A. team, and also showed hunter/jumpers in local and ‘A’ rated shows. After that in 2003, she graduated with her M.S. in Animal Science with a concentration in Equine, also from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where she studied alkanes as markers to determine feed intake and digestibility in horses. Finally, Dr. McIntosh earned her Ph.D. in Animal Science with a concentration in Equine from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2006.
Dr. McIntosh was awarded the John Lee Pratt Fellowship in Animal Nutrition to study carbohydrate profiles in feeds and forages, and the avoidance of equine laminitis. Throughout the years, she has been involved with several aspects of the horse industry. After growing up on a horse farm in upstate New York where she began showing ponies at age 7, Dr. McIntosh continued riding and showing horses through her college years. Currently, Dr. McIntosh competes in the hunter/jumpers, and also enjoys foxhunting. She is an active member of various professional organizations, including the Equine Science Society and the American Society of Animal Science.
Watch the recorded webcast below!