Attendees Kept a Busy Schedule at KER’s Team Member Conference - April 28-29, 2005

Those who attended the Kentucky Equine Research 2005 Spring Conference for Team Members took home lots of information from lectures, seminars, and workshops. They also had a chance to tour outstanding Thoroughbred farms, see an afternoon of racing at Keeneland, and attend the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, a top-level international competition.

KER Team Members evaluate body condition during the hands-on workshop.

The focus of the conference’s first day was the contributions of research in answering questions about practical nutrition management. KER president Dr. Joe Pagan began with an explanation of low-starch feeds. Research has shown that, for some horses with very specific metabolic disorders—tying-up, Cushing’s disease, metabolic syndrome--starch is not the safest energy source. Low-starch feeds have also been helpful in limiting the frequency of skeletal problems in young horses.

KER’s Dr. Kathleen Crandell outlined the use of high-fat feeds for horses in particular disciplines. “Horses that can benefit from high-fat feeds include those in endurance races, eventing, dressage, or any type of aerobic work,” she explained.

Dr. Larry Lawrence, who is conducting a study of bone development in young horses, detailed some of the research currently underway at KER to evaluate nutritional and management techniques that could positively influence bone strength as horses grow and mature.

The nutrition presentations were followed by a discussion designed to share ideas on marketing, customer service, and sales techniques. Representatives of three KER Team Member companies explained techniques that have helped them significantly increase their equine business.

Day two of the conference included treadmill demonstrations and a hands-on workshop on determining body condition and devising feed management plans to help a horse gain or lose weight. After lunch Evan Hammonds, managing editor of The Bloodhorse, treated conference delegates to a detailed explanation of how to pick a winner at the racetrack.

Advances in Equine Nutrition

This spring’s conference was also the debut of KER’s latest publication, Advances in Equine Nutrition, Volume III. This book, a compilation of lectures from the last three years of nutrition conferences, presents the most current equine nutrition research.

Information from the first 10 annual KER nutrition conferences has been compiled into Advances in Equine Nutrition, Volumes I and II. To order these publications in print or CD format click here. Additionally, many of the papers contained in these volumes are available from our online reference library.