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Keeping Barns Clean
Cleaning a barn is one of those dreaded tasks. It certainly ranks at the top of the list with cleaning the garage and going to the dentist. At the end of a long day training horses, it's easy to give the barn a quick tidy up and leave it at that. But for Thoroughbred racehorses, this "lick and a promise" attitude can lead you down the wrong path. Not only can health issues arise from dirty barns, but performances can be affected as well. Inflammatory airway disease (IAD), which can include airway inflammation, airway hyperreactivity, and cough, affects 35-92% of stabled horses. Ongoing research indicates the likely cause of IAD is dirty stables. "The key health concern for racehorses is respiratory," said Dr. Ann Swinker, professor of equine science and extension horse specialist at Pennsylvania State University. "Therefore, keeping a barn clean means more than just sweeping the aisleways, having fresh bedding put in, and hauling the manure out. You have to look at air quality, the amount of dust, and a buildup of humidity." Dr. Jenifer Nadeau, equine extension specialist and assistant professor at the University of Connecticut, is currently conducting research on respiratory health in horses. Part of the study is measuring airflow in barns. She agreed that although keeping a barn clean is often the last thing we want to worry about, it's vital we do. "We know that a buildup of particulate matter (dust) affects the cilia in the lungs," she said. "Ammonia is just as harmful and can cause toxicity to tissues, which will begin dying. This will decrease the amount of lung function a horse will have available. So cleaning the barn correctly minimizes ammonia and cuts down on the dust in the air." Continue Reading [*PDF file, 1.42 MB download] *Adobe Reader is required to view PDF files. |
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