I was flipping through channels the other night and came across a topic I haven’t heard about in a very long time. Current reports are that the West Nile Virus is making an appearance again this year, with cases reported in 31 states. The report showed that Ohio was not on their infection map, but Pennsylvania and West Virginia were. I think back to the early 2000’s when I first started with Extension in Fayette County. West Nile was first found in New York in 1999, and slowly spread across the country. There was a lot of education that needed to happen then. Fortunately, we are better prepared now with several educational resources and an effective vaccine for our horses.
West Nile is a virus that is of primary concern for birds and horses. There are over 250 species of birds that can serve as a reservoir for the virus, but crows, ravens, and blue jays seem to be those that are most susceptible, with mortality rates ranging from 20 to 60%. Mosquitos serve as the vector that transmits the virus from birds to other hosts however there is no threat of transmission from horse to humans or other livestock. In horses, the clinical signs of the virus can vary from mild, flu-like, symptoms to more severe neurological symptoms such as fever-induced brain swelling. Horses may show no clinical signs when mildly infected, but on the extreme end they can show loss of appetite, depression, stumbling, muscle twitching, partial paralysis, impaired vision, head pressing, teeth grinding, aimless wandering, convulsions, circling, and an inability to swallow. There can eventually be paralysis, and potential death.
Fortunately, there is a reliable vaccine that can be a part of your annual herd health program. As always, I highly recommend you consult with your veterinarian to develop a program that meets the needs of your livestock. Since mosquitos are the vector from birds to horses and potential humans, you should attempt to limit their breeding sites. This is focused on eliminating standing water around your barns and other housing areas. You can remove any old tires, turn buckets upside down, and regularly change the water in water troughs. Stocking fish in your ponds, even the decorative ponds around your home, will lower populations. If your veterinarian indicates that the threat is indeed high, you may be encouraged to bring your horse in at dawn and dusk. For yourself, the use of mosquito repellant sprays and scent deterrents can be beneficial.
I want to stress again that West Nile infections have not been reported in Ohio. My goal was to use this as an example that you never know what illness may pop up from year to year. You should work to establish a doctor/client/patient relationship with a veterinarian to develop a herd health program that best suits the needs of your animals and your operation.
On September 4th, I will host a Livestock Forages Field Night and pasture walk at the OSU Beef Facility, on Apple Creek Road from 6:00 to 8:30 PM. The program will cover technologies for the measurement of individual animal water intake, the relationship between water consumption and forage intake, grazing behaviors of ruminant livestock, and pasture management. Reservations are not required but we ask that you make a courtesy reservation by calling the OSU Extension Office – Wayne County at 330-264-8722.
***(UPDATE: You may still register, however this event has been Postponed with a new date TBD)***
In addition to these programs, we have begun planning a full line-up of educational opportunities throughout the fall and winter season. These would include: OSU Ag Lenders Seminar, Stored Grain Management Webinar Series, Small Ruminant Dystocia Management Clinic, Cattle Dystocia Management Clinic, 2025 Ag Outlook Seminar, Commodity Marketing Workshop, OSU Agronomy School, and our annual private pesticide applicators and fertilizer applicators recertification meetings. I would encourage you to keep an eye on our event calendar for OSU Extension – Wayne County at https://wayne.osu.edu for program announcements as these are finalized. As always, if you have any livestock, forages, or farm management questions, don’t hesitate to give me a call at 330-264-8722 or email me at yost.77@osu.edu.
John Yost is an Extension Educator IV, Agriculture and Natural Resources, at OSU Extension-Wayne County.
This article was previously published in The Daily Record.