Examining horse excrement for parasites is not a routine part of research for Erin Oberhaus, an expert on equine reproduction at the LSU AgCenter.

Yet this new avenue of study offered Oberhaus a chance to gain insight into the seasonal pattern of intestinal parasites in horses and educate owners about the effects of overuse of deworming medication that can lead to dewormer resistance.

Out of habit and concern for the horse’s health, owners often follow outdated deworming schedules by deworming every two to three months, Oberhaus said. However, that overuse threatens the future effectiveness of dewormers as parasites develop resistance to the drugs.

“We’re not developing any new dewormers right now,” Oberhaus said. “There are no new compounds that are coming out.”

Research is at the heart of the mission of the AgCenter. Scientists across the organization study many facets of agriculture so the people of Louisiana can be better prepared to raise healthy horses, generate income from crops and livestock, and live better lives.

Solid data from the AgCenter and the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine could alter the habits of horse owners, Oberhaus thought. Over 2021 and 2022, she collaborated with Adriano Vatta, a parasitologist at LSU Vet Med, and Neely Heidorn, the AgCenter state horse specialist, to study whether horses could carry large numbers of parasites and still not need deworming.

The research, funded by the Equine Health Studies Program at LSU Vet Med, one of the premier veterinary biomedical research programs in the country, included two studies. Results from a study focused on parasite loads carried by horses at the AgCenter Doyle Chambers Central Research Station appear in this issue of Louisiana Agriculture. Another study on the effects of metabolic syndrome, or insulin dysregulation, on dewormer effectiveness is in the works.

Oberhaus and Heidorn provide education regarding current recommended deworming practices and, while some horse owners see the benefit in the new strategies, others are slow to adopt change. Recent surveys of Louisiana horse owners reveal that a large percentage of respondents still deworm every two to three months.

“It’s important to maintain the efficacy of our current dewormers; otherwise we may find ourselves without them,” Oberhaus said. “It’s also important to understand that all grazing animals, including horses, will likely always have some intestinal parasite load. It is not our goal to eliminate them.”

Data from the collaboration suggest that horses can maintain larger numbers of parasites and remain healthy. Read more about the study on page 18.

Also in this issue of Louisiana Agriculture, AgCenter researcher M.P. Hayes explains how agricultural producers can use ponds to generate electricity, one example of “innovative yet practical research” he is undertaking.

“The scalable nature of this demonstration project makes the science more accessible for stakeholders to understand the potential benefits in the rapidly growing field of renewable energy,” he said. “We see this project as a stepping stone to future sustainability in agricultural energy and water conservation.”

Other articles in this issue feature nutrition and community health efforts to educate Louisiana residents on reducing salt in their diets and the team members of Seeds to Success: The Louisiana Farm to School Program, who are working to teach children all over the state about growing food.

Read more in these pages and online at LSUAgCenter.com.

Kyle Peveto is the editor of Louisiana Agriculture and a writer in AgCenter Communications.

This article appears in the fall 2024 edition of Louisiana Agriculture.

Researcher Erin Oberhaus walks with a horse at the LSU AgCenter Doyle Chambers Central Research Station in Baton Rouge. Photo by Olivia McClure