Looking out for barn cats on National Feral Cat Day

Got barn kitties? October 16 is National Feral Cat Day in the United States. This animal welfare awareness day, established in 2001 by Alley Cat Allies, aims at promoting feline population control nationwide. The group urges veterinary professionals to participate in low-cost feral cat sterilization programs, in the hope of preventing undomesticated cats from overbreeding. 

 “The veterinary community plays an essential role in the humane treatment of community cats both by serving as a resource for the public, and also by providing direct veterinary care and spay/neuter services through Trap-Neuter-Return programs,” said Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies. “This National Feral Cat Day, we encourage veterinarians to mobilize their communities with the knowledge and resources to help save cats’ lives.”

National Feral Cat Day organizers encourage local individuals and groups to practice Trap-Neuter-Return or Shelter-Neuter-Return programs. So far, hundreds of American communities reportedly participate in such efforts. Annual events include volunteer-led spay/neuter clinics, educational workshops, official governmental proclamations, and fundraising to support local Trap-Neuter-Return and Shelter-Neuter-Return programs.

There’s even a National Feral Cat Day coloring page.

“Trap-Neuter-Return is the only humane, effective approach to care for community cats. Cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and eartipped and then returned to their outdoor home,” reads a National Feral Cat Day statement.

“These major programs would not be possible without the veterinarians and veterinary technicians who work or volunteer in spay/neuter clinics or accept community cats into their practices,” Robinson added. “But we can still do more to enlist the support of vets nationwide, and that is why Alley Cat Allies is calling on the veterinary community to get involved this National Feral Cat Day and help increase awareness and education about community cats.”

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National Feral Cat Day promotional artwork / logo and coloring page – fair use

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Equestrian terms: What is a broodmare?

If a mare is a female horse (or other equid), then what is a broodmare?

A broodmare, quite simply, is a mare that is used for breeding. A broodmare most often is kept exclusively for the purpose of producing equine offspring (foals), although some broodmares may also be ridden.

Broodmares may require special care and feeding, with additional veterinary visits scheduled for pregnancy checks and monitoring and with customized nutritional programs. Often, a mare that previously was shod will go without shoes, once she becomes a broodmare and is devoted primarily to breeding.

The gestation period for an equine is approximately 11 months, so many successful broodmares are re-bred (in heat) within a month or two after foaling, if all goes according to plan. Because an equine foal is usually not weaned for several months after birth, the broodmare may be rebred while still having a baby at her side. 

Top broodmares are generally valued for their proficiency at carrying healthy foals to term and transmitting excellent pedigrees, athleticism, and conformation to their offspring.

Image/s:

Public domain photo

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Equestrian terms: What is a brand?

Speaking of horses, what is a brand?

First, equine brands and breeds are very different things, although non-horsey folks often confuse the two.

A brand is a man-made marking, placed upon the body of a horse for identification purposes.

The word “breed” pertains to the type of horse one is discussing, such as Appaloosa, Bashkir Curly, Connemara, Dartmoor, Exmoor, or Falabella.

Often, young horses are branded at breed inspections, so that they bear the official logo of the equine breed to which they have been approved. For example, a horse may be branded to  identify him or her as an approved Haflinger, Hanoverian, Holsteiner, Irish Sport Horse, Oldenburg, Rheinland Pfalz-Sarr, Selle-Francais, Shagya-Arab, Trakehner, Warmblood or other breed. Some horses may receive extra branding elements to indicate preferred status, as with certain Freesians.

This article originally appeared on another publisher’s site, which is no longer open. All rights reverted to the author, so it appears here with full permission.

Horse breeders may brand horses with their own trademarks as well. Individual equine breeding operations may register their own logo brands for identification purposes.

Equine branding is usually performed with a hot iron, which burns through the horse’s fur (usually on the hip or shoulder) to the skin, leaving a permanent marking. This process is much like that used to mark cattle and other livestock. In fact, livestock owners have branded their animals since ancient times.

Horses may also be freeze-branded. This process is commonly used in wild horse management and as an anti-theft safeguard for horse owners. Freeze-branded horses are usually marked with registered codes identifying them for ownership, even as racehorses may be tattooed for identification purposes. This type of equine branding is frequently performed upon the animal’s neck.

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Freeze-Branded Mustang –

Branded Palomino Quarter Horse –

Close-Up Mustang with Freeze Brand –

Creative Commons Licensing Photos

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