Name: Kelly Prince

From: Parkersburg, West Virginia

Degrees and institute where received:

BS, Equine Science and Management, the University of Kentucky (2009-2013)

Currently working on MS in Integrated Plant and Soil Science from the University of Kentucky

Kelly Prince chose to attend the University of Kentucky (UK) for her undergraduate degree because of the equine science and management program, opportunities for immersion into the equine industry, and potential resources and networking the university could provide. Going into her senior year, Prince began an internship with Ray Smith, PhD, professor and forage extension specialist at UK and the UK Horse Pasture Evaluation Program. During that time, she assisted with research and field evaluations of Kentucky horse farms to improve pasture management and discovered an interest in research and extension as well as forages and their effect on equine nutrition.

Prince’s current research project is focused on evaluating the carbohydrate variation of pasture forages. The project aims to expand the understanding of carbohydrate variation in pastures to help better manage horses that require low- or high-carbohydrate diets. Because this research is interdisciplinary, Prince has the opportunity to work with a diverse group of researchers including Laurie Lawrence, PhD, professor of equine nutrition in animal and food science at UK; Isabelle Kagan, PhD, a researcher with the USDA Agricultural Research Service; and Ben Goff, PhD, an assistant professor in plant and soil science at UK.

“The objective of our study is to evaluate the effects of cool-season forage grass and legume cultivars, soil fertility, climatic, and seasonal and diurnal variation on carbohydrate accumulation in pastures,” Prince said.

Methods for the research involve quantifying water-soluble carbohydrates and ethanol-soluble carbohydrates from 10 cool-season grass cultivars, which represent four different species, and four cool-season legume cultivars, which represent two different species. To evaluate diurnal (daily cycle) and seasonal effects, samples are being taken from research plots located on UK’s Maine Chance Research Farm twice daily, every other week, from April through October. Fertility treatments were also applied, and weather data is being collected to evaluate fertility of the plants and environmental effects.

“I value the importance of my thesis research not only in aiding the understanding of carbohydrates in forages, but in the consequential impacts to animal and pasture management for health and disease purposes, specifically equine laminitis,” Prince said. “Understanding how carbohydrate levels in pastures fluctuate by the time of day, season, soil fertility, and weather will greatly aid in managing horses with laminitis or other metabolic issues and potentially reduce the risk for such conditions.”

This summer, Prince took an ecology of grazing lands systems class, which concluded with a trip to the southwestern United States to explore grazing systems. The class stopped at a new location every day, moving from Dallas, Texas through New Mexico and ending in Denver, Colorado. They explored research stations, producer ranches, conservation centers, and wildlife and national parks.

Prince has assisted in other equine and plant research projects during her time at UK. One that stood out in particular was a project looking at ensiling (turning grass into silage) effects on viability of marestail, red clover, and tall fescue seed. After completing her degree, Prince hopes to work in academia and combine her interests of research, teaching, and extension.

Author: Hannah Forte