What is HorseNet?

What is Horsenet?

The program is led by the University of Illinois, Department of Animal Sciences in collaboration with other departments within the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) and the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Horsenet is an integrated, information access, technology transfer system for the purpose of addressing the needs of the horse sector within Illinois. There are two principle elements, focusing on information collection and dissemination, and the development of novel approaches to information delivery.

As an electronic communications and information system on the Internet, Horsenet takes advantage of the newest technologies to integrate up-to-date research information with traditional management practices. Horsenet also links other educational, association and industry related organizations to each other and to resources around the world. Horsenet provides an instantaneous method for asking questions and receiving answers from a panel of horse experts from a wide range of disciplines.

The "Current Topics" page is where some of the latest information and research findings from various discipline areas are discussed.

An "Ask the Expert" section allows producers to send a question to experts in such areas as nutrition, genetics, reproduction, buildings, ventilation, waste management, economics, veterinary medicine (horse health), business management, immunology, horse behavior and lactation biology. The question and answer exchange is shared on Horsenet for the benefit of all users. In the future Horsenet will be developed as a two-way system: Individuals can send information to Horsenet to be shared with all Horsenet users, and they can browse Horsenet to access the links to horse information around the world.

Horsenet is coordinated by Dr. Kevin H. Kline, and Debra J. Hagstrom, M.S. with the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois.