ProRodeo Sports News June 14th, 2019

Lasers, chiropractic among treatment options for stock Advanced Care LIVESTOCK WELFARE

BY TRACY RENCK T he sport of rodeo is constantly evolving – especially for stock contractors and the care of their animals. Animals are the lifeblood of stock contractors, and they need to be treated with the utmost care. Some of that care involves entering the world of new technology, including laser therapy. Laser therapy has been adopted as an essential pain management tool by athletic trainers in most major league sports franchises in the United States, as well as by many Olympic teams. Trainers claim that elite athletes who are injured make faster comebacks when they are given laser therapy treatment. Animal athletes can fall into that same category. HEALING THROUGH LASER THERAPY Jacel Andrews, wife of third-generation stock contractor Sammy Andrews, of Andrews Rodeo Company, saw the benefits of laser therapy through personal experience. “I broke my (left) leg working cows last October,” Jacel said. “Someone recommended Jaime Del Collins, who was at the South Point (during the Wrangler NFR). Friends told me I should have her laser my leg every day and it would help speed up the recovery and help with the blood flow. After having the treatments, I noticed immediately my leg wasn’t as tight and wasn’t as sore, and I had more movement in my ankle.” Del Collins is a veterinary sales rep at Multi Radiance Medical, a company based in Solon, Ohio. “We talked to her about things, and then we talked to another stock contractor who was using laser therapy on their animals and they said it was really great for horn infections or any kind of infections with your stock,” Jacel said. “We decided it would be a great thing to use on our stock.” The first time Jacel and her husband used laser

Photo courtesy Andrews Rodeo Co. Jacel Andrews, wife of third-generation stock contractor Sammy Andrews, performs laser therapy on Andrews Rodeo Company’s saddle bronc horse C27 Fire Lane.

30 minutes and lasts about 24 hours. “The laser therapy seems to take away the soreness, stimulates the blood flow and enhances the performance of (the horses and bulls),” said Sammy, who has been a PRCA stock contractor for more than 30 years. “We also use it to prolong the life of the older horses. We just started using the laser therapy this year, and we have been pleased with it. You are in the playoffs year-round with your animals. If they have a bad out, it might get them nixed for the NFR, so you always want your animals in the best shape.” In addition to laser therapy, Sammy Andrews has had chiropractic treatment done on his horses and bulls for more than a decade by LeWayne

therapy was on their older horses like C27 Fire Lane, Trophy Wife and Lock-N-Load. They did it during the RAMTexas Circuit Finals Rodeo (Jan. 3-5) inWaco, Texas. “We also had a bull with a horn infection, and fromDay 1 we didn’t put any medication on it and washed it out and lasered it every day,” Jacel said. “Within five days the infection was closing. It was a big infection. Had we not used the laser, it could have taken the infection months to heal.” According to Sammy Andrews, they try and give roughstock animals laser therapy the day before performing at a rodeo. With the equipment in hand, Sammy administers the laser treatment to the animals. It usually takes

ProRodeo Sports News 6/14/2019

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