Farm & Ranch
Why don’t some cows breed back?
By Rayford Pullen
Why don’t some cows breed back? Why do calves die?
This is your question for the month, and please gives it some thought.
Culling open cows and/or heifers that don’t breed back in a timely fashion is a tough challenge. I will admit that in the case of heifers, we are a lot more forgiving than for cows. It is not unusual for us to move a first-calf heifer from a spring calver to a fall calver or vice versa. With the cost to produce and keep first-calf heifers, culling them after that first calf is pretty tough and I guess we are just not that tough. Now if she doesn’t breed when moved, she will be culled as we know that pattern will usually continue for her life time.
To read more pick up the December 2014 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
Farm & Ranch
Hazards of Backyard Poultry
By Barry Whitworth, DVM
Having backyard poultry is a popular agriculture enterprise. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 0.8 percent of all households in the United States have chickens. People keep chickens for a variety of reasons with table eggs being one of the more common reasons.
Unfortunately, some of these poultry producers are not aware of the hazards that come with keeping poultry because many times they carry pathogens but appear healthy.
Chickens are carriers of several zoonotic diseases. These are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. According to a recent survey in Pennsylvania, a majority of backyard poultry producers were aware of the dangers of avian influenza. However, this study also revealed that far fewer producers were aware of the risk of possible exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter.
The lack of knowledge about the hazards of raising poultry likely contributes to the continued issues of Salmonella outbreaks associated with backyard poultry. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,072 illnesses of Salmonella linked to backyard poultry, and 272 of those patients required hospitalization. Oklahoma reported 43 individuals with the disease.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Farm & Ranch
Ag Elsewhere: Wyoming
By Tressa Lawrence
Babies are tucked away in every nook and cranny. Many ranchers across Wyoming have baby animals popping up all over this time of year.
Farm & Ranch
Ag Elsewhere: Montana
By Lindsey Monk
Another load of grain in to keep feeding the calves until the green grass can really start popping.
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