Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile…back on the ranch
By Rayford Pullen
The spring calving this winter has been exciting. If you think cold, wet and miserable is exciting, you would be ecstatic around here.
While the mature cow herd seems to handle these conditions in fine fashion, the first-calf heifers are another story.
At this time, February 26, we have saved all but one of the 36 calves born out of our first-calf heifers. Considering that one heifer had twins, we are running a 100 percent calf crop and the heifer that lost the calf, due to a leg being turned backwards and unable to get the calf out, has taken up with the extra twin.
This all leads up to sharing what we have done to increase our odds of survivability of our calves out of first-calf heifers and there are several things we are doing that we believe help.
To read more pick up the April 2015 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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