Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile…back on the ranch
By Rayford Pullen
If you’ve been living in a cave the past few months, let me be the first to let you know that the cattle market has softened quite a bit and that’s the bad news. The good news is the market is still good and we can make a decent living, but our margins will be slimmer and we will have to more careful managing our overhead.
Here at Pullen Angus we have completed our fall calving, both cows and first calf heifers, and we have gotten along fairly well, but despite our effort, we still lose the occasional calf to dystocia or being still-born. Our birth weight were fairly low, most being in the 65-75 pound range, but the calves with the bad presentations, where feet and or heads are turned the wrong way, will also present a challenge. To read more pick up the November issue of NTFR.
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.
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.
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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