Farm & Ranch
Ranching Down Under
By Samantha Hall
You could say the cotton industry in Australia has had somewhat of a rollercoaster ride since cotton seed was first introduced to Australia in 1788. Most of the lows occurred in the early years and most of the failed cotton crops seemed to stem from a severe lack of knowledge of cotton, ranging from planting times to fear of the unknown to what climate conditions best favoured cotton production.
In 1920 the owner of the local Narrabri newspaper “The Courier” had his own idea. He persuaded the Department of Agriculture to distribute packets of cotton, linseed, and tobacco seed for use in trial plots. The cotton thrived in the Namoi Valley, but the venture was discouraged due to risky rainfall supply and lack of cheap labour. In actual fact, after many tried and failed cotton crops, the cotton industry had become almost non-existent by the 1950s. To read more pick up the May 2016 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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