Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…
By Rayford Pullen
Fall officially begins in September each year and is the month in North Texas that we like to get our seed in the ground for our fall pastures. With growing days limited by shorter day length and colder temperatures, it is imperative to have our seedlings emerging as quickly as possible to take advantage of the really good temperatures and day length before they become our limiting factors in having our cool season annual pastures.
While our intentions are good, when we’re farming outdoors, we still have to deal with the weather, heat, rainfall and insects, such as armyworms. Now if you are in this business, you have got to be an optimist. The pessimists are not going to do anything because something bad could happen and, in fact, it does on occasion, but not to the extent we quit because it might happen. If you want to lessen your chances of something going wrong, farm indoors, get a greenhouse and find out you are in charge and if something does go wrong, it is probably your fault.
To read more pick up a copy of the September 2020 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
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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