Farm & Ranch
Stocking Rate: Should I be that concerned? – Volume 4
By contributing writer Tony Dean
A challenging decision, but one we can make.
In the past three editions of North Texas Farm and Ranch we have been discussing the importance of a rancher being able and willing to set a correct stocking rate on his land. Deciding on the number of acres to allow for each grazing animal is one of the most important and far reaching management decisions he will make due to the effect, both long term and short term, that it has on the land itself and the economics of the ranching operation.
It is a challenge to arrive at an annual stocking rate that is high enough to reach financial goals, but low enough to sustain or improve rangeland health. The rancher who can find that balance is a true conservationist. But in the long term, running too many cattle is just not sustainable due to the damage that eventually occurs to the pastures. To read more pick up the August 2014 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
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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