Farm & Ranch

National Ranching Heritage Center Hosts Inaugural Quailapalooza

Published

9 years ago

March 31, 2015

NTFR

DATE: March 30, 2015
CONTACT: Sue Jones, [email protected]
(806) 834-2646

National Ranching Heritage Center Hosts Inaugural Quailapalooza
With the quail being an important part of the South Plains ecosystem, children will have the opportunity to learn more about this bird.

Children 6-12 years old will have a hands-on opportunity to see how scientists study quail during the inaugural Quailapalooza from 1-3:30 p.m. April 18 at the National Ranching Heritage Center (NRHC) at Texas Tech University.

“For many ranchers, the northern bobwhite quail is a treasured rangeland inhabitant,” said Brad Dabbert, a Texas Tech University professor of natural resources management who will share his knowledge with some of the area’s youngest students. “Unfortunately, bobwhite populations are declining throughout their historic range in Texas.”

The NRHC will partner with the Department of Natural Resources Management at Texas Tech to host a hands-on educational presentation for children focusing on Northern Bobwhite Quail and the science behind studying this ecology.

Dabbert and Texas Tech graduate students will give participants the opportunity to see live adult quail and chicks, learn about thermal cameras and radiotelemetry, observe a quail nest and eggs, learn what quail eat and how scientists capture them, and see how scientists use cameras to study bobwhites and quail predators.

The program is free to NRHC Junior Roughriders and $5 for non-members. Limited space is available. To register for the event, contact NRHC Director of Educational Programs Julie Hodges at (806) 742-0498 or [email protected].

Supported by the Ranching Heritage Association and Texas Tech, the NRHC is a unique 27-acre museum and historical park offering educational programs and exhibits to promote interest in ranching history and contemporary ranching issues. Located at 3121 4th St., the center provides 49 authentic dwellings and ranch structures from some of the nation’s most historic ranches.

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CONTACT: Julie Hodges, director of education programs, National Ranching Heritage Center, Texas Tech University, (806) 742-0498 or [email protected]

Farm & Ranch

Hazards of Backyard Poultry

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2024

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.