Farm & Ranch
The Value of Fly Control
By Lindsay Allen
April showers may bring May flowers, but that’s not the only “gift” from Mother Nature that farmers and ranchers should be expecting. Spring and then summer will bring flies to cattle herds and while they may be small in size, they are large in number and could create large costs for your operation, if not treated and/or prevented.
Horn and face flies can lead to decreased weight gain, lowered milk production and even pinkeye. It has been reported that flies can cost the beef industry up to hundreds of millions of dollars annually, with some reports saying $800 million a year.
If you own one cow or 1,000 cows, you know flies are not just a pesky nuisance to your operation, but a serious insect to prevent and treat.
The horn fly poses huge threats to your operation as it does suck blood, feeding up to 30 times a day in its three-week life span. This creates reduced performance for your herd and added cost. To read more pick up a copy of the August 2016 issue.
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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