Farm & Ranch
Ranching Down Under
By Samantha Hall
Even though kangaroos are only found living wild in Australia, they can be identified by people almost all over the world by their long thick tails, strong back legs, long pointed ears and short fur. There are between 50 and 60 million kangaroos in Australia, which is twice the number of head of cattle found there. Kangaroos live and travel in mobs of up to 40 animals. The average size of a kangaroo is 5.25 feet from its head to rump and its tail adds on another 43.5 inches.
They weigh in around 200 pounds. When on the move, a kangaroo hops on its hind legs; a single hop can be more than 15 feet and they can travel up to 30 miles per hour.
Female kangaroos are known as jills, the males as jacks and the babies as joeys. Kangaroos are members of the marsupial family, and like all marsupials the joeys are born at a very early stage of development. The gestation period for a kangaroo is just 31 to 36 days. To read more pick up a copy of the September 2016 NTFR issue.
Farm & Ranch
Hazards of Backyard Poultry
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.
Farm & Ranch
Ag Elsewhere: Wyoming
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.
Farm & Ranch
Ag Elsewhere: Montana
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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