Farm & Ranch
Plants Toxic to Livestock
By Jessica Crabtree and Dr. Jered Harlan, DVM
More than 100 species of toxic plants populate the pastures of Texas. These plants pose the number one threat to producers: death of livestock. Besides direct loss, the unfortunate presence offers an indirect loss in reduced conception rates, reduced weaning weights and overall reduced production. Warning signs can prevail in the form of animals off feed, losing weight and/or appearing unhealthy— poisonous plants may be the cause.
There may be some difficulty at diagnosis. Some toxic plants symptoms are easily indentified, while others go undetected other than death. Some can cause death within minutes while others take months. As a producer, the first step at the presentation of a dead cow is deciphering the cause, disease or toxic plant.
Toxic plants should be considered in situations of cattle loss if the forage supply in a pasture is sparse due to overgrazing, drought or poor season growth, if animals have been recently moved to a new location, if animals were released to the new pasture hungry, if herbicides have been used recently as a method of weed control, if the pasture has recently been fertilized with nitrogen or if a new forage source has been fed.
To read more pick up a copy of the December 2016 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922 today!
Acorns. (Courtesy photo)
Johnson grass. (Courtesy photo)
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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