Farm & Ranch
Signs of Spring
Photo and description by Jean Stimpson
Jean Stimpson said, “We had a long winter, more snow than we’ve had in years and below zero temps lasted longer than they should have. But with the purple mustard blooming brings the promise of spring.” The Montana native and rancher’s wife explained, “April temps are usually in the 40s and sometimes 50s. Calving should be getting close to being done so our next project will be branding.” In preparing for spring, Stimpson admitted, “We have gotten some bad spring storms in April, and there have been a few times we have branded in our winter coats and coveralls as it was spitting snow.” In all, the Montana ranchers are so thankful for the abundant amount of grass they should have this year to turn cows out onto in May.
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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