Farm & Ranch

Meanwhile back at the Ranch…

Published

6 years ago

September 25, 2018

NTFR

By Rayford Pullen

It finally cooled off, and we have received some much-needed rain at our place at Bellevue in North Central Texas. Cattle are looking better; the prospects of having early winter grazing from our ryegrass is good, the grass is growing, and hopefully our fellow producers will make that last cutting and avoid having to pay for all the high-priced hay being offered.

The cattle markets have not been too friendly the past couple of years, but as we have all witnessed over the years, that too shall change and hopefully for the better.

Just a thought. In my travels to the many trade shows, conventions, etc., I can tell I am talking to a non-Texan when I tell them I am from North Texas and they think I must be from around Amarillo. I then explain that while that is farther north in Texas than I am, that is the panhandle of Texas, not North Texas.

You get to North Texas before you get to the panhandle. Why do those Yankees insist upon saying they are from up-state New York as opposed to just North New York? We don’t live in up-state Texas, do we?

Back on the ranch, fall calving has been in high gear, and again we are seeing birth weights running five to six pounds lighter that we did with our spring born (in the middle of winter) calves, and while I’m not as smart as I am supposed to be, if one of you educated, smart and or intelligent folks know the reason, I would surely like to know why, so drop me a note.

With our grass being green here in September, it will really help getting our cows in shape to breed back later this fall and early winter. Breed back is all about nutrition and body condition, and around here we totally rely on our forages to provide the resource to do just that.

To read more pick up a copy of the October 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

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.