Farm & Ranch
Biosecurity
By Barry Whitworth, DVM
Recent events such as African Swine Fever in China, Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea at the Oklahoma Youth Expo and Virulent Newcastle Disease in California have shown how vulnerable livestock operations and events are.
These and other diseases could have a devastating impact on livestock producers in the state. The best defense against these threats is a good biosecurity plan. If producers do not have a biosecurity protocol, they need to develop one and if they have one, they should review it.
What is biosecurity? “Bio” is life and “security” is protection. Biosecurity is the development and implementation of management procedures to reduce or prevent unwanted threats from entering a herd or flock. The protocol is designed to reduce or prevent the spread of these threats through the herd or flock if a pathogen does enter the herd or flock. Lastly, a biosecurity plan is designed to prevent the threat from infecting neighboring livestock operations.
To read more pick up a copy of the September 2019 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
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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