Farm & Ranch

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

Published

4 years ago

July 2, 2020

NTFR

By Rayford Pullen

The dog days of summer are upon us, and now, in my opinion, would be a great time to devote some time to your family. During my lifetime it may have been a trip to Turner Falls, Six Flags (which I plan to do every 50 years), going to the coast, fishing in a local lake, floating down a river, or just doing something local as a family that was special. It doesn’t have to be anything expensive, but it is the effort that makes a difference to those involved.

It’s certainly been a strange year thus far with the mesquites getting the leaves frozen off, weeds coming out later and the markets being so screwed up due to the world events being propagated by someone trying to prove a point, in my opinion. Now with the markets recovering to a point we can actually live with, it’s time to give some thought to making sure our cattle perform for us in such a way we can actually see a positive return.

To read more pick up a copy of the July 2020 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.