Farm & Ranch
The Hardin Brothers: Experience is the Best Teacher
“Experience is the best teacher.” It is a phrase that has become common among the best business leaders and has perhaps never rung truer than with Danny and Ronnie Hardin.
Every Monday the brothers can be found at 203 TX-67 amidst the hustle and bustle of the Graham Livestock Commission as buyers gather to purchase cattle consigned by the hundreds of sellers who entrust their livelihood to them each week.
The auctioneer rapidly fires off, handlers push cattle among the groans of the animals, and the office staff stay busy answering the phone, while Danny and Ronnie are calm in the chaos ensuring it all runs without a hitch.
The scene of the Monday sale is not new to the brothers, who have been doing jobs at the same location since the tender ages of nine and 10. They worked throughout their teenage and young adulthood years, until they purchased the barn in 2013. Under their leadership, that is backed by more than 40 years of experience, the commission has played a vital role not only in the local cattle market but the community it serves.
To read more pick up a copy of the March 2022 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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