Farm & Ranch

AG Elsewhere : Montana

Published

6 years ago

February 28, 2018

NTFR

Photo & Description by Jean Stimpson

ICE, ICE…CHOP!

“Our temperature today as I write this is 10 degrees Fahrenheit,” said Montana rancher’s wife, Jean Stimpson in early February. Depicting the picture she said, “The creek freezes over and we have to chop ice for the cows to water. Besides feeding hay everyday when the temps drop into the single digits, we also feed straw before it gets dark. It gives them warm bedding to lay on and a little something to munch on.” Stimpson added, “It’s interesting to watch the cows when it gets really cold, they group-up and mill around each other, working their way from the middle to the outside as the ones in the middle warm up and move to the outside to allow those to push to the middle so they can warm up.” As March arrives, temperatures can get up into the 30s and 40s, which then causes the ice on the creek to start breaking up. However, Stimpson said that can cause other problems, like when trying to cross the creek or ice jams, causing flooding. Stimpson concluded saying, “March is when we start calving this year, hoping for not-so-cold of weather. We love calving season and the promise of spring!”

To read more pick up a copy of the March 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.