One of the things beef producers dread most about the coming warm weather is the advent of troublesome horn flies. These insects are annoying, to be sure. But, they are more than just pests, they are really “obligate parasites,” who must stay with –and live off of- their host in order to survive. They feed on [...]
Having nutritional supplements always available for your cattle to utilize during critical times, can pay dividends. Not meeting nutritional requirements of heifers and cows during the last third of pregnancy and the first 60 days of lactation, for example, can cost producers great economic loss, according to an Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet on winter [...]
Posted Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012 BY STEVE CAMPBELL sfcampbell@star-telegram.com After watching helplessly as the merciless heat and drought ravaged his vegetable crops by 75 percent last season, Cisco farmer Payton Scott says he won’t fight another losing battle. “If it burns up, I’ll quit on it,” said Scott, whose 60-acre Scott Farms supplies a wide variety of vegetables to [...]
As the weather grows warmer and the days grow longer, some familiar faces will begin appearing in your yard. Migrating birds such as hummingbirds, sparrows, swallows, martins and larks will be returning soon, and it’s time to prepare your garden and yard for your feathered friends. Make sure your feeders are clean: Use a scrubbing brush and [...]
Fall migration is a great time for birders. We tend to see more birds mainly because birds born in spring and summer are now heading south with all the other birds. Migration is also a time for us bird watchers to notice varieties we normally do not see. Because of the hurricane season, these strong [...]
Birds have behaviors just as we do, but if you’ve ever observed them “behaving” you know that some of their actions are just baffling! Bathing in the Dust Have you ever witnessed a bird “bathing” in dust? Believe it or not, birds will often do this to either reduce moisture, align feather barbs (a series of branches [...]
Would you like to attract hummingbirds to your yard or garden? Hummingbirds are attracted to flowers, shrubs, vines and trees. Below is a list of flowers, shrubs, vines, and trees that hummingbirds are attracted to. Note: none of these need to be red in color, although the color red is attractive to hummingbirds. If in doubt [...]
A calf’s diet and surroundings change dramatically at weaning and if you don’t closely manage this lifestage, the value of your calves can be reduced. Calves can become sick and won’t grow as they should.
Here are four weaning […]
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Broodmares have specific nutritional requirements that differ from other classes of horses. There are differences both in the amount of feed mares need and the nutrient concentration needed in that feed. Throughout the year the broodmare goes through three different phases, […]