News

Summer has arrived and your spring chicks will be approaching puberty. Assuming they’ve enjoyed good food and care, the young hens, called pullets, begin laying sometime between their 16th and 24th week of age. You can anticipate the arrival of eggs soon! Discovering a hen’s first egg from your own hand-raised chicks is a thrill. Pullet eggs are tiny and look like gems in the nest. If your pullets are over 16 weeks of age, now is the time to switch them to a Nutrena layer feed, as laying hens need special nutrition. Producing eggs places great nutritional strain on...

Fly control is a critical part of an integrated pest management system and reducing your overall production costs. While there may not be a silver bullet for fly control, there are steps you can take to build a season-long fly control program.  First, know your flies – house, stable, horn and face. They each have their own characteristics that effect productivity on beef cattle.   House flies have been implicated in the transmission of 65 disease organisms with populations that can burst out of control in a short period of time.  Stable flies have one of the most painful bites of any bloodsucking...

While recently reviewing farms feed program, the manager explained that some of her horses only received 1 pound of grain per day. She felt their weight was good, but yet they appeared to be lacking something in their diet. She was wondering what type of supplements she could add. When we looked at the tag on her feed, the problem was obvious. Her feed was designed for to be fed at a rate of 0.5 – 0.75 pounds per 100 pounds of body weight. This means that to provide proper fortification for a 1000 pound horse, she would need to...

Between the chewed-up toys and puppy breath, your puppy turns into an adult dog in the blink of an eye. Gone are the days filled with housetraining and puppy play. Now, days revolve around the dog park and long walks. Alongside a change in activity, a change in diet is necessary to keep them adventurous and healthy. How do you decide when it’s right to make the transition, and what’s the best plan of action? Here are a few things to consider. When Your Dog Should Switch When your pup has fully grown, you can begin the transition into adult...

Spring is an eagerly anticipated time for horse owners as it brings the opportunity to introduce their horses to lush, growing pastures. However, it is crucial to approach this transition with caution. Introducing horses to pasture too early in the season or allowing them to graze for extended periods can have negative consequences for both the pasture and the horses’ well-being Allowing Adequate Grass Recovery To ensure the health of the pasture and the horses, it is important not to turn them out too early. After enduring the stresses of winter, the grass needs time to recover. Ideally, the grass...