Archive for the ‘News & Updates’ Category

Spring Garden Hazards

Sunday, February 25th, 2024

Spring Garden HazardsSpring Garden Hazards: As spring arrives and the first buds appear, gardening can be a relaxing and healthy way to pass the time.  But it can also pose some potential risks to our cat and dog friends. With care and some knowledge, these risks can be avoided.  Here is a list of potential spring garden hazards.

Fertilizers and Pesticides:

Fertilizers containing blood meal, bone meal, feather meal or iron can be tasty for dogs and particularly dangerous. Ingestion of large amounts of meal containing products can form concretions in the stomach resulting in obstruction and severe pancreatitis.  Likewise, those containing iron can lead to iron poisoning causing vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy, abdominal pain, shock, tremors, and potential cardiac and liver effects.  Consider using natural fertilizers available many garden supply stores or local farms.  Ingestion of pesticides or insecticides containing organophosphates can be life threatening even in small amounts.

Mulch:

Cocoa mulch is made from the discarded shells and hulls of the cocoa bean.  Its chocolate like smell can be particularly attractive to dogs. Similarly, like chocolate, this mulch contains theobromine and caffeine.  The amount of toxin present can vary from product to product.  Symptoms of toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures and in extreme cases, death.  Keep pets safe by closely supervising them or using safer alternatives to cocoa mulch.  They include rubber mulch, cedar mulch, leaves, pine needles or untreated wood chips.  While these are safer alternatives, please remember these can still be ingested and cause an obstruction.

Compost:

Gardeners love compost for its nutrient value and many have their own pile.  Compost can be toxic to pets and wildlife and should always be fenced off.  As organic matter decomposes in the compost pile, molds can grow.  Consequently, these molds can produce tremorgenic mycotoxins.  As a result, when ingested symptoms can occur within 30 minutes and include agitation, panting, drooling, vomiting, tremors, and seizures.  However, with supportive care the prognosis is good.

Snail and Slug Bates:

These are available in pellets, granules, powder or liquid.  Most contain metaldehyde which is very dangerous to dogs and cats.  As a result, symptoms can occur within 1-2 hours of ingestion and include salivation, restlessness, vomiting, tremors, seizures and increase body temperature.  Without veterinary care the symptoms can last for days and be fatal, for instance.  Gopher, mole and other vermin bates contain strychnine and are highly toxic.

Flowers and Plants: 

Many plants can be toxic to pets.  Some can have only mild symptoms of gastrointestinal upset to severe liver or kidney failure and death.  For example, the following is an incomplete list of common plants.

  • Severe toxicity:  Sego palm, Azalea/Rhododendron, Caster bean, Cyclamen, Oleander and Yew.
  • Moderate Toxicity:  Aloe Vera, Amaryllis, Begonia, Chrysanthemum, Daffodil, Hosta, Morning glory and Poinsettia.
  • Mild toxicity:  Baby’s breath, Carnation, Gladiola and Tomato plant.

Citronella candles:

Ingestion of citronella candles, used to deter mosquitos, can cause gastrointestinal inflammation including vomiting and diarrhea.

Above all, if you think your pet has ingested a toxic substance, contact your veterinarian for advice and treatment.  Additionally, you can contact the ASPCA Hotline at 1-888-426-4435 or the Pet Poison Hotline at 1-800-213-6680.  Both charge a fee for their service.  Several pet poison apps are available, as well.

In conclusion, contact or visit Kissimmee Valley Feed for natural lawn and garden products.

Article provided by Nutrena.

Planning Spring Pasture Management

Tuesday, February 20th, 2024

Spring Pasture ManagementThe arrival of spring presents a prime opportunity for farmers and livestock owners to improve the health of their pastures through proper pasture management. Not only does this help to regenerate growth, but it also ensures that the animals are well-fed and healthy. There are a few steps you can take to improve your pasture management including planning rotations, avoiding overgrazing, and looking out for poisonous plants.

Plan Your Rotation
Rotational grazing is one of the most effective ways to maintain healthy pastures. This practice involves splitting a pasture into smaller paddocks and allowing the animals to graze on each paddock for a set period of time before moving onto the next. Giving the grass time to recover before it’s grazed again is crucial for its health. In addition, rotational grazing provides an opportunity for livestock to graze on nutrient-rich grass as it regenerates. This practice encourages animal movement and even distribution of fertilizer, ultimately resulting in a better-quality pasture.

Avoid Overgrazing
It’s important to resist the temptation to leave all the animals in one area for an extended period. This can lead to overgrazing, a process where livestock consume too much grass, and it is unable to recover. This can harm the overall health of your pasture and reduce its productivity. Overgrazing can increase the presence of weeds, soil compaction, and decreased water infiltration. The best way to prevent overgrazing is to manage your grazing schedule correctly. It’s important not to leave your livestock in any one area for too long.

Beware of Poisonous Plants
It’s essential to be aware of the different poisonous plants that can be present in your pastures. These plants can adversely affect the health of your livestock if ingested, and some can even be fatal. Such plants include poison ivy and poison oak. Be sure to remove these plants from your pastures, and observe closely whether they are growing back. Consider fencing off any areas in which these plants are known to grow, or uprooting and replanting any areas where they may be present.

Spring pasture management is crucial when it comes to keeping pastures healthy and robust. Proper rotational grazing, grazing management, and attention to poisonous plants will ensure your pasture remains healthy, providing sufficient and nutritious feed for your livestock. Whether it’s your private collection of animals, or livestock that provides for your livelihood, it’s important to prioritize their health and well-being by maintaining healthy pastures. Take these three factors into account to ensure the health and longevity of your pasture and in turn your livestock.

Everything you Need to Know about Raising Baby Chicks

Tuesday, January 30th, 2024

Everything you Need to Know about Raising Baby ChicksEverything you Need to Know about Raising Baby Chicks: Bringing home your baby chicks is an exciting milestone in raising backyard chickens. The three key essentials for raising baby chicks: Warmth, water and feed. Start chicks strong by providing a complete chick starter feed from day 1 through week 18.raising baby chicks

For those of us welcoming new chicks how can we give them a solid start?

To best transition chicks into a flock, provide comfort, care and complete nutrition from day one. A chick never gets over a bad start. The actions we take before chicks arrive and the care we provide in the first few days can help set-up our chicks to be happy and healthy long-term.

First things first, visit us for all your Chicken Supplies!!

Before baby chicks arrive: Set up the brooder

Set up your brooder about 48 hours before your chicks arrive. This allows time for bedding and equipment to dry and the temperature to set.

Equipment for day one includes:

Brooder: The brooder is the first home of new chicks. Be sure it is comfortable, warm and draft-free with at least 3 to 4 square feet per chick. The area should be circular and expandable.
Heat lamp: Assemble a heat lamp in the center of the brooder for bird warmth. Hang the heat lamp about 20 inches above the litter, with 2.5 to 3 feet between the lamp and the guard walls. The temperature under the heat lamp, or comfort zone, should be 95 degrees Fahrenheit and adequate room in the brooder should be available for the chicks to get out from under the heater if they get too hot. After week one, gradually reduce heat by 5 degrees Fahrenheit each week until reaching a minimum of 55 degrees.
Bedding: Add an absorbant wood shavings bedding to the floor of the brooder. Place bedding 3 to 4 inches deep to keep the area dry and odor free. Remove wet bedding daily, especially around waterers. Do not use cedar shavings or other types of shavings that have a strong odor because the odor could affect the long term health of the bird.
Lights: Provide 18 – 22 hours of light for the first week. Then reduce light to 16 hours through the growing period or to the amount of light they will receive when they are 20 weeks of age. The amount of light intensity required would be provided by a 40 watt bulb for each 100 square feet (10’ x 10’) of floor space.
Feeders: Offer 4 linear inches of feeder space for each bird. Clean egg cartons filled with feed make excellent and easily accessible feeders for young chicks. Provide low-lying feeders, or trough feeders, for after the transition.
Waterers: For every 25 chicks, fill two 1-quart waterers with room temperature water and place them in the brooder. To help water stay at room temperature, place the waterers in the brooder, outside the comfort zone (do not position underneath the heat lamp), 24 hours prior to the chicks’ arrival.
Introduce baby chicks to water

Once chicks arrive, introduce them to the brooding area. Water, at room temperature, should be available, but wait a couple hours to introduce feed.

This gives chicks a couple hours to drink and rehydrate before they start eating, fresh, quality water is essential for healthy chicks. Dip the beaks of several chicks into the water to help them locate it. These chicks will then teach the rest of the group to drink. Monitor the group to ensure all chicks are drinking within the first couple hours.

Teach baby chicks to eat:

After chicks have had a chance to rehydrate, provide the nutrients they need through a complete chick starter feed. Provide a chick starter feed with at least 18 percent protein to help support the extra energy needed for early growth. The feed should also include amino acids for chick development; prebiotics, probiotics and yeast for immune health; and vitamins and minerals to support bone health.

First, teach the chicks to eat by placing feed on clean egg flats, shallow pans or simple squares of paper. On day 2, add proper feeders to the pens. Once chicks have learned to eat from the feeders, remove the papers, pans or egg flats.

Adjust feed as baby chicks develop:

To keep feed fresh: Empty, clean and refill waterers and feeders daily. Also, raise the height of feeders and waterers so they are level with the birds’ backs as chicks grow. As chicks mature, their nutritional needs change. At age 18 weeks, adjust the feed provided to meet the birds’ evolving nutrition needs.

Transition layer chicks onto a higher-calcium complete feed, like Purina Layena Crumbles or Pellets, when they begin laying eggs at age 18 to 20 weeks. For meat birds and mixed flocks, choose a complete feed with 20 percent protein, like Purina Flock Raiser Crumbles and feed this diet from day one through adulthood.

This post on raising baby chicks has been adapted from purinamills.com.

Weed Control for Hay and Pasture Weeds

Sunday, January 28th, 2024

weed controlWeed Control for Hay and Pasture Weeds: Here are some helpful tips for weed management in forages are presented in a simple/straight-forward fashion for your convenience.

Established hay and pasture

The flowering stage is an excellent time to attempt some control of poisonous perennial plants. A number of common plants can be poisonous when eaten in sufficient quantity by livestock, so monitor those pasture and hay fields closely. Remember that perennial weeds are most sensitive to control with a systemic herbicide when they are in the bud to bloom stage and in late summer. Biennials including musk and plumless thistle, burdock, wild carrot, etc. should be treated before they begin to bolt (they are bolting now or very soon) and the smaller the better. Late fall or early spring is even a better time to treat them. And finally, control summer annual weeds as soon after they emerge as possible when they are most sensitive to chemical control. Below are some guidelines to provide a quick management summary for some common weeds of pasture.

Management guidelines for some problem weeds of pastures:

Annuals

Winter annuals (Mustard species, common chickweed, etc.)

  • Mow after bolting to prevent seed production.
  • Apply an effective herbicide in fall or spring prior to bolting.
  • Most winter annuals emerge by late fall – a smaller percentage will emerge in early spring.
  • Prevent seed production to prevent spread.

Summer annuals (Pigweed species, common lambsquarters, common ragweed, etc.

  • Keep pasture full and competitive.
  • Mow after bolting to prevent seed production.
  • Apply an effective herbicide in early summer.
  • Prevent seed production to prevent spread.

Biennials

Biennials (common burdock, bull and musk thistle, poison hemlock, etc.

  • Mow after plants have bolted but before seed set to prevent seed production.
  • Remove or dig individual plants by hand.
  • Apply an effective herbicide to rosettes in the spring or fall.
  • Prevent seed production to prevent spread.
  • Several insect biocontrol tools may help with thistles in the future.

Perennials

Creeping perennials (Canada thistle, horsenettle, etc.)

  • Mow to suppress vegetative growth and prevent seed production.
  • Spray with an effective systemic herbicide at bud to bloom stage or in early fall prior to frost.
  • Most perennials spread by both seed and vegetative structures.

Woody perennials (multiflora rose, autumn olive, etc.)

  • Mow to suppress and prevent seed production – remove roots by hand or with heavy equipment.
  • Spray with an effective systemic herbicide at bud to bloom stage or in early fall.

In conclusion, Kissimme Valley Feed offers a variety of garden supplies, fertilizers, plants, and preventative care for your lawn. Keeping your pasture, lawn, or garden free from bugs and weeds is important.  Our selection of herbicides, insecticides and pest traps will have you in control of these pesky weeds. See our lawn and garden section here.

Article Source: Penn State Extension

Vaccinate Your Cattle This January

Wednesday, January 17th, 2024

As we start a new year, it’s important for cattle farmers to start thinking about vaccinating their herds. Vaccinating your cattle is one of the most important things you can do to protect their health, and ultimately, your livelihood. Let’s explore why January is a good time to start thinking about vaccinating your cattle, what vaccines are available, and how to determine which vaccines are right for your herd.

The winter months may seem like an odd time to think about vaccinating, but it’s actually the perfect time to start. Many diseases, such as bovine respiratory disease (BRD), can have a significant impact on cattle health and productivity. By vaccinating your herd in January, you’ll help protect them from these diseases before they become a problem in the spring and summer months.

But which vaccines should you choose? This may seem overwhelming, but your local feed store can help. They can provide you with information on which vaccines are recommended for your area and what may be necessary for your particular herd. For example, a cow-calf operation will have different vaccine needs than a feedlot.

One vaccine that is highly recommended for all cattle is the clostridial vaccine. This vaccine protects against a range of diseases caused by the Clostridium bacteria, including blackleg, tetanus, and red water. Another vaccine to consider is one that protects against respiratory diseases, which can be particularly common in winter months. Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) is another disease that can have serious financial implications. Vaccinating against BVD can help prevent its spread and reduce the risk of future outbreaks in your herd.

It’s not just about choosing the right vaccine, but also administering it correctly and at the right time. Make sure you’re following the manufacturer’s recommendations for dosage and timing. Some vaccines require booster shots to provide adequate protection. It’s essential to get your timing and dosage correct to prevent complications and increase the effectiveness of the vaccine. Don’t forget to keep accurate records of vaccinations given, so that you can keep track of when boosters are due, and which cattle may need vaccines again in the future.

Vaccinating your cattle is an essential part of herd management, and January is a perfect time to start planning. By working with your local feed store and understanding the needs of your herd, you can choose the right vaccines to protect your cattle against potential threats and ensure their long-term health and productivity. As with all aspects of herd management, it’s important to stay up-to-date and informed, so don’t forget to research and stay on top of vaccination recommendations. Stay ahead of the curve and protect your herd by vaccinating your cattle this January!

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