If you raise chickens in your backyard as a hobby then you may not think biosecurity applies to you. However, with the recent outbreaks of avian influenza, now is the perfect time to look at your backyard flock and see what you can do to protect them.
Biosecurity is defined as "procedures intended to protect humans or animals against disease or harmful biological agents". What it means is doing everything in your control to keep your flock happy and healthy, by potentially stopping the spread of disease before it even starts.
Maybe the word "biosecurity" seems a bit... daunting. We get that. It does sound like something only large scale operations would consider. Why then would you need to follow biosecurity practices if you only have, let's say, three hens in your backyard? The reason is because every bird can get sick.
Let me repeat that- every bird can get sick.
Did you know that strains of avian influenza can be transmitted by migratory waterfowl? Other poultry? Other farms? Or even beetles and pests?
Diseases can be transmitted to your backyard, whether you like it or not. That's why it's best to take safety precautions now to lower your birds' risk of catching the flu or any other contagious disease just waiting to get at your flock.
Following the steps listed below will keep your hobby farm biosecure and help prevent the transmission of disease to your flock:
For more information check out our pages on biosecurity and avian influenza. You may be thinking that this is all a big inconvenience. However, taking precautions now is much better than losing your flock down the line to a disease that could have been prevented. Take care of your flock today and make sure your backyard is biosecure.
Feeding a quality calf milk replacer offers many benefits to your calves. It can result in higher growth rates among other advantages.
However, to maximize these benefits you need to make sure you are correctly mixing the milk replacer. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your milk replacer.
Producers that fail to remove the net wrap from their round bales could be causing serious problems for themselves and their herd in the future.
Net wrap refers to the wrapping or string that binds hay together. Round bales are commonly fed to cattle and the net wrap that keeps them together comes in different materials.
It doesn't matter what type of wrap is used or whether the hay bales are fed whole or after grinding, many producers leave the wrap on.
The primary concern of every producer is the health of their animals. Cattle producers know that the animal's appetite is an indicator of good health.
Sometimes, maintaining a good appetite in your cattle is easier said than done.
Here are some tips to help you maintain a healthy appetite in your cattle.
Caitlyn Andrews
Author