Turkey- production.

Raising turkeys can be a satisfying educational activity as well as a source of economical, high-quality meat for your family and friends. By raising a small flock of turkeys, you can produce the freshest turkey possible while involving the whole family in working with and learning about live animals. Turkeys can easily be started by hatching eggs or by raising young poults. They can be grown and home processed without the use of expensive processing equipment, or they may be sold to live markets (auctions) or to neighbors. Turkeys are either of two bird species in the family Meleagrididae (order Galliformes). The best known is the common turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), a game bird native to North America but widely domesticated for the table. The other species is Agriocharis (or Meleagris) ocellata, the ocellated turkey.

The common turkey was probably first domesticated by the Indians of pre-Columbian Mexico. The birds were first taken to Spain about 1519, and from Spain they spread throughout Europe, reaching England in 1541. When the birds became popular in England, they were called by the name turkey-cock, a name formerly used for the guinea fowl of Islamic lands. English colonists then introduced Euro- pean-bred strains of the turkey to eastern North America in the 17th century. Turkeys were bred mainly for their beautifully colored plumage until about 1935, after which the breeding emphasis changed to their meat qualities.

Adult males have a naked, heavily carunculated (bumpy) head that normally is bright red but that turns to white overlaid with bright blue when the birds are excited. Other distinguishing features of the common turkey are a long red fleshy ornament (called a snood) that grows from the forehead over the bill; a fleshy wattle growing from the throat; a tuft of coarse, black, hairy feathers (known as a beard) projecting from the breast; and more or less promi- nent leg spurs. The male wild turkey (variously called a gobbler, tom, or jake—immature male), may be 50 inches long and weigh up to 22 pounds, although the average weight is less. Female turkeys (hens) generally weigh only half as much and have less warty heads. Domesticated strains of the common turkey, developed for their fine- tasting flesh, may be much heavier.

In many European countries roast turkey has long been a customary Christmas dish. In the United States the bird is especially associated with Thanksgiving. Turkey production has thus tended to be seasonal, although in the United States and some other countries, ready-to-cook, lean, boned turkey is available in rolls any time of the year.

The “breeds” of turkeys often referred to are actually varieties that originated from the North American wild turkey. The most commonly raised commercial variety is the Large White. The Broad-Breasted Bronze, similar in size and conformation, is less popular because of a preference for white feathering. However, a wide variety of hobby breeds— Bourbon Red, Black, Slate, Holland White, Narragansett, Broad-Breasted Bronze, Royal Palm, and other stock—can also be ordered from hatcheries. While nice to look at, most of these hobby strains do not grow as fast and as efficiently as the commercial turkey strains. Three common commercial strains have been developed and sold by companies in the United States: Nicholas Turkey Breeding Farms, British United Turkeys, and Hybrid Turkeys.

Marketing and Processing

Before beginning your operation, you should examine your objectives for producing turkeys; this will help ensure your success. A small number of turkeys can be raised in a relatively small area, but you will need to obey local zoning laws and ordinances in order to rear, process, and sell poultry without neighbor complaints.

If you plan on direct sales of turkeys from your small- flock production, you must make plans for processing (if selling whole carcasses), transporting of live or processed turkeys, and timing of the production to match the needs of your clientele. Local markets (auctions, live markets, etc.) and grocers can also provide opportunities for selling your excess production. If you plan on selling processed turkeys, you may find it more convenient to have them custom processed.

State and federal laws regulate the sale of processed birds. Limited processing of fresh turkeys (fewer than 5,000 birds per year) for direct sale to consumers is legal as long as sales do not cross state lines. For information on regula- tions regarding home processing and other aspects of turkey flock management, contact your county extension office or the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Production and Management

While caring for turkeys requires little daily time, you must provide regular and timely care to be successful in getting a flock to market. Some basic management practices are necessary for success. First, it is essential to obtain stock from a known disease-free source. Stock should originate from hatcheries that are members of the National Turkey Improvement Plan. Members regularly test and eliminate stocks with egg-borne diseases, including pullorum, typhoid, paratyphoid, and pleuropneumonia-like organisms (PPLO). To further reduce the threat of disease, raise turkeys away from other poultry. Mycoplasma galacepticum (MG) and histamoniasis (blackhead) can be serious problems for turkeys raised among chickens or on grounds where chickens have been within the previous three years.

If you purchase fertile eggs for incubation, they must be kept in a clean environment at an ambient temperature between 55 ̊ and 65 ̊F prior to setting. Eggs can be held for only about seven to ten days before setting without a serious decrease in hatchability. Set only clean eggs at a temperature of 99.5 ̊ to 100 ̊F for 28 days. Turn the eggs at least three times each day for 25 days. Eggs do not need to be turnedthe last three days prior to hatch. After the hatch is com- plete, remove the poults and hatch residue.

Poults start more easily if brooded within 48 hours after hatching, and it is very important to prepare your brood chamber properly. Poults need a warm, draft-free environ- ment that is well ventilated and that has free choice of feed and water. Since poults are unable to regulate their body temperature for the first 10 days, a properly managed heat source is necessary. The most efficient heat source will depend on your particular housing situation. Set the room temperature at approximately 88 ̊F with a temperature of around 95 ̊F under the heat source. Round all corners of the brooding area with cardboard or wire to prevent birds from smothering. Poults can be scared easily by loud noises, sudden movements, or bright lights, causing them to crowd on top of one another, which can be fatal.

The brooder guards are usually used for the first week or two to help keep the poults near heat, feed, and water sources. It may be necessary to dip poults’ beaks into the water and feed to start them drinking and eating. Observe the birds carefully to see if they are too hot (positioned far away from the heat source) or too cold (huddled together). Comfortable poults will spread uniformly under and around the edge of the brooder. Gradually decrease the room temperature each day (5 ̊F per week) until it reaches 70 ̊F. Keep the lights dim during the poults’ first week; afterward, 12 to 14 hours of light is sufficient. Excessive light intensity or light spots in the turkey house can cause piling or cannibalism in young poults.

Managing the litter to keep it dry pays big dividends in the health of a growing turkey. Cover the brooding area with at least two inches of litter. A good litter is clean, dry, absorbent, and relatively free from dust. Commonly used litter materials include wood shavings, chopped straw, peat moss, or other commercial litters. During the brooding phase, it is recommended that peat moss be used as the top layer of litter. This practice prevents the poults from ingesting the litter, which blocks their digestive processes. Since litter absorbs moisture and insulates the birds from the cold floor, it is important to remove any areas that become wet and to add more litter as needed. Do not cover litter with slick-surfaced materials (such as newspaper), as these can cause serious leg injuries to poults.

Poults are usually brooded in an area with a density of one square foot per poult for the first five to six weeks; then they are moved to a finishing barn or outside to a finishing area. When poults are from eight weeks to market age, provide three to five square feet of confined housing space per bird, depending on the weight to which they will be grown. In confined housing, ventilation becomes increas- ingly important as the turkeys get larger and as hot weather approaches. As they get larger turkeys need more air circulation—0.5 cubic feet per minute (cfm) per pound of body weight at a minimum—and to help dissipate the heat as the temperature gets warmer. Air speeds of 400 cfm on their heads can help cool the birds in high heat situations.

Feeding and Watering

Feed and water should be available to the growing turkeys at all times. Some flocks seem to have trouble finding the feed early, resulting in death loss from “starve outs.” Some producers put marbles or aluminum foil balls in drinkers and feeders for the first two weeks to attract the turkey poults and start them on feed and water. Adequate feeder and drinker space ensures that all birds in the flock have an opportunity to eat and drink. See Table 1 for feeder and drinker spacing recommendations.

All commercial turkey varieties produce meat efficiently. Hens commonly reach a live weight of 15 pounds at 14 weeks of age, and toms weigh about 28 to 30 pounds at 17 to 18 weeks. Table 2 shows the expected average weights and cumulative feed consumptions of tom and hen turkeys at various ages.

Turkeys are fast-growing, efficient converters of feedstuffs to high-quality meat. Feeding properly balanced rations results in the best performance. Poults should be given turkey crumbles containing 28 percent protein for four weeks. This gets the birds off to a good start while their feed intake is relatively low. A turkey growing ration (either crumbles or pellets) containing 26 percent protein is recommended for poults four to six weeks of age.

Feeds containing less protein can be fed after poults are six weeks old. Complete growing rations with lower protein levels may be purchased, or you can include concentrates with cracked grains (about 10 percent protein), such as corn and oats, along with the growing ration to increase energy and reduce protein intake. For example, one part grain to three parts of a 22 percent protein growing ration will provide a 19 percent protein mixture, which is satisfactory for turkeys from 10 to 12 weeks old. For birds from 12 weeks of age to market, mix equal parts of grain and the growing ration to provide 16 percent protein. Grit should be available if whole or cracked grains are used. Check the protein level of the finishing ration to deter- mine whether to continue mixing grains with the ration. The protein level should not drop below 16 percent. Some growing feeds contain drugs to control diseases; the feeding of these drugs must be discontinued for a specified length of time before the turkeys are slaughtered. This information should be given on the feed tag. Feed manufacturers also provide finishing rations without drugs. During the finish- ing phase, feeding free-choice whole corn will improve the finish, tenderness, and flavor of the processed bird.

Health Programs

Management is the key to maintaining the health of your flock. Good sanitation and elimination of other birds and animals that may carry disease organisms are important for maintaining a healthy flock. Keeping the pen and range areas dry also helps. Vaccines, available for several turkey diseases, are not necessary for a small flock unless previous disease problems existed on your premises or on nearby farms. Other disease problems can be controlled through the use of medicated feeds, if necessary. However, clean stock, clean premises, and good management are the best lines of defense.

If your flock does become sick, an accurate diagnosis and recommended treatment should be obtained as quickly as possible. State diagnostic laboratories usually offer low-cost or free diagnostic services. Take birds with representative symptoms or fresh, dead birds to the laboratory for evalua- tion. Along with the birds, take a complete flock history including age, feeding program, vaccinations, or drugs used, and a description of the course of the current problem. Some death loss is normal and should be expected, especially during the first two weeks. However, it is important to get an early diagnosis of the problem in order to stop the disease from spreading throughout the flock. A good feed or hatchery manager can give you helpful advice on many day- to-day problems.

Home-raised, home-processed poultry is becoming a popular alternative farm enterprise. The scale of operation may be small; only a dozen or twenty broilers raised in one’s back-yard for home consumption, or up to several thousand broilers. Note: Kansas state law allows producers to home process up to 1,000 birds per year for direct marketing to the consumer. More than that must be processed with state or federally inspectors present. Call the Kansas Department of Agriculture meat and poultry inspection program at: (785) 296-3513 for specific information.

With the proper information, individuals may raise and process broilers using simple equipment, and achieve results with no more food safety risk than broilers purchased at the supermarket. How- ever, each step in the process must be considered, and care taken to reduce risk, so that the final product is wholesome and safe. These steps are outlined below, with risk factors noted. The wise producer develops a written plan to address both prevention of diseases and infestation, as well as control measures to be used if necessary.

Some home-raised, home-processed birds are being raised according to certified organic standards, others are raised without the use of medicated feeds or antibiotics, but are not certified organic, and others are raised in varying conditions. Increased consumer demand, premium pricing, and personal preference are reasons for raising meat and eggs without antibiotics. Consult your organic certifier for specific details on guidelines that apply. Most certification standards require 100% certified organic feed and no use of antibiotics. Some allow vaccination; most allow mineral and vitamin additives. Diatomaceous earth and probiotics are allowed for parasite and disease control. Probiotics are fed to promote animal health by competing with pathogens or by improving digestion and nutrient absorption. Some poultry diseases are more difficult to control without the use of medicated feed or water, but it is possible to keep them at reduced levels. Good sanitation, protected (shaded) and clean pens, balanced rations, clean water, and starting with healthy chicks are good practices for all farms.

Part 1: Facilities

(Note: it is assumed that chicks from day 1 to about 3 weeks of age are raised in an enclosed, heated area with fresh food and water. Most of the guidelines below apply to birds that are at least 4 weeks of age, and either being raised as broilers or laying hens).

Good Management practices for home-raised poultry:

• A clean, stress-free environment allows the birds to resist disease.

• Labor decreases when flocks are kept in low-density conditions (3-4 sq.ft/bird) because clean up is easier and the lower density stresses birds less.

• Anytime poultry are tightly confined, the area should be cleaned daily.

• Growing pens and equipment for the poultry operation should be dedicated for that use only.

• Rodents should not be allowed in growing areas, feed storage areas, or near the live birds; they are known carriers of disease.

• Provide adequate shelter; heat and cold stress will increase disease susceptability.

• Mortalities should be removed upon discovery and the flock should be checked at least daily.
  
  

Part 2: Source of chicks

The general successful growth and good condition of the flock begins with the chicks. High quality, disease-free chicks are important for a healthy, high-producing flock. Purchase chicks from a reputable company. Look for those that participate in the National Poultry Improvement Program (NPIP); they will have met national criteria. The company that produces the chicks should be able to provide information about immunization of their flock and the breed(s) they have. Request chicks that have been vaccinated against Marek’s Disease. The lowest risk of disease is found in vaccinated flocks. The time and money spent preventing disease pays off in better growth and condition, not to mention avoiding the expense of treating a disease.

Inspect chicks for lice and mites before releasing them in your facility. If found, either refuse the chicks or isolate them and treat until control is established. In addition, be aware that wild birds are a source of lice and mites and must be prohibited from nesting on or around the enclosure. Your local extension agent can assist you in identifying pests and determining appropriate control methods for your operation.

For most producers, buying chicks fits in with the limits of space and time they face. Breeding your own birds or allowing the hens to brood, is more time consuming than one might think, and requires separate space for breeding. Should you wish to produce your own chicks, be sure that your hens are healthy and that you know their genetics. To further prevent the spread of disease, clean the eggs to be incubated or brooded by the hen.

Choose a breed that is best suited for your specific requirements. For example, never choose a heavy weight breed for egg production.

Part 3: Feed and Water

Once healthy chicks are obtained for your flock, you want to keep them that way. Young animals of any sort are more sensitive when exposed to poor quality food and water. Therefore, providing safe food and water is the basis for maintaining a healthy flock until time for harvest.

Feed should be a balanced mixture com- pounded from freshly processed grains. Fresh means you have had the feed for no more than 3 months. If mold or a rancid odor is noticed, the feed is unsuitable for your flock, and should be discarded. Be sure to check feed labels for added medications and if present, use the food in accordance with the labeled directions. Withdrawal times must be observed if the poultry (or any other product) is to be free from the medication. When needed, it is recommended that adding medications to the water is a better choice than using medicated feed. Withdrawal of medicated water is far easier than attempting to remove scattered feed. Under no conditions should medicated poultry feed be given to another species.

Water can introduce disease into the flock. The water source is safest if supplied by a public or municipal water supply. If a farm well is used, it should be properly constructed so that it is not subject to contamination, and it should be tested quarterly for both nitrate and coliform bacteria. If coliform bacteria are found, the well should be sanitized and re-tested. Failure to obtain coliform-free water, indicates the need to evaluate construction of the well and water distribution, and may eventually require the use of a disinfection unit. Observe these cautions about providing water:

• Never use water that is cloudy or rusty in color.

• Keep equipment clean; sanitize before each new batch of chicks.

• Provide fresh water each day; check later for refill—especially in hot weather.

• Modern “nipple” type drinkers reduce labor and decrease the risk of spreading disease, not to mention avoiding the expense of treating a disease.

•  
  Part 4: Processing set-up and procedures
  
  Cleanliness and food safety can be improved before processing begins. Begin with cleaned and sanitized utensils and work surfaces. Easily clean- able, non-corrodible surfaces like stainless steel are best. Plan ahead to keep the processing area clean during use. Birds raised in clean surroundings carry less dirt into the processing area; therefore, the effort to clean pens daily carries over to processing.
  Withdrawal of feed the evening before processing is very important. This allows digestion to be completed so that no feed matter remains in the bird’s digestive system. Be sure to remove anything edible from the pen (including old litter) so that the birds do not ingest other things when the feed is withdrawn. The goal is for the birds’ digestive systems to be as empty as possible.
  Divide the work area into four areas: killing, picking and eviscerating, final rinse, and chilling. The first two steps should be separated from the last two to avoid carryover of contaminants, or cross-contamination. Each step should be progressively cleaner, so that the birds being chilled are the cleanest.
  When cutting up the carcass, sharp utensils, used with care, make the job much easier and faster. After the carcass has been eviscerated and washed, it must be chilled as rapidly as possible. The target temperature for the carcass is 40°F or less within one hour. Measure temperature with a probe type, dial thermometer inserted in the thigh. These thermometers are usually less than $10.00, and are found in the cooking supply section in most discount or hardware stores.
  Ice water slush is a very good way to rapid chill, and keeping the slush bath in an insulated container (like a large cooler) helps to hold the cold temperature longer. Putting warm carcasses into the slush bath will melt the ice, so it is necessary to keep additional ice on hand that can be added to keep ice in the bath. In addition, there should be enough slush so that each carcass can move freely in the bath. Avoid crowding the slush bath. If larger numbers of birds are being processed, plan to have several slush baths to accomplish a rapid chill.
  A simple way to monitor the carcass temperature is to insert the probe thermometer in the thigh of the last bird placed in the slush bath. Leave it there. Check the temperature frequently, adding ice to the slush bath as needed so that ice is always present in the water. If there are more than 10 birds being chilled, plan to use a sanitized utensil to “stir” the water to help keep the temperature uniformly cold. All carcasses should reach 40°F within one hour after killing.
  
  
  Plan to kill and process birds in small batches if you are working alone, or with a small labor force. Only kill the number of birds that you can scald, pluck and eviscerate within 15 to 30 minutes. An eviscerated (gutted) carcass will cool more quickly and thoroughly than a carcass that has not been eviscerated.
  When the carcass temperature has dropped to below 40°F, it is a good practice to hold the broilers for a period of time at temperatures as close to 33°F as possible. This allows for rigor mortis to occur and produces tender meat. A good way to safely achieve this is to layer the carcasses with ice in an insulated cooler for the holding time.
  This holding time should be 2–4 hours minimum, with 6 hours being preferable.
  The food contact surfaces like utensils, table tops, cutting boards, etc. should be smooth and impervious. After cleaning to remove visible soil and debris, sanitizing these surfaces is important to control bacterial growth. A simple, effective sanitizing solution is one tablespoon of household bleach to a gallon of clean tepid water. Because the solution loses strength, it should be made up fresh every hour during use. This solution can be used as the final rinse in utensil washing, and also for final wipe-down of large surfaces. Allow sanitized surfaces to air dry.
  Part 5: Delivery and storage
  It is a good practice to individually bag each broiler. Not only does this keep the food from contamination, but it allows the birds to freeze faster and also to thaw more evenly for use. In any event, storage temperature of processed birds must never exceed 40°F.
  Part 6: Disposal of waste
  Processing poultry produces a large amount of wastewater and a lesser amount of solid waste. The amount of waste increases in direct proportion to the increased number of birds being processed. It is a good idea to consider options for handling the waste in the future if you anticipate a larger production.
  The best disposal is to a municipal collection system. Wastewater cannot be legally discharged to ponds, streams, or the ground surface. The waste- water from poultry processing will be high in organic matter as well as bacteria, and its discharge to anything other than a treatment system is environ mentally irresponsible. Wastewater from smaller production runs may be put into a residential septic system, but be aware that the system was not de- signed for this type of use and may prematurely fail. Residential waste stabilization ponds (lagoons) may have capacity to treat the wastewater if the pond level is usually at least three feet from the top of the dikes. The use of a holding tank may be an option.
   

 Solid wastes (feathers, heads, feet, and viscera) may be composted successfully if the amount is small and recommended guidelines are followed. Check the resource list at the end of this chapter for extension bulletins covering composting.

Part 7: Eggs

Egg quality is best at the moment the egg is laid. Quality deteriorates with time, but the rate of de- cline can be slowed by some simple safety practices. Eggs should be collected at least daily and cleaned with warm soapy water, then immediately placed under refrigeration at 40°F. Hands should be washed before handling eggs and clean containers should be used to collect eggs.

Nesting boxes should be kept clean, especially from fecal matter. Fecal matter is the usual source of Salmonella contamination, not the egg itself. Any eggs left under a broody hen should be dated with a pencil to ensure that these eggs are not consumed. The lowest risk packing container is one that has not been used before. If egg cartons are reused, they must be clean with no egg debris or soil, and relabeled in accordance with Kansas law. Labeling must obliterate the grade, the company name, the USDA seal, and the “K” number (a Kansas permit number). The label must say, “Keep Refrigerated” or something similar. If you want to sell the eggs as graded, you must be in full compliance with Kansas law, and you should contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture at (785) 862-6574. In order to sell to commercial establishments such as a restaurant or grocery store, eggs must be graded. Eggs sold directly to the consumer do not have to be graded.

 

 

 

 

Corporate dairy farm to acquire 15 to 20 operations in western Victoria

The first and only dairy farming company registered on the Australian Stock Exchange is confident it will attract enough investors to acquire between 15 and 20 western Victorian farms within 18 months.

Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.

Audio: Australian Dairy Farms director Adrian Rowley describes the opportunities to expand his corporate dairy farm in western Victoria. (ABC Rural)

Australian Dairy Farms (ADF) has plans to create a large, standardised operation that will be able to boost production and negotiate a higher milk price with processors.
The company settled its first two farms in October last year and has since acquired two more.
"We're currently doing due diligence on about eight farms," director Adrian Rowley said.
"Hopefully by June 30 this year we're at sort of eight to 10 farms.
"Hopefully that's 14, to 16, to 20, 12 months later."
Mr Rowley said the Federal Governments' promise to tighten scrutiny of foreign investment would only boost his company.
ADF is largely dependent on foreign investors, but because the money is feeding into an Australian company the regulations will not apply.
"If foreign investment in dairy assets was completely unregulated then we would have far more competition when we're at auction," he said.
"A higher level of regulation will help us to be able to acquire the farms we want at prices we're comfortable with."

But even without Government regulation, Mr Rowley is not threatened by the many rumours buzzing about Chinese investment in western Victorian dairy farms.
"There hasn't been a lot of transactions in the dairy space in that region," he said.
"There have been stories of some groups that have run around and tried to lock up a whole bunch of farms with a view that they'd then go and raise the capital and come back and settle, but they haven't been able to do that to date.
"It may happen at some point down the track but we're in a position now where we're listed, we've got some good institutional investors that are willing to fund our growth and we should hopefully be able to get the volumes we want."

The end of family dairy farming?

Mr Rowley said his business plan was enabled by a 'generational shift' in western Victorian dairy farming.
"The average age of most of the dairy farmers in the region is in the 60s," he said.
"The children have gone off to do something else ... and there hasn't been too many willing buyers of these dairy assets.
"That creates an opportunity for us."
Although corporate farming competition does not exist yet, Mr Rowley said it would not be long.
"It was only a bit over a decade ago, I think 2001, where the dairy industry in Victoria was deregulated," he said.
"It's still a fairly sort of fragmented cottage industry.
"I think we'll see more and more corporate farming over the next few years and decades."
By Danielle Grindlay 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-13/dairy-foreign-investment-western-victoria/6090970

Tips for Handling Cattle Easily & Safely.

Here are from animal scientist and handling expert Ron Lemenager of Purdue University. He’s also a rancher, so he’s put these tips to practice.

1. Reduce shadows, color contrasts, and noise. Cattle want to take flight when they can’t see what’s ahead. Shadows and odd color patterns may confuse and stop them. When you set up a working chute, consider the sun angles and light sources. Reduce shadows by putting solid sides on chutes and crowd pens. Artificial light directly overhead will produce fewer shadows. Cattle also balk at noises from dangling chains or rattling head gates, Lemenager says.
2. Remember that when you work cattle in an open pen or pasture paddock, their blind spot is directly behind. They won’t respond to your commands or arm signals from there. Work to the side, about 30° to 35° off of straight behind. This is a point of balance from where cattle are more likely to respond to your signals.
3. Have at least two holding pens with a gate between them that lets you easily sort cows from calves. 

calves and cows in their paddocks

4. Study up on locking head gate designs: straight neck bars, curved bars, scissors, and full opening. There is even a swinging saloon-door design. All can work and all have disadvantages, says Lemenager. What he feels strongest about is having one that securely locks the bars on an animal’s neck. It should be a positive engagement latch with notch locks that can’t slip.
5. Add a brisket bar, cow palpation gate, and palpation cage protection for preg checks. The brisket bar keeps her from going down on her front knees. A side door is a must to get in the chute behind her. You must be protected from being overrun by the next cow in line behind.
6. Prevent turning by making sure working alleys and chutes are ideally 18 inches wide for calves and 30 inches for cows. Walls should be 5 feet tall and sturdy enough to contain your biggest cows.

7. Consider a Bud Box to keep cattle from going back in the direction from which they came. To take advantage of this, some producers have built a holding pen, sometimes called a Bud Box, leading into a working chute. The box is 12×20 feet. The entry gate is next to the chute entrance. You put cattle in the box, and as they try to go back through the same gate they entered, they funnel into the chute. It takes advantage of their natural instincts.
8. Make sure calving pens have enough room to maneuver a calf jack. Jacks are long (for leverage) and cumbersome. Create some wide spaces or side panels that easily move to allow for the jack.
9. Give some traction to concrete floors of chutes and working pens. Lemenager says even a severe broom finish to concrete is not enough. If you’re stuck with a smooth floor, try bolting wood strips or rebar to the floor, with openings wide enough for their feet.
10. Put gates in the direction you want cattle to move in a paddock. He likes alleyways to connect pastures and paddocks. If you’re usually moving cattle in a northerly direction through alleyways, put the gates in the north corners of paddocks. Moving will become routine to them.

11. Make gates into paddocks 16 feet wide, not 12. Make alleyways 20 to 30 feet wide.
12. Make it easy to get a drink. On his own farm, Lemenager had 25 cow-calf pairs drinking from a two-bowl automatic drinker. Cows would take turns and then head back to graze before the calves could drink.

By: Gene Johnston 
http://www.agriculture.com/livestock/cattle/beef/12-tips-f-hling-cattle-easily-safely_277-ar47469

Ugandan agricultural and agro-processing sector.

The economic output is dominated by agriculture, which was responsible for 44% of GDP in 1996/97. Agriculture employs over 80% of the labour force and also accounts for over 90% of export earnings. Total GDP amounted to US$5.4 billion in 1995, compared to US$134 billion in the case of South Africa. Most agricultural production takes place in the south, where the climatic conditions have always supported the densest rural populations.

Uganda forms part of the East Africa plateau, mostly at an altitude of 1000 to 3000 metres above sea level. It has an equatorial climate, modified by altitude. Most areas receive 1000 to 1500 mm of rainfall per year. Temperatures vary between 15 and 25°C. The natural vegetation ranges from forest to savannah. Favourable conditions for the cultivation of food and cash crops are found in most areas. Continuous cultivation is carried out where the rainfall is reliable and two to three crops per year are attainable. More than 75% of the land is available for cultivation or pasture. However, large areas are under-utilized. Only 8 million of the 40 million acres of arable land were being cultivated in 1997. Land tenure systems are a mixture of traditional practices, colonial regulations and post-colonial legislation and vary from region to region. The most widely found system is "customary tenure", which does not recognize the right of the individual to own land, although he or she may use land subject to the approval of family, clan or community. The co-operative network (over 5000 at village level) has played an important role in assisting farmers in the past two decades. 

Grapes

Woman  Plucking Tea

Agricultural production comes almost exclusively from 2.2 million smallholders, mostly working 2 to 3 hectares of land, using traditional methods of cultivation and family labour. South Africa could therefore learn valuable lessons from Uganda with regard to commercializing its own small scale farming sector. Food crops (plantains, cassava, sweet potatoes, millet, sorghum, maize, beans, groundnuts and sesame) represent 60% of agricultural GDP, livestock 19% and export crops (coffee, cotton, tea and tobacco) 12%. Some high value crops, such as cut flowers and certain vegetables and fruits, are also being exported. The government is developing a strategy to encourage exports of both food crops and high value crops, in order to diversify exports. The total value of Ugandan agricultural exports amounted to US$491.1 million in 1996. The most important products exported to South Africa and the BLNS countries were coffee, tobacco, fresh cut flowers, ginned cotton and oilseeds.

Uganda is normally self-sufficient in food production. This means that the small scale farming sector is successful in providing food for a population of almost 20 million people. Subsistence production is the norm and only about one-third of food crops are marketed. Crop marketing in Uganda takes place within a policy of trade liberalization, which corresponds to the situation in South Africa. Crop marketing is handled by co-operatives, marketing boards and private companies. The export monopolies previously enjoyed by marketing boards have been removed in line with the general policy of liberalizing trade. As a result of this, coffee producers’ earnings have increased from 20% to 84% of the free-on-board value of coffee exported. 

Coffee Tree

The NRM Government has embarked on the road of privatization. A number of state-owned companies, e.g. cotton ginners, dairy processing facilities and the Uganda Seed Project, have been earmarked for privatization. The Ugandan Government encourages foreign investment in their country.

For this purpose, the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) was established. It is a statutory body that serves as a one-stop centre for promoting Uganda as a business location for investment by foreign and domestic investors. It assists investors to implement their plans, advises Government on investor-friendly policies and structural requirements and is responsible for licensing foreign investment. During the period 1991 to 1996 a total of 1 053 investment projects were implemented, comprising a total investment of US$1.34 billion and providing 80 133 employment opportunities. Of these, 38% are foreign-owned, while 24% are joint ventures between Ugandans and foreigners. The most important sources of foreign investment (in terms of number of projects) were the United Kingdom, Kenya and India. However, in terms of the value of investment projects, South Africa ranks third as source of investment. South African companies that have invested in Uganda include South African Breweries, MTN, Alliance Air, Multi Choice and Metro Cash ‘n Carry.

Some investment opportunities in agriculture and agro-processing highlighted by the Executive Director of the UIA, Mr Yob Yobe Okello, include cut flower production for exports, oil seed production and processing, cotton production, ginning, spinning and weaving, production and processing of livestock products, fruit and vegetable production and value adding with regard to coffee and grains. Several investment opportunities in tourism, manufacturing and services were also identified. There are many opportunities in Uganda’s privatisation program as well, e.g. the Uganda Dairy Corporation. Although foreigners are not a

llowed to own land in Uganda, leases, ranging from 5 to 99 years, are available.

A number of investment incentives are available, including capital allowances and operational expenses deductible from a company’s income and deductible annual allowances for depreciable assets. A uniform corporate tax rate of 30 percent is applied. The foreign exchange regime has been fully liberalised and there are no restrictions on the movement of capital in and out of the country. The Ugandan population is reasonably well trained, with a fair number of graduates. Labour legislation include aspects such as medical, pension and leave benefits. Uganda has a growing and open economy with a government committed to private enterprise. An abundant raw material base and access to growing regional and domestic markets are further advantages. Uganda has access to the East African market comprising 74 million people, Comesa (with 23 member countries and 300 million people), as well as duty free and tariff quota access to the EU in terms of the Lomé Convention and duty free access to the US market for certain products under the GSP system.
http://www.daff.gov.za/docs/GenReports/Uganda.htm

Technology helps farmers deal with health risks.

by Benjamin Herrold

Audrain County farmer Ronnie Harris, right, is working with the University of Missouri’s Agrability project to get lifts so he can get on his tractors.

January 02, 2014 8:00 am  •  By Benjamin Herrold Missouri Farmer Today

RUSH HILL — On the morning of Dec. 5, 2012, Audrain County farmer Ronnie Harris woke up and tried to get dressed, just like every other morning.
But, this time, he fell to the floor. Harris had suffered a stroke in his sleep.
He later found out the stroke was possibly caused by elevated L protein levels, a hereditary condition.
His left side was initially paralyzed, but gradually, his strength and coordination have been coming back.
After months of physical therapy and rehab, Harris came home to the farm in February, but then on April 19 he fell and broke his hip, putting up another obstacle for his recovery.
For Harris, who grows corn and soybeans, recovery from the stroke and hip surgery have given him time to think about his health, something he says farmers often don’t make a priority.
He says this is especially the case with long-term wear and tear on the body with the aches and pains that add up from day after day of work. Harris also did some bridge work as supplemental income.
“You start thinking about it when it starts hurting,” Harris says. “. . . I would jump down off of stuff that’s 6 or 7 feet tall instead of climbing down.”
Harris’ wife, Tonya, a teacher, remembers several farmers among the patients at the hospital getting joint replacements.
“Hip replacements seem pretty common for farmers,” she says. “There were several patients who were farmers.”
Some long-term health risks are associated with farming, says Jon Bailey with the Center for Rural Affairs.
“I think all the data shows that farming is still one of the most-dangerous occupations,” he says. “The nature of farming kind of lends itself to those long-term, chronic kind of conditions.”
Bailey says farming today is less physical, but the new technology brings new challenges.
“Certainly, I think the physical nature of farming has changed,” he says. “Technology and maintenance bring their own risks.”
Bailey says it seems farmers are interested in their long-term health, particularly having health insurance.
“Obviously, having health insurance is step number one in dealing with these long-term conditions.”
Under the Affordable Care Act, Bailey says health insurance plans are required to have coverage for mental health issues as well, if farmers need that.
Harris says the long road back has been tough mentally some days with the insurance paperwork to navigate and sometimes slow progress.
“Some days you kind of get depressed when it’s raining and you need to be in the field,” he says. “But, then the next day you’ll be better.”
Harris has a hired hand to work on his operation. His son, Kaleb, is busy with high school, sports and FFA activities, but he is interested in joining the farm after college.
In the meantime, Harris has found an opportunity to get more involved on his farm through the University of Missouri’s Agrability program.
Several months after his stroke, Harris heard about the program from a neighbor who had used it.
Agrability seeks to help farmers who are disabled or suffering from chronic health conditions remain in production agriculture.
Agrability coordinators provide assessments as to what technology can help the farmer, and make referrals for farmers for the equipment they need, as well as funding sources for the assistive technologies.
Harris is working with Agrability to get lifts so he can get on his tractors.
“I think I can run the tractors if I can get up on them.”
Harris says getting the lifts to get on his tractors hasn’t been easy.
“It’s been a pretty slow process.”
Still, he is encouraged by the prospect of being able to get out and see his fields from the seat of a tractor again.
Harris says the lifts are one of several examples of how technology can make farming safer and easier on the body. He is optimistic the next generation of farmers will have fewer joint replacements.
“It’s a good thing, my son Kaleb, he’s more computer-oriented,” Harris says. “You can run your irrigation from your phone now.”
Harris also has neighbors who have auto-steer technology for their tractors and combines. He says that also can spare wear and tear on the body.
“My neighbors who have auto steer, they say you’re not as tired and wore out at the end of the day,” he says.
Tonya adds new air seats “really save your back.”
It’s been a long, challenging recovery process for Ronnie Harris, but he’s optimistic for the future.

Copyright 2014 Missouri Farmer Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Health, Ronnie Harris, Farm, Missouri, Rush Hill, Stroke, Physical Therap

New rules on Common Agricultural Policy reform approved.

08 October 2013

By: PantherMedia/Scanpix

On October 7 EU chief executives at the Special Committee on Agriculture meeting (SCA) have approved the compromise texts of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform (new rules related to direct payments, rural development, single CMO and horizontal regulation).

“It’s an important step towards the entry into force of the Common Agricultural Policy reform. The new rules set the guidelines for the future of EU agriculture and give certainty to our farmers to plan directions of farm development, investments, financial plans,” noted Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture prof. Vigilijus Jukna.
The final agreement on the political aspects of the CAP reform was reached during the trilogue on September 24, where the Council, under Lithuanian Presidency, European Commission and the Parliament solved the outstanding sensitive multiannual financial framework related issues. By this agreement EU Member States, EU institutions and other organizations have been succeeded in a three-year work of intensive negotiations.
The above mentioned CAP regulations will have to be translated into the national EU languages and revised by lawyer-linguists as soon as possible. The Parliament intends to vote for the whole CAP package in November at the plenary session in Strasbourg. EU Agricultural Ministers will officially approve the texts at the EU Agricultural and Fisheries Council in December.

http://www.eu2013.lt/en/news/new-rules-on-common-agricultural-policy-reform-approved

A respite on Goss's Wilt.

New Product Promises to Prevent And/Or Cure Goss's Wilt Outbreaks

By Rod Swoboda Released April 18, 2012

Goss's wilt has emerged as an economically important corn disease in the past few years. In the hardest hit fields in Iowa and Nebraska, yield losses of more than 100 bushels per acre were reported. The disease is showing up in other states, too.
Goss's wilt is a foliar disease with large, gray to reddish cigar-shaped lesions usually starting on the upper corn leaves. Spraying corn with fungicides won't control it. Goss's wilt is caused by a bacterium, not a fungus. It's hard to say exactly why Goss's wilt was so severe last year. But widespread planting of corn hybrids susceptible to the disease is a prime factor.
Current crop production practices are another reason the disease is appearing more often. There's more corn following corn, which favors a pathogen that survives in crop residue. "Several factors are involved and this isn't an easy disease to manage," says Alison Robertson, Iowa State University Extension plant pathologist.
Plant pathologists recommend planting corn hybrids that have resistance to Goss's wilt, using crop rotation such as corn-soybean instead of continuous corn and using crop residue management. However, they realize continuous corn is going to be grown, and with soil erosion a concern, you have to be careful with tillage if you try to manage Goss's wilt by burying crop residue. Be aware that even with tillage the bacteria can survive underground.
There is a new product on the market, Procidic, a broad-spectrum fungicide and bactericide combination. It's the only product labeled to control Goss's wilt and it is registered for use throughout the Corn Belt. University plant pathologists are testing Procidic this year in Iowa and Nebraska.
New broad-spectrum product
Procidic can be applied as a preventative treatment or a curative, says Steve Knauss, of Greenspire Global Inc., which markets Procidic. Knauss, based in Des Moines, says the product has all natural ingredients and doesn't cause stress to plants. There's no maximum number of applications and no rate restrictions on the amount that can be applied per year.
If you use the product to control fungal diseases along with bacterial diseases such as Goss's wilt, you could start with 2 ounces applied in-furrow. Or a 4 to 6-ounce rate sprayed on the corn at V3 to V5 growth stage, followed by a second application prior to tassel at the 8 to 10 ounce rate. In a worst case scenario, if you find Goss's in a field with severe infestation, Knauss says you may have to use Procidic at a higher rate up to 14 ounces per acre in a rescue situation. Continued scouting is recommended.
Procidic at a 6-ounce rate applied preventatively to young, growing corn plants would bring the cost more in line with fungicide applications. The product can also be used as a curative or rescue treatment. "Using Procidic as a curative or rescue treatment, we're trying to save yield and grain quality," says Knauss. If Procidic is applied at a 14-ounce rate the cost is about $33 an acre. If corn prices are $6 per bushel, and if you gain 5 to 6 bushels per acre by controlling the disease, that's the breakeven.
"A key benefit of Procidic is you are buying one product for the price of two," says Knauss. "It's a fungicide and bactericide; it controls other corn diseases in addition to Goss's wilt." The label says Procidic controls anthracnose, southern and northern corn leaf blight, fusarium wilt, gray leaf spot and others. It is also labeled to control certain diseases of soybeans, alfalfa, wheat and rice.
Offers timing flexibility
Procidic works on contact and is rapidly absorbed into the plant to work systemically, too, says Knauss. When you see disease pressure present on corn plants you need to use a higher rate and shorter intervals between spraying. Rates and instructions for use depend on timing of application.
Goss's wilt can remain in a field on infected crop residue for years. Knauss suggests using the preventative approach for best results. "Growers have lost anywhere from 10 to 20 to 100 bushels per acre from Goss's wilt if it shows up in a cornfield and is not treated," says Knauss. "The past few years in working with this product we've seen very positive results. Procidic works." While it is new to the U.S. Corn Belt, the product has been used abroad for the past 25 years for control of bacterial and fungal diseases in many fruit and vegetable crops.
More information and dealer contact information can be found at greenspireglobal.com or contact your local ag retailer for Procidic.

Achieving the New Vision for Agriculture: New Models for Action

To feed 9 billion people by 2050, the world will need to adopt new strategies aimed at sustainably increasing agricultural production. Meeting this challenge will require significant increases in investment, innovation and collaboration among all stakeholders.The World Economic Forum’s New Vision for Agriculture serves as a platform to build collaboration among stakeholders to achieve a vision of agriculture as a driver of food security, environmental sustainability and economic opportunity.
In the past three years, governments, business, farmers and civil society organizations have embraced and begun to implement this vision at global, regional and country levels.This report outlines the progress to date of partnerships catalysed by the New Vision for Agriculture, and the key challenges and next steps that must be addressed to realize the full potential of the multistakeholder partnership model.

 Source: http://www.weforum.org/reports/achieving-new-vision-agriculture-new-models-action

Entrepreneur Highlights.

"When you reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner, or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser. The choice is yours and yours alone. Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success than to be rested from failure."

- Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics

NEW VISION FOR AGRICULTURE

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM RELEASES "NEW VISION FOR AGRICULTURE" REPORT
Jan. 30, 2012

Source: Kraft Foods news release

Kraft Foods, which has co-chaired the World Economic Forum's "New Vision for Agriculture" initiative for the past year, today shared a new report from the project team.

The New Vision for Agriculture is a public-private initiative designed to transform agriculture through greater and smarter investment. The new report shares insights from the last year's work driving agricultural transformations in Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico and Tanzania.

The goal of the report is to help other nations begin their own transformations.

"It's clear that agriculture, done right, is the best means the world has today to simultaneously tackle food security, poverty and environmental degradation," said Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods, who co-chaired today's session in Davos where the new report was launched.

"From our own work in cocoa, coffee and cashews to the work of more than 25 other companies that have joined this initiative, we're catalyzing innovative agricultural transformations around the globe. But the private sector can't do it alone. We must continue working together with national governments, multilateral institutions, civil society and farmers to create lasting change."

Opportunity Seized from a Compelling Need

In response to global food crises, in early 2009 several World Economic Forum companies saw a clear and compelling need - and an opportunity - to improve food security in a meaningful way. By investing in agriculture, companies saw they could also address two of the world's other most pressing problems: poverty and environmental degradation.

That's how the New Vision for Agriculture initiative began. Its goals are to increase food production by 20 percent each and every decade, while decreasing carbon dioxide emissions and reducing poverty by 20 percent in the same time span.

Since 2009, members of the initiative have:

*Defined a shared vision of agriculture as a driver of positive change;

*Developed a roadmap the private sector can use in achieving that vision, particularly through multi-stakeholder partnerships;

*Facilitated public-private collaboration in 10 countries and at the G20 level; and

*Shared best practices so that others can also create partnership-driven agriculture transformations.

Good Progress ... But More Work to Be Done

New Vision for Agriculture projects are delivering solid results on the ground in countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico and Tanzania.

In Vietnam, for example, work is literally beginning to bear fruit. Vietnamese farmers in pilot projects expect to boost fruit and vegetable yields 30 percent in 2012 and 100 percent by 2014.

In another project, tea farmers achieved a 30 percent increase in the amount of Rainforest Alliance-certified tea, improving livelihoods and using resources more efficiently.

Still, participants in the New Vision for Agriculture initiative realize that there's much more work to be done. There are many more crops where progress is needed, many more countries and many more partners to engage to have a truly global impact.

To learn more about the initiative's efforts around the world, click here.

About Kraft Foods

Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) is a global snacks powerhouse with an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love. Proudly marketing delicious biscuits, confectionery, beverages, cheese, grocery products and convenient meals in approximately 170 countries, Kraft Foods had 2010 revenue of $49.2 billion. Twelve of the company's iconic brands - Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer , Philadelphia , Tang and Trident - generate revenue of more than $1 billion annually. On Aug. 4, 2011, Kraft Foods announced plans to divide and create two independent public companies: a high-growth global snacks business and a high-margin North American grocery business. The transaction is expected to be completed before the end of 2012. A leader in innovation, marketing, health & wellness and sustainability, Kraft Foods is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index. Visit www.kraftfoodscompany.com and www.facebook.com/kraftfoodscorporate.

Australian scientists microchip bees to map movements, halt diseases.

By Thuy Ong 20 hours ago

.

Detail of bees on their hive in Paris in this September 24, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen/ …

By Thuy Ong

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian scientists are gluing tiny sensors onto thousands of honey bees to track their movements in a trial aimed at halting the spread of diseases that have wiped out populations in the northern hemisphere.

Scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia's national science agency, said the microchips could help tackle so-called colony collapse disorder, a situation where bees mysteriously disappear from hives, and the encroachment of the parasitic varroa mite.

Scientists will use tweezers to glue on the sensors, weighing about 5 milligrams and measuring 2.5 millimeters (a little more than 1/16 of an inch) square, after soothing the bees to sleep by refrigeration.
Some young bees, which tend to be hairier than older bees, need to be shaved before the sensor can be glued on.
Scientists will examine the effectiveness of pesticides in protecting the bees from colony collapse disorder and varroa mite.

View galler

A honey bee carrying pollen lands next to the entrance of a beehive in Utting at Lake Ammersee, arou …

The study will also enable farmers and fruit growers to understand and manage their crops, given the honey bee's crucial role in the pollination of crops globally, the CSIRO said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
"Honey bees play a vital role in the landscape through a free pollination service for agriculture, which various crops rely on to increase yields," the CSIRO's Paulo de Souza, who is leading the project, said in the statement.
"Using this technology, we aim to understand the bee's relationship with its environment."
Scientists plan to fit sensors on 5,000 bees in the southern island state of Tasmania over the Australian summer.
The radio frequency identification sensors work like an electronic tag for cars on a toll road, recording when insects pass a checkpoint. That will allow scientists to build a three-dimensional image of the insects' movements, a process described as "swarm sensing".

The scientists are working on shrinking the sensor to 1 mm square so they can be attached to smaller insects, including mosquitoes.

(Editing by Jane Wardell and Ron Popeski)

"I deeply care about all of the inhabitants of this planet" says Knowlton .

The hunter who placed the winning bid of $350,000 for the right to kill one of Namibia's 1,800 remaining black rhinos has taken to Facebook to let people know he is "considering all sides and concerns involved in this unique situation."

According to Page Six, Corey Knowlton has asked that people don't rush to judgment after he won an auction for the hunting permit on Saturday at the Dallas Safari Club.

"I deeply care about all of the inhabitants of this planet and I am looking forward to more educated discussion regarding the ongoing conservation effort for the Black Rhino," says Knowlton at the end of his Facebook post.

Photo via Corey Knowlton's Facebook page.

In October, the Dallas Observer reported that the club had obtained a special permit from the Namibian government, as well as clearance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, to host the event. According to the club, auctioning the hunt of an older male rhino beyond the age of breeding was the best possible way to raise funds for the Save the Rhino Trust. The trust has distanced itself from the auction, noting on its home page that it does not have "any decision making power on issues such as hunting rhino in or outside of Namibia and we are not at all part of these decisions.

"We do not directly receive money from hunting, we have nothing to do with hunting, and we have not at all been approached in this regard either, so to say that we will be receiving money from a rhino hunt is entirely inaccurate," the message on the home page continues.

Ben Carter, director of the Dallas Safari Club, told the Observer in October that the permit was expected to bring in as much as $750,000. Obviously, the auction fell well short of that mark.

Knowlton is listed as a hunting consultant for the Hunting Consortium, a Virginia-based company that offers "the serious sportsman the finest hunting adventures in the world." His profile describes him as "one of the [hunting tourism] industry's rising stars," with particular expertise in North American big-game hunting. Page Six asserts that Knowlton likely purchased the permit for a client.

"We feel that it is far better to allow this rhino to be hunted in exchange for a huge donation to the anti-poaching campaign, rather than letting him die of natural causes," Hunting Consortium presdient Robert Kern told Page Six in an email.

According to Save the Rhino International