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What is a Go Bag? It is a supply kit for each individual for at least 72 hours of food, water, medication, and clothing. Each kit will be tailored to the needs of the situation, including medical conditions, weather conditions, and expected length of the emergency. Every member of the family needs a kit, including Continue Reading
Lengthening days and warmer weather bring spring storms. With tornado season upon us, now is the time to go through your Go Bag, update medications, swap out for warm weather clothing, and update documents. In our previous posts, we laid the groundwork for building your own Go Bag and first aid kit. Hopefully, you have Continue Reading
Weaning will be upon us sooner than expected. Are your calves ready? Are they protected from blackleg? All breeds of calves are susceptible to blackleg, not just black ones. Beef cattle have a slightly higher risk, do to heavier muscling. Clostridium chauvoei causes an emphysematous swelling in muscles, affecting cattle and sheep. Also referred to Continue Reading
With a name like Q fever, you would expect this disease to be obscure and rare. In fact, it is found worldwide (except in New Zealand) and can be transmitted to many species in many ways. The name comes from “query” fever because the true cause of the disease was unknown for many years. It Continue Reading
This has been an unprecedented year for hurricanes. A total of three Category 4 storms made landfall in the US. Hurricanes are rated using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Category 4 hurricanes have sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph. While the scale can give you an idea of just how strong the storm is, Continue Reading
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease of over 70 species of wild and domestic cloven-hoofed mammals. From the OIE Technical Disease Cards, the early signs include “vesicles on the tongue, dental pad, buccal mucosa, cheeks, gums, hard and soft palate, nostrils, muzzle, feet, corium of dewclaws, interdigital spaces, or teats”. Continue Reading
If you prefer to listen to podcasts, feel free to play the audio version of this blog by clicking on the player above. Podcast: Rabies Length: 5:20 minutesWritten and read by the author
In the Introduction to Raw Milk blog, we briefly touched on pasteurization. Here, we will cover the specifics of the process, and why it is a vital step in ensuring the safety of the foods you consume. Pasteurized foods can become contaminated after the process if they are not handled properly (including kept refrigerated).
There have been a few articles in the news recently involving cases of human illness from drinking raw (unpasteurized) milk or consuming dairy products made with unpasteurized milk. A few of the more common bacteria associated with raw milk are Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Q fever, and Campylobacter. Brucella is a less common, but severe Continue Reading
Cattle herds of all sizes benefit from the protection of herd immunity. This is achieved by annual vaccination of all animals against diseases that are prevalent in the area. It is especially important for any cattle that will be comingled with other herds, such as show calves or cattle that are grazed in open range Continue Reading