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A dust bath is more than a fun game or occasional entertainment for your chickens – it is an essential part of grooming to keep the birds' skin and feathers in peak condition and free of mites, fleas, lice and other parasites. Fortunately, it is not difficult to give your chickens a dust bath to help keep your flock clean and healthy. Defining Dust The dust your chickens will appreciate most is far different from the lightweight, omnipresent household dust you may always be cleaning. For chickens, the very best dust is fine, dry, powdery dirt that will absorb oil...

Every year spring brings new beginnings. The sun shines, livestock begin to breed, and the grass begins to turn green again. With all that beauty also comes some disadvantages. The one disadvantage you should be aware of is fly season.  Flies can torment your cattle and drain profits in pastures all over the nation by causing them to lose weight and not produce milk.  The reason why flies surround and invade cattle so much is because the manure cattle leave behind is a prime breeding ground for flies to lay eggs. During the summer months, this will only create a...

The Farmers Exchange Community has kept us busy the past week with common tomato issues here in north Georgia this time of year.  Here are a couple of the most common issues we have been seeing this past week.   Issue #1 ... Tomato Hornworm  Hornworms are the some of the largest caterpillars and measure up to 4" long.  While tomatoes are their favorite host, they may also be found on potatoes, eggplants, peppers, and some weeds including horsenettle and nightshade.  Hornworms start to feed on the leaves on the upper part of the plant and can destroy several leaves as...

Colic can be a tricky condition in horses, difficult to diagnose and effectively treat. With care, however, most horses do recover completely, and knowing how to deal with colic in horses can help you stay alert to your equine friend’s health. The better you understand colic, the more comfortable you can keep your horse during a painful bout and the better you can minimize the animal’s risk of another incident. What Is Colic? Colic is a relatively general term used to refer to abdominal pain. In horses, this pain may originate from various sources, including the stomach, intestines, or liver,...

Forages.  Forages are the edible parts of plants that provide feed for grazing animals or can be harvested for feeding.  This fibrous plant material helps produce the many meat and dairy products we consume making it essential to our lives.  Forage also plays a role in conservation by limiting soil erosion, providing food and habitat for wildlife, and protecting surface waters.   Examples Include:  *Forages cover about 55% of the land area in the US.   *Well-managed forage systems help keep our waterways clean and free of unwanted chemicals.   *There are about 14,000 species of grasses in the United States.   *Forages are...