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Poultry Owners Urged to Protect Birds from Avian Influenza Virus

Poultry Owners Urged to Protect Birds from Avian Influenza Virus

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) is reminding owners of poultry flocks and pet birds to practice biosecurity measures and report illnesses. A strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been detected throughout the U.S., including in Nevada, and can infect poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese, and guinea fowl) and wild birds. To mitigate impacts of the disease, it is important that bird owners quarantine and report any sick birds to the USDA at (866) 536-7593 or the NDA state veterinarian Dr. Amy Mitchell. The NDA also recommends the suspension of poultry shows, events and exhibitions to prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease. View the NDA press release to learn more.

Infected poultry will not enter the food system and according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the public health risk associated with these avian influenza detections in birds remains low.  As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.

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Back On The Fields | Cutting Alfalfa Hay| Crop Talk

Video: Back On The Fields | Cutting Alfalfa Hay| Crop Talk

We are cutting our second-cut alfalfa hay! Our machinery hasn't been repaired, but the weather is clear, so we take our opportunity to get back on the fields making hay. The alfalfa crop was ready to harvest, and any delays would result in poor quality feed for our sheep, so we decided to go ahead and get that mower rolling. We have a little crop talk about how we cut the hay with our John Deere hydrostatic mower, how we lay the hay out flat in rows to help it dry quicker, and how the two different plantings in that hay field have developed at varying rates and densities. We discuss the quality of the alfalfa hay and show how differing percentages of grasses mixed in with the alfalfa make a difference in the volume of the hay harvested. Hay is the primary feed source on our sheep farm. Getting it done just right is imperative for sheep farming, sheep health, and sheep care. Quality feed sets the stage for producing productive and profitable sheep and allows for feeding throughout the winter season when pasture grazing is no longer an option for those farmers raising sheep in cold climates such as Canada. While in the hay field, we also have a look at the adjacent corn crop and marvel at how well it has developed in such a short period of time.