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Extension Publications

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The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment releases publications that help to strengthen, build, and engage the commonwealth.

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Recent Publications

FCS3-334: Home Freezing Basics

Annhall Norris, Sandra Bastin | Feb. 28, 2025 (Reprinted)

Are you interested in saving time on meal preparation? Do you want to minimize food waste? Would you like to save money by extending the harvest from your garden, prolonging the use of leftovers, or stretching out the shelf life of sale items from the store? If the answer to any or all these questions is “yes,” consider preserving these foods by freezing. Freezing is one of the easiest, most convenient, and least time-consuming methods of preserving foods. Using your home freezer, basic containers, and research-based preparation techniques, you can extend the shelf life of most foods.


FCS3-541: Diabetes and Physical Activity

Anna Cason, Ingrid Adams | Feb. 26, 2025 (Minor Revision)

Physical activity plays an important part in health. This includes any movement that uses energy. Taking part in physical activity provides protection against heart disease and stroke and can help manage blood pressure.


FCS3-542: Diabetes and Hemoglobin A1C

Anna Cason, Ingrid Adams | Feb. 26, 2025 (Minor Revision)

Hemoglobin A1C is a measure of average blood-glucose levels over the past two to three months. Health-care providers sometimes reference hemoglobin A1C as “HbA1C” or “A1C.” These names all mean the same thing.


FCS3-543: Diabetes and High Blood Pressure

Anna Cason, Ingrid Adams | Feb. 26, 2025 (Minor Revision)

Diabetes increases the risk for developing high blood pressure, or hypertension. High blood pressure means your heart works harder to pump blood through your body. This increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. It also increases the risk of diabetes complications, including kidney disease, eye problems that may lead to blindness, and nerve problems.


ASC-268: Managing and Mitigating Equine and Nuisance Wildlife Interactions

Fernanda Camargo | Feb. 24, 2025 (New)

Many of the resources used to care for horses and other domestic animals can also be attractive to a variety of wildlife. These resources include easily accessible feedstuffs, water, and shelter in the forms of barns, storage sheds, or shade trees. Some of these uninvited guests can bring unintended consequences to your property, like disease, hazardous terrain created by burrows/holes, property damage, and feed and water contamination.


AEN-177: Basic Principles for Laying Out Farm Infrastructure on Livestock Operations

Steve Higgins | Feb. 20, 2025 (New)

Livestock operations require comprehensive infrastructure to efficiently produce livestock.


ID-221: Fescue Toxicosis in Cattle

Megan Romano, Michelle Arnold, Ray Smith, Krista Lea | Feb. 13, 2025 (Minor Revision)

Tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh., previously known scientifically as Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.] is a cool-season, perennial grass (Figure 1). The Continental type, most notably the Kentucky-31 variety, is frequently infected with an endophyte (Epichloë coenophiala). An endophyte is a fungus that grows inside the grass, specifically within the intercellular spaces of the leaf sheaths, stems, and seeds, and is invisible to the naked eye. The plant and fungus have a mutually beneficial relationship, wherein the plant provides the fungus access to its nutrients and a means of asexual reproduction through infected seeds. In turn, the fungus produces compounds called ergopeptine alkaloids that increase the plant’s vigor by making the plant more pest- and drought-resistant and more tolerant of other adverse soil and environmental conditions. Although advantageous to the plant, ergopeptine alkaloids adversely affect the health and productivity of grazing livestock. Ergovaline is the most abundant (more than 90 percent) and most toxic ergopeptine alkaloid in endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue. The highest alkaloid concentrations are found within the seedheads and in the bottom few inches of the plant.


AGR-281: Improving Kentucky Horse Pastures

Chris Teutsch, Krista Lea, Ray Smith, Bob Coleman | Feb. 13, 2025 (New)

For many horses, quality pasture can provide almost all nutrients needed for maintenance or light work for much of the year. Pasture reduces the cost of keeping horses while providing safe footing and minimizing impacts on the environment.


AGR-41: Sampling Surface Mine Lands Before And After Mining

Vasilios Evangelou, Richard Barnhisel | Feb. 12, 2025 (Revised)

The purpose of sampling surface mine lands is to gather information on the physical and chemical characteristics of the area to help assure a successful reclamation effort. Laboratory analysis of a soil sample representative of the area can be used to evaluate deficiencies or toxicities for various crops, estimate nutrient needs, determine proper fertilizer applications and identify overburden layers that may be used for a topsoil substitute or rooting medium.


ASC-270: Overview of the Mineral Nutrition of Yaks

Jeff Lehmkuhler, Katherine VanValin, Darrh Bullock, Les Anderson, Michelle Arnold | Feb. 12, 2025 (New)

Mineral nutrition is a critical aspect of livestock management, particularly for yaks grazing on the challenging terrains of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau or the diverse range conditions of North America. As these animals adapt to their environments, understanding their mineral requirements becomes vital for ensuring health, productivity, and overall well-being.

Contact Information

Tawana Brown
Associate Director, Educational Publications

361 Blazer Dining 343 S. Martin Luther King Blvd. Lexington, KY 40526-0012

+1 (859) 257-7566

tawana.brown@uky.edu