NEP-243: Growing Your Own: Blackberries

Erika Olsen, Rick Durham, Rachel Rudolph | Jun. 2, 2025 (New)

Blackberries are a delicious and healthy fruit but can be costly to buy. You may have picked wild blackberries in Kentucky. Why not plant some blackberry varieties in your backyard that will produce better fruit? Plant their roots and your blackberry patch will grow new canes each spring. You can pick your own fresh fruit for years to come.

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4AA-2FSO: Horse and Horseless Activities for 4-H Clubs

Fernanda Camargo | May. 20, 2025 (New)

Coming up with horse-club activities can sometimes be a struggle, especially when owned horses are not an option. In this publication, you will find fresh ideas for 4-H Horse Club indoor activities and field trips. These experiences connect youth to relevant horse programs through hands-on learning that fosters positive youth development and links young people to other 4-H opportunities.

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AEN-179: Water Barriers for Cattle

Steve Higgins | May. 20, 2025 (New)

Livestock producers learn very early that animals will foul their drinking water. This may explain why checking an animal’s water and cleaning water troughs daily are primary goals of 4-H and youth livestock projects. Providing fresh, clean water to cattle requires the prevention of fouling (or contamination) from feed, manure, saliva, soil, and other pollutants. In addition, open-trough watering facilities can accumulate sediment, feed, bedding, and manure, creating a potential breeding ground for flying and aquatic insects. The reduction or exclusion of these contaminants can be accomplished with a water barrier.

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ASC-198: Selecting Ducks

Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | May. 19, 2025 (Minor Revision)

As with many domesticated species, ducks are selected for different purposes, primarily meat or egg production. They are also valued for their feathers and down. It is important to choose a breed of duck that best suits your particular needs.

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ASC-271: The Impact of Heat Stress and Fescue Toxicosis on Beef Cattle Reproduction

Tyler Purvis, Les Anderson, Darrh Bullock, Kevin Laurent, Jeff Lehmkuhler, Katherine VanValin | May. 19, 2025 (New)

Heat stress is a common problem facing beef-cattle producers throughout the United States, and in 2003 was estimated to cost the U.S. beef industry $369 million dollars annually. Heat stress occurs when an animal is creating and absorbing more heat than they can dissipate, which increases core temperature and physiological stress. Common symptoms of heat stress include increased respiration rates, panting, or standing in water such as ponds or puddles. Heat stress results in negative impacts on growth, health, and reproduction. Cattle can have reduced conception rates, growth rates, and milk production during the summer. During severe heat stress, conception rates can fall to 10%-20% or lower compared to 40%-60% conception rates observed in cooler months.

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RB-355: Commercial Feeds in Kentucky, 2024

Glen Harrison | May. 8, 2025 (New)

Kentucky’s commercial feed law (KRS 250.491-250.631) dates from 1906 and was last revised in 1996. This feed law provides protection for the state’s livestock, poultry, and pet owners by regulating all feed materials offered for sale or for mixing into a feed. Products falling under regulation include all types of pet foods, livestock minerals, complete animal and poultry feeds, protein or mineral blocks, supplements, feed ingredients, specialty materials such as drug premixes, vitamin and mineral supplements, liquid feeds, pet supplements, pet treats, and other specialized pet foods. The law does provide for exemptions for whole and unprocessed grain, raw meat, hay, straw, stover, silage, cobs, husks, and hulls when not processed.
Revisions in law and regulations are primarily in response to more varied livestock feeding practices, changes in feed manufacturing technology, and new feed ingredients. Our regulations were last revised in 2018 to better align with the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) model bill and regulations. In the coming year, we will be revising our regulations to adopt AAFCO’s Pet Food Label Modernization regulations.

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ID-281: 2024 Kentucky Organic Small Grains Survey

Lauren Brzozowski, Ayla Koehler, Yoko Kusunose | May. 1, 2025 (New)

The number of organic farms and acreage doubled in Kentucky between 2016 and 2021. During that time, the number of farms grew from 100 to 207, and acreage increased from 10,255 to 20,467, according to the 2016 and 2021 USDA NASS Certified Organic Surveys. However, only 12 farms produced organic small grains, including wheat, rye, barley, and oats, in that same period. A survey by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension in 2007 reported that organic growers found growing wheat and oats organically to be “easy” or “easy to moderate” but did not identify specific areas for further research, Extension programs or education on grain crops. In this publication, we report results from a survey of current and prospective organic grain growers in Kentucky and the surrounding region to better understand the current challenges and opportunities for local organic small grain production for human food and animal feed or forage.

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FCS3-564: Gluten-Free: Is It for Me?

Anna Cason, Janet Tietyen-Mullins | May. 1, 2025 (Minor Revision)

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Known for giving baked goods their fluffiness, gluten is frequently found in cereals, breads, pastas, and other bakery items. Gluten can also be found in other foods, such as salad dressings, canned foods, sauces, seasonings, and soups. Malted alcoholic beverages such as beer, porter, stout, and pilsner also contain gluten, due to the barley content. Oats do not contain gluten naturally; however, oats are commonly milled and processed in the same facility as wheat. This contamination is harmless for most people but is dangerous to individuals experiencing gluten sensitivity. There are many causes for experiencing symptoms after eating gluten-containing foods. Three of them are celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), and a wheat allergy.

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FCS3-646: Food Allergens: Alpha-Gal

Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Anna Cason | May. 1, 2025 (New)

Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), also known as red meat allergy, is a condition that results in an allergic reaction to some animal products after a tick bite. Lone star ticks are the species most associated with AGS in the United States. A bite from one of these ticks may cause a person to develop an allergic reaction to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, a sugar molecule found in the meat of some mammals. Those mammals include cows, pigs, and lambs, or what we commonly think of as red meat. The name alpha-gal comes from the name of the sugar that causes the allergic reaction. Alpha-gal syndrome is becoming increasingly more common. As it does, we continue to see that it causes different symptoms and severities in people.

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PR-864: Overview of Kentucky Corn Yield Contests, 2019–2024

Mohammad Shamim, Chad Lee | Apr. 24, 2025 (New)

The Kentucky Corn Yield Contest is organized and administered by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. The Kentucky Corn Yield Contest aims to identify management practices that enhance corn yields across the state. It is heavily supported by the Kentucky Corn Growers Association and several agribusinesses.