FSHE-18: Greens: Choosing, Storing, Preparing, and Enjoying

Anna Cason, Sandra Bastin | June 16, 2025 (Minor Revision)

There are many different types of greens to choose from, including fresh, frozen, and canned options. Greens include varieties of lettuce, beet and turnip tops, Swiss chard, chicory (curly endive), collards, dandelion and mustard greens, kale, endive, escarole, parsley, rape, spinach, watercress, and more. Some greens are enjoyed raw, and some—like collards and beet, mustard, and turnip greens—are better cooked. Greens can be prepared in a variety of ways. They are packed with vitamins and minerals to support health. Consider the points below when choosing, storing, and preparing greens to enjoy and reap the benefits from them.

NEP-244: Growing Your Own: Strawberries

Erika Olsen, Rick Durham, Rachel Rudolph | June 13, 2025 (New)

Strawberries produce fruit in May and June. Even in a small garden, there is room for one or two strawberry plants that can bear fruit for several years.

AGR-283: Interpreting Baleage Fermentation Test Results

Jimmy Henning, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch, Jeff Lehmkuhler, Michelle Arnold | June 6, 2025 (New)

Baleage is the wrapping of bales of wilted forage such that anaerobic fermentation occurs. Most commonly made with large round bales, larger rectangular bales may also be stored as baleage.

NEP-243: Growing Your Own: Blackberries

Erika Olsen, Rick Durham, Rachel Rudolph | June 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.