Numbered Publications: ASC
ASC-236: Molting Small-Scale Commercial Egg Flocks in Kentucky
Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | Feb. 27, 2018 (New)
Molting is a common event in the annual life cycle of most avian species. Each year chickens lose feathers and grow new ones, and this occurs in both wild and domestic birds. During molt, laying hens go out of egg production and feathers are replaced. Molting, regardless of what stimulates it, is more than just the replacement of the plumage. Hormonal and physiological changes occur as well.
ASC-230: Factors to Consider Before Starting a Small-scale Egg Production Enterprise in Kentucky
Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | Jan. 25, 2018 (New)
There are several things to consider before starting an egg production operation. The most important is market availability. Before you start production you need to have a market that your production can supply, in terms of both quantity of product and the price you need to get in order to be profitable. You will need to make sure that local regulations allow for poultry production on the land available to you. Cash flow is also an important consideration. A flock will require a considerable investment before the hens start to lay eggs to produce an income. You also need to have a way to deal with the manure produced, and any dead birds. You also need to have a plan for the hens after they have finished laying (referred to as spent hens).
ASC-233: Feeds and Feeding for Small-Scale Egg Production Enterprises
Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | Jan. 25, 2018 (New)
Animals eat in order to get the energy and nutrients they need to live, grow and reproduce. Animals use energy to perform normal body functions such as breathing, walking, eating, digesting, and maintaining body temperature. Different types of nutrients provide energy as well as the building blocks needed for the development of bone, flesh, feathers, and eggs. These nutrients include: water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Each of these components is important and a deficit of even one can have serious health consequences for poultry.
ASC-234: Use of Biosecurity and Natural Remedies for the Prvention of Poultry Disease in "Natural" and "Organic" Flocks
Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | Jan. 22, 2018 (New)
It is easier to prevent disease than it is to treat an outbreak. A biosecurity plan is essential to an effective health management plan. "Bio" refers to life and "Security" is protection. A biosecurity program for a poultry farm is a series of common-sense activities designed to keep disease (bacterial, viral, parasitic) out of the poultry flock.
ASC-235: My Mare's in Heat: Predicting and Recognizing Signs of Estrus
Amy Lawyer | Jan. 22, 2018 (New)
You have heard the term frequently that a mare is in heat, but what does it mean exactly? Heat is the layman's term for showing signs of estrus. Whether you are planning to breed your mare or not her body will continue to prepare to be pregnant.
ASC-231: Breed Selection for a Small-scale Egg Production Enterprise
Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | Jan. 12, 2018 (New)
Once you have decided you are going to go into egg production, you need to determine what breed of chicken will best suit your needs. A variety of different commercial breeds are available for use in small-scale commercial egg production operations. Most lay a brown-shelled egg, which is typically preferred by the people purchasing eggs produced in alterative production systems. Most of these commercial chickens are hybrids selected specifically for these systems.
ASC-229: Marketing Regulations Affecting Small-scale Egg Producers in Kentucky
Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | Jan. 12, 2018 (New)
It is important that you comply with all the laws and regulations with regards to the marketing of eggs. Eggs are capable of carrying bacteria such as Salmonella enteritidis. As a result, eggs are considered a hazardous food and their sale is regulated. With regard to small-scale producers, if you sell more than 60 dozen eggs in any one week, you will require an egg handler's license. You will also need an egg handler's license if you sell to someone who sells eggs to someone else. This would include grocery stores, restaurants, or wholesalers. The same will hold true if you sell to a bakery, confectionary or ice-cream manufacturer.
ASC-206: Common External Parasites of Poultry
Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | Sep. 8, 2017 (Minor Revision)
Periodic examination of your flock is recommended so that infestations can be detected early and a larger flock outbreak contained. It is especially important to detect infestations early in food-producing poultry because there are restrictions on the treatments available.
ASC-228: Body Condition Scoring Ewes
Debra Aaron, Don Ely | Aug. 25, 2017 (New)
Body condition scoring is a system of classifying breeding ewes on the basis of differences in body fat. While it is subjective, with practice it can be accurate enough to indicate the nutritional status of individual ewes as well as the entire flock. Thus, it allows the shepherd to identify, record, and adjust the feed intake of ewes determined to be thin, in average flesh, or fat. In the long run, this can save money for producers and/or prevent problems attributable to ewe condition.
ASC-226: Help! My Horse Roars! What Is Laryngeal Hemiplegia?
Fernanda Camargo | Oct. 10, 2016 (New)
Various ailments can affect the different parts of the larynx of horses. Diseases of the larynx can produce airway obstruction and sometimes dysphagia. Obstructive diseases, such as laryngeal hemiplegia, often produce an abnormal respiratory noise and, most important, they limit airflow, which leads to early fatigue and poor exercise performance.
