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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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PR-735: 2017 Cool-Season Grass Grazing Tolerance Report

Joey Clark, Gene Olson, Tim Phillips, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch | Dec. 18, 2017 (New)

Cool-season grasses such as tall fescue, orchardgrass, and Kentucky bluegrass are the primary pasture grasses in Kentucky. Other species such as perennial ryegrass, festulolium, and the brome grasses can be used in pasture systems. Little is known about the effect of variety on the grazing tolerance of these cool-season grass species. The purpose of this report is to summarize current research on the grazing tolerance of varieties of tall fescue, orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, and other species when they are subjected to continuous, heavy grazing pressure by cattle within the grazing season. The main focus will be on plant stand survival.

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PR-736: 2017 Cool-Season Grass Horse Grazing Tolerance Report

Laurie Lawrence, Gene Olson, Tim Phillips, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch | Dec. 13, 2017 (New)

Cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and orchardgrass are dominant pasture grasses for horses in Kentucky. Variety evaluations for yield have been carried out for many years, but little work has been done to establish the effect of variety on persistence when subjected to close, continuous grazing by horses. The purpose of this report is to summarize current research on the grazing tolerance of varieties of tall fescue, orchardgrass, and other species when subjected to continuous heavy grazing pressure by horses within the grazing season. The main focus will be on stand survival.

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PR-733: 2017 Alfalfa Grazing Tolerance Report

Joey Clark, Gene Olson, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch | Dec. 11, 2017 (New)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is the highest-yielding, highest-quality forage legume grown in Kentucky. It forms the basis of Kentucky's cash hay enterprise and is an important component in dairy, horse, beef, and sheep diets. Recent emphasis on its use as a grazing crop and the release of grazing-tolerant varieties have raised the following question: Do varieties differ in tolerance to grazing? We have chosen to use the standard tolerance test recommended by the North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference. This test uses continuous heavy grazing to sort out differences in grazing tolerance in a relatively short period of time. This report summarizes research on the grazing tolerance of alfalfa varieties when subjected to continuous heavy grazing pressure during the grazing season.

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PR-734: 2017 Red and White Clover Grazing Tolerance Report

Joey Clark, Gene Olson, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch | Dec. 11, 2017 (New)

Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is a high-quality, short-lived perennial legume that is used in mixed or pure stands for pasture, hay, silage, green chop, soil improvement, and wildlife habitat. White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a low-growing, perennial pasture legume with white flowers. It differs from red clover in that the stems (stolons) grow along the surface of the soil and can form adventitious roots that may lead to the development of new plants. This report summarizes research on the grazing tolerance of clover varieties when subjected to continuous grazing pressure.

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CCD-PFS-1: Produce Food Safety: Packing and Storing

Paul Vijayakumar | Nov. 6, 2017 (New)

: If you intend to sell your produce, you'll need to package it. Some growers immediately assume that they'll need a large, complicated packing shed with state-of-the art technology. Typically this is not the case, and for some situations you might not need a packing facility at all. Before we go into some of the best practices for managing a packing shed, you should first consider whether you need one at all. Many of the practices discussed in this publication will depend on the requirements of your buyer. The first step before making upgrades to your food safety infrastructure is to talk to your buyer--ask them how they expect products packaged, box sizes, and whether they
expect the product to be washed. Do they currently expect a third-party Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) audit? Do they anticipate requiring one in the near future? As long as you are meeting all regulatory requirements and taking common sense steps to keep your produce safe, there is no need to exceed the expectations of your buyer. In the case of Farmers Markets and CSAs, the expectations for washing can be highly
variable.