Ark Country Store
209 South Highway 77
Waxahachie, TX 75165

Environment – Keep It Clean, Keep It Dry.
Provide warm, dry housing without drafts. Make enclosure predator proof.  Clean and disinfect housing, feeders and waterers before chicks arrive. Disinfect regularly.  Litter (bedding) should be 2″-5″ deep; use wood shavings, straw, etc.

Space Requirement – No Crowing Allowed
Hatch until 6 weeks: 0.8 – 1.0 square feet per chick
6 weeks and older: 1.0 – 2.0 square feed per chick

Temperature – Avoid the Bill Chill
Day old, 90°-95°F.  Heat lamp or light bulb, approximately 20″ above chicks.  Heat in advance, raise light to adjust temperature.  Place thermometer at chick level. Comfort can be observed.  If chicks huddle under light, it’s too cold.  If chicks huddle in corners, it’s too hot.  Reduce 5° each week until minimum of 65°F.

Water – Wet Their Whistles
One 1-quart fount per 25 chicks.  Use fresh, cool (not cold) water, clean daily. Disinfect waterers prior to use and then weekly.  Dip beaks to induce drinking.  elevate waterer after first week to reduce contamination from litter.  Waterer should not be higher than the chick’s back.  Double waterer capacity at 6 weeks.

Turkey Poults
Slower to understand eating and drinking, watch closely first few days.  To get poults started, dip beaks in water and feed.

Ducklings/Goslings
May swim in water after 4 weeks.  Keep dry until then.  Place marbles in waterer to reduce splashing.

Feeder(s)
One foot long per 25 chicks.  Keep full at all times, scatter Purina Mills Start & Grown ration on newspapers first 2-3 days to encourage eating.

Free-Range and Confined Chickens:

Backyard Flock, Meat Birds & Medium to Heavy Breeds
Feed Purina Mills Flock Raiser to finish.  Pullets being kept for egg production should be fed Layena beginning at 18-20 weeks.

Ducklings/Gosslings
Feed Purina Mills Flock Raiser from hatch on. (Medicated feed not approved by FDA.)

Turkey Poults
Use Purina Mills Game Bird Chow Startena 0-9weeks, Purina Flock Raiser 9-18 weeks and finish with Purina Layena.

Game Birds
Requirements are different for each species.  Ask about Purina Mills Game Bird Life Cycle Feeding.

“Vaccines are a suspension of altered microorganisms which will prevent, lessen, or treat disease without causing the disease,”; notes Dr. Mark Stickney, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Vaccines are still considered the cornerstone of preventive medicine. Knowing the different types of vaccinations and how they work can help pet caregivers provide optimum care for their animals.

“There are live, killed, modified live, and recombinant vaccinations,”; states Stickney. “By exposing the immune system to bacteria or viruses that are genetically similar to the ones that will cause disease, the immune system will develop antibodies that protect the body when it encounters the actual disease-causing organism.”;

Some pet vaccines can be purchased over-the-counter and given by non-veterinarians notes Stickney. However, he says that there may be quality control issues with vaccines if you are not familiar with the correct way to store and use them.

“By law, certain vaccines, like rabies vaccine, can only be given by your veterinarian,”; states Stickney. “Your veterinarian is also the best person to determine which vaccines your pet needs and how frequently they should be administered.”;

Stickney says, “All puppies and kittens should receive the rabies vaccine at three months of age and again at one year of age. Vaccination schedules vary depending on the area of the country you are in and the prevalence of different diseases in that area.”;

Stickney stresses that puppies should be vaccinated for distemper virus, adenovirus, parvovirus and parainfluenza, and kittens should be vaccinated for viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia. Other vaccinations may also be recommended depending on the lifestyle of your pet.

“Booster shots are necessary in puppies and kittens to overcome “maternal immunity”;, where the antibodies that the puppies and kittens acquired from their mother provide some protection but eventually break down,”; explains Stickney. “Vaccines are ineffective in the face of maternal immunity and the puppy and kitten series of vaccines is necessary to protect the pet during the time when the maternal immunity disappears. Booster shots remind the immune system of diseases it is supposed to protect against.”;

Stickney notes that the frequency at which adult animals should receive booster vaccines has been a topic of debate among veterinarians for years. Increasingly, we have evidence that most vaccines do not need to be boosted every year and that the risk of an animal catching certain diseases decreases with age. Your veterinarian will be able to tailor a vaccine protocol to the specific lifestyle of your pet.

“No vaccine is 100% effective,”; Stickney explains, “It is possible to overwhelm any vaccine and immune system with exposure to enough disease-causing organisms.”;

Additionally, he notes that adverse reactions can occur from vaccinations. They are most likely to occur the second time an animal receives a vaccine. They usually occur within minutes to six hours of vaccination.

“There are two types of reactions commonly seen, anaphylactic and delayed hypersensitivity,”; explains Stickney. “Delayed hypersensitivity reactions are more common and less serious. The pet becomes itchy and the face and ears swell. These reactions can usually be treated with antihistamines.”;

“Anaphylactic reactions are less common, but serious and life-threatening,”; notes Stickney. “The animal rapidly collapses and goes into shock. Epinephrine and intravenous fluids are necessary to treat the animal.”;

Stickney notes that if your pet ever had an allergic reaction to a vaccine, it is important to let your veterinarian know. Even pets that are allergic to a specific vaccine typically have no problems if they are treated with antihistamines before vaccinations.

Remember, vaccines are health products that signal protective immune responses in your pet and your veterinarian can best guide you in the use and scheduling of vaccinations for your pet.

ABOUT PET TALK

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at http://tamunews.tamu.edu

You probably know it’s important to feed your cattle a well-balanced mineral supplement, but you might not know why it is. Cattle with mineral shortages or imbalances do poorly in reproduction, lactation, weight gains, body condition, etc. – all the factors that affect your profitability. But most mineral deficiencies don’t show obvious symptoms until it’s too late, and without good records it’s hard to identify a gradual decline in cattle performance.

Join Ark Country Store and Purina Cattle Specialist, Doug Hawkins for a Cattle Mineral Meeting.  Tuesday, February 28, 2012 from 12:00pm to 1:30pm.  Learn more about cattle minerals and take advantage of savings during this meeting.  Lunch will be served.

For more information call Candice or Austin at the store, 972-937-8860.

Please RSVP.  Call or sign up online to attend this free meeting:

It is estimated that there are over 700,000 senior horses living in the United States today. There was a “horse baby boom” in the mid-to-late 1970s, making 9-11% of the total horse population today older horses. Many of these horses are well into their 20s or 30s, and still live very healthy, active lives due to better care and feeding.

The best manner in which to care for older horses is to address their special needs prior to any significant decline in condition or health. As always, your veterinarian plays a key role in helping to ensure the continuing good health and longevity of your horse.

Three main areas of attention needed for the older horse are nutrition, management, and health.

Dental – Teeth that are worn or missing make chewing difficult for the horse. Poor dental care can also cause mouth ulcers resulting in pain. Poor teeth contribute to the horse not chewing its food long enough to produce the amount of saliva necessary for proper digestion. Saliva not only contains enzymes important for the digestion of feed, but it also helps to lubricate the esophagus for ease of swallowing. If a horse is dropping bits of feed or forage out of its mouth, chances are there is an underlying condition in the mouth. In addition, feeds that are processed and easy to chew will help the problem of dropping feed. Water can also be added to the feed to make a gruel which will be even more edible for the horse with poor dental condition. A horse can literally “drink” a meal if teeth are in extremely poor condition.

Digestive System – As the horse ages, the motility of the digestive tract becomes compromised. One reason may be due to the fact that the horse itself has become less active. However, digestive concerns still can occur in those individuals that remain active, even as an older horse. Gas production and impactions can lead to colic symptoms. By feeding smaller meals more frequently, the horse can more easily digest and process its feed. Reducing starch or grain in the diet can be helpful in preventing excess gas and constipation. Increasing the amount of a high quality, easily digestible fiber source may also assist in this regard. As always, offer plenty of clean, fresh water to keep food moving through the system. Consider adding 2 ounces of salt to the horse’s diet to stimulate water consumption. Remember, horses prefer tepid water from 45 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

As part of the aging process, the older horse experiences a reduction in digestive efficiency, along with a decline in its ability to absorb nutrients. By feeding a processed feed, as opposed to whole grains, and by fortifying the nutrient levels in that feed, the horse is better able to absorb those nutrients which are made available in its diet.
Parasite infestation also hinders digestive capabilities, so a proper deworming and parasite control program must always remain paramount in proper maintenance and care of the horse at any age.

Body Weight – Though some senior horses have a problem with being overweight, it is much more common to see older horses that have become too thin. Aging tends to result in a reduction of muscle mass, along with difficulty in maintaining adequate weight. As mentioned earlier, the older horse may not absorb nutrients as efficiently as it had been able to do in its younger years, or may be experiencing problems with chewing and digesting. Monitor horse’s body weight using the established Body Condition Scoring System, paying special attention to weight over the top line, back and rib cage areas.

If your horse is too thin, feed a processed feed that contains high quality, easily digested protein and readily available energy. If the horse is too fat, minimize grain intake to control calories, yet still assure that proper protein, along with correct vitamin and mineral balance, is being maintained.

Hair and Skin – An inadequate diet is often to blame for problems with hair, skin, and hooves in horses of all ages, but is especially evident in the older horse. Regular brushing and a good nutrition program will contribute greatly to resolving these conditions. Nutrients such as protein, essential fatty acids and vitamins are particularly important, and many times are inadequate in a typical diet. Poor hair coat in older horses can sometimes be due to Cushing’s disease. This is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland. Symptoms of Cushing’s disease include long hair coats that shed late in the year or in patches, loss in muscle mass and excessive water intake. Consult your veterinarian if you feel your horse may be showing these symptoms.

In a study of geriatric horses, over 70% of the horses over 20 years of age showed subclinical signs of pituitary or thyroid dysfunction. These dysfunctions can cause an intolerance to glucose or blood sugar. After a meal high in starch, such as cereal grains, blood levels of glucose and insulin become abnormally high. Horses with Cushing’s disease respond to diets that are lower in starch and higher in fat and fiber. With proper veterinary care and nutritional management, these horses can live for years after the appearance of the clinical signs.

Bones and Joints – As horses become older, we begin to see lameness which may be due to chronic founder or laminitis, arthritis, or stiffness from weakened bones due to demineralization. The first course of action is to obtain veterinary assistance to aid in alleviating discomfort. Depending upon the specific condition, management recommendations may vary. Nutritionally speaking, it is important to provide a nutritionally balanced diet providing more calories from fat and fiber, as opposed to starch, along with a good mineral balance.

Anemia – Anemia is a reduction in red blood cells and can occur in horses of any age for a variety of reasons. In the older horse, anemia may be the result of poor nutrient utilization, or a decrease in red blood cell production. It can also be associated with heavy infestation of parasites. By providing a palatable, easily digested and balanced feed, the horse will receive and utilize the nutrients essential to its good health. In some situations, an extra blood-building nutrient may be recommended by the veterinarian.

In summary, our large population of older horses can continue to provide us with joy and entertainment for many, many years provided that we, as their caretakers, are aware of their changing needs and make certain that we do whatever we can to provide them with the best care possible in their golden years. Through proper nutrition, management and health care, we can help our older horses to continue to thrive for many years!

By Tina M. Anderson, PhD