Archive for Farm/Ranch

Seven Tips To Help You Become A Master Beekeeper

Sunday, May 1st, 2011

Tip #1:- Be acquainted with the true art form that’s deep within the business of honey beekeeping, it’s the the activity of looking after colonies of bees, keeping the bees in great health and making sure that they produce honey of the highest quality. Successful beekeepers with productive colonies have made the time to gain knowledge about the various bee types as some kinds might show hostility, they can propagate disease, become regular victims to parasites and end being totally exposed to predators also.

It’s possible for all of these factors to impact and affect the productivity of your honeybees negatively which will end up yielding unsatisfactory harvests. Before anybody goes blind folded into the beekeeping world, a bit of standard research must be done so that you can acquire above average information about keeping honeybees (Or get a Step-by Step beekeeping guide from the links below).

Tip #2:- Safety is an integral part of honey beekeeping, bees are harmless when being handled with total, utmost respect and it’s highly possible to work with bees for years without a single stinging incident. However it is still important that safety principles are upheld all the time not just some of time. Get yourself a good beekeeper’s suit and it should consist of a long sleeve jacket, long pair of pants that can be sealed at bottom to prevent the bees from moving up your pants, a hat that has a veil and gloves.

I can never over state the value of having a first aid kit make up part of your apiary, because even if your become very carefull when dealing with honey bees, there will be an occasional stinging accident and anybody who has hypersensitivity to beestings must receive instant medical attention.

Tip #3:- Every activity needs a set place whereby production can take place, and the same rule apply for beekeeping. You will require some space to keep your colonies called the apiary. The perfect area would be in a farm as most farmers welcome beekeepers and their colonies with open arms because of their understanding of how important bees are for pollinating crops. However not everyone can have access to farmland. However it is still possible to raise honey bees in urban areas, but extra precautionary measures must be adhered to.

Tip #4:- Becoming part of a beekeepers association will enable you to get support about beekeeping issues. Most states don’t allow unregistered individuals to become beekeepers and this is where club’s support will come handy. They will ensure that you meet the required standards by the authorities, and help you set up an appropriate date for the authorities to come and grade your apiary accordingly to get you certified as soon as possible.

Tip #5:- Once the above steps have been dealt with the next step to go into is to acquire some beehives and bees. There is a variety of avenues for purchasing bees but I’d pressume that if you are reading this article you’re a beginner, so my recommendation is that you buy packaged bees. I suggest packaged bees simply because they come complete with Queen, drones and some worker bees to help you get started. You can be sure that they’re free of diseases, and the best part about packaged bees is that they have a a clearly documented history.

Contact your beekeepers association in your state and they will happily direct you to some reputable suppliers on their data base so that you can get your first package of bees and a good hive to get you moving in the right direction.

Tip #6:- Now that everything is in place it is time to position your honey bees in their new environment or home so they can acclimatised and start honey production. You want make sure that the queen is properly installed in the beehive (for detailed steps of installing the queen refer to the Step-by-Step guide, accessible from the links), then prepare syrup mixture and water source and place them not far your apiary this will allow your bees easy access to water and food, eliminating the need to travel long distances just to forage.

Tip #7:- Bees can look after themselve without too much assistance, nonetheless an good honeybee keeper will make it easy for them so that their sole focus is on the production of honey and increasing the hive. Regular hive inspections are a must, so that any imminent dangers can be recognised and dealt with or completely avoided.

Diseases, pests, parasites and predators are common threats to bees and many of the above can be easily dealt with. When inspecting your behives often at least two or three times every week, you will observe behaviour patterns and movement of your bees and whenever there’s a slight change you’ll immidiately notice it.

Success in beekeeping lies with good management practise and knowledge of all the honey bees facts, arranging your inspection intervals, the ability to spot diseases & pest problems quickly. The minute you have these processes pinned down, a perfect harvest doesn’t come as a surprise, so engage yourself as much as much as possible and learn this great practise so that you can reap great rewards.

Find Out About Best Quality Tree Saddles

Saturday, April 16th, 2011

A quality leather saddle is made up of the tree skeleton which is constructed with a pommel, which covers a horse’s withers, and the side bars that curve round into the hind-bow. A tree frame in better leather saddles will be made of durable wood like beechwood cut with the grain. A layer of canvas gets glued over the wood to prevent splitting, and then steel or iron plates are riveted on the head and cantle. Webs of linen are connected lengthwise plus also across, and then are padded over. Onto the tree frame are fastened the bars to hold the stirrups. The leather covering over the tree skeleton may be durable pig-skin or long-lasting man-made material. The various exterior and visible parts of a leather saddle are comprised of the hanging flaps, seat, and skirt.

Think about the sort of used western horse saddle you want

When you investigate the merchandise by discussing opinions with the sales staff in stores or by getting reviews on the net, think about if the articles are biased. Multiple evaluation sources would tend to protect you from the non-objective evaluations you might find in just a single site. A recommended way to determine whether you are receiving more objective articles about bargain ranch saddles, Arabian saddles, or side saddles is to check multiple places to determine if you understand enough prior to when you buy the item you want.

Up front, when you want to search for gaited horse saddles, synthetic saddles, or saddlebags for horses you want to know what sort of draft saddle, synthetic saddle, or equestrian tack you are purchasing. Your task could look easy, but this often is not so easy. As you acquire discount barrel racing saddles, English saddles, or saddle stirrups, you often have many selections to make when you decide the special close contact saddle, jumping saddle, or gaited horse tack inventory merchandise that will meet your objectives.

Specifically, if you intend to hunt for the very best and most expensive close contact saddle, dressage saddle, or equestrian tack for your needs and desires, it is recommended that you think about whether you must have all these costly capabilities. You should decide whether you need a particular type of close contact saddle, jumping saddle, or bridle. In addition, you ought to determine what quality of riding saddle, endurance saddle, or saddle tack you need.

Choose how much you can spend for used trail saddles

For every product there are choices between features and price. For example, many barrel racing saddles, Mexican saddles, and reins consist of higher grade materials, however these kinds of better grade draft horse saddle, English saddle, or saddle gullet merchandise items very often are higher priced.

However, even if you have the budget to purchase the most expensive merchandise product available, you are recommended to evaluate whether getting the most expensive item is really valuable to you. Many ranch saddles, used dressage saddles, and saddle supplies will provide many capabilities that may seem potentially valuable, but you are recommended to determine whether those are features that you actually need and want. If you get a product because of costly capabilities that you do not need, then you are only tossing some of your money down the drain. A less expensive thing would have done adequately.

Finally, know before committing to the purchase the rules for getting a refund for the discount ranch saddle, leather saddle, or wholesale horse tack merchandise item and if there is any warranty. While you might not receive the cheapest cost, doing business with a reputable seller with a decent refund practice is often very useful. Typically only a small minority of all a minority of the merchandise items that you get have to be returned, but evaluating the store’s policies before you buy can help you after the purchase, if the product does not work.

Where should I look to hunt for the best dressage riding saddle?

Most importantly as you search, you should have direct access to a very broad selection of sales items of the type of items that you want to find. Full merchandise access can be ensured, if the website you are looking at taps into the very widest collection of competitive product offerings that are available. Next, it is valuable to you to search through the mass of products that you could potentially get to find the ones that are exactly what you want to find. To search for the right thing efficiently, you must have an automated sorter that quickly lets you find what you want to find.

Online competition to get your purchase helps assure that you are the winner. Vendors know that they have to give you access to the best quality products and service, while they have to provide to you low prices or you will just buy from another seller. When you wish to buy the best trail saddles, synthetic saddles, and saddle supplies, hunt for the best site. The best website will provide to you the easiest, most satisfying shopping process for youth saddle, equine saddle, or English horse tack products.

Best Laying Chickens

Saturday, April 16th, 2011

Are you looking for the best egg laying chicken breed for your backyard chicken flock? All chickens give eggs, of course, but some breeds have much better egg production than others. If you are hoping to have eggs every day from your hens, you’ll want to make sure you have the right type.

White Leghorn

The White Leghorn is the most popular breed around the world, and with good reason. The Leghorn hen can lay about three hundred eggs per year. Leghorns mature early and start laying at 4-5 months of age. 
The eggs they lay are slightly off white in color and large. The hens are nervous and will avoid human contact if possible, however, so they are not always good as pets. 
White Leghorns, like most good layers, rarely go broody, so if you want to hatch out some eggs to raise chicks, you will need either another breed to set them, or an incubator. 
Winter can mean frostbite in a Leghorn’s comb, so they are not good cold-weather hens.  

Rhode Island Red

These are an aggressive breed, but Reds are great brown egg layers.
These hens do well in confinement and are a hardy breed, but they are prone to frostbite in their combs.
Producing medium brown eggs, Reds are ready to lay within 5-6 months.

Red Star and Black Star Sex linked

Well-known for their large eggs of brown color and productive egg-laying, this breed is very popular. They are docile and make very good pets that do well with children.
This breed will lay during the winter months and has one of the best feed to egg ratios of all breeds. While these hens will begin laying as early as 4 1/2 months, they usually take 6 months before they are laying daily.
The breed gets its name because of its sex linked gene that causes chicks to have different colors, making it easy to separate females from males. This makes it easy not to buy unwanted roosters. 
Most family projects or small business egg sellers like this breed. 

Roosters or No Roosters?

For a purely egg-laying production, there is no need to keep roosters. For egg fertility, however, you will obviously need roosters. If you do not plan to increase your flock size or raise broilers, then you will not need a rooster. 
{Productivity Limits of Hens}Hens produce eggs for 3-4 years. At about that time, 3 years of age, you will see a decline in the number of eggs produced, and the laying will become erratic. Older hens beyond their egg producing prime can be taken as stew pot or dumpling stock.
Of course, some may prefer to put their best layers who’ve gone beyond their prime out to pasture.

For much more information, please click on Best Laying Chickens. Check out Chicken Coop Designs if you’re thinking about constructing your own chicken coop.

What Is Dog Bloat?

Monday, April 11th, 2011

Dog bloat takes place when there is a blockage in the GI region causing an obstruction. It is an incredibly serious problem and pet dogs who have it really need to be taken to the vet asap.

02/21/2011 Seattle, WA – Susan Denair had a dog who has surpassed bloat previously. “It was so frightening when our pet dog started getting sick,” said Denair. “It was really good that I thought of taking him to the vet immediately or it might have ended badly.” Denair might also be on of the people who trail the webpage – web page – http://www.weimaranerproblems.com/weimaraner-chewing/.

In an article that dealt with Weimaraner Chewing, one commenter seemed troubled with the difficulty of bloat in their animals. Many others cited the difficulty of recurrence when it comes to the condition.

First of all, when your dog is showing signs of dog bloat, you would should take it to the vet immediately. The problem could cause death in your pet dog, especially when it is not treated appropriately. When you can, you should also call beforehand so that your pet is aware of what they have to overcome a pet dog who has bloat. The sooner that the dog is treated, the better its odds of survival are going to be.

The exact bring about of dog bloat is not clearly understood, but it is believed that the certain factors including stress and overeating can lead to the development of the problem. There are also reports indicating that deep chested pet dogs are suscetipble to the deficiency.

Every owner needs to be able to pinpoint the signs of bloat in their pets since it might be what saves your pet dog. Top signs that your family pet is experiencing bloat include a hunched form and dry heaves. Dog owners might also be worried with foaming at the mouth. Dogs can also cough a lot and they could drink a lot of water. Abdominal enlargement can also be a problem and the belly could possibly be rigid to the touch. Dogs may go and shallow breath and they can begin to pace and have pale gums.

There are numerous treatment alternatives for pet dogs who have the bloat. Inserting a tube might help torelievee the distention. Insertingg a tube down the throat and into the stomach can help to relieve the distention. It will help to release air as well as to get rid of the food that could possibly be causing the obstruction. Surgery may also be performed when inserting a tube into the belly does not work. With surgery, the belly also may be stapled to the abdominal wall in order to keep it from happening once more.

In the forums of Weimaraner Chewing many owners also cited the difficulty of tips on how to overcome repeat instances of bloat. In the event that bloat occurs once more, the best thing than an owner can do is to chat with their vet with regards to the possibility of surgery.

Gastric Ulcer In Pet Dogs

Friday, April 1st, 2011

Gastric ulcer is an ulceration or the wearing down of the lining in the dog’s stomach. This must be taken very seriously as it can bring about infection and it can perforate and may cause your pet dog’s death. If you think that your dog has gastric ulcer, it is extremely important that you take the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible so as to get medication.

03/02/2011 Springfield, OH – Bartholomew Beta’s dog had an issues with a case of gastric ulcer. “Maggie’s vomit appeared like coffee grounds to me and I later learned that it was blood,” said Beta. “I took her to the doctor immediately due to the fact that I was very worried about her. It was really good that I did though since if I hadn’t, it might have been bad.” Beta was also present at the launch of the web page – http://www.weimaranerproblems.com/aggressive-weimaraner/. It deals with aggression in weimaraners and other pet dogs.

In one forum for aggressive weimaraners, there was one user who said that some pet dogs will simply be aggressive when it is unwell. Pain is a stimulus and it can bring about dogs to act out aggressively when they are in pain. An ulcer is a painful stimuli and many most dogs who have it could be aggressive towards their owners or they can appear irritable.

There are a number of things that will cause gastric ulcers in dogs, two common causes are NSAIDs and the H.Pylori bacteria. NSAIDs can induce a thinning of the lining of the stomach. Thinning of the lining of the stomach can make it prone to stomach acids. NSAIDs are pain relievers that can be given to dogs with pain. These needs to be given to dogs in moderation and when done so, it is better to give it with meals so as to reduce the irritation of the stomach lining.

In addition to NSAIDs use, the condition can also be caused by the H.Pylori bacteria. This is extremely common in dogs and it can exist in most normal stomachs. When a dog is stressed like following a surgery or if your dog has been in a traumatic upset, the lining could be prone to the H.Pylori bacteria.

The condition will be treated with the help of antacids and with the medication that reduce the acid production in the stomach. Drugs that coat the ulcers also can be given to canines to aid protect the ulcers that have already formed in the stomach. Most doctors are going to prescribe a combination of the two treatments types help your dog recover. Diet changes might also be implemented to aid your dog recover faster.

As an owner, you need to be aware of the health of your pet. If it is acting in an odd way, make certain that you investigate to see what really is causing the condition. Just like what was discussed in the forums for owners with aggressive weimaraners, aggressiveness could just be one of the symptoms of a serious condition in pet dogs.

What Is The Prognosis For A Dog With Lymphoma

Friday, March 25th, 2011

Lymphoma is a cancer malignancy of lymph tissue and it affects thousands of dogs each year. It has a high level of metastasis and remissions will not last especially long. The problem is usually managed chemotherapy and with surgery. It has a especially poor prognosis and even with medication only about 20% of the dogs who are identified with it last to live two years.

02/25/20111 Grand Forks, ND – Ashton White had a pet dog who died of lymphosarcoma and she tells some of her experiences about it. “It was difficult, I had to say goodbye to our pet dog who I loved so much,” said White. “The doctors did everything they could, but I guess her cancer malignancy was too far progressed. I wish that I could have spotted the indicators of cancer earlier and I could have given her much more time.” White also was there at the launch of the web page – http://www.weimaranerproblems.com/crate-training-weimaraner/.

In one of the forums that focused on dog malignancy, there was one owner who inquired whether she should continue crate training weimaraner for her dog who has just be diagnosed with intestinal lymphosarcoma. I say that the decision on whether to stop training is gonna be found out by how far the progress of the dog training has gone. If the animal is trained to stay in a crate for years, then go and keep with it. The longer the dog is trained to stay in a crate, the more the place will feel like a nest and they will feel comfy and so there is no need to change the patterns that they are comfortable with.

If a family pet is diagnosed with lymphoma, the first thing that an owner should do is to ask their local vet about therapy options. Vets will explain to the pet owners what stage the dog’s malignancy is in. In the first stages of the disorder, chemotherapy and surgical procedure are still valid options. In the later phases of the illness where there is a very good deal of metastasis, it will be a good idea to think about euthanasia and furthering the quality of life for the dog’s remaining days.

Most pet owners will decide to take their dogs home and give them all of the love and ease till the disorder runs its course. Dogs who aren’t treated can die within 4 to 6 weeks of diagnosis.

If you prefer to seek therapy for your dogs, there is a awfully high rate of survival from the disorder with approximately 75% of sufferers going into remission. Unfortunately, the remission is only will last for approximately 6 to 11 months. A second remission is attainable, but there are only about 45% of dogs who can make it through. There are much lower odds for a third remission with only approximately 20% of dogs surviving. It is only gonna be natural for an owner to want to fright for their dogs because it is hard to say goodbye to a pet you have loved. But, quality of life also needs to be considered, if your dog will only suffer from treatments, it may be a pretty good idea to avoid them.

The best thing that a dog owner could do is to make sure that their dog is as at ease as doable. Like above, if your dog is by now used to crate training weimaraner, then go along with it. Also, if your dog is some pain, give them the drug that was approved to them and will not give them yours because this will only do more harm than good.

Building A Hen House: Some Important Considerations

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

A hen house is a place of shelter for your chickens at night and during bad weather as well as nesting boxes for their eggs. Depending on what type of house you want to build, you have plenty of ideas available in building a hen house. The first consideration is the number of hens that you have since your goal is to prevent overcrowding, which if not averted can result to fights and reduced egg production. You should as well build a nesting box for every five hens so that they have plenty of spaces to lay their precious eggs. Provide six to 10 inches of spaces for each bird for their perches.

It is important to choose the right material when building a house for hen. If you do not have plenty of time, wood is an ideal choice because it is very easy to cut and assemble. With wood, you can simply set aside two weekends and you can already complete this task. Before you go on the task to build hen house, you should decide as to the size and style of coops that you want to build. Make sure that they will be put up in proper places.

If you have no idea on building chicken coops, plenty of resources are available on the Internet, whether you require a big coop or a small one, whether you have a limited budget, or whether you want a premium large and two-story hen house. Many plans for chicken coop are found online to give you basic ideas on starting your project. As mentioned, location is a key factor when building coops for a poor location might result to unhealthy or unproductive poultry. Check out if the location has soil drainage, air circulation, and accessible to water. The drainage will prevent the formation of muddy areas, which could cause filth and be a reason for diseases. Having enough circulation inside the coops will prevent unpleasant odors that can be harmful to humans. Meanwhile, the nearby water source will allow you to conveniently replenish the daily needs of your poultry. You can even install an automatic watering system for added convenience if there is an available nearby water source. Make sure to clean your coops every so often so that the birds grow in a healthy environment, which will lead to them giving you top quality eggs.

What And How To Feed Chickens

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

Feeding chickens is more than just throwing grain, you must take into account the age of the chickens and your goal for them. You will need to use different feed for chickens which will be egg producers than you will for those meant for meat production.

How to Feed Chicks

Baby chicks should always start out on a chick starter that is 20-22% protein for egg producers, and up to 24% protein for meat hens. Starter should be used until the age of 6-9 weeks, depending on the hen’s breed and its maturity level. After maturity, the feed should be switched to “broiler finish” grains until they are ready for slaughter (if meat chickens) – otherwise, continue with the egg feed.

Often, antibiotics are added to the feed of meat hens to prevent Coccidiosis. Even egg layers are often given these antibiotics unless they are being raised as free range or organic.

Commercially grown meat chickens are often loaded with hormones, so raising meat hens at home is a popular way to avoid ingesting those.

Chickens as Adults

Once hens reach adulthood, they are often moved to a 14% protein feed. Another important nutrient for egg layers is calcium, especially for large breeds such as Jersey Giants.

Adult hen feed comes in mash and scratch, pellets, and crumbles. The best way to get the most balanced diet for your hens is to mix some scratch in with pellets or crumbles and then supplement with vegetables and calcium.

You can supplement your chicken’s calcium intake by adding clean, crushed egg shells in their feed. They will eat what they need if it is available.

Vegetables and Peelings

Leftover veggies like spinach, Romain, apple peelings, and whole grains like oatmeal, barley, and small amounts of fruit make your hens healthier and happier. Keep in mind that these are supplements, not replacements for the hen feed. Chicken feed has all the protein and nutrients the chickens need.

So long as it’s fresh and not a meat product, it can be thrown to the chickens instead of the garbage.

Chicken Mobiles

Chicken tractors give you the ability to move your flock from place to place in your yard. This allows the available bugs, vegetation, and grit fresh and the chickens exercised. This is a good way to do it if you don’t have the room for free range, or need to protect your chickens from daytime predators.

This will also help keep your yard from getting brown spots where the hens scratch to find morsels.

Hazards

Do not use fertilizers or pesticides where chickens might feed. Chickens will eat anything and everything they eat ends up in them and their eggs.

Weed killers and sprays can poison hens who eat the plants they have been sprayed on. Whatever your hens eat ends up in them and their eggs. Chickens can be passing poisons into their eggs without showing any illness at all.

When raised properly, hens can be great family fun and a source of excellent nutrition. Well fed hens provide excellent eggs and meat.

Visit Chicken Coop Plans for information about how to build your own chicken coop.

Read Chicken Coop Kits for an even easier project.

Raising Meat Goats – Tips On How To Get Started Quickly Even If It Is Your First Time Raising Goats

Saturday, March 5th, 2011

Did you know that there is a great demand for goat meat in the United States that producers have been having difficulty keeping up? Because of the high requirements that the current producers cannot provide, much of the goat meat sold in the US is imported from either New Zealand or Australia. The fact that almost 1.5 million pounds of goat meat is imported weekly just proves that raising meat goats is an industry that is slowly on the rise.

So what is so special about goat meats that it is widely popular? It is said that goat meat, also known as chevon is easily digestive compared to other meats. It has a low fat content and is a good alternative to chicken or fish, it tastes good too.

Being a thriving business, wouldn’t this be a perfect opportunity to try to start raising meat goats?

If you are a novice to raising meat goats yet you’d like to get started, there are a lot of ways to learn how to go about it. You can research on some well known producers who have been in the industry for long time. Try visiting their farms or see if there are shows, seminars, and other events pertaining to raising meat goats. You can also do a search from the internet for some facts to learn more about the industry.

With this article, we will try to give you some important information to help you to get started. First thing you need to do is to decide what type and what breed you would like to raise. You can either choose to raise registered breeding stock or you can opt to raise unregistered commercial meat type of goats. As for the breeds, you can find out from certain websites for facts on all of the different breeds that are available in the US.

It would also be essential to ascertain what resources you have in order to raise goat meats. These resources are shelters, fences and pastures. Do you have a large enough area to begin meat goat farming?

You need to determine how many goats you can start with. When you are raising meat goats, it is critical to think about the type of soil where you want to construct their shelter on, how fertile the soil is, the area’s climate and the type of vegetation that you have on that ground.

Raising meat goats can be simple and easy if based on those who have done it. If you are looking for more tips on raising meat goats and want to avoid the common painful mistakes made by novice and experienced farmers too, go to: raisingmeatgoats.com

Building A Chicken Coop

Saturday, March 5th, 2011

Building a Chicken Coop can often prove to be a challenge. Owning a backyard is a huge advantage. A chicken coop will likely be one of the very first investments somebody would make. Owning a chicken coop means having fresh eggs. Recycling food scraps gives excellent fertilizers. The eBook which will help the reader to develop a nice, attractive coop. It’ll protect chickens from harmful animals.

Building a Chicken Coop isn’t incredibly easy however it is worth the effort. It makes economical sense. It is cheaper to make a coop than to get one. This is really a book that may save lots of money. It easy to follow and it really is filled with the experience of quite a few others in poultry and farming. The designs explained inside the eBook are simple to follow. There are several diagrams that include the exact needed materials. Also the eBook explains what to do if the chickens get sick. It points how you ought to feed the chickens.

In Building A Chicken Coop Book, various plans for unique kinds of coop are explained. You will discover Midsize, Premium and Portable chicken coops. Other things are explained too. Picking the right chickens, extending the coop into something bigger, and taking care of the chickens are vital things. If the book proves to be unhelpful, the funds is going to be returned to the buyer. You can find bonuses coming with the book. The bonuses consist of 4 extra books, besides create a chicken coop. The books have other suggestions and ideas related to gardening and managing chickens.

It’s extremely quick to get this helpful guide. Building A Chicken Coop Plans costs only 29.95$, and guaranteed to guide the reader into making a nice coop. It’s an on the web book, so it might be printed. One more benefit is that the guide is downloadable, so it takes nearly no time to purchase it and have it. The book will not deteriorate since it’s electronic.

Building A Chicken Coop can be a must-have book and it represents an excellent investment.