Horticulture Workshops, Conferences & News

Grazing School Seminar
* September 30, October 1 and 2, 2008

Field Day
* Our annual field day will be held on September 12, 2008.

Ag. Education Day
* Our Ag Education day will be held on September 11, 2008.

Southwest Center FFA Workshop
* The Southwest Center will sponsor a workshop for area FFA students, which was held on March 6, 2008.

SW CTR Grazing Dairy

Ag Preparedness

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Email: Southwestcenter@missouri.edu

Superintendent:
Dr. Richard Crawford - Bio
14548 Highway H
Mt. Vernon, MO 65712-9523
Phone: 417-466-2148
FAX: 417-466-2109
Email: crawfordr@missouri.edu

WINTER WORKSHOPS PROVE SUCCESSFUL

Winter storms can prove to be frightening. Low wind chills, snow and ice storms can create dangerous conditions for everyone, including children in rural areas. To help them become better prepared, University of Missouri (MU) Extension’s Agriculture Preparedness Program teamed up with 4-H clubs and county Offices of Emergency Management’s (OEMs) to present Winter Preparedness Workshops this year.

During the workshops, Amanda Marney, agriculture preparedness specialist for MU Extension, presented a winter weather safety lesson. Using what they learned in the workshop, children assembled individual winter disaster kits. Items in the kits were donated by local businesses near the town in which the workshop was held. Winter workshops were held in Monett, Anderson, Rocky Comfort and Pineville this year.

The disaster kits provided basic essential items children would need in case of a winter storm such as gloves, water, first aid kits and flashlights. Bags were also provided. Children were encouraged to take their kits home and personalize them by adding their favorite game, book and snack. In addition, ELIOT donated identifi- cation badges for the children to attach to their disaster kits.

Marney plans to continue seasonal weather workshops throughout the year. If your 4-H club or other organization would like Amanda Marney to present a workshop, please contact her at (417) 669-4362; marneya@missouri. edu.

TORNADO ON THE FARM: WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Tornadoes are not uncommon in our neck of the woods. Each year, between 600 and 1,400 tornadoes are reported in the United States. They result in as many as 400 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries.

Tornadoes are small, but violent storms that can pack up to 250 mph winds and travel 50 miles. One weather system can spawn multiple storms. As we know from experience this past winter, tornadoes can occur at any time of the year and at any time of the day or night.

What should you be looking for in the case of a tornado?

• Dark, often greenish sky.
• Large hail.
• Cloud that looks like a wall.
• Loud roar, similar to a freight train.

What should you do if you spot a tornado while you are out in an open field? Stop and get out of your tractor! Lie in a low area or ditch away from the tractor. Cover your head with your arms to protect yourself from flying debris. Do not try to outrun a tornado on your tractor! A tornado’s speed and direction are deceptive.

When planning ahead for severe spring weather events such a tornado, it is important to know which buildings can offer the best protection, i.e. a building with a basement or a building with a storm inner structure such as a barn. Stay away from the outside walls of the building.

For more information pertaining to spring weather on the farm, go to MU Extension’s Ag Preparedness Web page at http://aes.missouri.edu/ swcenter/agprep.

FAIR TIME BRINGS BIOSECURITY ISSUES

Why should exhibitors be concerned about biosecurity during a fair or livestock show? While showing is a fun and educational experience, exhibitors must also realize that livestock exhibitions are a potential threat to the health of individual animals, the herds from which they originate and the industry they represent. At fairs and livestock shows, animals from different species, breeds, age and sex are co-mingled. Also, animals come from different locations and are managed very differently. This co-mingling of animals creates an atmosphere that could lead to transmission of diseases. In addition, travel, close confinement in unfamiliar settings and other stressors can lead to increased disease susceptibility. Stress can also cause animals that could be carriers of disease to shed these organisms in increased quantities. Fairs and livestock shows also allow people from a cross-section of the population to have close contacts with animals. All of these factors put exhibitioner’s animals at risk of becoming exposed to a disease.

What can exhibitors do? Here are some biosecurity suggestions that exhibitors and their families can do before and during the fair to keep their animals healthy.

• Work with your veterinarian to establish a herd health program. Ensure that all of your animals are well vaccinated before any animal is taken to a show or fair.
• Do not bring any visibly sick animals to a show or fair.
• Make sure all veterinary health inspections and certificates of veterinary inspection are current for all animals that will be taken to a show or fair.
• Disinfect all equipment such as buckets, shovels, wheelbarrows, manure baskets, lead ropes, blankets, snares, clippers, scissors, brushes, show box, etc. before entering the fairgrounds. A recommended disinfectant is Roccal D Plus. This is available from your veterinarian or vet supply store.
• Don’t share equipment with other exhibitors unless it has been cleaned and disinfected before and after use.
• Minimize stress prior to the fair by providing a clean, dry and comfortable environment, plenty of water and the same feeds that will be taken to the show or fair.
• Keep unused equipment and feed bagged or covered to reduce the risk of contamination.
• Vehicles and trailers used to transport animals should be well cleaned and disinfected, inside and out. Do not transport other exhibitors’ animals in the same trailer. Keep traffic between the animal areas of the fairgrounds and the home to a minimum.
• During the fair, keep animals as comfortable as possible to help reduce stress. Provide adequate bedding and plenty of air movement. Also, make sure clean water is always available and that your animals get the same feed as they do at home.
• Minimize nose-to-nose contact with animals from other farms. Avoid contact with manure from other animals.
• Keep wheelbarrow tires, pitchforks and feeding equipment clean and free of manure.
• Avoid sharing grooming equipment as well as feed and water equipment. If you loan equipment to someone, clean and disinfect it when it is returned.
• For milking animals, it is best to bring a portable milking machine from your farm. Avoid sharing milking units.
• Practice good personal hygiene - wash hands after touching animals and before eating.
• Clean and disinfect all items at the end of the fair before taking them home.
• Properly dispose of unused bedding, hay and feed after the fair. Do not bring it home.

Good biosecurity does not end once the fair is finished. It is important to keep fair animals isolated from other animals and pets for at least 30 days. If possible, you should quarantine the animals in a facility that is completely separate from your other animals to avoid contact or airborne transmission of a possible disease. Check these animals daily for any signs of illness. While your animals are in quarantine, minimize stress by making sure they are comfortable, well fed and watered. This will give them the best chance to fight off any infection picked up at the fair. Remember, whoever is caring for the animals should check the rest of the herd first and then the quarantined animals. If the animals show any signs of disease, contact a veterinarian.