Extension to host free FAMACHA certification for goat, sheep producers in western Arkansas

 By Tracy Courage

U of A System Division of Agriculture

 

 

Fast Facts: 

·       Half-day training offered May 2 in Sebastian County

·       Topics: Integrated pest management, dewormers, FAMACHA 

·        Register by April 30 at https://www.uaex.uada.edu/famacha25

LITTLE ROCK — Producers of small ruminants can get certified in using the FAMACHA system  at a free training offered May 2 by the Cooperative Extension Service.

FAMACHA© is checking the color of the mucous membrane of the eye against a color chart to determine if the animal is anemic and needs to be dewormed.   

Attendees will learn about the biology of the main parasites that affect goats, sheep and other animals and learn about integrated parasite management. They’ll become certified in using FAMACHA — short for Faffa Malan Chart, a diagnostic method for identifying the presence of Barber’s pole worm _— Haemonchus contortus. 

“As barber pole worm is a bloodsucker parasite, a high parasite load can decrease appetite, affect digestion and cause anemia,” said Dan Quadros, extension small ruminant specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “In severe cases, parasite infections can kill sheep and goats. FAMACHA is an easy, accessible method to check the animals and determine if they need treatment.”

 

The training will be held 8:30 a.m.-noon at the Sebastian County Fairgrounds, 530 E. Knoxville St., Greenwood. The training is free, but online registration is required and available at https://www.uaex.uada.edu/famacha25.

 

Joan Burke, a research animal scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center, will lead the training.

Burke has researched the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep and goats. Her program addresses issues that producers may encounter with their livestock, such as organic and grass-fed production systems for ruminant livestock and alternatives to synthetic dewormers, such as specialty forages, genetic and genomic selection for parasite resistance, nutrition, and products such as copper oxide wire particles. 

Burke is also one of the founding members of the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. 

USDA Assists Farmers, Ranchers and Communities Affected by Weekend Storms

 

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced today that USDA will be delivering any assistance it can for communities and agricultural producers affected by the weekend storms that cut a path of devastation through the South and Midwest. These storms have sparked tornadoes, dust storms and wildfires that have engulfed hundreds of square miles, left hundreds of thousands of homes without power and taken dozens of lives. “My heart goes out to the families that have lost loved ones, homes, businesses and livelihoods,” said Secretary Rollins. “President Trump has ordered his administration to assist the state and local efforts in any way we can, and USDA stands ready to deliver that help to those who need it. USDA will be there for the people and communities we serve as they recover and rebuild from this devastation.” Food safety guidance: USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is helping affected residents take steps to reduce their risk of foodborne illness as they return to their homes after severe weather. During a power outage, the refrigerator will keep food at a safe temperature (below 40°F) for up to 4 hours. A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full). Discard any perishable food items in the refrigerator and freezer after these timeframes.   **IN CASE OF FLOODING** Drink only bottled water that has not been in contact with flood water. Screw caps are not waterproof, so discard any bottled water that may have come in contact with flood water. If you don’t have bottled water, learn how to safely boil or disinfect water at FSIS Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes webpage. Discard any food or beverage that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance it may have been in contact with flood water. Containers with screw caps, snap lids, pull tops and crimped caps are not waterproof. Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches such as flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches, can be saved by following the steps at the FSIS Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes webpage. Thoroughly wash all metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water. Rinse, then sanitize, by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of one of tablespoon unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have come in contact with flood water – they cannot be saved after contact with flood water.   For questions about food safety, call the Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854, Monday - Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET (English or Spanish), email MPHotline@usda.gov or live chat at Ask USDA. Risk management and disaster assistance for agricultural operations: USDA offers several risk management and disaster assistance options to help producers recover after disasters. Even before disasters strike, USDA provides tools for producers to manage their risk through the Federal Crop Insurance Program, a public-private partnership between USDA’s Risk Management Agency and private companies and agents. For crops that do not have crop insurance available, the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) is available through the local Farm Service Agency. This risk protection includes crop production loss and tree loss for certain crop insurance products. Producers should reach out to their crop insurance agent or local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office for more information. Producers who suffer losses and are signed up for Federal Crop Insurance or NAP are asked to report crop damage to their crop insurance agent or local FSA office, respectively, within 72 hours of discovering damage and follow up in writing within 15 days. Livestock and perennial crop producers often have more limited risk management options available, so there are several disaster programs for them. Key programs offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency include: The Livestock Indemnity Program and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee and Farm-raised Fish Program reimburses producers for a portion of the value of livestock, poultry and other animals that were killed or severely injured by a natural disaster or loss of feed and grazing acres. The Tree Assistance Program provides cost share assistance to rehabilitate or replant orchards and vineyards when storms kill or damage the trees, vines or bushes. NAP or Federal Crop Insurance often only covers the crop and not the plant. The Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to restore damaged farmland or forests.   It is also critical that producers keep accurate records to document damage or loss and to report losses to their local USDA Service Center as soon as possible. Additionally, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service can provide financial resources through its Emergency Watershed Protection Program. On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is also ready to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and standing by for requests for assistance from states and local authorities, to provide emergency nutrition assistance to people in need. USDA Rural Development (RD) also stands ready to partner with rural communities in their long-term recovery after enduring natural disasters. RD offers programs and services to help people repair and rebuild their homes, businesses, infrastructure and more. Learn more about how RD can support your rural recovery needs at Rural Development Disaster Assistance | Rural Development (usda.gov).

Four States Ag Expo Feb. 13 in Texarkana

  

 

By Tracy Courage

U of A System Division of Agriculture

 

TEXARKANA, Ark. – The Four States Agricultural Expo returns Feb. 13, bringing together growers and producers from Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma area to learn about the latest research and resources available for commercial horticulture, livestock and forages, integrated pest management, home gardening, lawn, pond management, and more.

 

The expo is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Four States Fairgrounds, 3700 E. 50th Street in Texarkana. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. All growers and producers from the four-state region are invited. The expo is free, open to the public, and includes lunch. No registration is required. Lunch will be provided by Farm Credit of Western Arkansas and Texas Farm Bureau - Bowie County. Sponsors and donors include Cavender’s Texarkana and Simmons Bank-Jonathan Shumate.

 

The event is a joint project of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, with experts from both agencies presenting workshops throughout the day.

 

“We usually have around 350 people attend,” said Jennifer Caraway, Miller County extension agent. “Every year we offer a variety of agricultural sessions about livestock and forages, row crops, horticulture, commercial horticulture, timber and wildlife management, and pond management."

 

Continuing education units — CEUs — are available for licensed pesticide applicators. Texas pesticide applicators pay $10 for up to five hours of CEU credits. Arkansas pesticide applicator training will be available at the expo. The cost is $65, with $20 paid to Miller County Cooperative Extension and $45 paid to Arkansas State Plant Board to obtain a five-year license.

 

Concurrent programs will begin at 8:30 a.m. and include the following topics and speakers:

 

8:30 a.m.

* Managing Vegetation in Farm Ponds – Tyson Keese, pond management program specialist, Texas A&M. 

* Vaccination Protocols for Beef Cattle – Meg Harrington, NAH Livestock Consulting.

* Production & Management of Blueberries – Tim Hartman, assistant professor,  extension specialist, integrated pest management Texas A&M.

 

9:45 a.m.

* Alternative Forages for Livestock – Jonathan Kubesch, extension forage specialist, Division of Agriculture.

* The Fate of Dicamba and Rice Weed Control – Bob Scott, extension weed scientist, Division of Agriculture. 

* Production and Management of Tomatoes – John Gavin, Bradley County extension agent, Division of Agriculture.

* Beekeeping 101 – Garrett Slater, assistant professor and apiculture extension entomologist, Texas A&M.

 

11 a.m.

* Managing Fish Populations in Farm Ponds – Tyson Keese, Texas A&M.

* Treating Common Diseases in Beef Cattle – Robert Bonner, DVM, Nashville Animal Hospital.

* Production and Management of Peaches – Tim Hartmann, Texas A&M. 

 

Noon-1 p.m.: Lunch

 

1 p.m.

* Safe Use of Pesticides Around the Farm – Bob Scott, extension weed scientist, Division of Agriculture.

* Grassy Weed Control in Pastures and Hay – Chad Cummings, Texas A&M county extension agent-agriculture and natural resources.

* Pests, Pathogens, Pesticides, and Poor Nutrition and Their Impact on Bee Hives – Garrett Slater, Texas A&M. 

 

2:15 p.m.

* Broadleaf Weed Control in Pasture and Hay – Chad Cummings, Texas A&M.

* Arkansas Pesticide Applicator Training – Jennifer Caraway, Miller County agricultural extension agent, Division of Agriculture.

* Texas Auxin Training – Brian Triplett, county agent-agriculture and natural resources, Texas A&M.

 

For more information about the expo, contact the Miller County Extension office at 870-779-3609. To learn more about Division of Agriculture extension programs, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insect Waste Can Improve Soil Fertility

 Insect frass. (Photo by Taylor Adams, ARS)

January 29, 2025

Insect droppings, commonly known as insect frass, may seem useless and downright disgusting, but scientists found that this waste can improve soil health when added as a fertilizer in farming.

Insect frass is a mixture of excreta, feed, and molted skins. These droppings are a by-product of farming insects like yellow mealworms, banded crickets, and black soldier flies. Farmers raise and breed insects, also known as “mini-livestock,” to be an alternative protein source for animals and be a more sustainable practice in agriculture.

Insect frass may also be used as fertilizer. Previous studies by this team led by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) show insect frass can have higher carbon and nitrogen content than fossil fuel-based fertilizers and fewer pathogens than other animal manures.

These researchers, along with collaborators from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, also studied insect frass’ potential as an organic fertilizer source when used as a soil amendment in farming.

In a two-year field study, researchers found that frass from yellow mealworm increased the amount of carbon by two times and nitrogen by three times in soils than other sources like poultry litter and ammonium nitrate. Furthermore, soils with frass addition produced crop yields and carbon dioxide emission rates similar to soils amended with poultry litter and ammonium nitrate.

“Insect frass substantially improved soil fertility which showed its ability to be used as an alternative to inorganic fertilizers,” Amanda Ashworth, a soil scientist at the ARS Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit in Fayetteville, Arkansas, said. 

“This is important since insect farming is on the rise and circular agricultural systems (agricultural by-products that are recycled back into production systems) can be sustainable avenues for growing foods in the future.”

According to Meticulous Research’s Global Edible Insects Market Forecast to 2030 report, the insect farming industry is expanding in response to increasing demands for sustainable protein sources for animal feed. The industry is projected to grow 28% annually and have an estimated market value of $8 billion U.S. dollars by 2030.

The study was recently published in Scientific Reports and done in collaboration with crop, soil and environmental science researchers with the Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and the ARS Biological Control of Pests Research Unit in Stoneville, Mississippi.

The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

 

Kidding Season Offers Excitement in the Barn

(SAINT JOSEPH, Mo., December 19, 2024)

There’s nothing quite as fun as seeing the fruits of your labor in the form of newborn babies—baby goats, that is! When kidding season arrives, you can see how your genetic selection and mating decisions worked, and hopefully, you have great results.

 

Wait, what is kidding season? Kidding is the term used for mother goats giving birth to baby goats – kids. So, kidding season is when new babies are born and start hitting the ground!

 

At?BioZyme®, the makers of DuraFerm®, we specialize in vitamin and mineral supplements to strengthen your stock by supporting reproductive success and enhancing overall health. DuraFerm is a line of nutritional supplements for sheep and goats that promotes optimal digestion and nutrition for maximized performance at every stage of production, including kidding and lactation.

 

The DuraFerm team knows that a healthy goat kid starts with keeping the does healthy throughout gestation, leading into kidding. We also know that an increasing number of people are getting interested in raising goats. We created this resource about kidding season – one of the most exciting times on a goat operation!

 

Troy Goretska, BioZyme Area Sales Manager in Iowa and Illinois, and experienced livestock breeder, shared how he and his family prepare for kidding season at their operation in Iowa.

 

When is Kidding Season? 

Depending on your geographic location and target market, kidding season varies. According to Goretska, the further north you live, the earlier kidding begins.

 

Kidding season runs from November and December to February in the Northern Plains and Midwest. As you move into the Southern U.S., kidding starts later and continues into March and April.

 

Goats are naturally short-day breeders, typically in the fall when the days are shorter. However, due to advanced reproductive technologies like embryo transfer in goats, breeding can happen year-round. Other technologies like artificial insemination (AI) also exist, allowing breeding goats during non-traditional times of the year.

 

Regardless of how you breed your goats, kidding season will take place approximately 150 days after you breed your does. To calculate gestation and due dates, use our DuraFerm Goat Gestation Calculator.

 

Kidding Season Checklist 

“Be ready before they start,” Goretska advised. He encourages producers to have a kidding season supply list ready before the first doe enters labor.?Goretska gives us a glimpse of what is on his supply list: 

* Sure Champ® Liquid Boost®  is a liquid for all livestock designed to provide immediate support to the animal’s digestive and immune system. It contains AO-Biotics® Amaferm®. It also contains MOS to help normalize gut microflora and support the immune system and flavoring to help drive intake of feed or water.  Give Liquid Boost to kids at birth to help get them up and going and put it in the does’ water as a way to drive appetite during this crucial time of lactation.

* Vitamin B-12 Complex: Give the kids a dose of this at birth for an added boost.

* Iodine: All kids need their navels sprayed with iodine to prevent infection and the spread of disease.

* CD&T Vaccine

* Nasal aspirator?or bulb “sucker,” like you might use on human babies, helps suck afterbirth and mucous out of the kids’ airways.  

Once you have a basic supply list ready, a clean barn and expectant does, you are ready for kidding season. 

Don’t Forget the Does 

Kidding season is a big deal. But you can’t have healthy kids without a healthy doe herd. Good doe nutrition should be a priority year-round, but even more so during?goat gestation?through lactation. That’s where a nutrition program from DuraFerm becomes important.

 

DuraFerm is a line of nutritional supplements for sheep and goats that supports optimal digestion and nutrition for maximized performance at every stage of production. For goats, we offer two products designed to support reproductive success.

 

DuraFerm® Concept•Aid Goat ®    

DuraFerm Concept•Aid Goat  is a free-choice vitamin and mineral supplement for goats to support reproductive success. Goat Concept•Aid contains AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, a prebiotic research proven to enhance digestibility. It also includes high levels of vitamin E for reproductive tract repair and supports embryo production and conception using organic trace minerals, including copper, zinc, manganese and selenium. It comes in a 50-pound bag.

 

DuraFerm® Concept•Aid® Goat Protein Tub    

DuraFerm Concept•Aid Goat Protein Tub?is a 50-pound protein tub with vitamins and minerals for goats designed to support reproductive success. It also contains Amaferm, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility. The 20% natural protein tub contains the Concept•Aid goat mineral package and supports embryo production and conception using organic trace minerals, including copper, zinc, manganese and selenium.

 

Both products are for feeding the entire herd 30 days before kidding through at least 30 days post-breeding. They can be fed year-round to both does and bucks. For increased protein at kidding, you can switch between the loose mineral and the tub.

 

The Final Word   

Kidding season is exciting and nerve-wracking all at once. Every year of goat kidding is exciting. Be prepared, and you should have success.

 

Furthermore, this is just one resource. We might know a thing or two about nutrition, but we are not trained animal caretakers. We encourage you to establish a relationship with your veterinarian.   

 

Whether this is your first kidding season or your 10th, you’ll face challenges. They may even require medical attention. If your veterinarian already has insights into your herd, it will make their job of caring for your animals easier. In short, having a trusted relationship with your vet is the best way to support your herd.

 

Get your DuraFerm Today    

Do you want to get your herd to have the best year-round nutrition with DuraFerm Goat Concept•Aid products powered by AO-Biotics Amaferm? You can! DuraFerm is available through the extensive BioZyme dealer network. Locate a dealer?near you today.

 

Don’t forget to use our Goat Gestation Calculator. This handy guide will help you with all your goat breeding calculations.

 

You can also learn more about DuraFerm from our educational blog series or by?signing up?for our newsletter.

 

About BioZyme® Inc.

With a continued commitment to excellence, the BioZyme Stockyards location earned the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and Feedstuffs 2024 Feed Facility of the Year honor. BioZyme Inc., founded in 1951, develops and manufactures natural, proprietary products focused on animal nutrition, health and microbiology. With a continued commitment to research, BioZyme offers a complete line of feed additives and high density, highly available vitamin, mineral, trace mineral and protein supplements for a variety of animals including cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, goats, horses and dogs. BioZyme brands include AO-Biotics,®, VitaFerm®, Gain Smart®, Sure Champ®, Vitalize®, DuraFerm® and Backyard Boost®. With headquarters in St. Joseph, Missouri, the company reaches a global market of customers that stretches into countries across five continents. For more information about BioZyme, visit www.biozymeinc.com.

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Northwest Arkansas small ruminant field day Nov. 15

 

By John Lovett

University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

Fast facts

• Small Ruminant Field Day offers tips on raising sheep and goats
• Nutrition, parasite management and breeding focus of event
• University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture experts offer advice

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Tips on breeding, nutrition and health care for goats and sheep are the focus of the next Northwest Arkansas Small Ruminant Field Day.

The workshop, which offers educational sessions from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will be 8:30 a.m. to noon on Friday, Nov. 15, at the Hanna Family Ranch, 8583 Reuben Road, in Bentonville.

There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. To register, please visit https://forms.office.com/r/12XhcmwDgR.

What’s the registration deadline?

Program

8:30 a.m. Welcome, with light breakfast, featuring:

• Johnny Gunsaulis, Benton County extension staff chair.
• Michael Looper, head of the animal science department, for the Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.
• Dilynn Dodd, vice president and loan officer for commercial lending at Farm Credit of Western Arkansas.
• Kristen Michaels, research conservationist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
• Will and Waltina Hanna of the Hanna Family Ranch.

9-10:20 a.m. Technical demonstrations

• Station 1 — Nutrition, with Dan Quadros, assistant professor and small ruminant extension specialist with the Division of Agriculture.
• Station 2 — Parasite management, with parasitologist Eva Wray, research associate for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture. 

10:20-10:40 a.m. Break

10:40 a.m.-12 p.m. Technical demonstrations

• Station 3 — Breeding season: “Start strong, finish strong,” with Wyatt Catron of Catron Veterinary Services.
• Station 4 — Health Care, with Marion Harris of Countryview Animal Care Center; and
  Hoof care with Tara Hicks of Rock’N Heart Hoof Care.

12 p.m. Adjourn

The sponsor of this year’s NWA Small Ruminant Field Day is Farm Credit of Western Arkansas, with additional support from the Hanna Family Ranch, Catron Veterinary Services, Countryview Animal Care Center and Rock’N Heart Hoof Care.

Free Tax Education Webinars

 

There is no good time to experience a disaster, but it is especially difficult to navigate recovery this close to tax season.  Register for two free webinars for information on how to navigate the tax implications of hurricane damage and tips on how to work with a tax professional.   

Event - Hurricane and Disaster Tax Issues for Farmers and Ranchers
Date – November 20, 2024
Time - 2:30 – 4:30pm Eastern
Presenter – JC Hobbs, Oklahoma State University

Register here

Event - Working with a Tax Professional
Date – November 22, 2024
Time – 1:00 – 2:30pm Eastern
Presenter – Kevin Burkett, Clemson University
Register Here Webinar Registration - Zoom (zoomgov.com)

Register Here