CCD-PFS-2: Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): Produce Safety Rule Agricultural Water, Introduction

Bryan Brady, Badrinath Jagannathan, Paul Vijayakumar | June 6, 2018 (New)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in 2011 with the goal of preventing food safety problems. The FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) is the first mandatory federal standard for fruit and vegetable production in the United States. Prior to FSMA, growers, packers, and the produce industry were encouraged to follow voluntary guidance such as the FDA's 1998 "Guide to Minimize Food Safety Hazard for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables." The FDA has very detailed guidelines for handling produce when it might touch water or a surface that is wet. Water in this situation would be called agricultural water. There are two kinds of agricultural water: water used to grow and care for the plants (production water) and water used to wash the produce during harvest and after it is state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

ASC-236: Molting Small-Scale Commercial Egg Flocks in Kentucky

Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | February 27, 2018 (New)

Molting is a common event in the annual life cycle of most avian species. Each year chickens lose feathers and grow new ones, and this occurs in both wild and domestic birds. During molt, laying hens go out of egg production and feathers are replaced. Molting, regardless of what stimulates it, is more than just the replacement of the plumage. Hormonal and physiological changes occur as well.

ASC-230: Factors to Consider Before Starting a Small-scale Egg Production Enterprise in Kentucky

Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | January 25, 2018 (New)

There are several things to consider before starting an egg production operation. The most important is market availability. Before you start production you need to have a market that your production can supply, in terms of both quantity of product and the price you need to get in order to be profitable. You will need to make sure that local regulations allow for poultry production on the land available to you. Cash flow is also an important consideration. A flock will require a considerable investment before the hens start to lay eggs to produce an income. You also need to have a way to deal with the manure produced, and any dead birds. You also need to have a plan for the hens after they have finished laying (referred to as spent hens).

ASC-233: Feeds and Feeding for Small-Scale Egg Production Enterprises

Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | January 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.

ASC-235: My Mare's in Heat: Predicting and Recognizing Signs of Estrus

Amy Lawyer | January 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.

ASC-234: Use of Biosecurity and Natural Remedies for the Prvention of Poultry Disease in "Natural" and "Organic" Flocks

Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | January 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.

ASC-229: Marketing Regulations Affecting Small-scale Egg Producers in Kentucky

Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | January 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.

ASC-231: Breed Selection for a Small-scale Egg Production Enterprise

Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore | January 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.

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

Joey Clark, Gene Olson, Tim Phillips, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch | December 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.

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

Laurie Lawrence, Gene Olson, Tim Phillips, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch | December 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.