Cats

• Keep your cat indoors.
  Close all windows and curtains and switch on music or the television to drown out the noise.
• Leave your cat to take refuge in a corner if it wishes. Do not try to tempt it out as this could cause more stress.
• Make sure your cat is micro chipped or is wearing identification tags to ensure it can be returned to you if it escapes and becomes lost.

Dogs

• Exercise your dog during the day.
• Never walk your dog while fireworks are being let off.
• Keep your dog indoors, close the curtains and play music to drown out the noise.
• Let your dog hide if it wants to take refuge under furniture or in a corner.
• Make sure your dog is wearing a collar and tag and is micro chipped or is wearing identification tags in case it bolts and becomes lost.
• Keep dogs leashed if you take them outside the home.
• Use caution when in or around crowds or people your dog doesn’t know
• Remember, dogs get very excited during horseplay in and out of the water and have a tendency to bite when excited.
• Use caution when picnicking and barbecuing, many small children are bitten while walking around with food in their hands.
• Protect your dog from other dogs that may be loose, keep them at a distance, many bites occur while animal owners are trying to break up a dog fight.
• If it is hot, give your pet lots of water – indoors or out
• Never leave your dog locked in cars – the hot summer sun can raise temperatures to 120 degrees inside your car, even with windows rolled down.
• Prevent sunburns – keep four-legged friends out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., peak skin damaging hours. Otherwise rub sun block on unprotected areas such as skin around lips and tips of noses and ears, especially on fair-colored pets.
• Provide plenty of shelter – animals should not be left alone outside on hot days, even in the shade. Shade moves throughout the day so pets need to be kept under a cool shelter or inside during peak hours when possible.
• Watch out for heatstroke – symptoms of pet heatstroke include panting, staring, high fever, rapid heartbeat, vomiting, collapse and disobedience, among others. If heatstroke is suspected, call a veterinarian immediately and apply water-soaked towels to hairless areas of the animal’s body to lower its temperature.
• If you go hiking, pack supplies for your dog as you would for yourself on long hikes – bring extra food and water for your dog on long walks as well as an emergency first aid kit.
• Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pet severe indigestion and diarrhea.
• Use caution with open flames and fireworks as pets may be burned or could chase the fireworks and become injured.
• A simple plug-in diffuser that dispenses a dog appeasing pheromone into the room is available at some veterinary practices.
• Sedatives can also be prescribed by your vet.
• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them.
• Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it.

Small animals

• Small animals – such as rabbits and guinea pigs – living outside should not be forgotten. They can also become very stressed from loud noise. Bring small animals indoors or into an outhouse or garden shed to give them extra protection
• Where the hutch must remain outside then cover it in an old thick blanket, this will block out a lot of the light and sound.
• Whether indoors or outdoors ensure your pets have plenty of extra bedding material to hide in and feel more secure.

Horses

• If the horses on the yard aren’t used to music, start playing Radio 3 for them BEFORE firework night and leave the radio on to distract them on the night itself.
• If you have stable lights, leave them on and they’ll make the firework flashes less extreme.
• Don’t even think of riding out – yes, people do!
• If you leave them out, check fences and gates first and then keep out of the way and just watch from a distance.
• Try putting cotton wool balls in your horse’s ears but again practice in advance. It’s no good waiting until the bangs start to decide to give it a try.
• If you do stable your horse, arrange for him/her to be brought in before the end of the school day when bangs are likely to start. You don’t want to be leading when they get a fright.
• Make sure they have plenty of hay to keep them occupied.
• Remember if you’re rugging up that they’re likely to get sweaty when they are nervous.
• If you can keep calm during the bangs and flashes then hang around the stables or go regularly to check them – but if you’re likely to be scared/angry etc yourself, be in the immediate area by all means but keep away from the horses or you’ll only make them worse.
• DON’T go in the stable with a horse once the fireworks start. I don’t care how calm they seem to be – it just takes an instant for them to change from your cuddly horse to a wild animal that has reverted to survival mode.
• Never light fireworks near barns or fields, as it is an extreme fire hazard. And, horses can be especially frightened by fireworks, causing them to run through fences and become lost or injured. They can also injure people when they are startled by the lights and noise.

Adams Feed will be closed Sunday July 3rd and Monday July 4th for Indepencence Day.

Have a great 4th!

When choosing a horse feed, looking at the guaranteed analysis can help you determine if the nutritional content of that feed is appropriate for the age and activity level of your horse.  You’d think that two products that both contain 14% protein, 6% fat, etc. would be pretty much the same feed.  However, products with similar guaranteed analyses may be manufactured using different formulation strategies and have very different formulas.  This can affect the nutritional value for your horse.  The most common formulation strategies are “Least-cost” formulas and “Fixed” or “Locked” formulas.  Both strategies have benefits and drawbacks.  There is a formulation strategy that Purina uses for premium horse feeds, “Constant Nutrition” formulation, which is more nutritionally accurate than either of the other strategies. 

Least-cost formulation allows a manufacturer to adjust the ingredients in the formula based on cost.  As long as the formula still meets the guaranteed analysis, the manufacturer can change the ingredients used in the formula.  In some circumstances, the change in ingredients doesn’t change the effectiveness of the diet so it makes sense to meet the nutritional needs of the animal in the least expensive way.  There would be no benefit to making a more expensive ration to achieve the same results.  For instance, if you are feeding cattle and being paid for weight gain and a least-cost formula will not change the rate of gain or feed efficiency of the cattle, but will be less expensive to feed, that just makes good business sense.  However, in some cases, especially when feeding horses, a major change in ingredients can dramatically alter the effectiveness of the diet, even when the nutrient levels don’t change.  A good example of this would be substituting cottonseed meal for soybean meal in a diet for growing horses.  Soybean meal and cottonseed meal may both have similar total protein content and could be interchangeable in a formula to meet the protein guarantee.  However, cottonseed meal does not provide the same quality of protein to support growth as soybean meal, and young horses will not grow as well eating a feed with cottonseed meal as the protein source.  So, in this case, the least-cost formula may be less expensive per ton but the loss in animal performance will negate any cost savings.  In addition to potential for reduced performance, there is always the potential for reduced palatability or digestive upset in horses when large shifts in ingredients occur in their feed.

With fixed or locked formulas, the same ingredients and amounts of ingredients are used every time the feed is made, regardless of price or nutritional variation of those ingredients.   This sounds like the most consistent way to make horse feed; however, there is a significant drawback.  All ingredients, even high quality ingredients, have variation in nutritional content.  For instance, all oats will not have the same protein or mineral content.  If the formula is completely locked and not taking into account the nutritional content of the individual ingredients, the level of nutrition provided in the finished product will vary.  Horses do benefit from consistency in their diets, but they don’t have specific requirements for certain ingredients.  The purpose of ingredients is to provide nutrients the horse needs. So, while a fixed formula does provide the same amount of ingredient in every bag, it may not provide the same level of nutrition.  For example, a horse feed made of 49% oats, 20% beet pulp, 16% corn, 8% alfalfa and 7% soybean meal would average 14% protein, using the average book values for these ingredients.  However, with the typical range in protein content of these ingredients, the end product could range from 12.4% to 21.1% protein.  Other nutrient levels will vary as well.  So, while a fixed formula does insure a consistent ingredient profile, it won’t provide the most consistent level of nutrition for the horse.

 “Constant Nutrition” formulation is a key component of the Purina FeedGuard™ Nutrition System.  This strategy provides consistent, reliable nutrition in every bag of premium Purina horse feed.  Under the Purina FeedGuard™ Nutrition System, stringent quality standards are set for ingredients which are purchased only from an approved list of suppliers that meet those strict criteria.  Then, when ingredients arrive at a manufacturing facility, the ingredients are inspected, sampled and analyzed for nutrient levels.  This is more accurate than using published book values or supplier averages for nutrient levels of ingredients.  If an ingredient is approved, then the tested nutritional content is entered into the formulation system, which then makes small adjustments in amounts of ingredients to maintain consistent nutrient concentrations in the finished product.  There are strict restrictions for how much adjustment is allowed to ensure consistency in formulation.  For example, the amount of soybean meal may be adjusted slightly to compensate for lower protein in another ingredient, but cottonseed meal could not be substituted for soybean meal.  This formulation strategy ensures that horses always receive the most consistent nutrition possible, and that horse owners always get exactly what they pay for.

Karen E. Davison, Ph.D.

Manager- Equine Technical Services

Land O’Lakes Purina Feed

(Only adults should rescue baby birds. Before rescuing adult birds, seek
guidance from a wildlife rehabilitator.)

1. Prepare a container. Place a clean, soft cloth with no strings or loops on the bottom of cardboard box or cat/dog carrier with a lid. If it doesn’t have air holes, make some. For smaller birds, you can use a paper sack with air holes.

2. Protect yourself. Wear gloves, if possible. Some birds may stab with their beaks, slice with their talons (claws) and slap with their wings, to protect themselves, even if sick; birds commonly have parasites (fleas, lice, ticks) and carry diseases.

3. Cover the bird with a light sheet or towel.

4. Gently pick up the bird and put it in the prepared container.

5. Warm the animal if it’s cold out or if the animal is chilled. Put- one end of the animal’s container on a heating pad set on low. Or fill a zip-top plastic bag, plastic soft drink container with a screw lid, or a rubber glove with hot water; wrap the warm container with cloth, and put next to the animal. Make sure the container doesn’t leak, or the animal will get wet and chilled.

6. Tape the box shut or roll the top of the paper bag closed.

7. Note exactly where you found the bird. This will be very important for release.

8. Keep the bird in a warm, dark, quiet place.
Don’t give the bird food or water.
Leave the bird alone; don’t handle or bother it.
Keep children and pets away.

9. Contact a wildlife rehabilitator, state wildlife agency, or wildlife veterinarian as soon as possible.
Don’t keep the bird at your home longer than necessary.
Keep the bird in a container; don’t let it loose in your house or car.

10. Wash your hands after contact with the bird. Wash anything the bird was in contact with – towel, jacket, blanket, pet carrier – to prevent the spread of diseases and/or parasites to you or your pets.

11. Get the bird to a wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible.

It’s against the law in most states to keep wild animals if you don’t have permits, even if you plan to release them.

From Healers of the Wild: People Who Care
For Injured and Orphaned Wildlife
by Shannon K. Jacobs

This article is from the DFW Wildlife Coalition website, (How to Rescue A Baby Bird). ]]> http://www.adamsfeed.com/news-updates/how-to-rescue-a-baby-bird-2011-06-1170/feed 0 http://www.adamsfeed.com/news-updates/irrigation-and-water-management-tips-2011-06-1166 http://www.adamsfeed.com/news-updates/irrigation-and-water-management-tips-2011-06-1166#comments Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:41:54 +0000 tinaw47 http://www.adamsfeed.com/?p=1166

Stage I

During Stage 1, homeowners should maintain a deep infrequent irrigation schedule. This approach is recommended throughout the year regardless of the water status. This approach to lawn watering, is better for the overall health of the lawn. It reduces incidence of some diseases and conserves water.

During Stage I designated times, apply enough water to adequately wet the soil to a depth of 6 inches. The following steps can be used to help determine how long to run your irrigation system to accomplish this.

1. Set out 5-6 open-top cans randomly on the lawn (cans with short sides like tuna or cat food cans work best).

2. Turn the sprinkler head or system on for 30 minutes.

3. Measure and record the depth of water caught in each individual can.

4. Calculate the average depth of water from all of the cans. For example you have used five cans in your yard. The depth of water found in the cans were as follows: 0.5″(1/2″), 0.4″, 0.6″, 0.4″, 0.6″. Add the depths together and then divide by the number of cans you used (5 in this case).

0.5″+0.4″+0.6″+0.4″+0.6″= 2.5″¸ 5 cans = 0.5″ of water in 30 minutes (1)

5. Use a garden spade or a soil probe to determine how deep the soil was wet during the 30-minute time period. Push the probe into the soil. It will easily push through the wet soil, but will become difficult when it reaches dry soil.

6. Knowing how much water was applied in the 30-minute cycle and how deep that volume of water wet the soil, it is then easy to determine how long the sprinkler head must run to adequately wet the soil to a depth of 6 inches. (Example- The system put out .50 inches of water in 30 minutes wetting the soil to a depth of 3 inches. Therefore, 1 inch of water will need to be applied to wet the soil to a depth of 6 inches giving a run time of 1 hour.)

Last, look for runoff. If water is running from your lawn into the gutter, you need to use a split application method of irrigation. Run-off is addressed more completely later in this publication.

Drought stress symptoms will develop when the lawn needs water. It is important for the health of the turf that irrigation not be applied again until the grass really needs it. Symptoms of drought stress include grass leaves turning a dull, bluish color, leaf blades rolling or folding, and footprints persisting for an extended period of time after walking across the lawn. Drought symptoms may develop in as little as 3 days or not for 15 days. In most situations, symptoms will develop in 5 to 7 days. Therefore under stage I rationing, turfgrass quality should not drop.

Run-off can be a serious problem leading to significant water waste. Soil type and the application rate of the sprinkler system determine how quickly run-off will occur. If water is applied faster than it can move down into the soil, it can run off the site of application and be lost. Special attention must be paid to eliminate this type of water waste.

To Prevent Run-off:

1. Monitor the lawn during the course of several irrigation cycles looking for water running onto sidewalks, streets or gutters.

2. Note how long water was applied prior to run-off. This is maximum run time for any one irrigation cycle that will prevent water losses due to run-off.

3. Allow the soil surface to dry (30 minutes to 1 hour).

4. Change your irrigation timer to the new shorter time and begin watering again..

5. Continue this cycle until enough water has been applied to wet the soil six inches deep.

Other Considerations:

1. Continue an as needed mowing schedule, remembering to mow often enough to remove no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at any one time.

2. Reduce your fertility program, keeping nitrogen levels low.

Stage II

The same approach can be used in stage II as was used in stage I. If the soil is thoroughly wet to a depth of 6 inches with each watering cycle, the lawn should be able to go a week between irrigation cycles. If necessary, use a hand-held hose to water those areas that show drought stress symptoms before the next allotted irrigation date. Make sure when doing so that you take the time to thoroughly wet the soil to the appropriate depth.

Other considerations:

1. Continue mowing as needed.

2. Reduce your fertility program, keeping nitrogen levels low.

3. Use a shower or fan type nozzle on your hose to help evenly disperse the water

Stage III

Irrigation during stage II becomes more difficult. You still need to follow a deep irrigation program to help maintain a healthy root system. However, most homeowners do not have the time or the patience to hand-water the lawn to a depth that is beneficial to the grass. The following is a list of three different approaches one might adopt during stage III of water rationing.

1. Water with a hose only those areas that are showing severe drought stress. Make sure that enough water is applied to effectively wet the soil to a depth of 6 inches. When puddling or run-off begins to occur, stop watering that particular area, let the surface dry and then resume watering. Continue this cycle until the soil is wet to the appropriate depth. Use a sharp probe or spade to help determine the depth of water penetration. Those areas should not be watered again until drought stress symptoms redevelop. This will be a time intensive approach, requiring daily attention. Time and lawn size will determine whether it is a viable option.

2. If time and patience are a limitation, or the yard is just too large, you may want to stop watering the lawn all together. Before using this approach, there are a few things a homeowner needs to consider. Most warm-season turfgrass species have the ability to survive short periods of drought stress. When the grass is under severe drought stress, it may go dormant. Dormant grass will be brown and may appear dead. Once watering or rain begins again, the grasses will recover, assuming the drought has not been too severe. Recovery will be slow and may take up to three months during the growing season before the lawn recovers completely. Grasses that are able to go dormant during drought are buffalograss, zoysia japonica, and bermudagrasses (for droughts less than 6 weeks). Other grass species do not possess this type of drought tolerance mechanism. Significant turfgrass loss can occur if these species are allowed to experience severe drought stress for an extended period of time. Therefore, you need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your particular turfgrass species. (Table 1) If the grass in your lawn possesses a strong dormancy mechanism, you should consider stopping irrigation altogether and allow the turfgrass to go dormant. On the other hand if your grass does not have a dormancy mechanism, and it is allowed to experience long periods of drought stress, a significant amount of lawn may die and need to be replaced after the drought has ended.

3. Utilize a combination of the previous two approaches. Water only high priority areas and allow other areas to go dormant or die. High priority areas are determined by an individual’s specific needs and preferences. If the back yard is utilized more than the front, it would be the high priority area. Portions of the front yard might be a priority in order to maintain an aesthetically pleasing landscape. This approach will allow the homeowner to maintain green turfgrass in important areas of the yard, saving both water and time.

Other considerations:

1. Continue an as needed mowing schedule were no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade is removed at any one time

2. Maintain a low to no nitrogen fertility program

3. Maintain a moderate to high potassium fertility program (based on soil tests)

4. Use a shower or fan type nozzle on your hose to help disperse the water when hand watering.

Figure 1 – Strength of dormancy mechanisms in common southern turfgrass species

Stage IV

The approach for this rationing stage is quite easy – do not water the lawn. Buffalograss, bermudagrass and some of the zoysiagrass varieties will probably survive under no irrigation. They will eventually go into a dormant state until the drought stress is eliminated at which time they will come out of dormancy. Depending on the duration of the drought conditions, survival rates should be high for these three species.

St. Augustinegrass, Seashore paspalum, Centipedegrass, Tall Fescue and some other grass species may be severly injured or die if exposed to extended periods of drought. Dead areas may be seeded, sodded, plugged or sprigged after drought conditions end. The best method of establishment will be determined by the species and variety of selected turfgrass. Contact your local Extension Agent if you have any questions.

Other considerations:

1. Continue mowing as needed, removing no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at one time

2. Stop any nitrogen fertility program, until drought restrictions are lifted

3. Maintain a moderate to high potassium fertility program (based on soil tests)

This information is from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension website:  http://varietytesting.tamu.edu/criticalinformation/drought/Water%20Rationing%20Stages.pdf

Managing parasites is an unavoidable part of pet care, since there are many species of parasites that can affect all different types of pets. The most common parasites that are seen on most domesticated pets are fleas and ticks. Both fleas and ticks can present an inconvenience, since they may carry dangerous diseases and certain types of parasites. Protecting your pet from fleas and ticks is a very important part of pet care, and should not be overlooked. Here are some of the best methods to use when managing fleas and ticks on your pet.

CHOOSE A FLEA AND TICK PRODUCT FOR YOUR PET

There are hundreds of different medications available that advertise as being the best method to use in preventing flea and tick infestations on your pet. However, choosing the right type of medication for your pet does not have to be difficult. For the most part, flea and tick prevention products are available in three different forms of application.

TOPICAL

Topical flea and tick medications are usually applied directly to a pet’s skin. The medication in the solution is absorbed by your pet, and is then transferred to biting parasites. Depending on the product, a topical flea and tick medication may continue to be effective for up to one month. Choosing a topical medication should be done with caution, however, since some topical medications are prone to causing side effects.

ORAL

Oral flea and tick medications usually include ingredients that remain in your pet’s system for a designated period of time. These medications are usually not as fast-acting as topical medications, though some types of oral flea and tick medications may be effective for up to four months. Some oral medications can cause gastrointestinal distress in some pets, however, and should always be administered with caution.

COLLAR FORM

Some flea and tick medications are available in a collar that is worn by your pet for a designated period of time. Flea and tick preventive collars are usually not viewed as being an effective stand-alone treatment for parasites, however. In most cases, flea and tick collars are used in addition to other parasite control products.

USE WITH CAUTION

Some types of flea and tick medications can cause neurological side effects in some pets. Though this is generally viewed as being relatively rare, it is still important to consider if your pet is prone to neurological conditions. In addition to this, there are some flea and tick control products that cannot be used for all pets. For example, there are some flea medications for dogs that can be potentially fatal to cats. Because of this, it is highly recommended that you choose your flea and tick control products with caution.

HOUSEHOLD MAINTENANCE

In addition to treating fleas and ticks on your pet, you will also need to exercise preventive maintenance in your household. It’s best to use flea and tick sprays for your indoor furniture in addition to treating your pet directly. This can help ensure that your home remains relatively flea-and-tick-free.

From:  http://petcareeducation.com/protecting-your-pet-from-fleas-and-ticks/

A: Yarrow, Pincushion, Pink Skullcap, Blackfoot Daisy

B:  Gregg’s Mistflower, Turks Cap, Hardy Blue Aster, Hummingbird Bush

C: Firewitch Dianthus, Four Nerve Daisy, Verbena, Coral Bells

D:  Purple Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Zexmenia, Autumn Sage, Hummingbird Mint

E:  Blackfoot Daisy, pincushion, Teas Betany, Pink Skullcap

F:  Orange Milkweed, Mealy Blue Sage, Guara, Standing Cypress

G:  ‘First Love’ Dianthus, Yarrow, Texas Betany, Standing Cypress