AgSpeak Blog

In 2018, California voters approved Prop 12 - The Farm Animal Confinement Initiative. The proposition requires laying hens, nursing sows, and veal calves be housed in confinement systems that comply with specific standards for freedom of movement, cage-free design, and minimum floor space. The law reaches outside of California by prohibiting any business from knowingly…

Minimum Ventilation in Winter Brooding As the weather cools heading into winter, gas prices often rise. It is important to balance heating your barn and maintaining adequate air flow and air quality using minimum ventilation. Ventilation is crucial to providing the ideal environmental conditions for broilers to thrive. In winter months in particular, if you…

The health and well being of broiler birds is contingent on the cleanliness of eggs laid in the breeder house. Optimal eggs are laid in the nest, where they are kept clean from debris and safely transported from the nest to the storage room. Floor eggs are bound to happen, but too many floor eggs…

21 Egg Facts for World Egg Day 2021 1. Eggs are good for your eyes. They contain lutein which prevents cataracts and muscle degeneration. 2. An egg shell can have as many as 17,000 pores. 3. Egg shell and yolk color can vary but have no effect on taste or quality. 4. Breed determines egg…

Preventing E. coli Repercussions in Swine Rearing Escherichia coli can cause serious disease and has frequently been a thorn in the side of the swine industry for many decades. E. coli is not as common in swine as it is in other meat producing industries (such as cattle), but still has a lasting effect on…

https://youtu.be/WfmQbmXMaV8 Safeguard Live Animal Traps are made of Galfan™ wire which has three time the corrosion resistance of standard galvanized wire. These traps last longer, even in harsh conditions. Professional grade catch and release models have a heavy duty bait tray with travel stops. This keeps the bait secure and prevents damage to the cage…

Whether you use brooders or tube heaters, they both need regular maintenance to keep them working flawlessly. Be sure to always unplug and disconnect the power supply and fuel supply, and never work on a hot heater. Be safe this winter. Take care of your heaters. Subscribe to our blog! [grid-1-3] [email-subscribers namefield="YES" desc="" group="Public"]…

Recent research into nesting behavior has shown that nest type influences egg laying location. If nests are uncomfortable or space is inadequate, birds will resort to floor laying. This presents challenges to producers and processors that are in need of clean, damage free eggs. The research has shown that the opposite is equally true -…

There are several options when it comes to choosing what nesting option is best for your farm. Hens prefer nests that are dark, secluded, warm and comfortable. It is important to create optimum environment for nesting to reduce the risk of floor eggs. Eggs laid outside of the nests are more likely to be contaminated…

Brian Hamilton began farming at just six years old. His grandparents raised beef cattle and poultry, and he helped by bottle feeding calves and cleaning chicken drinkers. The love of farming as deeply ingrained. After high school, he accepted a contract to raise hogs and eventually branched into poultry in 2014. Starting small, he bought…

Farmers are often in the spotlight as a target for sustainability practices, and indeed good farming practices across the agriculture industry are needed to ensure a balance between food production and environmental stability. Identifying the best mitigation practices can be challenging, but it certainly requires a holistic approach. These practices could be used across the…