Increased demand for chicks from farmers and small flock owners following rising egg prices and flock depopulations due to bird flu means that hatcheries are having a hard time keeping up. Some tips for farms still looking to get chicks in 2023 include getting orders in ASAP, looking into new (to you!) hatcheries, and considering ordering straight run rather than sexed chicks. 

This discussion group was formed to connect sheep and goat farmers, extension staff, researchers, and service providers to share experiences and information on sheep and goat management. Topics of discussion rotate through commercial production of all types including goat and sheep dairies, solar array grazers, traditional meat and fiber operations and grass-fed farms. This discussion group meets virtually via ZOOM at 7:30 pm on the third Thursday of every month. To receive notifications of upcoming meetings, please reach out to Amy Barkley to sign up! A list of past webinars and their recordings can be found here.

We are now one year into the avian influenza outbreak, and field season is just around the corner. With this comes a higher potential exposure to and spread of this virus from wild birds to domestic birds as well as between domestic flocks. It's not time to let our guard down, as we anticipate similar rates of infection to what we saw in 2022. Please take precautions when visiting fields with migratory birds and farmsteads. 

Following birth, beef calves should get up quickly and nurse colostrum within the first 4 hours. If calves have been through a hard calving, have poor vigor, and/or lack a strong suckling reflex, it's time for the producer to step in to help increase the calf's chances of success. 

Over the past two years, Cornell Cooperative Extension's team of poultry experts have put together a series of videos related to raising and managing poultry. The topics range from brooding and rearing to the marketing and sales regulations around meat and eggs. These videos are part of the CCE Flock Talk series. 

The SWNY Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program is currently seeking participant farmers in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Steuben counties to take part in a 2-year study that will evaluate the true costs of production in pastured broiler enterprises. Farmers will be compensated for their time on the project. Preference will be given to slow-growth broiler producers, but all producers will be welcomed and considered. If you're interested in learning more, reach out to Amy Barkley at amb544@cornell.edu or 716-640-0844.

The weather may be cold and blustery, but it's getting to be that time where we turn our thoughts to brooding chicks for the upcoming season. Brooding chicks doesn't take much effort, but we need to make sure that we're providing the correct environment to avoid stunting or failure of the flock. 

CCE is looking for input from both sellers and buyers about hay produced in NYS. From the anonymous data, we will be able to determine buying and feeding practices; explore hay prices and the factors affecting them; characterize hay producer preferences and practices of marketing and selling; gain an understanding of the depth of forage test knowledge; and determine the educational needs for this topic going forward. 

Calves abandoned by their dams have dim prospects if left on their own, but your intervention can help! Outlined in this article are tips to help you give these calves the care they need for their best start in life.

Winter manure spreading can be a tricky issue depending on where you farm. In the Northeast, some states ban winter manure spreading, while others allow it but have specific rules to follow. Regulations surrounding winter manure spreading vary greatly by state, so make sure you're up to date on what you're allowed to do in New York.

While a necessary nutrient, sheep have a very low tolerance threshold for copper. This article reviews some practical considerations for managing your sheep diets to avoid toxicity.

CCE is working with officials to understand the extent of the December 2022 Blizzard. We are collecting information on damage to agricultural infrastructure, equipment, livestock, stored crops, and/or winter produce. You can either fill out the reporting survey, found at https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/.../SV_9AytO5D9oYvRCXc or report the damage to one of our team's regional specialists. If you had damage from the November 2022 storm and haven't yet reported it, you can do that at this time.