Trees all over Oregon are displaying signs of poor health. People are quick to blame insects, but insects are rarely the underlying cause of the problem. Drought and other stressors can make trees vulnerable to pests and disease.
Poisonous plants are a major cause of economic loss to the livestock industry. Two poisonous plants common to Oregon are poison hemlock and Western water hemlock. Ingestion of either by humans or livestock typically results in death.
Silage-making has been used to reduce the concentrations of toxins in a variety of crops. But in the case of poison hemlock, the opposite is true — making silage out of it actually increases one of its toxic alkaloids.
Cassie Bouska, Amy Peters |
Jan 2006 |
Article
Photo: Sheryl Costello, USDA Forest Service (Cropped from original)
You may have encountered white, segmented “worms” or grubs when chopping firewood and wondered what they were. Common questions include, did they kill my tree? And are they a danger to other trees? The quick answers are no, and no.
Alternative feeds can provide beef producers with economical alternatives to traditional feedstuffs. There are pitfalls, however, and special care must be taken to ensure the alternative feeds are safe.