Rabbits make friendly, intelligent pets – they are easy to handle, rarely bite, are active during the day and are highly sociable and so are suitable for both adults and families with children. They are relatively long-lived with an average life expectancy of between 8 and 12 years, but many rabbits can live much longer if cared for properly. There are over 60 breeds of domestic rabbit, in a…
The first comprehensive handbook on the seeds of trees and shrubs produced by the USDA Forest Service was USDA Misc. Pub. 654, Woody-Plant Seed Manual. The manuscript was ready for publication in 1941, but World War II delayed publication until 1948. The boom in tree planting in the 1950s and 1960s created a large demand for seeds and exposed the gaps in our knowledge concerning production and …
The meal patterns at 7 CFR 225.16(d) outline the required food components and their minimum serving sizes in order for the meal to be eligible for reimbursement. A food component is one of the food groups that comprise a reimbursable meal. For example, a fruit or vegetable and a meat or meat alternate would be a food component. A food item is a specific food offered within the food component. F…
Anthrax has not been diagnosed in SA for many years, but the risk of an outbreak is heightened with occasional detections in NSW and Victoria as well as isolated outbreaks in WA and Queensland. Anthrax is caused by a bacterium that affects many species including cattle, sheep, goats and humans. The bacterium produces spores when exposed to air that persist in soil for many years. The disease is…
Few building materials possess the environmental benefits of wood. It is not only our most widely used building material but also one with characteristics that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. As described in the many chapters of this handbook, efficient, durable, and useful wood products produced from trees can range from a minimally processed log at a log-home building site …
The USDA Forest Service recognizes that the threat of invasive plant species to public and private forests is serious and thatsuccessful progress in prevention, control, research, and restoration from the negative impacts of such invasions is only possible using a concerted and organized effort. Thus, the Forest Service-Eastern Region (Region 9), the Northeastern Area (NA) State and Private For…
Broiler chickens are bred and raised for meat production. The broiler industry is the most advanced system of animal food production and the United States has the world’s largest broiler industry. In 2012, data released by the National Chicken Council indicates that the broiler industry provides over 1 million jobs, $47 billion in wages, $197 billion ineconomic activity, and $17.2 billion in …
The liver is one of the largest organs in the body and is part of your digestive system. It is shaped like a pyramid, sitting under your right lung inside your ribs. The liver can be damaged from viruses, too much alcohol use or fat. When this happens the liver cells become inflamed and over time die, which develops scar tissue. When enough of the liver has been replaced by scar tissue, it is c…
Passed by Congress in 1966, the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) sets general standards for humane care and treatment that must be provided for certain animals that are bred for commercial sale, sold sight unseen (Internet sales), exhibited to the public, used in biomedical research, or transported commercially. Congress assigned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the responsibility for enforcin…