News From 1997

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Although they don't carry a donor card, four-legged furry blood donors are just as essential for their kind as humans are to their's.

Dogs and cats often give blood to save other pets' lives, said Lisa Halford, the supervising technician in small animal internal medicine/ICU at Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Laboratory animals need love just as much as do any family dog or cat. For the people who work daily with these animals, love is an easy gift to give and receive.

"We get so attached to these animals. They are just like our own children, except they mind better," said Kay Gray, laboratory animal technician at Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. "Identical animals are like a set of twins; when you know them well, you can tell them apart. They are unique individuals."

By Allison Powe

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Dying and hunting Easter eggs can be an entertaining activity, but don't let the holiday excitement take precedence over handling food safely.

Dr. Melissa Mixon, extension human nutrition specialist at Mississippi State University, said eating Easter eggs is not safe unless the eggs have been handled with the utmost care.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

All landscapes reach a point where they need a little re-engineering. A tornado destroyed giant trees in our yard before we bought the house and repair efforts continue each year.

Re-engineering is a popular word today. Corporations use it to describe changes they are making in their market focus or their corporate structure. Re-engineering basically means looking at where you are and assessing how you can capitalize on what you have.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Have you ever shopped for a house and discovered you liked the ones with gorgeous landscapes better? Homes with attractive landscapes generally bring a premium price.

While we don't necessarily plant a landscape to help sell our home, we should avoid anything that hurts our investment, including a mundane landscape.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Cattle and pregnant horses could suffer serious health problems this spring from a grass intended for cool-season nourishment.

Dr. Michael Brashier, an assistant professor at Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, encouraged veterinarians to be on the lookout for fescue toxicity. Brashier addressed the concern during the recent meeting of the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association.

By Allison Powe

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Bunnies and chicks with pastel fur have become one of the most recognizable symbols of Easter, but don't give in to the temptations of buying a pet impulsively.

"Young bunnies and chicks are heavily marketed during the Easter season, but too many people buy these animals on the spur of the moment without being prepared," said Dr. Richard Hopper, extension leader of veterinary medicine at Mississippi State University.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Many pet owners and veterinarians depend on trained veterinary technicians to identify animals needing pain relief.

Dr. Stephen Jaffee, a veterinary consultant with Fort Dodge Laboratories, said technicians are the "front line of pain management" for animals.

Jaffee recently addressed members of the Mississippi Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians. The association held its winter conference in conjunction with the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association meeting in Starkville.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Turkey hunting can be exciting because of the skills required, but it shouldn't be exciting because of the risks involved.

Turkey hunting is one of the most dangerous sports because hunters are heavily camouflaged, make turkey calls and sit very still. From March 22 to May 1, hunters will take advantage of the gobblers-only season as they try for the one gobbler per day, three per season bag limit.

By Bonnie Coblentz

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The most common victims of poisonings are the tiniest members of society, the ones most trusting of their often dangerous environments.

Children ages 1 to 3 face the highest risk of being poisoned. Much of this is due to their inquisitive nature and inclination to put things in their mouths. But adults are to blame in some cases for carelessly or unknowingly leaving poisonous items within their reach.

March 16 through 22 is National Poison Prevention Week. The theme "Children act fast ...

By Allison Powe

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Many Americans think eating healthy means giving up their favorite foods, but any kind of food can fit somewhere in a nutritious diet.

Dr. Melissa Mixon, extension human nutrition specialist at Mississippi State University, said the body needs more than 40 different nutrients from a variety of sources, and no foods are totally off limits in an overall nutritious diet.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A record-breaking number of people were trained around the state Feb. 18 as private pesticide applicators of restricted use pesticides.

Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Lester Spell suspended certification of private applicators Dec. 4, following criminal abuses of methyl parathion. The Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Bureau of Plant Industries resumed training and certification in February. After Extension's training, the BPI tested applicants and certified those who passed as private pesticide applicators.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Peaches and plums grow well in Mississippi and can be an asset to the home garden if placed correctly. Gardeners must pay close attention to the basics of site selection, varieties, weed control, irrigation and pest management to produce high quality fruit.

Good soil drainage is imperative since wet feet spell doom. Soils with standing water or ones that remain saturated for even a day or two following a heavy rain are unsuitable for fruit trees.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi poultry producers in the past two decades have transformed an industry into the state's top agricultural enterprise, with annual poultry and egg sales in excess of $1 billion.

Researchers at Mississippi State University support the growth of the industry and continue to aid producers in finding new ways to manage the health and productivity of their flocks.

Increasing Fertility...

By Allison Powe

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Springtime means flowers will bloom, butterflies will appear and, of course, new clothes will be worn.

During this time of the year, everyone wants a fresh start, and an easy way to do this is with new spring clothing. Stephanie Wayne, extension textile and apparel clothing assistant at Mississippi State University, said this season's styles will reflect nature's own bright spring colors.

By Allison Powe

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Most Americans have heard the staggering statistics about heart disease, but when it comes to changing unhealthy habits, many people have trouble.

In 1995, about 45 percent of the deaths in Mississippi were due to cardiovascular diseases, which include heart attacks and strokes, said Dr. Melissa Mixon, extension human nutrition specialist at Mississippi State University.

But Mississippians are not doomed to heart disease. Risks can be significantly decreased by leading heart healthy lifestyles.

By Allison Powe

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Parents often find battles over bedtimes as difficult as those at the dinner table. But those fights are worth the effort as the health benefits of "beauty" sleep may be as beneficial as that proverbial apple a day.

Parents with school age children may find it hard to get the kids to bed at a decent hour without hearing cries of protest or rebellious fits of rage. Linda Patterson, extension health education specialist at Mississippi State University, said a period of transition is one key to forming good sleeping habits.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- While some scientific breakthroughs never seem to touch everyday lives, genetic engineering affects many Mississippians on a daily basis.

Two Mississippi State University extension agronomists said bioengineered crops are riding a wave of popularity. In five years, nearly all the corn planted in Mississippi will have bioengineered traits. Because of limited seed supplies, about 5 to 10 percent of the state's soybeans are genetically modified now, but that number is growing quickly.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Many of you probably get intense about gardening, especially when you see pests attacking. But there is a different kind of intensive gardening catching on in the South.

French intensive, square-foot, interplanting, vertical, wide-row, gardening by the yard and succession planting are all names for intensive gardening.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The petunia has been one of the most popular annual flowers ever to grace our gardens. Whether edging a flower bed, covering bare ground, or spilling over a container or hanging basket, petunias give us some of our best color.

Taking into consideration the new vigorous petunias like Purple Wave and Surfinias, the petunias we know today are a far cry from the ones our ancestors grew.