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Feature Story

March 27, 1997 - Filed Under: Seafood Harvesting and Processing, Catfish

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi River flooding and an open spillway northwest of New Orleans may spell disaster for the 1997-98 oyster harvest.

Oysters grow in the brackish (part salt) waters of the Sound, the waters of the Gulf of Mexico along the coastline. As the water is diluted to become freshwater, they die, said Dr. David Veal, director of the Mississippi State University Sea Grant Advisory Service in Biloxi.

March 21, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Crops, Wheat

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Frequent rains are dampening Mississippi farmers' chances for a repeat of last year's profitable wheat crop.

Record yields and prices in 1996 inspired Mississippi wheat growers to increase planted acreage about 6 percent last fall. Mississippi growers averaged 49 bushels per acre on 230,000 harvested acres last year. Many 1996 farmers priced their crop near the $6 level, after wheat briefly reached the historic $7 per bushel mark.

March 17, 1997 - Filed Under: Family, Food Safety

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.

March 17, 1997 - Filed Under: Animal Health, Pets

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.

March 17, 1997 - Filed Under: Animal Health, Pets

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."

March 17, 1997 - Filed Under: Insects, Lawn and Garden, Pests

By Allison Powe

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Although termites are not welcome house guests, they are actually helpful when they aren't in our homes.

Termites are one of the few animals with the ability to digest cellulose, or wood, and they are valuable contributors of nitrogen to the air we breath. However, when termites invade personal homes, they cross the line between being helpful and being harmful.

March 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Family

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 ...

March 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Family, Food, Nutrition

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.

March 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Pesticide Applicator Certification

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.

March 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Forages, Livestock, Animal Health, Beef, Equine

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.

March 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Animal Health, Family

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.

March 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Animal Health, Pets

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.

March 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Environment, Wildlife

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.

February 17, 1997 - Filed Under: Family

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.

February 17, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Crops, Biotechnology

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.

February 17, 1997 - Filed Under: Family, Food and Health, Health, Nutrition

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.

February 17, 1997 - Filed Under: Family, Children and Parenting

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.

February 17, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Poultry

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...

February 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Soybeans, Technology

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Soybean growers with Internet access have a valuable resource to help them as they choose what varieties to plant in their fields.

Dr. Alan Blaine, Mississippi State University extension agronomist, said 1997 soybean variety trial information is now posted on the Internet. Information is available on yield, maturity dates, disease reactions, lodging scores and long-term yield averages.

Results of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station soybean variety trials for 1994-1996 are available at http://www.ext.msstate.edu/soyvar.

February 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Family, Food and Health, Nutrition

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Healthy diets need not fall by the wayside simply because Americans are eating out more today than ever before.

Dr. Melissa Mixon, Mississippi State University extension nutritionist, said it is possible to eat right while dining out.

"It is not difficult to eat well while at a restaurant," Mixon said. "It just requires the will power to make the healthy selections on the menu.

"Moderation is the key. Every food can fit into a healthy diet, just maybe not as often or in as great a quantity."

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