4-H Animal Science Resource Blog

STEM Connections, know-how & Inspiration

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What the COVID-19 Pandemic Reminds Us About Animal Biosecurity

June 15, 2021

  COVID-19: What We Know  The SARS-COV2 virus spreads between people easily, through the respiratory droplets produced (such as in breathing or coughing). As we have practiced in the past year, masks and social distancing help slow the spread of COVID-19.  Vocabulary: SARS-COV2 is the virus and it causes COVID-19, the disease.   COVID-19 and Animals  In some … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Animal Health, Animal Project Areas, Current Issue Tagged With: animal health, biosecurity, covid19

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease

May 10, 2021

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) is a highly contagious and fatal disease that affects both wild and domestic rabbits. Until 2020, it had not been known to affect any North American native rabbits, however, cases of the disease have been reported in cottontail rabbits and hares as well as in domestic rabbits in states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Animal Health, Current Issue, Rabbit/Cavy/Small Animal Tagged With: animal health, Rabbit Disease, Rabbits

Reproduction – Amphibian Style

April 12, 2021

Spring is the time you start hearing the calls of toads and frogs.  You might have even heard the Spring Peepers calling as early as March!  Why do they make these sounds?  What is their purpose?  To find a mate!  Amphibians have a variety of interesting ways of reproducing and preparing for their young. Although there are often exceptions in biology, we can start with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Current Issue, Focus on STEM, Herpetology

Taking Care of your Horse in the Winter

January 4, 2021

Horse with Winter blanket

As the weather gets colder I get more questions as to what horse owners can do to keep their horses from losing weight, how to keep them warmer, and how to go about safely riding them all winter long. Hopefully I can address some of your thoughts and concerns here before more real winter weather hits us in New Jersey. In the winter all horses need extra energy to help keep … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Animal Health, Current Issue, Horse and Pony

Hometown Hero: The Blue-spotted Salamander

January 4, 2021

If towns are shutting down entire roads for you, you must be important, right? Every spring in central New Jersey, temporary road closures are created to protect amphibians who migrate across roads in search of perfect mating grounds. In March and April as the temperatures warm to 40-45 degrees, amphibians including frogs and salamanders make the trek from their winter homes in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Club Programming Idea, Current Issue, Focus on STEM, Herpetology

The Search for Urban Snakes in NJ

July 17, 2020

Written by Tianqi Huang, a PhD student majoring in Ecology and Evolution at Rutgers University - New Brunswick , currently working on urban snake ecology. Tianqi is co-advised by Dr. Peter Morin and Dr. Sara Ruane.         Nowadays, a large proportion of world’s population lives in urban areas, but we know that cities are not only home to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Animal Project Areas, Career Profile, Current Issue, Herpetology, Herpetology, herpetology, STEM Learning

East Brunswick, NJ Shuts Down Road For Salamander Migration

March 18, 2020

Originally posted February 11, 2020 | Updated Feb 12, 2020 at Patch.com.   Re-posted with permission from author, Carly Baldwin, Patch Staff. Yup, you read that correctly. One of the earliest signs of spring in central New Jersey is the annual salamander and frog migration. EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — New Jersey residents are used to roads closing for flooding, downed trees … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Current Issue, Herpetology

Poachers and habitat loss are endangering these N.J. snakes. This professor works to keep the reptiles safe.

January 25, 2020

Originally posted Sep 29, 2019 at NJ.com.   Re-posted with permission from author, Avalon Zoppo, NJ Advance Media. Deep in the Pine Barrens, poachers can wander for hours at a time. Their eyes scan the forest floor for dull orange, camouflaged corn snakes, a state-endangered reptile long threatened by a combination of encroaching development and collectors who sell … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Ask the Expert, Career Profile, Current Issue, Herpetology

Winter Weather Safety Tips

December 15, 2019

The temperature is dropping and there may be snow in the forecast.  Everyone knows this is the time of year to bundle up, stay inside when the weather is bad, and do what we can to keep warm.  But what about our dogs?  Is your pet ready or even able to adapt to the cold winter weather?  Some breeds hold up better than others, but all dog owners must monitor their pets closely … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Current Issue, Dog, Featured Resource

Sheep Identification – USDA Requirements

November 4, 2019

Photo of ewe with an ear tag

Proper identification is an important aspect of raising sheep. Whether you are a 4-H member raising only one market lamb per year or working toward establishing your own breeding operation, you will need to know U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) identification requirements and NJ Division of Animal Health rules. Scrapie Identification is required by the USDA for almost … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Animal Health, Current Issue, Focus on STEM, Sheep Tagged With: 4-H Animal Science, animal science project area, Focus on STEM

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