Farm Animals - America's heartland - Episode 921

America's Heartland is made possible by...   Farm Credit - Financing agriculture and rural America since 1916. Farm Credit is cooperatively owned by America's farmers and ranchers. Learn more at farmcredit.com   CropLife America - Representing the companies whose modern farming innovations help America's farmers provide nutritious food for communities around the globe.   Hi, I'm Sarah Gardner. If you're an animal lover, I think you're going to like this episode of America's Heartland. We're gonna share some fun with our feathered and furry friends. Some animals with particular talents. We'll take you to California where some high flying owls are helping farmers keep down the pest population. You'll meet some very skillful dogs in Nebraska. Working dogs to handle sheep and cattle. We depend on inspections to keep our food supplies safe when it comes to products from overseas. You'll see how U.S. customs is using highly trained dogs to do the job. And these Texas felines are taking on a new role in life. Heading for the country to become "Barn Cats"! It's all coming up on America's Heartland.   ♪You can see it in the eyes Of every woman and man♪ ♪In America's Heartland living close to the land♪ ♪There's a love for the country And a pride in the brand♪ ♪In America's Heartland♪ ♪Living close Close to the land♪ ♪♪ It will come as no surprise that we love our animals. My dog Mustache here is an important part of our family. And think about these numbers: It's estimated that there are some 83 million dogs in the U.S. and some 95 million cats. Both animals play a role in helping out farmers and ranchers but those are far from the only animals you'll find in rural America. You may remember, we introduced you to a Utah rancher who sold zebras to those wanting something "unusual" around the homestead. Many FFA and 4-H members have pet sheep as projects. And even some suburban and urban homeowners are joining farmers in raising chickens these days. For some, it's a focus on organic, for others, it's simply some fresh eggs very close to home! Speaking of poultry, we found a man in Iowa whose geese were a popular part of his town's annual parade. And let's not forget our porcine friends. How about Irene the potbellied pig who loves to pick up fallen apples on the family farm in Oregon. On many farms and ranches, the family dog is much more than just a pet. In some instances, our canine companions are critical to the work that needs to be done. Rob Stewart takes you to Nebraska and a school turning out "working dogs" for sheep and cattle ranches. ♪♪ They're hopping... Huffing... And herding! Lie down, lie down! I'm John Holman, and I'm a Nebraska Stock Dog Trainer. Welcome to Clay Center, Nebraska where John Holman runs Dog 4 Ewe border collie training. Here - he's training dogs to herd sheep and cattle. Today's classroom is the pasture... and it's drooling with dogs! Meet Mick, Lee... Sweet Savy... ...and Pete, today's new pup of the pack. But the top dog today... is Mick, just panting for John's canine commands. Steady, Mick. Walk up, walk up. Good boy. Away to me. Bringing my sheep in. What were those commands and what do they mean? Alright. I send him out to the right first or what we say counterclockwise around the sheep, that's an "away to me" Away to me. Clockwise around the livestock is a "go by." Go by. "Take time" means to slow down, "walk up" means stop. Usually it means he's been running around the stock to get into the right position, and then I say "there" "walk up" mean come straight to your livestock so that they can move the stock off in the right direction. All across the heartland, working dogs are used to move sheep, cattle and goats in that "right direction." Those skills come from training and a dog's natural instinct. Ok Mick, walk up. These collies are natural herders and they're eager to please their owners. "alright, lie down". But, they must be taught to move the sheep, instead of keeping them penned up. And so we see Mick here with the sheep in front of him, and Mick is just moving them from pasture to pasture, like that. Sure, sure. He has total control of this livestock. You know, I- I tell him where I want them, he puts them there. If I really want to get specific, you know, I can tell him how to do it but most times I don't have to. And they obey him unbelievably. You know, I got caught without a dog this morning. I was just on my way to work and I stopped by here and tried to do something without the dog- it is so frustrating. It's so- they really do put you in control of your livestock. That's why farmers and ranchers depend on stock dogs nationwide. Low stress livestock, work, and handling. The dogs take the sheep out to graze or the cattle from one pasture to another. There, you know it all works in to the stewardship of the land. Alright Lee, come here. Here, get in here, away to me. John Holman tells farmers that dogs moving sheep and cattle can save time and money on the range. Absolutely. In fact, if you're talking about mounted cowboys and stuff, they'll take the place of two guys on horseback.. Really... That know what they're doing. They can go places that the horses can't get, under brush and into stuff where maybe the cattle just plow in to be obnoxious, you know, they can get in there and get a hold of the cow by the heel or by the nose and bring him out where he can get control of him again. Talk about a power tool. It's the power tool, it's kind of a power trip when you get good at it. The power trip is exactly why Amy Novak is here with her dog, Honey. Lie down, lie down. Good Job! That's a good move Amy, step in front like that. John usually works with farmers and ranchers to train their border collies... but Amy's here to get away from her busy professional life. It's a thrill! It's a rush! An adrenaline rush. And until you ever do it, you don't understand it. Step into her a little bit. Keep her calm. It's a treat. It's, it's something it's my- my time away, my therapy, to get away and come with the stock and with the dogs, do something that I enjoy and, uh, just to get away from my normal, everyday life. Pete, you ready to go? C'mon Pete. Pete is a farm dog... and just arrived to learn John's skills, before returning to the ranch to help his owners herd. He's got some pretty good breeding. I saw his registration papers... and so I'm kind of excited to see what he'll do. John teaches Pete using his tone of voice and body language to direct where he wants Pete to send the sheep. John can tell if the dog is ready. When I first take a dog out to stock. First I want to see if he's interested, which he's already showing me I, you know, a little bit of interest. I want him to know that I'm going to be in control of what we're doing. I kind of control the pace of this whole thing. And that I'm gonna... see he's eyeballing 'em already, dancing around a little. Trying to balance on 'em. That's all good signs. He's got concentration and we like that. John says Pete's a natural. National and local awards for his prize dogs line John's home office. And the dogs aren't the only ones enjoying the competition. I do really love it. I can't hardly even describe the feeling. When things work well and you get the job done so well. Whether it's a job at home or a trial at competition I go to and we ace a course and we get around there just great. It is like the top of the world kind of a feeling to know that you have a partner out there who's ready to go rain or shine or blizzards or heat or whatever. He's right there or she's right there the instant you call 'em in the morning and they're busy all day long if you want them to be. Good boy. Great senses of sight, smell and hearing help our canine companions do their jobs... on the farm and off. It's estimated that dogs can hear four times better than humans; their night vision is five times better and their sense of smell is more than 40 times sharper than our noses. You know, it's great when a program to benefit animals can also help to meet a need that exists in the heartland. We're all aware that feral cats pose a real problem in many communities. One solution is an idea that's taken off in several places including a community in the Lone Star State. It's a plan that finds new homes for our feline friends- down on the farm. The word feral means wild and undomesticated. Uh, they're very untrusting of humans which is what helps them to survive a lot of times in the wild. Pam Asturias is a hometown hero to many in the Dallas area. She devotes much of her time to a program called "Feral Friends" These cats, um, I always feel like they don't have anybody to speak for them. I love all animals. The feral cats, I mean you can't pick 'em up and cuddle them, uh, they deserve a chance just like anybody else. I mean they can't help their situation, um, they were born here or dumped outside and they do the best they can. Rather than euthanize, Feral Friends traps, spays and neuters the animals then returns the cats to their feral territory. If the cats cannot go back to a situation if a building's being torn down, if somebody is shooting the cats, poisoning them, then our group turns to a group called Barn Cats Incorporated. Farmers need these cats, uh, they're working cats. Peggy Atkerson directs Barn Cats, Incorporated. Working with Pam and her group, they strive to find better life options for these wild felines. Come here, Sammy. Begun in 2003, Barn Cats relocates feral animals across North Texas. Placing them on farms and ranches. They can catch the rats and the mice, y'know, control that in their particular barn or shed or warehouse, whatever it happens to be. And... take care of, uh, of a- of a whole set of problems. Um, snakes are looking for rats and mice, so no rats and mice, no snakes. "Barn Cats" will shelter some 40 animals at any given time. After being received from groups like "Feral Friends", they're moved to farm and ranch locations and sheltered there, in cages, for at least two weeks. At the end of two weeks, they leave those doors open to the cage and the cat then is on their own and we say that's up to God at that point. So if the cats stay that's really, really a good thing. That "adjustment" period gives them time to get used to the sights, sounds and smells of their new territory. We won't ever take a kitten because a kitten can be carried off by a hawk or an owl. The color of the cat is also a factor in some cases. Cats are nocturnal so they're ging to be out hunting at night. A solid white cat is going to reflect moonlight and then it's going to be like a coyote magnet. Almost every weekend, Barn Cats will place about a half dozen cats in new locations in northeast Texas. Today two feral cats began new jobs on Melissa Wilson's ranch. I have a bad rat problem out here so when that keeps the rats from coming in the barn and eating the horse food and actually, um, I've actually seen some of those rats, they're scary. Most of them really, really appreciate the cats and they want them to be there. They don't want to put out poisons. They don't want their dogs or their children or whomever to get in poison and that is a very serious thing. The cat programs here, and across the country, strive to give feral animals a new chance at life. And for these cats... on farms and ranches, a home in the heartland. And it just makes me feel so good when these cats are spayed and neutered put back out and you just see the males calm down and stop fighting and they just get relaxed and you know they have people that care for them and its just a wonderful feeling to know that you've saved their lives. ♪♪ Texas may make you think of cowboy hats, but Texas agriculture is responsible for many other things that make up your wardrobe. Texas cattle provide leather hides for shoes. Texas cotton goes into shirts and blue jeans and wool from Texas Sheep is used in coats, suits, dresses and more. Texas is a major supplier of all three to markets in the U.S. and overseas. ♪♪ Let's take another look at dogs that make their living in the world of agriculture. But this time we're not heading for a farm or ranch. Jason Shoultz takes us to California where some very official canines play a significant role in protecting american agriculture and the food we eat. Every day, foreign invaders are trying to make entry into the United States. By air... and even by sea! What you got Ross? And working hard to stop them is officer Ross. And his handler from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Marguerita Stetson. Good boy, Ross! Good boy, right there! Ross is on the hunt for bad bugs. Nasty bugs and other invasive pests that hitch a ride to America on everything from shipments of bean curd to clothes hangers. You're looking for what in here? We're looking for any agricultural item of interest. Uh, basically we're looking for fruits, meats and plant material. Each year, the U.S. imports upwards of two trillion dollars' worth of cargo from countries all around the world, a testament to our truly global economy. While inspecting everything for pests isn't practical- random samples of cargo and items that are deemed suspect end up getting close attention. Agriculture is one of the things that drives America. Drives our economic engine and we can't afford to let a single pest come through that could affect that. Walking through the warehouse is like visiting a global bazaar. You've got Pakistani rice. Mushrooms from China and even Tulip bulbs from New Zealand. And one thing Customs and Border Protection knows, is pests can hitch a ride on any of them. In addition to our enforcement role, we also have to make sure that legitimate trade and travel moves through our borders and ports of entry quickly. So we look at a lot of different factors in deciding which shipments to actually physically inspect. Among the most feared pests is something called the Khapra beetle. This nasty little bug is considered one of the biggest dangers to agriculture. It's highly destructive to stored grain. When it first arrived on U.S. soil in California in 1953, it took 15 million dollars and 13 years to eradicate it. Recently the beetle has been found, again, at other entry points. And that has officials concerned. Inspectors here at the Port of Oakland know that the beetle likes to hide in cracks... so they search these cargo containers top to bottom. You find one or two Khapra beetles in these palettes, what happens? This is all going back. It would all go back. All going back! It's immediately resealed in the container and the importer or broker is notified and they schedule it out to back to the origin. Even pieces of furniture get a closer look. When this inspector discovers the inside of this pillow is stuffed with rice straw - it gets flagged. After all - that Kahpra Beetle could be inside that straw! Preventing pests from entering our country also happens at airports! You'll find the beagle brigade nosing around luggage at Miami's International Airport looking for food items that can't be brought into the United States. Good boy! That was really good! Back at that warehouse in California, Ross has found something. And while he'll never know just how important he is to agriculture, the pooch with a nose for nuisances is earning his treats today. Good boy!   ♪♪ The nose knows when it comes to Customs and Border detection dogs and it's a tough test. Only one out of 70 dogs is found to have the right skills to finish training for these important positions. And while U.S. customs has a breeding program for specific dogs, many are chosen from animal shelters and rescue groups. ♪♪ So stories about dogs, cats, pigs and zebras. Well, let's take flight for our next one. It's all about some high flying owls who are helping farmers keep down the pest population. ♪♪ Some might call it an "Old World" solution to a problem that impacts farms, orchards and vineyards all across the heartland. Using natural predators, like the North American Barn Owl, to facilitate "Integrated Pest Management". A true Integrated Pest Management program - IPM - uses as many methods as possible to control a pest. And so for years we've been using baits and poisons to kill pocket gophers. And I decided that it was time to get off the- the pesticide treadmill and try and use something different. This study is being conducted in Northern California vineyards where rodents, such as gophers and voles, are making tasty treats out of vine roots. In this particular property we have limited topsoil, ah we we're growing smaller vines, higher end crops, so we need as much root as we can in the ground. So if a gopher comes by and starts feeding on these roots, that's you know it's limiting what that vine can pull up. Hey kids, what's going on in there? Animal handler and researcher and Mark Browning is part of the barn owl program... seeing how many nocturnal raptors are necessary to eradicate the pests in a particular field. The barn owl can be utilized in almost any crop. They're being utilized in almond orchards, cherry orchards, pistachio, avocado. And that's California crops including, of course, all the grapes. But something else is that barn owls are being used in sugar cane down in Florida because the barn owl will center on the rodent that is most populous in its area. ♪♪ To increase the owl population, Browning is installing nesting boxes he says are designed to attract the predator bird. It has a hole that is just the right size for a barn owl to get interested in. They like to go into a hole that is just small enough for them to squeeze into, but not large enough for something larger and more ferocious to come in and get them. Browning is being assisted by several wildlife students from the University of California at Davis including Kymberly Sugano. One of Sugano's daily duties is to keep track of the dirt mounds that may reappear following a night of owl activity. What we do is, we see mounds and we tap them down and then come back two days later in order to see whether or not there has been any change. And we set up nest boxes in order to see whether or not we can get more barn owls into the study site. Remember to hold so that you don't get messed on, okay? Another job is to assist in the monthly census count of owl chicks to ensure the population is healthy and increasing. These guys are just starting to get their facial discs in. Barn owls have these, uh, concave facial discs created by feathers. And uh that's one of the reasons why barn owls have some of the best hearing in the bird world, which is already extremely good amongst owls. Barn owls have some of the best hearing among the owl families. And, uh, these guys, well, their starting to get some flight feathers in, like Jillian's got one right here. These guys are coming in, these are flight feathers. And I would say they're about two or three weeks away from being able just to fly right out and become adult barn owls themselves. Vintners say the use of barn owls in the region for pest control is nothing new. We've had barn owl boxes up for probably 10 to 15 years now. Um, but, in this, with this many and isolated in specific spots like this, we've never had this many. And we've typically had one for probably for 40 acres or 30 acres. Now we're looking at 25 in a hundred-acre block. Browning's research is validating the need to increase the population of the raptor. So, if you've got a researcher in place that can take the time to measure that impact and determine, how many boxes do we need in a given acreage, where do we need to locate them for the best effect, how often do we need to clean them, all those types of things, that's wonderful. If we can come across where you know we need to put, um, you know, five per twenty acres, we'll put five per twenty acres. Yes, there's an expense to that, but you collect that money back by not having to send a tractor through the field leaving little bait behind in burrows for these gophers to take back to their own burrow and die. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also keeping "an eye" on the research since the agency advocates the use of natural pesticide methods. The more we can encourage people to restore as much as possible a natural environment where Mother Nature keeps things in check, rather than using chemicals to keep pests in check, that's simply good for all of us. And basically that's what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is concerned with is encouraging a more natural world there a lot of species can survive and thrive. As night begins to fall, the nocturnal owls begin to take flight in search of their prey. Barn owls happen to be extremely well adapted to this job. They are attracted to nest boxes. That means you can attract them to a farm. They don't mind each other's company. So that also means that you can have a lot of them and they're not gonna fight. They tolerate human presence, and they eat a large number of rodents, and have lots of babies. So, you actually have a predator that's extremely well suited for an IPM program. And I think that in the end the result will be a greater interest in utilizing barn owls for rodent control. And various farmers around the country are starting to realize that you can use this animal to reduce the use of poisons and other invasive methods. As for the growers, they feel the use of barn owls will allow them to provide a more environmentally friendly and cost efficient product for the consumer. They can see that the product they're purchasing, um, is safer for the environment, is better for the grower because the grower is making a little bit more money, and potentially the price of the product that they're buying is lower. When you see an owl flying around at dusk starting to hunt for the night, it's one of the neatest sights I think that I've ever had the opportunity to experience. Working in these properties I get to see a lot of wildlife interact with our farming operation. And knowing that the owl is out there taking care of one last thing that I have to worry about is a great thing. Lots of feathers and fur on the show this week. Hope you enjoyed it. Remember that if you want more information on America's Heartland or just want to see some of our programs again, just log on to our website at AmericasHeartland.Org And join us on some of your popular social media sites as well. Thanks for being with us. We'll see you next time, on America's Heartland.   You can purchase a DVD or Blu Ray copy of this program. Here's the cost:   To order, just visit us online or call:   ♪♪ ♪You can see it in the eyes of every woman and man♪ ♪In America's Heartland living close to the land♪ ♪There's a love for the country And a pride in the brand♪ ♪In America's Heartland♪ ♪Living close Close to the land♪ ♪♪ America's Heartland is made possible by... Farm Credit - Financing agriculture and rural America since 1916. Farm Credit is cooperatively owned by America's farmers and ranchers. Learn more at farmcredit.com   CropLife America - Representing the companies whose modern farming innovations help America's farmers provide nutritious food for communities around the globe.