As expected, the Colorado vesicular stomatitis count has climbed, and is now at 201 horses and three cows. Visit the Colorado USDA link for the full story. To learn more about how you can help prevent vesicular stomatitis, view last week's CSU/USDA "Paging Dr. Ram" vesicular stomatitis YouTube broadcast by clicking on the link or the video above, which features two veterinarians who are experts in preventing the spread of disease.
If you ever wondered about this town you live in, tonight at 5:30 would be a good time to catch up on Fort Collins' 150 years of history as the Discovery museum launches its "FC150" exhibit. I am personally thrilled because our place was the homestead of a very important guy in the city's history, and will be part of the many personal stories featured by the museum. This is a party you don't want to miss. Get more details on the exhibit from The Coloradoan story. Cost: Adult admission is $9.50; $7 for seniors and students; $6 for children ages 3 to 12; free for members and those ages 2 and younger.
Colorado State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have an online event scheduled tonight for those affected and potentially affected by the sudden spike in vesicular stomatitis (VS) cases. CSU's press release follows:
Join us for an important interactive online discussion!
Join us for a Live Google+ Hangout from 6-7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 14, to learn about vesicular stomatitis and disease prevention from veterinarians at Colorado State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A Google+ Hangout is much like a webinar, offering the chance to gain information and ask questions from your personal computer or device; all you need is Internet service. To join the discussion, click here.
The Colorado State Veterinarian's Office announced on Aug. 6 that 69 Colorado properties, most in northern counties, were quarantined after horses tested positive for vesicular stomatitis, which is spread chiefly by black flies. The number of quarantined properties is a dramatic increase from 21 quarantined Colorado properties just one week earlier, and this disease outbreak is expected to continue growing. Notably, the first infected cow also has been reported in the Colorado outbreak.
Arm yourself with information to protect your horses and livestock by joining the discussion hosted by the Colorado State University James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Featured experts will be Dr. Paul Morley, a CSU veterinarian and director of infection control for the University's Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and Dr. Angela Pelzel-McCluskey, USDA equine epidemiologist.
The chokecherries outdid themselves this year! We picked 36 pounds this weekend, enough for two, six-gallon batches of wine. Chokecherries are bitter little tidbits pre-fermentation. However, they produce a knockout wine, which matures into a noble beverage, that is if you can discipline yourself to let it age a couple of years.
If you are looking for something easy to grow, try chokecherries. They tolerate gardening ignorance and Colorado's wild weather. Beware: If left to their own devices, chokecherries spread like weeds and can grow into trees.
