March 2012

Growing Your Own Food In March

With spring now well under-way, it is time for the gardening to really start as the warming weather means that many early vegetables can be planted straight outside providing that the soil is warm enough (around 5 °C). A good indication of this is when new grass shoots begin to appear.

Although March tends to be a month of planting, there are still jobs that can be done in the garden before your plants go in, including feeding and turning over the soil in the vegetable beds, ensuring that a good amount of manure is mixed in (which acts like a natural fertiliser and can be purchased relatively cheaply).

Featured Article: Horse and Dog Wormers

It is always important to keep your animals free of parasites that harm them and deworming regularly is the best way to do this. There are many brands out there ready to work their magic on your pet; it is just a matter of choosing which to buy. Some have branched out from supplying for one animal alone and provide products for more.

Panacur are an example of this and have a sensible range of wormers for horses and for dogs. Their Equine Paste is for the treatment and control of adult and immature roundworms of the gastro-intenstinal tract in horses and other equines. The paste can be mixed in with your horse’s food or syringed directly into their mouth. Similarly, Panacur Liquid Guard is available and is sufficient for a five day treatment schedule.

Featured Article: Wet versus Dry Food

We all want to give our furry best friends the best we possibly can, and it is important to do so if we want them to be around as long as possible! Decisions like choosing what food to give your pet may seem easy at first, but with so much choice it can be harder than you think. Not only is the decision of what brand is best but the type of food you are going to give your pet can be a tough choice!

It is often debated in the pet food industry whether wet or dry food is better for your pets, especially when it comes to feeding dogs and cats. We are going to look at the benefits of dry pet food, and specifically looking at the products from the popular brand, Iams.

Are You Ready To Save Water?

Last week saw the announcement from seven water companies across the south and east of England, of their plans to introduce a hosepipe ban affective from the 5th April 2012, in an attempt to try and conserve the limited water sources that are available in the build up to the summer.

Parts of the south and east of England have recently seen the lowest levels of annual rainfall over the past two years, which is leading to growing concerns over the amount of water that will be available to certain regions, particularly if this level of drought continues.

All About Pigeons

Unlike numerous species of bird (or indeed animal) wherever you are in the United Kingdom you are likely to come across a pigeon. Found in urban centres, parks, gardens and in areas close to agriculture pigeons play a vital role in the up-keep of numerous different habitats.

However, despite the fact that many people simply think that all pigeons are the same, a number of species can often be found together and although they are in fact very closely related to one another, there are key differences between them including appearance, behaviour and their calls.

Watching Wildlife - March

Daffodil

The month of March tends to mark the real start of spring with early flowers blooming in numerous different places, transforming parks, gardens and hedgerows into areas dotted with delicate colours. Not only is the flora seemingly coming back to life, the animals are too with many species now waking up from their long, winter hibernation and beginning to venture out to find food.

No matter where you look this month, signs of courtship and mating flood into the animal kingdom. Various different bird species can also be seen that are returning from wintering in tropical climates further south, along with those species that simply stop-over in the UK on their way up towards the Arctic. It is at this time of year when the world of wildlife is given a mighty kick-start.

Palm Oil Free Treats - 8. Flapjack

With ever increasing awareness about the negative effects that the palm oil industry is having on the environment, it remains a great shame that more and more everyday products seem to contain it. However, as companies are permitted to list it as "vegetable oil" in their ingredients consumers are unable to make an informed decision.

The worst thing for many consumer-level palm oil activists is not just the fact that basic products contain it, but also that those rare indulgences are now a thing of the past with palm oil found (but listed as vegetable oil) in all kinds of treats including chocolate, sweets, ice cream and numerous types of biscuit. So, at A-Z Animals we have prepared a number of palm oil free recipes for you to enjoy!