Have you been noticing a bright green vine that has been climbing up trees and fence lines this summer? What you are seeing is the wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata), a member of the Cucurbitaceae family which includes cucumbers, squash, and melons. Wild cucumber is a native annual of Wisconsin and most of North America. As an annual, wild cucumber dies every winter, but can come back again in the spring since the plant is very good at reseeding itself.
Wild cucumber is characterized by
The concept of immunity is based on an animal’s ability to recognize “self” and “non-self”. Differentiation between what should be present in the animal and what shouldn’t be (something foreign) allows for the animal’s immune system to neutralize or destroy toxins or invading microorganisms which are “non-self”. There are two branches of immunity that every animal has: passive and acquired immunity. Passive immunity is shorter duration
Alpaca pasture management can be a challenge due to the grazing pattern behavior. Learn more about how to get the most out of your pasture with the “Alpaca Pastures in Wisconsin” factsheet.
