Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch
By Rayford Pullen
What’s shaping up to be a wonderful grass year is also shaping up to be a wonderful weed year.
I’ll talk about cows a little later in this article, but when you are out of grass, you are out of the cattle business in my part of the world.
Our moisture situation has been great this spring at Pullen Angus. It has been so good, in fact, that I actually bought a pair of Muck Boots to wade around in the lots, which for us is something we hardly ever get to do. It’s been nice.
Competition from weeds is the biggest hurdle in growing grass in our part of the world. While most think the competition is for moisture and fertilizer, the biggest factor is competition for sunlight. If you’ll notice, weeds are always slightly taller than our grass. Conversely, in grass that has no weeds (and no herbicide has been applied), the grass is taller than the weeds. The first dollar spent to produce more grass should be devoted to weed control. When you can get your grass in the direct path of the sunlight, you are able to harvest this light and let the plant turn it into forage.
To read more pick up the May 2015 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM
Having backyard poultry is a popular agriculture enterprise. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 0.8 percent of all households in the United States have chickens. People keep chickens for a variety of reasons with table eggs being one of the more common reasons.
Unfortunately, some of these poultry producers are not aware of the hazards that come with keeping poultry because many times they carry pathogens but appear healthy.
Chickens are carriers of several zoonotic diseases. These are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. According to a recent survey in Pennsylvania, a majority of backyard poultry producers were aware of the dangers of avian influenza. However, this study also revealed that far fewer producers were aware of the risk of possible exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter.
The lack of knowledge about the hazards of raising poultry likely contributes to the continued issues of Salmonella outbreaks associated with backyard poultry. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,072 illnesses of Salmonella linked to backyard poultry, and 272 of those patients required hospitalization. Oklahoma reported 43 individuals with the disease.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Tressa Lawrence
Babies are tucked away in every nook and cranny. Many ranchers across Wyoming have baby animals popping up all over this time of year.
By Lindsey Monk
Another load of grain in to keep feeding the calves until the green grass can really start popping.
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