Farm & Ranch
Stocking Rate: Should I be that concerned? Volume 1
By contributing writer Tony Dean
There are a lot of factors in the ranching business you can’t control, like the weather. But of all the decisions you can control, stocking rate is one of the most critical. The decision of how many acres to allow for each grazing animal affects almost every aspect of the business, both long term and short term. For many producers, stocking rate is a very difficult subject to discuss and do something about. But it’s an important decision because your grass is the foundation of your ranching business. So yes, you should be concerned.
What is the reasoning behind a correct or incorrect stocking rate?
The basic concept of a correct stocking rate has to do with how grasses grow. Most of our grazing on Texas rangelands is from summer perennial grasses. The leaves produced each summer by these grasses, such as Sideoats grama, are the “food factory” that keeps the grass alive and healthy. The leaves must not only produce energy for summer growth, but also for seed production, root development, and storage of energy in the root and crown of the plant. A correct stocking rate will allow a level of grazing that will leave enough of the leaves on the grasses so the plants can maintain themselves.
An incorrect stocking rate, or one that is too heavy or not managed correctly, can result in excessive grazing use on rangeland plants to the point that the plants cannot maintain themselves. To read more pick up the May 2014 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
There are a handful of grasses on North Texas grazing lands ranchers need to know, not because they are highly desirable, but rather because they are not of much value. I call them “decom” plants, which is am acronym for “Don’t Ever Count On Me.” Silver bluestem is a “decom” grass.
Silver bluestem is a perennial which grows in all areas of Texas. It can survive in almost all soil types, and in full sun conditions or in semi shade. It grows up to three feet tall and is easily recognized with the presence of the white fuzzy seed head. Also, one of the identifying characteristics of Silver bluestem is a bend in the stems at each node, causing the plants to take on a rounded shape as they mature.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Fall is here which means winter is closing in on us and before we officially get into winter, we need to make sure our factories are either producing or will be producing in a few months.
We have been pregnancy testing our cows this fall and if they are not bred or nursing a calf, we are bidding them adios. With annual costs somewhere between $900.00 and $1,000.00 per cow, those cows not producing a live weaned calf are costing us quite a bit.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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