Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch: Keeping your AX sharp
By contributing writer Rayford Pullen
“Don’t get too busy cutting trees that you forget to sharpen your ax.” That’s about as good a way to put it that I know in the cattle business. If you don’t keep up with what’s going on in this world, you will find yourself on the short end of the stick. Since we are experiencing the best cattle market any of us have ever seen, now would be a good time to make sure you really know what is going on and how you can make changes or shifts in your business to keep you as profitable as possible.
Educating yourself on the newest technology and the latest research will allow you to be able to keep pace with the current cattle economy. Not only do the things we do on the ranch make a difference, but living in a global economy also influences our decisions. There are several opportunities coming up that will provide you with the insight on how our industry is changing while providing you with the knowledge to sort through all this information to make the best decisions for your operation. To read more pick up the July 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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