Farm & Ranch

Arctic blast unlikely to hurt newly emerged wheat

Published

11 years ago

November 11, 2014

NTFR

Writer: Robert Burns, 903-834-6191, rd-burns@tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION – It’s highly unlikely the sub-freezing weather will damage any of the state’s winter wheat crop, even newly emerged plants, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

“It would have to get pretty darn cold for it to do any damage to the wheat,” said Dr. Clark Neely, AgriLife Extension small grains and oilseed specialist, College Station. “If you have a healthy crop, winter wheat can handle temperatures below zero Fahrenheit prior to vernalization.”

Vernalization refers to a certain number of chilling hours a plant must experience before it switches from vegetative to reproductive growth, he said.

Winter wheat can be damaged in certain instances, such as when a cold front comes through and there’s a sudden 50-degree temperature swing, but even then it is rare, Neely said.

“Soil temperatures are also still relatively warm, which will help protect plants,” he said.

From reports Neely received from area specialists, temperatures got down to freezing in the more northern parts of the state on the morning of Nov. 10, and may be in the mid-20s on Nov. 11, he said.

“I don’t expect to see damage, though,” Neely said. “I don’t think it got cold enough quick enough for us to see any damage.”

In fact, the early cold weather may be good for winter wheat, but may reduce fall growth for grazing.

“This cold snap we had should go a long way to hardening the crop off,” he said.

Neely explained that “hardening off” refers to wheat acclimating to colder temperatures.

“Overall, we’re sitting pretty good for both canola and wheat crops across the state,” he said. “Most of the Blacklands has recharged soil moisture profiles at the moment. This past week we got 1 to 3 inches across a wide swathe of the state, from South Texas all the way up to north East Texas. The Rolling Plains and the High Plains could always use a bit more moisture, but they’re in a lot better shape than they were last year. So I think the crop is off to a good start up there too.”

Neely added that forecast of a “moderately wet” winter because of a weak El Nino would be “ideal” for the state’s wheat and canola crops.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Central: Most counties reported soil moisture, rangeland and pastures and crop conditions as good. Overall, livestock were also in good condition. The region received good rains, and small grains were looking good. Bermuda grass pastures were recovering, but a predicted frost will likely bring an end to growth. Wheat and oats emerged. Rangeland was in fair to good condition. The pecan crop looked promising. Livestock were in good condition. Stock-tank water levels were good, and creeks and rivers were up, all of which provided ample drinking water for livestock. The rains also provided excellent forage production. Livestock numbers were strong.

Coastal Bend: The counties received steady, soaking rains as a front moved slowly through the area. Most counties received from 1.5 to 3.5 inches of rain. Winter pastures got a boost from the rains, as did wheat and oats. The pecan harvest was delayed by the rains. Most field activities were on hold due to sloppy conditions.

East: Subsoil moisture varied widely throughout the counties, from 90 percent surplus in Henderson County to 75 percent short in Angelina County. In many counties, a common report was a fairly even split between adequate and short moisture levels. Pasture and rangeland ratings varied widely as well, from 100 percent poor to mostly good, with good being the most common rating. From 1 inch to 4 inches of rain fell in some areas, which when coupled with cooler weather gave cool-season forages a boost. Producers were beginning to supply supplemental feed for the winter. Fall vegetables were doing well. Lake and pond levels improved. Calf weaning and cow culling neared completion. Livestock were in good condition due to great summer conditions that supplied sufficient summer grazing. Producers finished harvesting warm-season forages, and the majority of cool season forages were planted and emerging. Fall calving was in pro gress. F eral hogs damaged pastures.

Far West: Warm days and cool nights were the norm, with much of the area receiving from 0.3 inch to 1.5 inches of rain. Glasscock, Upton, and Presidio counties received from 2 to 4 inches of rain. Subsoil moisture ranged from fair to very poor. Topsoil moisture was from adequate to short. Upland cotton was in fair to poor condition, with the harvest in various stages of progress from county to county. Most corn and grain sorghum were harvested. The sunflower harvest was completed. Most winter wheat had emerged and was in fair to poor condition. The El Paso County cotton harvest was on hold because of wet conditions. Pecan shuck separation was in progress, with some pecan nuts falling. Alfalfa was slowly growing after recent rains. Another light cutting might be possible when fields dry out.

North: Topsoil moisture was mostly adequate, with a few counties reporting surplus. About 2 inches of rain fell across the region. The rains came very slowly, which greatly benefited newly planted wheat and winter annual pastures. Warm-season forage growth was minimal as temperatures cooled. Winter pastures were starting to grow in most areas. Acorns, persimmons and pecans were bountiful. Livestock were in good condition. The feral hog population was on the rise, and the invasive species continued to cause damage.

Panhandle: Temperatures were up and down for the week — cool at first, then warming to slightly above average by the weekend. Soil moisture varied from very short to adequate, with most counties reporting short to adequate. From a trace to 2 inches of rain fell in isolated areas. Most of the region experienced the first freeze of the season about midweek. The Collingsworth County cotton harvest was stalled by wet conditions until late in the week. However, the rain significantly improved the wheat crop. Deaf Smith County producers had a good week with most corn harvested before the forecast arctic blast that came Nov. 11. Grain sorghum was doing well with many acres getting harvested, and about average yields so far. Earlier plantings of winter wheat were progressing well, though many acres had yet to be planted. Producers were turning stockers into graze on the earliest plantings of wheat — if they could procure the cattle. Hansford County remained very dry and cool. The cotton harvest there was in full swing, except for a couple of days when it was too windy to strip. In Dallam and Hartley counties, the corn harvest wound down as the sorghum and cotton harvests got started in earnest. Most cow/calf producers had already weaned spring calves. Most cattle were in good condition, but livestock producers were still doctoring calves for respiratory and shipping fever, which was typical for this time of year as temperatures fluctuated widely. Rangeland and pastures were rated mostly fair to good.

Rolling Plains: Parts of the region got up to 1.25 inches of rain, while others remained dry. Winter wheat used for grazing that received rain was responding well. Some wheat looked especially good, but other fields had bit knocked back by infestations of armyworms and grubs. With the much colder temperatures, native and improved warm-season pastures showed little to no growth. Producers continued to over-seed small grains onto summer pastures. Cotton gins were running consistently in some counties. Yields from irrigated cotton acres were good. Livestock remained in good to fair condition. A large portion of the spring calf crop was sold during the past few weeks with excellent prices received. Stock-water tanks and lakes remained in great need of runoff water. The pecan harvest continued with good yields reported.

South: A cold front brought moderate to heavy rainfall and cooler temperatures, halting field activities but benefiting rangeland and pastures. In the northern part of the region, from 2 to 4.5 inches of rain boosted soil moisture to 60 to 100 percent adequate in all counties. The rain slowed peanut harvesting in Atascosa and Frio counties. McMullen County rangeland and pastures showed great response to the rain, but the cooler weather slowed growth. Livestock producers were able to reduce supplemental feeding. Cattle body conditions scores continued to improve as most cowherds completed calf weaning. In the eastern part of the region, 2 to 3 inches of rain was common, with some areas getting 5 inches. The rain came slowly, with minimal runoff. Soil moisture was 50 to 100 percent adequate through the area. Producers were making plans to start planting wheat as a result of the added moisture. Livestock remained in good con dition with prices remaining high for both feeder and replacement cattle. The western part of the region, also received quite a lot of rain, which supplied moisture to recently planted wheat. Where field conditions were dry enough, producers were preparing fields for crops such as winter oats. In Zavala County, the rains delayed cabbage harvesting, but otherwise benefited the crop, as well as spinach and onions. Native forages on local ranches were improved by the rain. Stock-tank water levels were improved by runoff in areas that received harder and faster rains. Soil moisture was 40 to 100 percent adequate throughout the area. In the southern part of the region, the rains halted harvesting, though all fall vegetable crops were progressing well. Soil moisture was 100 percent adequate in Cameron and Hidalgo counties, 80 percent short in Starr County and 45 percent adequate in Willacy County. Rangeland and pasture conditions were fair to good.

South Plains: Parts of the region received from 1 inch to nearly 3 inches of rain, which brought the cotton harvest to a standstill in some counties. But strippers were expected to be back out in fields in full force soon. Where bolls were open, the rains may have caused a slight discoloration in cotton lint. Many producers were applying defoliants and desiccants. So far, cotton yields were are mostly good but were expected to vary widely before the harvest is completed. Rangeland and pastures were in good to excellent condition, as were livestock. Area wheat fields were in very good condition. Hockley County grain sorghum producers had all but completed this year’s harvest. In Mitchell County, the cotton harvest was in full swing, but many of acres had to be shredded. Total ginned bales were expected to be down from last year.

Southeast: Soil-moisture was mostly in the adequate to surplus range, with Hardin County reporting 100 percent adequate. Rangeland and pasture ratings varied widely, but were mostly fair to poor, with fair ratings being the most common. Rain was greatly welcomed by hay producers who fertilized pastures in recent weeks. However, the forecasted additional rain and cool weather would slow grass growth. Livestock were in good condition. Cool-season forages were doing well, and clover emerged.

Southwest: From 1 inch to 4 inches of rain fell, benefiting rangeland, oats and wheat. However, there was not much runoff, and stock tanks remained low. The pecan harvest continued with decent yields so far. Livestock and wildlife were in extremely good condition. The hunting season was much more active than previous years, and the rut was still in full swing. Kinney County reported a 250-pound white-tailed buck having been taken, which would make it a ranch-weight record.

West Central: The region had mild days with cool nights. Most areas reported a good soaking rain from 1 inch to 3 inches. The rain helped replenish soil moisture and allowed fall planting to continue. Producers continued to plant small grains as fields dried out. A forecast cold front was expected to drop temperatures to freezing and below for several days. Wheat was responding well to rain and warm temperatures, but the wet weather halted cotton harvesting and wheat planting. Rangeland and pastures were in good condition going into the winter. The recent moisture also promoted cool-season grass growth and green-up. Fall cattle work continued. Livestock remained in fair to good condition. The pecan harvest was well underway with good yields so far. Hunting season began, and deer were in good condition.

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Farm & Ranch

Changing the Way We Handle Hay

Published

2 months ago

December 22, 2025

NTFR

Few machines have reshaped livestock operations as much as the round baler. Before its arrival, haymaking was slow, labor-intensive, and limited by the storage and handling of small square bales. The round baler mechanized the process, producing large rolls that could be handled with tractors instead of back-breaking labor. Today, those big bales are a familiar sight across Oklahoma, Texas, and much of the world, stacked along fence lines or dotting pastures.

The modern round baler traces back to the mid-20th century. While early versions of hay-rolling machines appeared in Europe in the 1940s and 1950s, it was a man from Iowa who brought the design into practical use in America. In 1971, Vermeer Corporation, led by Gary Vermeer, introduced the first large round baler that could be mass-produced and widely adopted. His design gathered hay into a chamber, rolled it into a tight cylindrical package, and then wrapped it with twine before ejecting it onto the ground.

This solved a long-standing bottleneck. Small square bales required enormous labor — lifting, stacking, hauling, and feeding by hand. One person with a tractor and round baler could do in hours what once took a crew all day. The new bales were weather-resistant, stored easily outdoors, and reduced spoilage. They also fit well with the larger scale of modern cattle operations.

By the 1980s, other manufacturers such as John Deere, New Holland, and Case IH offered their own models. Improvements included variable chamber sizes, better pickup systems, and stronger tying methods. Round balers quickly became the standard for beef and dairy producers in Oklahoma, Texas, and beyond.

Though models vary, the principle remains the same. The baler picks up cut hay from the windrow and feeds it into a chamber with belts, rollers, or chains. As the hay circulates, it rolls into a tight cylinder. Once the bale reaches the set size — often 4×5 or 5×6 feet, weighing between 800 and 1,200 pounds — the machine stops feeding, and the bale is wrapped for storage.

The result is a dense, weather-resistant package that can be moved with a tractor spear or loader. Unlike small square bales that require dry storage, round bales can be stacked outdoors, especially when wrapped correctly.

The biggest evolution in round baling since its invention has been the way bales are bound. Early machines used only twine, usually sisal or synthetic. Twine is inexpensive and reliable, but it has drawbacks. Wrapping a bale with twine can take up to two minutes, slowing production. Twine also leaves more exposed surface area, allowing moisture to penetrate and spoil hay.

Net wrap was introduced in the 1990s as a solution. Made of high-strength polyethylene, it wraps the bale quickly — usually in 10 to 20 seconds — and covers more surface area. This tighter, more uniform wrap sheds water better and reduces spoilage, especially for bales stored outside. Net-wrapped bales also hold their shape better, making them easier to stack and transport.

Producers must weigh cost against efficiency. Net wrap is more expensive than twine, both in material and in required equipment, but many ranchers find the savings in time and hay quality worth the investment. Twine remains common for operations feeding hay quickly or storing it under cover, while net wrap dominates in large-scale or commercial setups.

In recent years, bale film wrap has also entered the market. Similar to plastic used in silage, film wrap can seal bales almost completely, reducing spoilage even further. While more expensive, it is gaining ground in wet climates and dairies where feed quality is critical.

The round baler is more than a machine — it changed the rhythm of haymaking. Producers can now harvest, bale, and store hundreds of tons of hay with a fraction of the labor once required. In regions like Oklahoma and North Texas, where cattle herds are large and hay is often stored outdoors, round balers became indispensable.

The machine also influenced land use. With the ability to bale quickly and efficiently, ranchers could harvest larger fields and manage forage with precision. It also reduced dependence on hired labor during peak hay season, a major benefit as rural populations declined.

While square balers still have their place — especially for horse hay and small-scale operations — round bales remain the workhorse of modern cattle ranching.

From its introduction in the 1970s to its widespread adoption today, the round baler has proven to be one of the most influential farm inventions of the last century. It solved the labor bottleneck of haymaking, improved storage and feed efficiency, and fit seamlessly into the mechanization of modern agriculture.

Whether wrapped in twine, net, or film, those big round bales are more than just scenery on a country road. They are symbols of an innovation that continues to save time, labor, and feed across ranch country. Like the steel plow, barbed wire, and windmill, the round baler is an invention that permanently changed the way we work the land.

References

Vermeer Corporation. History of the Round Baler. https://www.vermeer.com

John Deere Equipment. Hay and Forage History. https://www.deere.com

Oklahoma State University Extension. Hay Storage and Preservation.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Net Wrap vs. Twine for Round Bales.

Farm Progress. “Round Balers: The Machine That Changed Haymaking.”

Farm & Ranch

Lotebush – Nature’s Quail House

Published

2 months ago

December 1, 2025

NTFR

By Tony Dean

Although of little livestock grazing value, this spiny bush has a place in North Texas grazing lands. Probably the most important use of Lotebush is that it is an almost perfect “quail house”. The thorny overhead provides protection from aerial predators like hawks, but the open view at ground level allows quail to see if other predators are approaching.

Lotebush is a native perennial shrub that can grow up to seven feet in height and width. The smooth bark can have dark and light gray patches. The zigzag twigs support greenish stout spines up to three inches long with a dark sharp pointed tip. The small leaves are bluish to grayish green.

Lotebush is in the Buckhorn family and has many other common names, including Condalia, Blue-thorn, Chaparral Bush, Texas Buckthorn, Chaparral Prieto, and Abrojo. The name Condalia is derived from Antonio Condal, a Spanish physician. The roots have been used as a soap substitute, and as a treatment for wounds and sores of domestic animals.

Livestock occasionally browse on new tender growth, especially after a fire, and this sometimes results in mouth soreness in the grazing animal due to the sharp thorns on Lotebush. Lotebush provides fair browsing value for deer. Crude protein level has been tested at 18 to 24 percent in spring, 15 to 20 percent through summer and fall, and 12 to 15 percent in winter.

The small black fruit, about 3/8 inch in diameter, usually ripens in July. It is eaten by quail, turkey, coyotes, small mammals, and many song birds.

Some birds, like the Cactus Wren, will nest in this plant. The Cactus Wren is the largest wren in North America. It lives year round in drier areas of southwestern states and Northern Mexico. It is a true bird of the desert and can survive without standing water. It is very aggressive in protecting its nest.

Lotebush is adapted to clay soils and limestone soils and grows in most areas of the state except extreme East Texas. It also grows in Arizona, New Mexico, and Northern Mexico.

When it is not in dense stands, Lotebush should be protected when planning brush control as it can be a valuable part of our wildlife management efforts. It often appears on areas in the pasture where grass is rather thin, so we are not giving up much grazing production by leaving a few plants. If desired, it can be controlled mechanically or chemically with certain ground-applied chemicals.

Birds and small mammals that feed on our grazing lands often deposit seeds in their droppings from other plants under the canopy of Lotebush. If these seeds germinate, Lotebush can serve as a “protective skeleton” to prevent grazing or browsing on these new plants. Some of these protected plants might be otherwise totally grazed out of a pasture due to preference by livestock or wildlife, so at least we can preserve a seed source within the spiny protection of our Lotebush plants.

Lotebush will root sprout when top killed by fire, but it will take a decade for a plant to again become adequate cover for quail. A plant or group of plants about the size of a pickup works best for quail cover.

Farm & Ranch

Tracks in the Sand

Published

3 months ago

November 27, 2025

NTFR

This morning, I walked out into my arena and noticed something that gave me pause. The roping steers had been in there the day before, and even though the ground was wide and level, the sand carried their story. Hoofprints crossed every direction, but in several spots, the same trail was pressed deeper than the rest. Twelve steers had been turned out, yet more than a few chose the exact same path, wearing it down until it stood out from all the other tracks.

Cattle are creatures of habit. Anyone who has spent time around them knows this. They like routine: the same feed, the same water trough, the same shade tree in the pasture. When they are turned loose, they rarely wander without purpose. More often than not, they move together, following the same course as the steer in front of them. There are reasons for this: efficiency, safety, instinct. Walking a beaten path conserves energy, and following the herd is their natural defense. Even in an arena with no real destination, those instincts come through. By the end of a short turnout, you will see the evidence, lines where they have chosen the easiest way to travel and stuck with it.

Out on the range, those lines last longer. Before fences and highways, cattle drives cut deep paths across the land. The Chisholm Trail, which carried herds north from Texas through Oklahoma into Kansas, was walked by millions of cattle in the late 1800s. More than a century later, faint traces of those trails remain, worn so deep by hooves and wagon wheels that the land still carries the mark. On ranches today, you can see the same effect in pastures where cattle walk the same lines between water and grazing. From the ground those trails might look like nothing more than dusty ruts, but from the air, they sometimes stand out as sharp lines winding through otherwise open fields. Cattle do not simply pass over the land; they shape it. Every step adds up.

That simple truth extends beyond livestock. We all make tracks. Our habits and routines are our trails, worn in by repetition, sometimes efficient, sometimes limiting. Like the cow paths, they can serve a purpose, keeping us steady and helping us move forward. But when repeated without thought, they risk becoming ruts, keeping us from stepping into new ground. History offers perspective here too. The old cattle trails built towns and economies, but once railroads and fences changed the landscape, those paths were no longer useful. Sticking to them would have meant going in circles. Progress required something new.

The Tracks We Leave

Standing in the arena, I thought about the kind of tracks I leave behind. Most of mine are not visible in the dirt. They are pressed into my daily life, how I work, the way I handle challenges, the example I set. Some are helpful and worth keeping. Others may have outlived their purpose. The difference comes in knowing when to stay in the track and when to step out of it.

Tomorrow I will drag the arena and smooth it all clean again. The next time the steers are turned in, they will make the same trails. That is their nature. But unlike them, I have a choice. I can decide which paths are worth walking, which ones to change, and what kind of tracks I want to leave for others who might follow.

Tracks tell a story. Sometimes they are only temporary, fading with the next rain. Other times they last for generations, reminders of where herds and people once walked. This morning, the cattle showed me again that even the smallest things on the ranch carry meaning. Their tracks in the arena were not just marks in the sand. They were a lesson: every step matters, and the paths we choose shape more than just the ground beneath our feet.