Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch: Turn your attention to 2015
By Rayford Pullen
2014 is in the bag and now we turn our attention to 2015. Decisions we make now regarding sires, donors, etc., will take at least nine months before we see a calf on the ground, seven more months before that calf is weaned and if we are hoping to produce better females, another 17 months before she calves. That’s almost three years. We hope the decisions we are making now are the right ones. Time will tell.
While going over our calving and weaning data for 2014, I decided to pull up how we did on birth weight and weaning weights by sire. What I found was it was certainly different than 2013 where our average birth weight for bulls was 83 pounds and our average birth weight for heifers was 77 pounds. This past year our bulls average 78 pounds and our heifers averaged 77 pounds. Our weaning weights were 15 pounds heavier this year for an average of 615 pounds for all calves weaned. And why was that? My only guess is the weather, nutrition, genetics used or perhaps something else. I don’t really know.
To read more pick up the February 2015 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
By Tressa Lawrence
Ranchers across northeast Wyoming and the surrounding areas saw record moisture levels in 2023. The year 2024 has seen significantly less moisture to date.
By Lindsey Monk
People are finishing up brandings. Here, Danny Walter is shown getting it done.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM
On July 6, 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) posted in the Federal Register a proposal that radio frequency identification tags be used as official identification for cattle and bison. Following a period for public comment, the USDA APHIS released a statement on April 24, 2024, with the amended animal disease traceability (ADT) regulation for cattle and bison. The full press release may be found at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/aphis-bolsters-animal-disease-traceability-united-states. Under the new rule, cattle and bison will need to be identified with tags that are both visual and electronic.
The USDA defines ADT as knowing where diseased and at-risk animals are, where they have been, and when the animal disease event took place. A system that allows for efficient traceability of livestock in the United States is essential for animal health and reducing the economic effect of a foreign animal disease outbreak and other diseases on livestock producers as well as others whose well-being depends on livestock production.
To read more, pick up a copy of the July issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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