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 Heather Welper
Husband and wife duo, Heather and Calvin Welper, are the Co-Owners and Operators or Two C Livestock, located in Valley View, Texas.
The pair’s operation has a show cattle focus where they raise and sell purebred heifers of all breeds and club calf Hereford steers.
When it comes to show cattle, the Welpers know a thing or two including how to prepare for the cold winter months and the Texas major show season run.
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 Hannah Claxton, Editor
As the sun rises each day, so do the dozens of mouths that Meghan McGovern is responsible for getting fed. Rather than the sounds of a rooster crowing, McGovern hears the bellows and bleats of a variety of exotic deer, the chortle of kangaroos, the grunts of water buffaloes, and the chirps of a lemur.
Nestled against the banks of the Red River, the Double M Ranch and Rescue, with its high game fences and deer sprinkling the landscape,s its in stark contrast to the surrounding ranches.
“Having deer is kind of like eating potato chips- you can never actually have just one,” said McGovern with a laugh.
McGovern has several herds to take care of- fallow deer, axis deer, water buffalo, goats, and bison. In smaller numbers, there’s also a few kangaroos, a lemur, a potbelly pig, a pair of zebras, a watusi, and a few horses.
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 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.
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