Farm & Ranch
Red River Crops Conference set for Jan. 20-21 in Altus
Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, [email protected]
Contacts: Stan Bevers, 940-552-9941, [email protected]
ALTUS, Oklahoma – Challenges, obstacles and profitability potential facing agriculture producers don’t recognize state boundaries, so Texas and Oklahoma officials along the Red River are once again offering regional farmers and ranchers a two-day agricultural conference.
“Planning for Success – Crop production information designed for Southwest Oklahoma and the Texas Rolling Plains” is the theme of the third annual Red River Crops Conference, set for Jan. 20-21 at the Southwest Technology Center, 711 W. Tamarack in Altus, Oklahoma.
“The conference goal is to provide agricultural producers with relevant management information for this production area that will create and enhance their profitability,” said Stan Bevers, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agricultural economist in Vernon, Texas.
Bevers said AgriLife Extension and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension collaborated to conduct the first and very successful conference in January 2014. The conference alternates between Oklahoma and Texas and addresses special agricultural production circumstances in the upper Red River region in both states.
In the Red River region, obstacles can include water and land resources, and weather extremes such as hot and dry summers and bitterly cold winters, he said. Producers also find themselves managing pastures of both introduced and native grass for cattle operations, and crop mixes such as cotton, wheat, and grain and forage sorghum.
More recently, Bevers said, producers have discovered that canola, guar and sesame can also be successfully cultivated within this environment.
Both days will begin with registration at 8 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m.
In-season and summer crops will be featured on Jan. 20. Discussion topics will include effective crop rotation and the use of cover crops, grain and forage sorghum production, transitioning from row crops systems to forage crop systems, best management practices for peanut production, a wheat breeding update and a market outlook.
Cotton will be featured on Jan. 21, with topics including cotton risk management issues, market outlook, variety discussions, herbicide options, seed treatments and disease management, and new innovative cotton production systems.
The fee of $25 covers both days. To register for the 2016 Red River Crops Conference, print the form from http://agrisk.tamu.edu/. Make checks payable to the Red River Crops Conference and mail to 2801 N. Main, Suite A, Altus, OK 73521.
Preregistration is encouraged for planning purposes. To preregister or for more information, contact a local Extension office in either Texas or Oklahoma, or call 580-482-0823.
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By: Martha Crump
Most cattle producers can tell you quite a lot about balancing cattle diets for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals based on the specific needs for their herd and type of operation.
A key factor, and one that is often overlooked, is that how your animals perform is also directly affected by their water intake.
Now many of you may already be thinking “well of course water is necessary, anybody knows that!”
In many years, as September marches into October, we are beginning to experience some return of rainfall. But as many of us know, that is not always the case. Often we are still experiencing hot and dry weather, and water supplies are dwindling.
When we find ourselves experiencing those types of fall conditions, it is critical to not only understand the daily water requirements for cattle, but also the impact that the quality of water can have on herd health and development.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
Since their introduction to the U.S. in the early 1900s, Old World Bluestems such as King Ranch bluestem and Dahl bluestem have become established on farms and ranches from the Rio Grande to Nebraska. With such a wide range of adaptability, these species are subjected to a wide range of management, depending on location and the goals of the rancher.
Due to the aggressive nature of OWBs, producers in far South Texas have been trying to find a way to eradicate OWBs in their pastures. Texas AgriLife Extension bulletin “Introduced Bluestem Grasses: Management on Native Lands” describes several methods being used in the effort to rid pastures of OWBs. In 2016, one project involved using chemicals, plowing, mowing, reseeding, summer burning, and combinations of these practices.
To read the about the researchers findings and hear Tony’s take, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Watching our pastures over the years, I have noticed our forages quit growing when nighttime temperatures begin hitting that 45-degree mark, and in North Texas, that will usually be around October 20.
While growth stops, our forages will still be high quality which allows our momma cows to gain weight for another 40 days or so.
Getting these cows in better condition is key to getting them through the winter and breeding after they calve.
Read more in the October issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available online and in print. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive NTFR in your inbox each week.
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