Farm & Ranch
Calf weaning procedures and post calf vaccination protocol
By Jessica Crabtree and Dr. Jered Harlan
Weaning for cow/calf producers is a time of gratification, when all the hours of work finally pay off and the majority of their income is made.
However, the trend is changing and more producers are keeping their weaned calves and administering a preconditioning program.
This equals value added to their recently weaned calf crop. This method seems to be a more progressive piece of management to pay in dividends when managing their herd. Weaning is critical in areas such as breeding efficiency and feed utilization as well as feedlot performance, carcass merit and marketing of cattle.
However, for the calves weaning time is a stressful period in their lives, second to birth. Traditionally calves are weaned at six to eight months, early at three to five. At six to eight the calf is exposed to less stress, is more marketable and requires fewer days to finish, equaling lower input cost.
At three to five months, producers can conserve forage and cow condition if under a drought, accelerate finishing time and elevate marbling and better feed to gain. To read more pick up a copy of the May 2016 issue of NTFR.
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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