Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch…
By Rayford Pullen
We are on the downhill side of summer, which means fall is rapidly approaching and believe it or not, now is the time we need to be making plans for our cool season pasture, which, depending on where you live, will probably be planted in September or October.
Decisions need to be made soon regarding the status of our soils, i.e. soil pH and or nutrient needs. While you are sitting there reading this, I can only imagine that you are saying to yourself, “I don’t have a clue” and if that’s you, the first thing you need to do is take soil samples for all the different fields you will be planting.
Why? Because if your soil pH is too acidic, you are probably doomed before you ever get started, particularly if legumes are going to be part of the mixture. The most tolerant plants to acid soils are rye and ryegrass with wheat and clovers being very sensitive to the point that they may not germinate and sprout, much less grow. To read more pick up a copy of the August 2016 issue.
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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