Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch…
By Rayford Pullen
Fall will be arriving shortly, and as cattle producers we all have to make decisions regarding our winter pastures, weaning our spring born calves, retaining ownership or not of weaned calves, deciding what our winter feeding program will be in the next couple of months or so, and so on and so forth.
If this fall is as wonderful as our past winter, spring and fall, at least here in North Central Texas, it should be great if we are planning on having fall and winter pastures.
I have made several observations when planting fall pastures over the years, but one thing is for sure, our fall success or failure will most certainly, in a large extent, be determined by the rainfall and weather.
Here are a few things you can do that will also influence your chances of having a better crop.
When overseeding established pastures such as bermuda grass, the shorter the better. Plants do not grow very well in the shade and five or six-inch grass looks like a forest to a small seed. What can you do? Graze or cut the grass as short as possible. I even like to keep the cattle on the pasture after I plant and until it does rain to keep it short. To read more pick up a copy of the September 2016 NTFR issue.
By: Tony Dean
In volume 1 of “Old World Bluestems”, Tony Dean addressed issues surrounding the Old World Bluestem family, including the invasive nature of these grasses. In this issue, he examines OWBs as a forage for livestock.
OWBs were intially brought to the US as foragr for livestock and for erosion control capability. Ironically, some of the characteristics that make these species invasive also cause them to be desirable grass for grazing.
One of the primary survival characteristics of OWBs is their ability to withstand heavy grazing. OWBs are genetically prone to grow upright like our native bluestems; however, with heavy grazing pressure, plants begin to take a sod growth form.
To read more, pick up a copy of the September issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tressa Lawrence
It has been a hot, dry summer across northeastern Wyoming. Many ranchers are weaning and shipping early due to the dry conditions and lack of grass.
By: Lindsey Monk
The Four Mile Fire was 2,082 acres and very close to three other fires all started by lightning the same night. Together, the four fires burned a total of approximately 47,827 acres. That is a lot of feed for cattle, and ranchers were moving the cattle out of the way. They are mostly contained now, but it has been a very hot and dry summer.
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