Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
By Rayford Pullen
With fall officially underway, our winter plans begin to occupy our minds, specifically as it pertains to hay needs and inventory, potential protein supplements and winter pastures.
In our neck of the woods, North Central Texas, grass growth usually ends when night time temperatures begin hitting the 45 degree mark, and if you have a vegetable garden, you’ll notice your summer- time vegetables take a dive about this same time.
While growth may cease, the quality of your forage is very good since forage quality is influenced negatively by high summer temperatures and as a result our cattle performance goes down but returns when our temperatures go down. Since the rains have come and the grass has grown, our pastures have made a really nice recovery after several years of drought.
Hay made in the fall should be a lot better than hay cut in the middle of summer when all things are considered. Fertilizer will add about three percent more protein to hay if it is cut after about a month of growth. The cooler temps this fall may offset this advantage in protein since most of us don’t do much fertilizing after June on our warm season pastures.
So, while quantity may be down, quality, including digestibility, should be up significantly. If hay stocks for your operation are still low, now would be a good time to bale with the only negative being the plants’ ability to translocate nutrients from the stems and leaves to the root system, which ensures better winter hardiness and a stronger start next spring.
In our area, winter pastures in plowed ground have been planted and those over seeded in warm season pastures are being planted now.
To read more pick up a copy of the October 2016 NTFR issue.
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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