Farm & Ranch
Ranching Down Under
By Samantha Hall
Campdraft is a sport unique to Australia. The often fast-paced, very popular horse sport originated in Outback Western Queensland amongst stockmen having friendly competitions to showcase who had the better horse.
The first official campdraft was held in the town of Tenterfield in Northern New South Wales in 1885.
Not unlike the working cowhorse competitions seen in America, campdrafting consists of a rider on horseback. The rider must “cut” one beast out of a mob of six and work it in the “camp,” blocking and turning the beast at least three or four times to demonstrate to the judge that they have control of the beast.
The rider then calls for the gate to be opened where they proceed to take the beast out onto the course that consists of two pegs (both worth one point each) involving right and left hand turns in a figure eight pattern and then through the middle of two more pegs known as the “gate” (worth two points).
To read more pick up a copy of the November 2016 NTFR 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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