Farm & Ranch
Plants Toxic to Livestock
By Jessica Crabtree and Dr. Jered Harlan, DVM
More than 100 species of toxic plants populate the pastures of Texas. These plants pose the number one threat to producers: death of livestock. Besides direct loss, the unfortunate presence offers an indirect loss in reduced conception rates, reduced weaning weights and overall reduced production. Warning signs can prevail in the form of animals off feed, losing weight and/or appearing unhealthy— poisonous plants may be the cause.
There may be some difficulty at diagnosis. Some toxic plants symptoms are easily indentified, while others go undetected other than death. Some can cause death within minutes while others take months. As a producer, the first step at the presentation of a dead cow is deciphering the cause, disease or toxic plant.
Toxic plants should be considered in situations of cattle loss if the forage supply in a pasture is sparse due to overgrazing, drought or poor season growth, if animals have been recently moved to a new location, if animals were released to the new pasture hungry, if herbicides have been used recently as a method of weed control, if the pasture has recently been fertilized with nitrogen or if a new forage source has been fed.
To read more pick up a copy of the December 2016 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922 today!
Acorns. (Courtesy photo)
Johnson grass. (Courtesy photo)
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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