Farm & Ranch
The Importance of Sire Selection
By Lindsay Allen
The old saying, “you get what you pay for,” rings true when it comes to selecting sires for your herd. Not to mention, with cattle prices at an all time high, purchasing bulls involves a higher price to pay. Dr. Trent Smith, associate professor of beef cattle and breeding genetics at Mississippi State University, said, “Today, cattlemen are looking at the price of bulls and thinking they can’t afford to purchase any, but the reality is they can’t afford not to.”
A bull should be viewed as an investment to the operation and not a cost or expense. Dr. Larry Boleman, associate vice chancellor for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University, echoed that statement, when he said, “Bull selection is the foundation for building a profitable beef herd. The producer’s goal in profitable beef production is to improve the average performance and quality of the offspring through genetic improvement.”
“When looking at the impact a bull has on the herd, it’s significant. A cow will produce one progeny per year, while the bull will produce as many progeny per year as the number of cows he settles. The price of bulls these days make cattlemen question the purchase, but calf prices are up as well,” Smith commented.
To read more pick up a copy of the December 2016 NTFR issue. Call 940-872-5922 to subscribe!
By Barry Whitworth, DVM
Having backyard poultry is a popular agriculture enterprise. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 0.8 percent of all households in the United States have chickens. People keep chickens for a variety of reasons with table eggs being one of the more common reasons.
Unfortunately, some of these poultry producers are not aware of the hazards that come with keeping poultry because many times they carry pathogens but appear healthy.
Chickens are carriers of several zoonotic diseases. These are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. According to a recent survey in Pennsylvania, a majority of backyard poultry producers were aware of the dangers of avian influenza. However, this study also revealed that far fewer producers were aware of the risk of possible exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter.
The lack of knowledge about the hazards of raising poultry likely contributes to the continued issues of Salmonella outbreaks associated with backyard poultry. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,072 illnesses of Salmonella linked to backyard poultry, and 272 of those patients required hospitalization. Oklahoma reported 43 individuals with the disease.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Tressa Lawrence
Babies are tucked away in every nook and cranny. Many ranchers across Wyoming have baby animals popping up all over this time of year.
By Lindsey Monk
Another load of grain in to keep feeding the calves until the green grass can really start popping.
-
Country Lifestyles1 year agoScott & Stacey Schumacher: A Growth Mindset
-
Equine7 months agoThe Will to Win
-
Country Lifestyles7 years agoStyle Your Profile – What your style cowboy hat says about you and new trends in 2017
-
Country Lifestyles4 years agoAmber Crawford, Breakaway Roper
-
HOME7 years agoGrazing North Texas – Wilman Lovegrass
-
Country Lifestyles7 years agoDecember 2016 Profile, Rusty Riddle – The Riddle Way
-
Country Lifestyles8 years agoJune 2016 Profile – The man behind the mic: Bob Tallman
-
Outdoor9 years agoButtercup or Primrose?