Farm & Ranch
AgriLife Today promoting hurricane safety for livestock
By: Paul Schattenberg
Writer: Paul Schattenberg, 210-859-5752, [email protected]
Contact: Dr. Andy Vestal, 979-862-3013, [email protected]
COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts have produced videos and publications to help ranchers and other horse and/or livestock owners prepare for a hurricane.
“The week of May 7-13 is National Hurricane Preparedness Week and AgriLife Extension is helping promote it by reminding Texans to be mindful of what they need to do to be ready in the event of a hurricane,” said Dr. Andy Vestal, AgriLife Extension specialist — emergency management, College Station.
He said one way people can prepare for a disaster is to be informed by reading and following the advice in preparedness publications available through the Texas EDEN website at http://texashelp.tamu.edu, as well as the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Bookstore at https://www.agrilifebookstore.org/.
“Even with modern technology, it’s almost impossible to know any earlier than about a week out if a hurricane is heading your way,” he said. “That’s why it’s especially important for people who live in coastal areas and own livestock to start making preparations well in advance.”Vestal said hurricane season begins around June 1 and lasts through Nov. 30.
Vestal said those who own horses and other livestock will benefit from videos made by AgriLife Extension experts and available on YouTube.
The first is Evacuating Horses, which features former AgriLife Extension horse specialist Brett Scott. This video can be found at: http://bit.ly/2r3TnhV.
Two additional YouTube videos feature Dr. Jason Cleere, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, College Station. Hurricane Preparedness for Livestock Owners: Video 1 can be found at http://bit.ly/2q6PLy7. Hurricane Preparedness for Livestock Owners: Video 2 can be found at 2http://bit.ly/2pBkQqq.
Vestal said the AgriLife Extension publication Hurricane Preparedness for Livestock Producers by Dr. Joe Paschal, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist, Corpus Christi, is also available on the Texas EDEN and bookstore sites.
“This guide shows how to help protect livestock from injury should a hurricane occur and briefly covers vaccinations, barn preparation, livestock evacuations, feed and hay, and water storage,” he said.
Vestal said additional AgriLife Extension hurricane-related resources can be found on Texas EDEN at http://bit.ly/2q8Lp8c.
“Texas EDEN and bookstore websites have additional information on disaster preparation and recovery, most available free of charge,” Vestal said. “There are also e-book format downloads for mobile devices for these publications. These materials contain useful information provided by the agency and other Texas A&M University System experts, as well as experts from state and federal agencies and the national land-grant university Extension system.”
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Find more stories, photos, videos and audio at http://today.agrilife.org
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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