Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch…
By Rayford Pullen
It’s time to take a little time and smell the roses.
An old joke was about the time the older rancher (about my age) and his wife took a trip to Yellowstone to see the amazing sights. While telling his neighbor about all the wonderful sights, the neighbor thought this might be a wonderful opportunity for him and his wife as well.
When quizzed by the neighbor about their hotel accommodations, the rancher asked him, “What is that beautiful flower that has all those thorns on it?” to which the neighbor responded, “You mean a rose?” The rancher said, “yes that’s it,” looked directly at his wife and asked, “Rose, where did we stay when we went to Yellowstone?” which pretty well sums up my memory these days.
We will get back to the roses a little later in this article, but a few thoughts on hay first.
It’s summertime in Texas, and for many it is the time of the year to be making hay. Here at Pullen Angus, the only hay we feed is in our bull development pastures and for that purpose we purchase the hay we need. Our cow herd is grazed on native pastures and has standing hay in the form of native grasses and it is their source of hay during the winter.
During the drought of 2011, hay was pretty well defined as “anything looking like grass with a string around it.” Desperate times called for desperate measures and that was the first time in my lifetime that I saw several round bales of hay stacked a little way from the highway with a sign that read “Hay not for sale.” I even turned the car around and went back and took a picture of that sign.
To read more pick up a copy of the June 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
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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