Farm & Ranch
The Dr. McDonald Column – Ol’ Fido
By Steve McDonald, DVM
Since we, as veterinarians, listen to infinite dog stories every day, it is only fair that we pester people with our own dog stories.
Fido came in the first time, at least 10 years ago, with the end of his mandible shot away in a scrape with an irate landowner. There wasn’t much left, so we trimmed up the mess and he now has a pronounced overbite.
He drools a lot, which, believe it or not some people find unappealing. A few months later he came in after a tangle with a rattlesnake. The snake won, and Fido, who was proving he was hard to kill by now, survived. Still later, he learned the hard way about chasing trucks, and my wife repaired his ruptured bladder.
Then, out of the blue, his owner came in and announced that he had lost his job and would have to move. Could we find a home for Fido? We said, “Sure,” figuring to reap years of income from patching up this disaster-prone dog.
Well, how were we to know that people don’t appreciate a drooling dog? I would point out that his wound was at his front, proving him no coward, but people were unmoved. He became a clinic dog. Every clinic should have one or two. We had two at the time, and jawless Fido thought he was the toughest dog alive because he never lost a fight.
To read more pick up a copy of the June 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe 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.
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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