Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch…
By Rafford Pullen
Fall is just around the corner, and now is the time to make plans for our winter forage program. How much, what and when are just a few of the questions we need to be thinking about since in the North Texas area, our ryegrass and small grains will be planted in September.
This article will be devoted primarily to the best method on “how to plant” your winter forages to get the best results. Most of these planting methods can also be found by going to our website, www.pullenangus.com, and clicking on the Marshall Ryegrass tab.
Over-seeding perennial pastures is by far and away the most popular way winter forages are planted by cattle producers. Most failures are seen where pastures are seeded by either a no till drill or broadcast into a pasture where the grass is so tall that sunlight cannot reach the seed after it germinates.
Plants do not grow in the shade, and as a result, there will not be much, if any, growth until the existing forage has been set back by a freeze, which usually occurs in November and by that time day length is shorter, temperatures are lower and there is little to no growth until spring.
There are several options to prevent this and the best overall, in my opinion, is to graze the pasture very short then run a disc over it set straight since we are not trying to turn any soil but only trying to cut the roots on the existing pasture to allow sunlight penetration to begin as soon as the winter forage germinates.
In the case of broadcast seed, it makes no difference if you disc prior to or immediately after seeding. If the seed is planted with a no till drill, running the disc prior to planting would be our choice. While not entirely required if using a no till drill, the disc will set the grass back better than the drill. Research done on this resulted in doubling the amount of fall forage verses planting in short grass only.
To read more pick up a copy of the August 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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