Farm & Ranch
Ranching Down Under
By Samantha Hall
Goats first arrived in Australia with the early settlers of the 17th century. Goats were originally introduced for their meat, milk and fiber. The domestic goat market collapsed in the 1920s, and some herds were set free to roam the country as they pleased.
Now days, there are roughly 2.3 million feral goats in Australia.
Feral goats can have a negative effect on the environment by depleting the soil’s protective cover of vegetation and breaking up the soil crust with their hooves, which aids in increasing wind and water erosion rates, and, unfortunately, has a significant long term impact on the biodiversity of the goats’ habitat.
If goat numbers are not controlled, the goat population can double every year and a half. Feral goat control is often influenced by market forces. When prices for goat meat are high, goats are harvested; whereas, when the market is on the decline, little goat control occurs.
To continue effectively managing feral goat numbers, harvest cannot rely on market forces.
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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