Farm & Ranch
All about the Tiny Bits of Barley
By Jessica Crabtree
As the summer temperatures of June began to steep, you could find the Fortenberry brothers busy at work hauling hay from the field. The brothers are eighth generation farmers and ranchers, of the progressive kind. With degrees from Texas A&M, the Fortenberrys are constantly looking to elevate their farming practices. Entrepreneurs in their young age, their latest endeavor is barley.
The first year for the Fortenberry is seen as a trial and error year: time to evaluate what worked and what didn’t, in order to move on next year. With barley there are two classes, food consumption grade and feed grade. The brothers are aiming for the food consumption grade in order to malt their barley harvest.
Barley is typically used as a source of fermentable material for beer and certain distilled beverages and as a component of various health foods. You also see it used in soups and stews, in bread among various cultures, as well as in cattle feed. “With this we are still looking for plumpness of the grain and weight of bushel, but we are also after a lower protein percentage. Basically, the lower the quality the better,” Ethan Fortenberry said. Not a normal crop for the North Texas region, barley is typically grown in dryer climates such as in Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Wisconsin and in the Dakotas.
The farmers shared they planted their barley in October, very similar to wheat, while those up north plant their barley in February or March as more of a spring crop.”Here [Slidell] we have kind of less than favorable soil with a lot of rock,” Bain Fortenberry said. The two explained other places may add more nitrogen or irrigate to manipulate the crop for more yield, saying, “Target expected return with nitrogen.” With barley used for malting, the ideal protein percentage is 10.5 to 11 percent. However, more than 12 is not acceptable. If protein in the barley tests too high, it is simply sold for feed.
To read more pick up a copy of the August 2017 issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
This barley is a two-row malting barley used for food. The other variety, a six-row is considered for “feed” grade. The two-row is genetically bred to have fewer nutrients and protein, necessary when being used to malt. (Photo by Jessica Crabtree)
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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