Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch…
By Rayford Pullen
Fall has arrived in North Texas, and here at Pullen Angus we have finished our spring calf weaning, pregnancy tested our spring calving cows, tagged and weighed our fall born calves and are making plans for the coming winter months.
One thing we also do this time of year is take a look at our cow age and cull the cows that have gotten quite a bit of age on them and making it through the winter may be somewhat iffy without special attention, which does not exist around here routinely.
At what age do we cull cows? As we were going over the list of cows we were considering culling, I noticed most of these cows were born in the fall of 2003 and the spring of 2004, which made them 13 and 14 years old. All these cows had a spring born calf recently pulled off and had bred back.
While we might be able to get another calf out of them, it comes with more risk than we are willing to take, and we know that when cows reach this age and time in their life, their calf weaning weights will drop pretty dramatically. Also, culled cow sales are a pretty significant part of our income, and the better the condition the cow is in the more dollars she will generate.
To read more pick up a copy of the November 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call us at 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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