Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch …
By Rayford Pullen
It’s that time of year again when we get past Thanksgiving and are headed full steam into the Christmas season, the end of the year, and doing what we need to do tax-wise. I guess this time of year can be the best of times and the worst of times depending on what situation you find yourself in this year.
At Pullen Angus, we’re getting ready to start our winter feeding program that for us is a protein supplement along with a standing hay crop consisting of little bluestem, switchgrass, big bluestem, Indian grass and another dozen or so native grasses that have done exceptionally well this year. While we do a little pasture deferment each year, our primary program is continuous grazing with some rotation, depending on the year and our current grass inventory.
We are very fortunate in our area of the country not to need to feed hay, which is dictated by not overstocking and getting decent rainfall. If we can continue to get these good rainfall years, we should also be able to cut our weed control back since the healthy native grasses will shade out the weeds.
Due to the many droughts and wild fires we have had since 1996, we are just not getting our grasses back in great shape.
Let’s hope we get back to a more normal weather pattern in the years to come. What’s next for our program? During this time of year, we are in the process of deciding which bulls to artificially breed our cattle to, which bulls to use for clean-up and making sure we have the semen on hand.
To read more pick up a copy of the December 2017 NTFR issue.
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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