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The Problem with Pronghorns
By Russell A. Graves
Of all the Texas big game species, none is more emblematic of the wide open west than the pronghorn. Swift and fleet footed, the pronghorn covers distances faster than any other land mammal on the continent. Over the past decade or so, the pronghorn of West Texas and the Marfa Plateau couldn’t outrun enigmatic problems that plague the species.
A Unique Species
Pronghorns are a biological enigma. While they are popularly called “goats” or antelopes, in reality, the species is unique and has no direct relatives in the animal kingdom. In fact, it is not even a true antelope. Instead, the species maintains its own ecological niche by being the only surviving North American member of its family, Antilocapridae.
About three feet high at the shoulders and 90 to 150 pounds in weight, the pronghorn is also North America’s fastest land animal. They can sustain speeds of more than 50 miles per hour in short bursts and can cruise for miles at a time at half that speed – a fast enough pace to leave predating coyotes and bobcats behind.
Both the males and females sport true horns that consist of flat bone covered in a keratinous sheath that is shed and regrown each year. While both sexes have horns, the males are characterized by a black swatch of hair that rings the upper throat.
To read more pick up a copy of the November 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call us at 940-872-5922.
By Hannah Claxton | Editor
The North Texas area is located within USDA Hardiness zones seven and eight. The zones are categorized by predicted low temperatures for winter and timing of the first and last frosts.
Zone seven usually has winter low temps between 0 and 10 degrees F with the average date of the first frost falling between Oct. 29 and Nov. 15 and the average date of the last frost falling between March 22 and April 3.
Overall, these two zones have similar climates and growing conditions, making the options for timing and variety within a garden very similar.
In these zones, cool-season crops should go in the ground in March, meaning that soil preparation should start now.
To read more, pick up a copy of the January edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Heather Lloyd
Vaccinations are a critical component of maintaining the health and well-being of horses, especially in environments where they are exposed to other animals, such as in the sport, show and performance arenas. Horses, like all animals, are susceptible to various infectious diseases that can spread quickly and cause serious harm.
A routine vaccination schedule helps prevent the spread of these diseases by preparing the horse’s immune system.
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.
Having herds on a controlled breeding schedule means that we have a predictable calving schedule, and while it’s only over a couple of months, for us it does fall right after the start of the year. I lobby annually to call ours the “Winter calving season”, but I am outvoted and my husband still refers to it as Spring. Unlike producers in our Northern States, we don’t have to contend with brutally harsh winter weather, and on those rare times we do, thankfully it is not for extended periods. Regardless of whether you have a Spring or a Fall calving schedule, the health of a newborn calf begins with the mother’s health, and the mother’s health is largely dependent on the producer.
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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