Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch…
By Rayford Pullen
If you’ve ever wondered which month of the year the wind blows the least, just get you a windmill and a small trough for a herd of cattle, and you’ll soon find yourself hauling water in August. Not much good can be said about August most years, but hot and dry seems to describe it best.
As we all look for a cooler place to be, (anywhere the air-conditioning is working is just fine) it’s a great time to begin thinking about our plans for the fall, which is just around the corner and with it, hopefully cooler temperatures. Our major focus this time of year is making plans for our fall and winter pastures, which on our place is establishing ryegrass for fall and winter grazing.
We have seen and done many things throughout the years with some working and some not when it comes to getting the biggest bang for our buck in regards to early grazing and winter forage. We have done the wheat, rye, oats, triticale, barley, turnips, ryegrass, and combinations of all these, but when the sun set we discovered that the best thing that worked for us was ryegrass, but we had to do the right things at the right time to make it work.
By using the ryegrass and planting it right, we were able to greatly reduce or eliminate the health problems associated with the most common winter forage wheat. We had a lot fewer insect problems and seldom have had to spray for any insects except armyworms on rare occasion. Deleting wheat from our program also greatly reduced and mostly eliminated cattle dying from bloat and wheat grass tetany in our cows nursing calves.
To read more pick up a copy of the August 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-8725922.
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.
-
Country Lifestyles2 years agoScott & Stacey Schumacher: A Growth Mindset
-
Country Lifestyles8 years agoStyle Your Profile – What your style cowboy hat says about you and new trends in 2017
-
HOME8 years agoGrazing North Texas – Wilman Lovegrass
-
Equine1 year agoThe Will to Win
-
Outdoor10 years agoButtercup or Primrose?
-
Country Lifestyles5 years agoAmber Crawford, Breakaway Roper
-
Country Lifestyles9 years agoJune 2016 Profile – The man behind the mic: Bob Tallman
-
Country Lifestyles8 years agoDecember 2016 Profile, Rusty Riddle – The Riddle Way