Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the Ranch…
By Rayford Pullen
It finally cooled off, and we have received some much-needed rain at our place at Bellevue in North Central Texas. Cattle are looking better; the prospects of having early winter grazing from our ryegrass is good, the grass is growing, and hopefully our fellow producers will make that last cutting and avoid having to pay for all the high-priced hay being offered.
The cattle markets have not been too friendly the past couple of years, but as we have all witnessed over the years, that too shall change and hopefully for the better.
Just a thought. In my travels to the many trade shows, conventions, etc., I can tell I am talking to a non-Texan when I tell them I am from North Texas and they think I must be from around Amarillo. I then explain that while that is farther north in Texas than I am, that is the panhandle of Texas, not North Texas.
You get to North Texas before you get to the panhandle. Why do those Yankees insist upon saying they are from up-state New York as opposed to just North New York? We don’t live in up-state Texas, do we?
Back on the ranch, fall calving has been in high gear, and again we are seeing birth weights running five to six pounds lighter that we did with our spring born (in the middle of winter) calves, and while I’m not as smart as I am supposed to be, if one of you educated, smart and or intelligent folks know the reason, I would surely like to know why, so drop me a note.
With our grass being green here in September, it will really help getting our cows in shape to breed back later this fall and early winter. Breed back is all about nutrition and body condition, and around here we totally rely on our forages to provide the resource to do just that.
To read more pick up a copy of the October 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe 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.
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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