Farm & Ranch
Breeding Soundness Exam
By Barry Whitworth, DVM / Area Food/Animal Quality and Health Specialist for Eastern Oklahoma
As November wraps up, the fall calving season should be coming to an end, which means it is time to get the bulls ready to turn out for breeding. All bulls should have a breeding soundness exam. A BSE is a procedure performed by a veterinarian that ensures a bull has met a minimal set of standards that reflect his reproductive potential. The exam is not a guarantee the bull will breed cows because some bulls are not aggressive breeders.
However, the test does ensure the bull has the potential to breed cows. The exam does have limits. The exam is only true at the time of the test and cannot ensure results for the future. The exam has three components. A physical exam is performed to ensure the bull is in good health. A reproductive exam evaluates the health of the reproductive organs. The final component is an evaluation of the semen for motility and normality. This small investment in a BSE to ensure a fertile bull may reduce the number of cows found open when they are pregnancy checked.
To read more pick up a copy of the December 2020 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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