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 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.
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