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Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…
By Rayford Pullen
August is the month we start making plans for fall and winter pastures and making sure we have our hay supplies in good shape. In conversations with several producers around the country, one thing we have discussed is cutting our winter supplement costs, if possible.
We all know our costs of production have gone up in recent months in regards to fuel, fertilizer and feed, or as we call them, the big Fs. As we look at our margins, about the only thing we can do to increase our profits is to decrease our overhead. While many producers sell their calves as packaged beef there are not a lot of other options to increase our margins. While I do like this option, finding places to harvest our cattle has become a nightmare as our harvesting facilities are overloaded with demand.
So, we begin to look at what we can do to cut our costs that relate to keeping an animal year-round with winter feed cost being the most. Among the things we have discussed is making sure the hay we either raise or purchase is high quality to reduce protein needs, feeding liquid feed as opposed to cubes and utilizing winter pastures for our cow herd’s nutritional needs during the winter. We have not come up with the solution to our problems, but one thing that really sticks out is buying or producing higher quality hay.
To read more pick up a copy of the August 2021 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 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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