Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…
By Rayford Pullen | [email protected]
Fall has arrived according to the calendar and with that comes fall calving, weaning spring born calves and getting ready for the quickly approaching change in seasons once again. If you are in Bermuda grass county, we normally expect it to quit growing around Oct. 20 which is when nighttime lows begin hitting that 45-degree mark. While the quality of the forage will remain good, we just stop accumulating more forage.
This is not all bad as it allows our newly-sown fall pastures to begin growing as the competition for sunlight is now in the fall seeded crops favor, assuming the Bermuda grass is short. Being successful with overseeded fall pastures is dependent upon them being able to have sunlight as well as moisture with sunlight normally being the limiting factor. Just remember, grasses don’t grow in the shade.
Around here, we will continue to let our cattle graze the overseeded pasture, if it is four-plus inches tall or better, to help get our fall seeded pastures going. Once that occurs, we will take them off that pasture to allow it to accumulate knowing that the days are getting shorter and temperatures are getting lower which slows down plant growth.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, 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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