Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
By Rayford Pullen | [email protected]
Seems like only yesterday that we were so excited to see spring finally roll around, but here we are expecting the first freeze of the year which usually comes around the middle of November for us in north central Texas.
What happens to our grass quality, for those that have grass, when this occurs? The quality doesn’t decrease immediately when a freeze occurs but actually declines over a period of two weeks or so. If we have grass, it will be around the first of December before we will begin feeding a protein supplement and or hay. This will usually continue for 120 days or until about the first of April.
As I mentioned in an earlier article, we doubled our acres of ryegrass and clover this year and with each month of grazing we get between the first December and the first of April, we will be saving approximately $120 per cow. After that, we will be able to let our grasses rest until around the first of June while grazing winter annuals that are at their highest quality and quantity. For our fall-born calves, we would expect gains of three pounds per day for at least 100 days for a total of 300 pounds and at two dollars, that’s worth $600. If these calves were weighing 400 pounds going on the winter annuals, we are looking at calves that, based on today’s market, will be worth $1,500 to $1,700 per head.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November issue of NTFR magazine. 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.
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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