Farm & Ranch
Crafton and Davis named champions at Houston Livestock Show
Houston, Texas, March 13, 2015: Two Henrietta FFA members, Lindsey Crafton and Keaton Davis capped off a successful year long beef heifer project by having their calves being selected as supreme champions during the 2015 Houston Livestock Scramble Heifer Show. Lindsey Crafton’s, daughter of Shane and Valarie Crafton, Charolais heifer was selected as both the All European Breeds Supreme Division Champion & Reserve Overall Supreme Champion Scramble Heifer. Keaton Davis’, son of Don & Lisa Davis, Black Angus heifer was selected as the All British Breeds
Supreme Division Champion.
Along with Crafton and Davis, three other Henrietta FFA members were involved in this year scramble show and placed well in their respective judging classes. Josey Cleveland, daughter of Scott and Sherry Cleveland, had a fourth place Red Angus. Corby Henry-Morrison, son of Stuart and Amy Berend, was sixth with his Red Angus heifer. Laramie Dunn, daughter of Bandon and BJ Dunn, was seventh with her Black Angus heifer.
These five Henrietta students started their individual scramble project a year ago after catching a calf in the world’s greatest calf scramble held during a performance of the 2014 Houston Rodeo. After being declared a winner, each member received a purchase certificate valued at $1,500. Certificates where then use to purchase a registered beef heifer. Throughout the course of this past year, these FFA members caringly feed and raised their project animals and concluded with a return back to Houston to exhibit it during this year’s livestock show. Throughout the previous year, each scramblers also maintained accounting records, submit monthly progress reports to their donors and complete two informative essays. By completing all these requirements and returning back Houston to exhibit their heifer, each scrambler received an additional $250 each for their efforts.
The Houston Calf Scramble Program began in 1942 and is designed to encourage enterprise, offer opportunity, and teach responsibility to the young participants. The Calf Scramble Program contributes more than $600,000 to the youth of Texas each year.
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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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