Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile back at the ranch
By Rayford Pullen
What’s shaping up to be a wonderful grass year is also shaping up to be a wonderful weed year.
I’ll talk about cows a little later in this article, but when you are out of grass, you are out of the cattle business in my part of the world.
Our moisture situation has been great this spring at Pullen Angus. It has been so good, in fact, that I actually bought a pair of Muck Boots to wade around in the lots, which for us is something we hardly ever get to do. It’s been nice.
Competition from weeds is the biggest hurdle in growing grass in our part of the world. While most think the competition is for moisture and fertilizer, the biggest factor is competition for sunlight. If you’ll notice, weeds are always slightly taller than our grass. Conversely, in grass that has no weeds (and no herbicide has been applied), the grass is taller than the weeds. The first dollar spent to produce more grass should be devoted to weed control. When you can get your grass in the direct path of the sunlight, you are able to harvest this light and let the plant turn it into forage.
To read more pick up the May 2015 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
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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