Farm & Ranch
AG Elsewhere – Montana : Sundogs
Photo and Details by Jean Stimpson
Montana rancher’s wife Jean Stimpson detailed this photo saying, “A cold front had moved in quickly. We got about two feet of snow and it was cold. It was time to bring the rest of the cows in from the back pasture, about two miles from our place. In this picture the elevation is about 3,400 feet and you can see a sundog, which looks kind of like a rainbow.” When asked to explain what a sundog is, Stimpson said, “The older generations said when you saw a sundog it meant a weather change and typically it was going to get cold. When we got back to the house this day it was -14 degrees Fahrenheit. That night it got down to -24 degrees Fahrenheit.” Stimpson finished saying, “Despite the snow and cold, over the hills, the cows came home. That sundog rainbow is God’s reminder —This is God’s Country. We love it here and love what we do.”
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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