Farm & Ranch

Youth Bull Riding: Teaching Young Athletes More Than a Sport

Published

5 years ago

June 7, 2019

NTFR

By Phillip Kitts

Nearly all sports have a starting platform in the youth environment. Baseball has little league, football has Pop Warner, and the list goes on.
Much like all other sports, bull riding has their youth leagues through junior rodeo, junior high and high school rodeo. However, the sport of bull riding has taken it a bit further than most. The Miniature Bull Riders have taken it a large step further. They have created an association that not only provides young athletes with a platform to compete in the sport, but they have done so on a grand scale.

Traditionally, youth bull riders start by competing on calves and steers, and as they grow, eventually move up to full size bulls. Over the years it has been a common conversation that the bull riding youth were not getting a fair shot in the development process. Since calves and steers are not built the same and their sequence of movement was different, it has been commonly said when the time to move to bulls came, young athletes were at a disadvantage.

Enter MBR with Chris Shivers and the Leal family. Shrivers and the Leal family took this issue to heart. Seeing that the Leal family owns a large herd of miniature bulls, the choice came quickly. Now, along with several other organizations, the era of MBR has come. MBR has taken the youth sport to a whole new level.

To read more pick up a copy of the June 2019 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

Farm & Ranch

Acorn Toxicity

Published

2 days ago

November 21, 2024

NTFR

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.

Farm & Ranch

Silver Bluestems

Published

3 days ago

November 20, 2024

NTFR

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.

Farm & Ranch

Meanwhile Back At The Ranch

Published

2 weeks ago

November 12, 2024

NTFR

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.