Land and Livestock

September 1, 2012

Forage for the future

TIPS ON WHEN AND WHAT TO PLANT

PAG E 1 6

Annual Forage Issue LIVING UP TO ITS LEGACY

ALL IS FAIR

A&M president discusses land-grant status.

First Brazos Valley Fair begins Sept. 6.

PAGE 3

PAGE 12

SAFETY FIRST

BUFFALO PALS COME OUT TONIGHT

Dr. Wikse talks proper vaccine use in cattle.

Joint effort seeks to save Caprock bison herd.

PAGE 7

PAGE 28

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012 $0 Down, 0% A.P.R. for 60 months on All Kubota & Lawn Equipment: $0 down, 0% A.P.R. financing for terms up to 60 months on purchases of select new Kubota equipment from available inventory at participating dealers through . Example: A 60-month monthly installment repayment term at 0% A.P.R. requires 60 payments of $16.67 per $1,000 borrowed. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall be in accordance with state laws. Only Kubota and selected Kubota performance-matched Land Pride equipment is eligible. Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. Not available for Rental, National Accounts or Governmental customers. 0% APR and low rate financing may not be available with customer instant rebate (C.I.R.) offers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503; subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires09/30/12. See us for details on these and other low-rate options or go to www.kubota.com for more information.

Customer instant rebates (C.I.R.) up to $1,500.00 are available on cash or standard rate finance purchases of eligible Kubota equipment through Kubota Tractor Corporation. C.I.R. not available with 0% A.P.R, or low rate financeing offers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, subject to credit approval. Dealer subtracts rebate from dealer’s pre-rebate selling price on qualifying purchases. Subject to dealership inventory. Sales to government agencies, independent rental centers and dealer owned rental fleets do not qualify. Some exceptions apply. Customer instant rebates are not available after completed sale. CIR availability ends09/30/12. $0 Down, 0% A.P.R. for 36 months on all new Kubota equipment: $0 down, 0% A.P.R. financing for terms up to 36 months on purchases of new Kubota equipment from available in inventory at participating dealers through 09/30/12. Example: A 36-month monthly installment repayment term at 0% A.P.R. requires 36 payments of $27.78 per $1,000 borrowed. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is changed. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall be in accordance with state laws. Only Kubota and select Kubota performance-matched Land Pride equipment is eligible. Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. Not available for Rental, National Accounts or Governmental customers. 0% APR and low rate financing may not be available with customer instant rebate (CIR) offers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503; subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 09/30/12. See us for details on these and other low-rate options or go to www.kubota.com for more information.

Payments of $259 per month on MX5100F based on sales price of $20,299 at $2029 down. 4.99% A.P.R. Financing available from Kubota Credit Corporation, USA. Subject to credit approval. Payments <do> include implements, set up, delivery, or local taxes where applicable. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 09/30/12. See dealership for details and other low rate options.

Payments of $226 per month on L3200DT based on sales price of $18,195 at $1820 down. 4.99% A.P.R. for 84 months. Financing available from Kubota Credit Corporation, USA. Subject to credit approval. Payments <do> include implements, set up, delivery, or local taxes where applicable. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 09/30/12. See dealership for details and other low rate options.

Payments of $245 per month on L3800DT based on sales price of $19,745 at $1975 down. 4.99% A.P.R. for 84 months. Financing available from Kubota Credit Corporation, USA. Subject to credit approval. Payments <do> include implements, set up, delivery, or local taxes where applicable. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 09/30/12. See dealership for details and other low rate options.

Payments of $297 per month on L4600DT based on sales price of $23,795 at $2380 down. 4.99% A.P.R. for 84 months. Financing available from Kubota Credit Corporation, USA. Subject to credit approval. Payments <do> include implements, set up, delivery, or local taxes where applicable. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 09/30/12. See dealership for details and other low rate options.

Payments of $127 per month on RTV 400 based on sales price of $7,599 at $0 down. 0% A.P.R. for 60 months. Financing available from Kubota Credit Corporation, USA. Subject to credit approval. Payments <do> include implements, set up, delivery, or local taxes where applicable. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires09/30/12. See dealership for details and other low rate options.

Payments of $175 per month on L3800F based on sales price of $13,695 at $1400 down. 4.99% A.P.R. for 84 months. Financing available from Kubota Credit Corporation, USA. Subject to credit approval. Payments <do> include implements, set up, delivery, or local taxes where applicable. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 09/30/12. See dealership for details and other low rate options.

CUSTOMER INSTANT REBATE (C.I.R.) DISCLAIMER: New L2800/L3400/L3700SU/L3200/L3800 Tractors with LA463FI/LA463-1 or LA524/LA524FL Loaders, L4400 Tractors with LA/703/LA704A Loaders, L4600 Tractors with LA764 Loaders: Customer instant rebates (C.I.R.) of $500 are available on cash or finance purchases of eligible Kubota equipment through Kubota Tractor Corporation. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., subject to credit approval. Dealer subtracts rebate from dealer’s pre-rebate selling price on qualifying purchase. Subject to dealership inventory. Sales to governmental agencies, indepedent rental centers, and dealer owned reantal fleets do not qualify. Some exceptions apply. Customer instant rebates are not available after completed sale. C.I.R. available ends09/30/12.

CUSTOMER INSTANT REBATE (C.I.R.) DISCLAIMER: New Standard and Grand L Series; L39/L45TL/TLBS; MX4700, MX5000 MX5100; M40 SERIES ROPS models, including Speciality Utility; M59TL/TLBs; and M7040HDX-LTD & M9540HDC-LTD models: Customer instant rebates (C.I.R) of $1000 are available on cash or standard rate finance purchases of eligible Kubota equipment through Kubota Tractor Corporation. C.I.R. not available with 0% A.P.R., or low rate financing offers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., subject to credit approval. Dealer subtracts rebate from dealer’s pre-rebate selling price on qualifying purchases. Subject to dealership inventory. Sales to governmental agencies, indepedent rental centers,, and dealer owned rental fleets do not qualify. Some exceptions apply. Customer instant rebates are not available after completed sale. C.I.R. availability ends09/30/12.

2

From the General Manager

I

W

hat might be the least-understood and most under-appreciated legislation ever enacted by Congress is being spotlighted this year. The object of the nationwide celebration is the 150th anniversary of passage of the Morrill Act. Signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln during the midst of the Civil War, it laid the groundwork for the establishment of a series of colleges — “land-grant colleges” that now stretch from coast to coast. The 77 American institutions that were created by the Morrill Act — Texas A&M University proudly among them — have had big roles in bolstering the nation and literally helping change the world.

At their most basic level, universities that operate under the Morrill Act’s provisions have a three-fold mission: teaching, research and service. Teaching and research are the key functions, just as they are at numerous other colleges and universities. At land-grant institutions, however, those two

September 1, 2012

we can look forward to the two to three weeks of autumn before winter sets in. But in the meantime it is time to think about your winter pastures.

Our cover story takes a look at options for your winter pastures, and offers some good suggestions on what to plant to keep your cattle fed throughout the year.

This is our Fall Forage edition, so we have many other articles to accompany our cover story and help you get your pastures in shape.

Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for reading. ’Til next time.

•

’ve lived in Texas my whole life, but for some reason when I hear “September” I think of leaves turning golden orange and brown, twisting to the ground through the crisp autumn air.

In Texas, that is never the case, though. If anythng, September is an extension of summer, with 100 degree temperatures common, and the only leaves that turn brown and fall from the trees are the withered husks of the victims of the summer heat.

Thankfully, in our region, the victims are fewer this year and although it still is sweltering through most of September, you at least can see the light at the end of the long tunnel of summer.

Once summer officially gone is,

Texas A&M’s mission as a land-grant university

The Land & Livestock Post

News

R. BOWEN LOFTIN Texas A&M president functions also contribute to services that directly benefit the public.

Your SOURCE for Top Quality Registered and Commercial Brangus Cattle Proud Members of

Circle Land & Cattle Co., Ltd. Bobcat Bottoms Ranch • Persimmon Creek Ranch Spring Valley Ranch • Windy Hill Ranch • Vista Ridge Ranch

located just off Hwy. 6 and OSR 1415 East OSR • Bryan, Texas 77808 Office: (979) 776-5760 • Fax: (979) 776-4818 Website: www.circlexbrangus.com Steve Densmore, Cattle Mgr., (979) 450-0819, cell • (979) 778-1055, home Chris Duewall, Operations Mgr., (979) 777-6803, cell

3

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

News

A&M keeps adding to its core land-grant mission Continued from A3 How the three-fold mission unfolds at those institutions can be complex and contribute to the lack of understanding.

Many Americans tend to think land-grant institutions are “ag schools.” They are, but they are much more. Others, particularly in earlier times, thought land-grant schools were primarily “for kids from families in the lower portions of the socio-economic spectrum.” While there is fallacy in that assessment, it is true that land-grant colleges have provided an unprecedented level of access to first-generation college students such as me — young men and women who are the first in their families to attend college.

Why so much misconception about the land-grant concept and the institutions founded under its principles? Partly, it

stems from the “land grant” term. It relates to the federal government initiating a program — back when the nation was in its early development with vast unused acreage — to give large blocks of land to states as sources of funds to create colleges emphasizing fields of study that would stimulate the development of natural and human resources.

Here’s one of several definitions: “A land-grant college or university is an institution that has been designated by its state legislature or Congress to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890.

The original mission of these institutions, as set forth in the first Morrill Act, was to teach agriculture, military tactics, and the mechanical arts as well as classical studies so that members of the working classes could obtain a liberal, practical education.”

Ask for it by name!

• High-Quality forage • Excellent reseeding • Tolerates continuous grazing • Fills the gap between crimson & summer grass FREE

SOURCE OF NITROGEN

• Grows in sandy loam to clay

979-575-0272 ballclover.com

4

Limited Quantity

Call Today to reserve your seed!

Institutions founded under the 1862 Morrill Act include such highly regarded schools as Ohio State University, University of Florida and, in the Lone Star State, Texas A&M University, among others. Many have come to be considered “flagships” alongside “state universities” such as The University of Texas at Austin.

Some universities, such as Ohio State, have both “landgrant” and “state university” designations. Texas, considering its size, diverse geographic regions and other factors, operates a system that separates

the two types of “flagship” institutions, with each also having related statewide systems.

Land-grant misconceptions are compounded further because almost all the institutions founded under the 1862 Morrill Act subsequently dropped “agricultural and mechanical” from their names.

Oklahoma State University is a good example nearby.

The Morrill Act of 1890 expanded the land-grant concept to create a network of “historically black” universities. They include Southern University in Louisiana and Texas’ Prairie View A&M University, part of The Texas A&M University System.

What is the modern-day land-grant prototype? A good case could be made for Texas A&M, with its 50,000 students and yearly research expenditures that exceed $700 million — both figures that

place it in the vanguard nationally. By most determinations, Texas A&M is unsurpassed in remaining true to the landgrant mission. Its College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is among the largest academic units of its type in the nation in enrollment and in providing leaders in varied agribusiness fields. Its related state agencies, Texas AgriLife Research, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Forest Service and Texas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, provide diversified services unmatched nationwide, with a statewide presence to conduct research vital to its economy and render services to both rural and urban Texans.

Likewise, The Dwight Look College of Engineering — engineering generally equating to the “mechanical arts” noted in the Morrill Act — is among

See A&M, Page A6

FOR HAYLAND & RANGELAND

november 15, 2012 Deadline for 2013 Policy Year

Kinchole. LLC.

AGRI-INSURANCE

Hondo, TX 78861 • www.myagri-insurance.com

(830) 426-4175 or (800) 467-3274

CALL FOR A QUOTE!!

Tootie Ilse • Hondo, TX • (830) 317-4175 Connie Giesenschlag • Caldwell, TX • (979) 224-2973 WITH AGENTS IN DRISCOLL, FREER, BRACKETVILLE, COTULLA, PLEASANTON & LA VERNIA

The Land & Livestock Post

â&#x20AC;˘

September 1, 2012

5

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

News

Becoming a land-grant leader Continued from A4

the largest of its type in the nation, producing thousands of graduates in demand in a variety of fields. Its related agencies — the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Texas Engineering Extension Service and Texas Transportation Institute — provide vital services, be they in hightech research that can translate into economically viable patents and inventions that can lead to start-up companies, or in life-saving highway innovations and specialized training for thousands, such as volunteer firemen in small communities throughout Texas.

The “classics studies” aspect has been embraced and expanded at Texas A&M through programs at the “college” and “school” levels in liberal arts, science,

geosciences, architecture, education and government and public service — the latter via its newest unit, the Bush School of Government and Public Service. The university also entered into the medical arena via its College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the College of Medicine, which is now part of the Texas A&M University System Health Science Center.

Carrying out the “military tactics” aspects of the landgrant concept, Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets continues to be the largest uniformed student organization in the nation and produces more officers for the armed forces than any institution except for the service academies. It also serves as a leadership laboratory for young men and women who do not plan to enter the military but want the

leadership experiences and discipline that will serve them well in the nation’s workforce after graduation.

Texas A&M has also been in the forefront in applying the land-grant concept in two other key areas: the sea, as in focusing on ways to develop coastal resources, and in space, as in helping with space-exploration and related endeavors.

The result: a series of federally designated sea- and space-grant colleges, with Texas A&M among the first in both categories.

Bottom line: Land-grant translates into teaching, research and service — teaching and research at the highest levels and service applied at the grass roots to benefit the public good.

• R. Bowen Loftin is president of Texas A&M University.

Brazos Valley Beef and Forage Expo set for Sept. 7

By Blair Fannin Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Rebuilding the cow herd and selection of replacement heifers are just two of several topics that will be featured at the Brazos Valley Beef and Forage Expo scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Brazos County Expo Center in Bryan.

“With pastures in better condition compared to last year, many area ranchers are considering rebuilding their herds,” said Dustin Coufal, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent for Brazos County.

“The program will feature indepth discussion addressing this as well as strategies to control weeds in forage and options for analyzing forage. We think there are topics that will be of interest to each beef and forage producer throughout the Brazos Valley.”

Cost is $15 and includes lunch and program materials.

Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be offered for participants with a private, commercial or non-commercial pesticide applicators license.

Featured speakers, all from College Station, and their topics will be Ron Gill, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, herd rebuilding; Mark McFarland, AgriLife Extension fertility specialist, soil fertility and analysis; Paul Baumann, AgriLife Extension weed specialist, weed control in forages; and Tony Provin, head of the Soil and Forage Fertility Testing Laboratory, analysis of forages.

For more information, call 979823-0129.

!"#$ &'(# !!"#

!"#$% !

&

) 0#'1 2 3#$,('! +-45 '!#,1!., )#,6// )! ● ● ● ●

C Corrects Soil Acidity Furnishes Available Magnesium and Calcium for Plants and Animals F IIncreases the Efficiency of Fertilizers Aids the Growth of Beneficial Soil Organisms A

!"#$ &'$ ('$# #&&!)!#")*

!"#$ &'($)!* +,-.! &-/ P. O. Box 1000 Georgetown, TX 78628 Telephone 800�772�8272 www.texascrushedstoneco.com

6

txcrushstone@msn.com txcrushstone@msn.com

September 1, 2012

MLV vaccines. Most ranchers have heard of these adverse reactions at Extension Service producers meetings or during coffee shop conversations with other ranchers. They occur in non-immune females.

Abortion is the most feared side effect because IBRV in some modified-live virus vaccines remains virulent enough to induce abortion. One thing is certain: If you vaccinate a non-immune pregnant heifer or cow with modified-live virus BVDV/IBRV vaccine there’s a good chance she will abort.

Some clinicians also consider abortion a risk if a non-immune pregnant animal comes in contact with animals given modified-live virus vaccine that shed vaccine virus.

The inserts of most modified-live virus vaccines state “do not administer to calves nursing pregnant cows.” Studies have shown, however, risk of shedding from recently vaccinated animals is very low and many thousands of beef calves nursing pregnant cows receive MLV vaccines without recognized problems. The lack of problems is probably due to the low risk of shedding combined with cow herds that have a vaccine program that provides

•

T

his month I will finish answering the question “what are your recommendations on safe use of cattle vaccines” by discussing safe use of viral reproductive disease vaccines.

The foundation of a beef herd’s vaccination program is protection against infectious STEVE WIKSE, D.V.M. agents affecting the reproductive system that are moderate risk to most herds. These include bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV or bovine herpesvirus-1).

Killed virus vaccines or modified-live virus vaccines are available for protection against BVDV and IBRV. These two viruses usually are combined in the same vial of vaccine.

Veterinary virologists and immunologists agree that MLV vaccines produce a superior level of protection than killed virus vaccines. In spite of that, killed virus vaccines are used in some herd vaccination programs to avoid unwanted side effects that can occur with

The Land & Livestock Post

Ask the Vet The safe use of viral reproductive disease vaccines in cattle

CALDWELL LIVESTOCK COMMISSION

REGULAR SALE EVERY

WEDNESDAY, 1:00 PM Carl Herrmann (979)820-5349 Hwy 36 South, P.O. Box 542, Caldwell, TX 77836 Sale Barn Phone: (979) 567-4119

7

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

News

It’sproducer‘decisiontime’forcattlerestocking

By Blair Fannin Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Texas ranchers considering restocking options should think profitability first and foremost before writing a check, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service economist.

Stan Bevers, AgriLife Extension economist at Vernon, told producers at the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course the outlook for beef cattle prices is positive given current supply and demand.

“The U.S. calf crop is at 34 million compared to 46 million during the 1981 period,” Bevers said.

“The next couple of years the calf crop, including dairy calves, is projected to be at 32 million to 33 million. What’s feedlot capacity in this country? That’s a hard number to come up with. It’s not recorded anyway.

Making some assumptions, you’ll come up with 38-42 million head.

“Feedlots are going to have to chase calves that are fewer and fewer and now deal with higher prices for corn and roughages.

Do what you can do to hold onto what you’ve got as best you can because you will be rewarded.”

“If I choose to restock, I want some assurance of high probability of that female giving me a calf each of the next two years,” Bevers said. “I think we will have pretty good prices for the next two to three years. I want to be in the game.”

Looking at Food and Agricultural Research Policy Institute projections, beef cattle prices are forecast to continue a steady climb upward near $170 per hundredweight by 2014.

Bevers said cattle prices have seen some softness lately in price due to the uncertainty of the current corn crop. There will be a larger corn crop in the future, however, and national cattle inventory levels are at their lowest since the 1950s, which

$588.22, according to Standardized Performance Analysis.

• Weaning percentage and weaning weights. The Texas Standardized Performance Analysis database averages are 82.1 percent and 525 pounds.

• Future calf market prices.

Bevers said another factor to consider is what type of female do you want to purchase? This could include cow-calf pairs, bred cows, or those requiring a development phase, such as heifers. He said longevity of ownership also needs to be a Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin consideration.

Stan Bevers, Texas AgriLife Extension Service economist, discusses strategies beef “The longer you keep a proproducers can consider when rebuilding herds at the recent Texas A&M Beef Cattle ductive female, the cheaper she Short Course in College Station . is to own.” Bevers said.

Producers also should considsignals high prices for the next investment.

“Collectively, is she a good in- er longevity if they borrow the couple of years.

When ranchers consider re- vestment?” is the question each money to purchase the cow and stocking, Bevers said it’s im- producer should ask, Bevers its genetic potential.

Bevers said he has several portant to consider the cost of said.

Some factors Bevers said to spreadsheets that producers the initial investment, annual income the investment will gen- consider when looking at poten- can use to evaluate their options.

Visit agrisk.tamu.edu for this erate, and the salvage value at tial replacement cows are: • Annual cow costs. These are and other information. the end of the useful life of the

Improve your herd’s productivity ALE

IND T R M A H OW S DS FEE

WIX E TL T A C ER & L I O AL R E MIN ERS D FEE

8

ONE T R O VIG ER ALS MIN ND A TUB S DER E E F

LIMOUSIN CATTLE

LIMOUSIN ASSOCIATION

SALE

WILL GUARANTEE HALF OF YOUR CALF CROP WITH: • Calving Ease - Gentle • Growth and Muscle Means $$$ ide • Virgin - Red or Black Bulls A W tion c • Replacement Heifers Sele hoose to C rom!

• All w/E.P. D. Papers F • Certified Bangs & TB Free • LimFlex - Limousin Angus Hybrid

C.F.L.X. Ranch 21314 O.S.R. Madisonville, TX 77864

(903) 344-2331

Cell 281-808-5511 or (281) 808-3473

at MOUNT PLEASANT September 15th • Breds • Pairs • Opens • Bulls • Show Heifers

Titus County Fair Arena 1800 North Jefferson Avenue Mount Pleasant, TX 75455 For a Catalogue call: (281) 808-5511

Drought could be a factor in U.S. anthrax cases

Disease occurs when spores enter the body, germinate, multiply, and release toxins. The incubation period of natural infection in animals is typically 3 to 7 days with a range of 1 to 14 days, or more. In cattle and sheep, the course of illness may last about 1 to 2 hours. Clinical signs, such as fever up to 107 degrees Fahrenheit, muscle tremors, respiratory distress, and convulsions, often go unnoticed. After death, there may be bloody discharges from the natural openings of the body, rapid bloating, a lack of rigor mortis, and the presence of unclotted blood. This failure of blood to clot is due to a toxin released by B. anthracis.

Anthrax in horses and related animals is acute and can last up to 96 hours. Clinical manifestations depend upon how the infection occurred. If due to ingestion of spores, as in cattle, septicemia, fever, colic, and enteritis

are prominent. Anthrax due to insect bite introduction (mechanical transmission) is characterized by localized hot, painful, edematous, and subcutaneous swellings at the bite location that spread to the throat, lower neck, floor of the thorax, abdomen, prepuce, and mammary glands. These horses may have a high fever and dyspnea due to swelling of the throat or colic due to intestinal involvement.

Swine, dogs, and cats usually show a characteristic swelling of the neck secondary to regional lymph node involvement, which causes dysphagia and dyspnea following ingestion of the bacteria. An intestinal form of anthrax with severe enteritis sometimes occurs in these species. Many carnivores apparently have a natural resistance, and recovery is not uncommon.

Without treatment, anthrax can tined, animals vaccinated and be fatal, but early treatment with ranch workers treated with antibiotics as a precaution, health antibiotics is very effective.

More than 1,600 animals, in- officials said.

About 40 sheep died last cluding deer, antelope, cows, sheep, horses and llamas, died month in a separate outbreak on in a 2001 anthrax outbreak in a ranch in western Texas near Mertzon, about 26 miles southTexas.

The most recent outbreak was west of San Angelo, said Dr. Pete identified last week in a cow herd Fincher, the regional director for in northeast Colorado’s Logan the Texas Animal Health ComCounty. About 60 cows died at a mission. The area was quaranranch where one had been diag- tined and the surviving sheep nosed with the first anthrax case vaccinated. No animals have in Colorado in 31 years, state of- died since, Fincher said.

“I would consider this a norficials said. On Wednesday, they announced cows on two adjacent mal sporadic occurrence,” he Photo courtesy of National Institutes of Health A magnified view of bacillus anthracis. ranches also had died from anthrax.

It’s believed all the animals were infected by grazing in an area with spores in the soil since the three ranches share fences, Colorado State Veterinarian Keith Roehr said.

The ranches were quaran-

September 1, 2012

Clinical signs of anthrax

Colorado ranches and nearly 50 sheep from a Texas herd have died so far. Anthrax experts and veterinarians warned ranchers to watch their herds for sudden deaths, the usual sign of an anthrax infection. Entire herds can be decimated by an outbreak if animals are not quickly vaccinated.

Anthrax cases have frequently been documented along the route of cattle drives common in the 1800s during the westward migration of pioneers and their livestock. The bacteria’s spores seem to survive better in alkaline soil with high levels of calcium, a type abundant in the West. In general, however, the spores are extremely durable and can lie dormant for years.

Once ingested, they reconstitute and spread rapidly through the body of warm-blooded animals.

Humans usually get anthrax through direct contact with infected livestock, often when spores get into a cut on the skin.

•

Anthrax bacteria react to drought and other harsh conditions by producing more spores, DES MOINES, Iowa — An- and scientists said conditions thrax has killed more than 100 are ripe for disease this year. animals on ranches in Colo- A drought stretches from Ohio rado and Texas within the last west to California and from Texmonth, and experts say the risk as north to the Dakotas. Many of infection may be greater with places also have been burned drought covering much of the by unusually long stretches of triple-digit temperatures.

United States.

“My concern is that if we Anthrax outbreaks happen occasionally in livestock herds and have more and more drought, wild animals in the U.S., usually if drought frequencies go up, west of the Mississippi River. we will see greater frequencies Animals typically contract the of these outbreaks,” said Mary disease by ingesting or inhaling Stromberger, associate professpores that can survive in soil for sor of soil microbiology at Colodecades. Once infected, livestock rado State University.

More than 60 cows on three can die within hours.

BY DAVID PITT Associated Press

The Land & Livestock Post

News

said. “I think it’s mother nature’s way of reminding you that it’s still out there, but it’s not cause for any over concern at this point in time.”

Anthrax is found occasionally in livestock or wildlife in a

See ANTHRAX, Page A10

Do you have your Boyd Built Feeder?

• Fully assembled and ready to use.

• Made of heavy-duty materials to withstand the toughest conditions.

• Used all over the Southwest for over 40 years.

• 1,500 lb. to 60,000 lb. capacity.

• Feeders to meet all your feeding needs.

• Available at:

Now with Catwalks!

— Courtesy of cattletoday.com

PROTECTING JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU COULD RAISE ON A FARM. Dennis Klesel, Agent 3800 Harvey Rd College Station, TX 77845 979.324.4428 dklesel@txfb-ins.com Aggie Class of ‘76 Coverage and discounts are subject to qualifications and policy terms, and may vary by situation. © 2012 TexasFarm Bureau Insurance Companies. BRZ0612

Boyd Industries, Inc.

Phone: (800) 611-3540

Fax: (940)-433-8540

www.BoydBuilt.com

9

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

10

Ask the Vet Anthrax can live for years Continued from A9 wildlife in a triangular area of Texas along the southwestern border with Mexico, and it’s common for ranchers in the region to vaccinate livestock, Fincher said.

The cases in Colorado are still being investigated, and officials said they don’t know what, if any, role drought played in the cattle deaths.

But experts said drought could contribute to anthrax deaths by stressing animals and weakening their immune systems. Grazing animals, including cows, also eat closer to the ground in drought and are more likely to ingest spores while eating, said Grant Dewell, an Iowa State University beef veterinarian.

“It happens in floods and it happens in droughts. Anytime we disturb that soil layer, we’re more likely to get some anthrax,” he said.

Soil often becomes contaminated with anthrax when infected carcasses that have been cut up or torn open by wild animals are buried, said Martin Hugh-Jones, coordinator of the World Health Organiza-

tion’s Working Group on Anthrax Research and Control. Tissue and blood spills into the soil, carrying the disease.

He recommended ranchers dispose of infected carcasses quickly by burning them and the surrounding ground. Fire kills anthrax spores.

Along with the Colorado and Texas outbreaks, Hugh-Jones is looking at the deaths of more than 430 bison in Canada’s Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary. It’s the largest bison kill by anthrax in the region’s history and three times the typical toll in an area that regularly sees anthrax outbreaks, Hugh-Jones said. Most happen during hot, dry spells in late summer, when it’s believed bison pick up the spores during vigorous wallowing in dust baths.

It’s not clear why this year is more severe.

“What seems to have been happening was it was quietly spreading, and people weren’t seeing the carcasses and suddenly everything was right this year for it to take off as an epidemic,” Hugh-Jones said.

Vaccines protect your herd provides some degree of immunity.

Lower first-service conception rates are another possible detrimental effect of using modified-live virus BVDV/IBRV vaccine. Studies have demonstrated this when non-immune heifers were given the vaccine the day of breeding. Modifiedlive virus IBRV vaccine can cause an inflammation of the ovaries when given to non-immune heifers. This does not happen in heifers that are immune to IBRV from previous vaccinations and is not a problem in cows that have been vaccinated in the past.

The inserts of most modified-live virus vaccines recommend giving the vaccine to the breeding herd three to four weeks prior to the

start of the breeding season.

Then, if there are non-immune females that develop inflammation of the ovaries, they will have time to heal before the first service. The best way to use modified-live virus vaccine near breeding yet avoid conception problems is to have a heifer vaccination program that results in immune animals.

Most discussions of safe use of viral vaccines in cattle are limited to the adverse reactions of modified-live virus vaccines. Killed virus vaccines, however, can be unsafe when used improperly in herds. Then they are unsafe because they fail to protect the herd against disease.

Many beef herds do not use killed virus vaccines correctly because it is difficult to properly implement

a killed virus vaccination program. Two steps are necessary for a killed virus vaccine to work: administration of a primer dose and booster dose (two weeks to two months later) to initiate immunity and religiously administered annual boosters (no more than 12 months apart) to maintain immunity. If more than two months elapses after the initial primer dose another primer dose must be given and then its booster administered two weeks to two months later.

In contrast, a single primer dose of a modified-live virus vaccine can initiate immunity because the vaccine virus replicates and serves as its own booster.

Just giving annual boosters of killed virus vaccines

The Land & Livestock Post

Ask the Vet Turning sorghum into ethanol shows potential

See SORGHUM better THAN

September 1, 2012

els, measuring from the time a crop is planted to when the fuel is burned in a vehicle.

The only advanced biofuels in the United States now are sugar cane-based ethanol imported from Brazil and domestic biodiesel, a mixture of petroleum diesel and renewable sources such as soybean oil, said Matt Hartwig, spokesman for the Renewable Fuels Association. Advanced ethanol made from sorghum would give the nation another option as it aims to meet the federal goal of producing 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels per year by 2022.

•

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The federal government is on the verge of approving a grain mainly used as livestock feed to make a cleaner version of ethanol, a decision officials say could give farmers a new moneymaking opportunity, boost the biofuels industry and help the environment.

A plant in western Kansas already is gearing up to take advantage, launching a multimillion-dollar renovation so it can be the first to turn sorghum — a plant similar in appearance to corn — into advanced ethanol. Advanced biofuels result in even less lifetime greenhouse gas production than conventional biofu-

Control Dust, With An MR32 Ideal Machine For Medium To Large Size Arenas.....$3,590

MICRO RAIN, Hose Reel Traveling Irrigators, For 3 to 20 Acres, Size Specific For Every Need

OCMIS, Hose Reel Traveling Irrigators, Designed For Large Acreages, Many Different Models/Sizes

Proper use is critical without a proper primary series of vaccinations may not provide much protection and has been identified as a factor in severe BVDV epidemics. It is not safe for a beef herd to improperly use killed virus vaccines in a herd vaccination program.

Bottom Line

Many beef herds are changing from killed virus vaccines to modified-live virus vaccines because of advantages in protection.

Herds that have a very short breeding season can do so easily by administering modifiedlive virus vaccine to open cows three to four weeks prior to onset of breeding.

It is harder, but not impossible, for herds with long or even year-round breeding seasons to switch.

A gradual change to modified-live virus vaccines can be made in herds with long breeding seasons by administering two to three doses of modified-live virus vaccine to replacement heifers prior to breeding. For example, a dose at weaning, then three weeks later and a third dose three to four weeks prior to breeding.

These highly-immune heifers

then can be given a booster of modified-live virus vaccine at pregnancy examination and then annually at pregnancy examination. Over a period of 5 years or so the entire herd would be replaced with females vaccinated with modified-live virus vaccine. Several pharmaceutical companies have modified-live virus vaccines approved for vaccination of pregnant females that have received modified-live virus vaccine within the previous 12 months.

Finally, always remember vaccines are only part of an infectious disease control program which includes vaccinations plus biosecurity practices to keep disease out of the herd, biocontainment to prevent disease from spreading within the herd and proper nutrition.

All four parts are necessary for success.

Your ranch veterinarian is the most knowledgeable person to provide you with practical measures tailored to your specific ranch conditions that result in a successful infectious disease control program.

• Dr. Steve Wikse is a retired professor of large animal clinical sciences in the the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University.

$2,150 $4,725

$16,500

11

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

12

News

Brazos Valley Fair, Expo almost here Inaugural event runs Sept. 6-9 at Expo Complex Special to The Post

A

fter years of dreaming, months of planning, and lots of hard work, the first Brazos Valley Fair and Exposition is about to begin. The fair will run Sept. 6-9 at the Brazos County Expo Center Complex on Leonard Road near Texas 47 in Bryan.

What a fair it promises to be, with big name entertainers, a rodeo, junior livestock show, carnival and so much more.

The entertainment will include Texas Aggie Rick Trevino at 9:30 p.m. Sept. 8 on the Bud Lite concert stage. Trevino signed with Columbia Records in 1993 and. In 1994, his second album went gold and charted two top singles: She Can’t Say I Didn’t Try and Learning as You Go. Since then, he has been a popular country music performer who continues to be a fan favorite. The Houston native now records for the Warner Nashville label.

Kicking off the entertainment on Sept. 6 will be Cody Johnson at 10 p.m. and Fred Andrews & Honeybrowne at 11 p.m. Johnson was named the Male Vocalist of the Year in 2011 at the Texas Regional Awards. His songs include Nobody to Blame, Pray for Rain and Texas Kind of Way. Honeybrowne leader Andrews is a singer-songwriter who has developed a large following throughout Texas.

Brandon Rhyder takes to the Bud Light Stage at 10 p.m. Sept.

7. The Carthage native released his first album in 2001 and has had five more since then. Perhaps he is best known for his 2010 hit Rock Angel.

Entertainment also will include a special Gospel Fest at 3 p.m. Sept. 9 in the Expo Ballroom, featuring solo and group competitions. Cash prizes will be awarded for best gospel choir, best gospel group, best gospel soloist and most

Rod Aydelotte, Waco Tribune Herald The Brazos Valley Fair and Exposition will will include a Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association rodea for three nights. Among the events will be the bareback event, similar to the one here at the 2010 Central Texas State Fair and Rodeo. creative gospel performance.

For more information, contact Brazos County Commissioner Irma Cauley, Gospel Fest chairman, at 979-361-4111.

For those interested in entertainment of a more physical nature, there will be a Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association rodeo, with stock provided by the award-winning Cadillac Rodeo Company. The rodeo will be at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6, 7 and 8.

A special ranch rodeo will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 9.

Mutton Bustin’ will take place during the Sept. 7, 8 and 9 rodeos.

What would a fair be without a youth livestock show? Well, this one will have some of the best animals on display during the Brazos County Youth Commercial Heifer Show Sept. 7-9.

Other junior livestock shows include: junior heifer, Sept. 8; meat goat, Sept. 8; lamb, Sept.

9; and steer, Sept. 9.

If art is your cup of tea, there will be a youth western art show all four days of the fair.

Of course, eating is always a part of any fair, and there will be plenty of food booths to delight any taste. There also will be a Food Challenge Contest for young people, presented

by The Eagle. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 8 in the Exhibit Hall.

Teams of young people will be challenged to create their best dishes from a predetermined list of ingredients.

Soup Bone Cattle Co. will have an authentic chuck

See Fair, Page A14 Lauderdale Aerial Spraying, LLC Kenneth Lauderdale Cell Phone: 979.255.1380 Office Phone: 979.535.8024 www.lauderdalespraying.com

Jerry Larson, Waco Tribune Herald A youngster fall off his sheep while taking part in the mutton busting section at the 2010 Central Texas State Fair and Rodeo. The first Brazos Valley Fair and Exposition will include a similar event.

ROUND OVERHEAD FEED STORAGE BINS

“This can mean the difference between taking a loss or making a profit in the cattle business.”

• Spray-on liner inside bin.

• Effective for both livestock and wildlife feed.

• Truckload holding capacities in various sizes available.

• No more feed damage by rodents or varmints.

• No more feed sacks to handle.

• Environmentally Friendly.

• Heavy pipe structure.

• Skid mounted.

Authorized T & S Trip Hopper Dealer

Southwest Fabricators

580/326-3589 • Toll Free: 877/326-3574 503 South Industrial - Hugo, OK 74743 www.overheadbins.com

TE PRIVA Y T A E TR

rk An a l C

CARC ASS DATA

gus Ranch L.L. Since 1952 CROCKETT, TEXAS

C.

100% Guaranteed

Semen Tested

100 REGISTERED BULLS, 18-24 MONTHS, EPD’s READY FOR HEAVY SERVICE OPEN & BRED HEIFERS - COWS AVAILABLE CALL FOr AN AppOiNtmeNt BiLL CLArK 936/544-9013 888-252-7501

GeNe StOKeS, mGr. WeBSite: clarkangus.com emAiL: clarkangus.aol.com

Inventory weeds now for control next year

By EDDIE FUNDERBURG Special to The Post

Photo courtesy of Texas Cooperative Extension Right now, weeds are large enough to see and most will have seed heads or fruiting parts that make them easier to identify. a weed-control perspective), you can wait until the clovers produce seed and spray with something such as 2, 4-D. This herbicide program will not be as effective because you’re not spraying at an ideal time for 2, 4-D to work, but it will control some weeds and not wipe out the clovers.

After you have inventoried the

situation, sit down and work out a spray plan and budget that includes the correct herbicides to use and when to use them.

Many of the weed control failures we see are due to using incorrect products for the targeted weeds or spraying at the wrong time.

Creating a spray plan now, when the weeds are easy to

identify, can be very valuable in controlling weeds at the least cost in the spring. It can ensure that you spray what you want to spray, where you want to spray it, to control what you want to control.

September 1, 2012

Apache Arrowleaf Clover

•

As you probably know, it’s now too late in the summer to spray for most pasture weeds. There are a few exceptions, but most weeds in pastures should be sprayed in the spring when they are young and actively growing.

That said, you can do something now that will improve your weed control program next year.

Now is a good time to inventory your weed situation. One thing is for sure: If you have a lot of weeds in a certain place this year, you’ll probably have them again in that place next year. Right now, weeds are large enough to see and most will have seed heads or fruiting parts that make them easier to identify.

This greatly aids in inventorying the weeds.

How should one conduct a weed inventory? First, identify the species and abundance of each of the weeds you want to

control. The abundance rating system can be as simple as few, many, scattered or “more than I can shake a stick at.”

Mark this information on a field map and highlight areas where there are hard-to-control weeds or particularly high numbers of weeds. Be sure to accurately identify areas where you might be able to spot spray difficult-to-control weeds and save some money by not spraying the entire field.

Next, identify areas on the map you don’t want to spray or where you don’t want to spray certain herbicides. Examples are areas where you want to maintain clovers or areas with certain wildlife foods.

In these areas, you may want to avoid herbicides altogether or use herbicides that are not as harsh on the plants you want to keep. For example, if you want to keep clovers in an area, don’t use Grazon P+D. As an alternative (although not as good from

The Land & Livestock Post

News

• This article originally appeared in the August 2005 Ag News and Views newsletter.

Prine Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass Increased Plant Size Wide Succulent Leaves High Sugar Content Excellent Disease Resistance Leading Variety in Texas: 2000 - 2012

13

September 1, 2012

• The Land & Livestock Post

News

Photos by Rod Aydelotte, Waco Tribune Herald The carnival of the first BrazosValley Fair and Exposition will open for a sneak preview at 5 p.m. on Sept. 5 and run through Sept. 9. It will be similar to this carnival at the 2010 Central Texas State Fair and Rodeo in Waco.

Fair will include carnival rides Continued from A12

14

fair, with demonstrations of frontier cooking. Stop by for a fee biscuit, courtesy of Pioneer Mills.

No fair would be complete without a carnival, and this one is no exception. For those who can’t wait, there will be a sneak preview of the carnival from 5-10 p.m. on Sept. 5. The carnival will be open from 4-midnight on Sept. 6 and 7, and from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sept. 8.

There is so much more, including a petting zoo, Clydesdales, mechanical bull and pig races.

Gates will open to the public at 4 p.m. on Sept. 6 and 7, 10 a.m. on Sept. 8 and 11 a.m. on Sept. 9. Admission is $10 for adults and children 13 and older, which includes everything except the carnival, food, drink and shopping. Children 4-12 are $5, which children 3 and younger are free. Season passes are $25 and may be purchased at Producers Cooperative, Cavender’s and all Commerce Bank locations.

Carnival tickets are $1 each, with most rides requiring two or three tickets. A better deal

See Rodeo, Page A15

The Land & Livestock Post

News

•

Continued from A14 manager is Travis Boeker, with Karl Hengst as assistant manager.

Funding for the inaugural fair was approved in 2011 by both the Brazos County Commissioners Court and the Brazos County HOT Committee

Metal Roofing & Building Supply Navasota, TX

METAL BUILDINGS

METAL ROOFING

to get the fair off the ground.

It is planned to be an annual evenet each Seeptemer. The HOT Fund is a hotel occupancy tax fund that was approved by

the Texas Legislature to fund improvements and marketing for the Brazos County Expo Complex.

The Brazos Valley Fair has

TJSS Hardware

• Pipe • Latches • Fence Cable

936-825-0500

11,16500 + TAX

$

ALSO

30’ X 60’ X 12’ Eave 1 - 10 X 10 FO All Galvalume Call for Pricing!

1-800-91-HILCO

12503 HWY 6 NAVASOTA, TX 77868

www.hilcosupply.com

been a dream of many local residents for many years as a way to promote the area and to highlight the efforts of young people.

Jet Dealer & Service For Over 30 Years

9 miles N. of Carlos 19685 FM 244, Iola, Tx 77861 (936) 394-2507 Texas Jet Systems, “Specialists in Waste Water Treatment”

Concrete leg feed trough

• Weld Up 40’ X 105’ 16’ Clearance • Bolt Up Sided Hay Barn • Residential 3 - (Round Bale) • Agricultural All Galvalume Pipe / Fencing Supplies

September 1, 2012

Rodeo, concerts, livestock show highlight first fair

Concrete Products Water Troughs, Cattle Guard Beams, Septic Tanks, Storm Shelters

Cattle Guards 190 Gallon Concrete Water trough

New Pipe

No Threads - No Bell Ends 1050 Ez Weld .100 Wall 1- 5/16 .115 Wall 1- 5/8 .110 Wall 1- 7/8 .110 Wall 2- 3/8 SCH-40 2- 7/8 .145 Wall 4- 1/2 SCH-40

Certified Dealer

WINCO Generator Tractor Driven PTO

Custom Cattle Guards Also ATV Cattle Guards

Cable Fencing Supplies 3/8 Guy Wire Cable, Cable Ends, Springs, Clips, Caps

We Carry Cattle Panels • Water Well Supplies Waste Water Chlorine • Corral Panels Aerobic Sewer Systems • Gates Poly & Galvanized Culverts

15

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

Annual Forage Issue

Planting for the future

What to plant and when to plant it for winter growth

By RoBeRt FeaRs Special to The Post

T

he effects of the extended 2011 drought continue to plague Texas. The western two-thirds of the state still are under drought and most pastures in the eastern part of the state have not fully recovered from the 2011 dry weather.

If you don’t have adequate forage to feed cattle through the winter, planting winter pastures might be a good option in areas that are receiving rain. In addition to providing an economical source of nutrients for cattle, winter forages will stabilize soil in bare areas where warm season forages were killed by the dry weather.

The best winter pasture options are annual forage such as small grains, ryegrass or cool-season legumes. It is usually better to plant winter pastures in late September through October than in November or December. Sodseeding equipment is recommended for planting because it doesn’t destroy the warm-season forage. This planting method is more economical than preparing a seed bed and it conserves moisture.

Several popular winter pasture options were described by Gerald Smith, of Texas AgriLife Research at Overton, during the recent Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course. Information in this article is largely taken from Smith’s presentation.

Smith used the Gould Ecoregions to define vegetation adaptation areas.

A majority of the Land and Livestock Post readers live and ranch in the Post Oak Savannah, Blackland Prairie or the Piney Woods ecoregions. Planting options discussed in this article are forages primarily adapted to the Post Oak Savannah and Piney Woods ecoregions unless otherwise stated.

Ryegrass and small grains

16

Ryegrass is adapted to a wide range of soil types, including wet soils. The forage is easy to establish, requiring only good soil-to-seed contact for germination. Ryegrass produces less early winter forage than small grains. A minimum of 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre in two applications of 50 pounds each is required for production. Annual

Dwight Sexton, Agricultural Extension agent in Gonzales County, clips forage for testing yields at the Luling Foundation. ryegrass produces rapid spring growth that must be grazed heavily to allow growth of warm season grasses.

Rye and other small grains often are sown in a mixture with ryegrass to extend winter grazing. A rye-ryegrass mixture should be planted at 20 pounds of ryegrass per acre and 100 pounds per acre of rye. Rye is best adapted to sandy, light textured soils. The mixture will provide early and mid-winter forage from the rye component and late spring production from the ryegrass. A minimum of 150 pounds per acre of nitrogen in split applications is required.

Wheat is best adapted to loam-clay soils and is primarily planted outside Land and Livestock Post reader area.

Forage yield from wheat is similar to that of rye. Wheat is less cold hardy than rye and matures several weeks

later.

Oats provide earlier fall grazing than wheat or rye, but matures several weeks later than wheat. This forage is the least cold hardy of the small grains producing the most forage in warm weather. Severe cold can cause stand loss, reducing the amount of available forage. Oats are most popular in cCentral and South Texas.

Cool-season legumes

Planting legumes in pastures results in several benefits. Legumes often are more digestible and contain more nutrients than grasses. As a result, they improve animal production. Clover adds nitrogen to the soil that enhances grass growth and reduces the need for nitrogen from fertilizer.

Monte Rouquette of Texas AgriLife

Photo provided by Dwight Sexton

Research at Overton discussed pasture systems and stocking strategies during the Forage Management Workshop portion of the Beef Cattle Short Course.

Rouquette said, “We have Bermuda grass pastures over-seeded with clover that haven’t received nitrogen in several years and they continue to produce good forage.”

The first legume listed by Smith is crimson clover. It is best adapted to sandy and sandy loam soils. It is important to plant pre-inoculated, coated seed to ensure good nodulation. Drill seed into short grass sod with seed placement about 0.5 inch deep or broad cast on lightly disked sod and drag to ensure good seed-to-soil contact. Nitrogen fertilizer is not needed; however

Time to think about winter forage is getting closer Continued from A3

$

s

sue 24 Is

mistaken for white clover, but the blooms are smaller and more rounded,” Ball said.

“Although it can be quite productive, ball clover has a short growing season and often yields less forage than other commonly grown annual

NEWS YOU CAN USE RIGHT IN YOUR MAILBOX

Oklahoma and California.

Other critical information

Smith concluded his presentation with recommendations for planting winter pasture: • Select cultivars based on comparative evaluations conducted in your local region Texas AgriLife Research, Texas AgriLife Extension or the Natural Resources Conversation Service.

• Take a close look at the tag on any seed that you plan to purchase. Look for cultivar name, seed germination and weed seed content.

• Buy only named cultivars that have been tested in your region.

Use the following web sites for planting rates and other information.

• overton.tamu.edu.

• aggieclover.tamu.edu.

• varietytesting.tamu.edu/.

September 1, 2012

19.95

Photo provided by Dwight Sexton Inoculated Armadillo bur medic seed.

clovers. It is a prolific seed producer even under high stocking rates. A high percentage of its seed is hard which makes it an excellent reseeder. Primary period of growth is early to mid-spring. Ball clover is best suited to heavy soils, but is surprisingly adapted to fairly dry sites as well,” Ball said.

“Rose clover has a growth habit similar to crimson clover, but has lavender-colored blooms,” Ball said. “It makes most of its growth in midspring. The forage is one of the most tolerant clovers to drought and low fertility. The hardiest variety has similar winter hardiness to arrowleaf or crimson clover. Rose clover produces many hard seed and reseeding is often good. It is best suited to well-drained soils, and is most popular in certain low rainfall areas of north central Texas, central

•

lime, phosphorus and potassium should be applied as recommended on a soil nutrient analysis.

Graze crimson clover from February to May or remove livestock in mid-April to allow seed to mature for reseeding.

If reseeding is a priority, allow seed to mature until late May and then graze or cut hay.

Ryegrass can be planted with crimson clover at 20 pounds of ryegrass per acre and 15 pounds of clover. Do not apply nitrogen fertilizer at planting but apply 50 pounds in late December and another 50 pounds in late February or when ryegrass shows nitrogen deficiency by leaf yellowing.

Graze the mixture from February through May. Arrowleaf clover also is best adapted to sandy and sandy loam soils. It is planted the same way as crimson clover and is grazed from February to June. A popular variety is Apache.

White clover is adapted to clay and clay loam soils. It tolerates wet and seasonally wet soils very well. Many varieties of white clover are available and they require the same planting methodology as arrowleaf and crimson. White clover forage production is from April to July.

Forage variety trials have been conducted at the Luling Foundation since 2001. These trials indicate that medic varieties perform well in Central Texas, especially Armadillo burr medic and Jester barrel medic.

Armadillo burr medic provides earlier grazing than most other clovers or medics.

It germinates in the fall, grows through the winter, begins flowering in late January or February and matures and dies in April or early May. Since most of its growth occurs early in the year, competition with perennial warm season grasses is minimized.

The biggest advantage offered by Armadillo and Jester is their persistence from year to year. If allowed to go to seed and managed properly, these

varieties will re-establish themselves naturally for several years.

Berseem, ball and rose clovers are adapted to the Post Oak Savannah and Piney Woods ecoregions and have been described by Don Ball, Extension Forage specialist at Auburn University.

Berseem clover resembles alfalfa and, if planted in the fall, most of its growth occurs in mid-spring. It does not have good cold tolerance, so production declines as it is planted farther north. Rotational stocking is the best way to utilize berseem clover pastures. This clover does not reseed well due to a low level of hard seed production. Unlike most commonly grown annual clovers, berseem clover is quite tolerant of wet soils and also alkaline soils.

“Ball clover is sometimes

The Land & Livestock Post

Annual Forage Issue

texasland-homes.com Charlie Neff

Broker/Realtor®

979-828-4000

SUBSCRIPTION

Subscribe to the award-winning Land & Livestock Post and receive 24 issues of the latest ag news and information about the issues that affect you!

 

New Subscription

Mail or Fax to:

c/o Land & Livestock Post

Address Change

P.O. Box 3000 Bryan, TX 77805 FAX (979) 776-8923 or vist www.landandlivestockpost.com and click “subscribe”.

Lot 173 11616 Riley Green Rd., Franklin

1,566 sq. ft., 2/1 bath, pier & beam, guest cabin 1/1bath, lg trees, fenced, 2 slip boathouse, approx. 160 ft. bulkheaded waterfront, FISD; $319,000

6 Ac, PR 3500, Lake Limestone

514 ft. of waterfront, wooded, gated subdivision, deed restricted, very private, water & elect at road; $197,000

Name: Address:

20 Ac, Puckett Ranch Rd., Franklin

City:_____________________ St: ________ Zip: Phone #:

4.72 Ac, 2820 Hwy 1940, Franklin

3,650 sq. ft. custom Limestone blt home in 2010, 4 bed, 3 baths, office/den, game room, live creek, barns & runs for 4H/FFA projects, FISD; $369,500

Old Address (if applicable): City: _____________________St: _______Zip:

6.25 Ac, Pin Oak Rd, Franklin

PAYMENT INFORMATION 

Check Enclosed (Please make checks payable to The Eagle)



Please Bill my:

 Mastercard

 VISA

 American Express

 Discover

Account#:_____________________________CIV#:_____________ Name on Card: Amount: _________________________Expiration Date: Signature: Date:

126 LCR 743G, Summer Place

1,172 sq. ft., 3/3 bath pier & beam, new CA&H, new windows, boathouse w/lift & upper sundeck, approx.

211 ft. bulkheaded waterfront; $320,000 $299,500

80/20 wooded/open, potential home site, electric on site & county water available, fenced one side, native grasses, restricted; Franklin ISD; $68,750

8.75 Ac, FM 1373, Bremond

3 sides fenced, open hay pasture, water & electric available, Bremond ISD; $34,125

24 Ac tracts, PR 5706A, Kosse

Great recreational/hunting, home site, tra cts, heavily wooded, elect at road, surface rights convey; $58,000

32.4 Ac, 8981 Yastic Road, Bremond

mostly open pasture, pond, lg hay barn, property fronts 2 county roads, fenced, electricity & county water avail., property is ag. exempt; Bremond ISD; $113, 500

75/25 wooded/open, great recreational/home site, live creek & pond, fenced on 3 sides Franklin ISD; $100,000

48.15 Ac, 3225 Williamsville Rd., Bremond

2,380 sq. ft. 3 bed, 2 bath, blt in 1995, bonus family entertainment room w/additional kitchen, CA&H, sits on hill overlooking pasture w/ hardwood trees along live creek, shop, metal working pens, water well, (adjust to Bremond mine)Bremond ISD; $248,500

99.81 Ac, Hanhart Rd. & Gourd Neck Loop, Franklin

60/40 wooded/open, coastal Bermunda, new fence on front third, live creek, small pond, electricity & metered water, approx, 1,675 ft. of county rd. frontage; Franklin ISD; $365,000/$,3650 per acre

532 Ac, Little MS Cemetery Rd, Franklin

to be divided into three tracts of 112, 170 & 250 Ac; lots of CR Rd. frontage; electricity, RC water, wooded & coastal, water wells, 50% new fence, 3 bed, 2 bath brick home on 170 ac tract, water wells; Franklin ISD; $3,496/ac

17

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

Annual Forage Issue

Helping forage recover from a drought

By James RogeRs Special to The Post

So far, 2012 has been a better year climate-wise than 2011. The full impact of the 2011 drought on warm-season forages was not fully realized until the early spring and summer of 2012, however Wa r m - s e a s o n p e re n n i a l grasses were much weaker than anticipated and did not fully hit their growth mode until late June. We are now approaching the end of warm-season forage growth. Management from this point forward will impact warmseason growth next spring and continued drought recovery. By looking back to the winter and spring of 2011-2012, we can better plan ahead for winter and spring of 2012-2013 and its impact on our warm-season forage production.

Warm-season forage stands weakened by the drought com-

bined with the wet and warm winter of 2011-2012 produced a heavy influx of cool-season forages such as annual ryegrass, Texas wintergrass and arrowleaf clover. This influx shaded the warm-season grasses underneath, resulting in weak, slow growing stands. The same scenario could happen again for fall-winter 2012. Warm-season grasses have not recovered fully from the 2011 drought, with many stands still thin, allowing ample room for cool-season forages to take hold provided there is good moisture availability.

Knowing that we could have a possible repeat of a coolseason flush, we can manage to take advantage of the coolseason forages for the benefit of our warm-season forages.

For all warm-season perennial grasses, the time from August to frost is crucial for the plants to build carbohydrate reserves for spring growth. This was limited in 2011 and management needs

By looking back to the winter and spring of 2011-2012, we can better plan ahead for winter and spring of 2012-2013 and its impact on our warm-season forage production.

cool-season forages last winter, begin looking for grazing opportunities in February. Texas wintergrass came in very strong in many range sites and is excellent early season forage. Cattle actively will seek it out early, but avoid it at seed head emergence.

Use grazing management to suppress cool-season forages during late winter and early spring potassium are called for, based prior to native grass breaking should provide for it in 2012.

If possible, weak stands of on a soil test report, apply those winter dormancy. bermudagrass and native grass as well. This will help the stand The take-home message is should be deferred from grazing become more efficient in nitro- that cool-season forages profrom August until after frost to gen utilization and aid in root vide excellent forage for grazing give them a chance to put on leaf development prior to frost. or early season hay production.

A rule of thumb is to provide They, however, can delay and growth and build those carbohydrate reserves prior to frost. 1 acre of stockpile per mature further weaken warm-season Leaving 6 to 10 inches of residual cow for 50 to 60 days of stockpile forage stands still recovering leaf growth on native grass and 4 grazing. Bermudagrass that has from drought. to 6 inches on bermudagrass will been sto A repeat of the cool-season ckpiled will typically flush in flush seen during the fall-winprovide benefits for the plant and help suppress cool-season the spring to annual ryegrass. ter of 2011-2012 is possible. As Be prepared to come back into a forage manager, be prepared grasses.

For bermudagrass, August is these pastures following bermu- to manage this flush to your adthe time to apply late season ni- dagrass stockpile and graze the vantage and to the advantage trogen fertilizer for fall stockpile annual ryegrass out. of your warm-season perennial In native grass that had strong forages. production. If phosphorus and

More promise than corn Continued from A11

Western Plains Energy LLC in Oakley, Kan., which makes conventional ethanol, aims to be the first to upgrade to that technology.

The plant is installing equipment that will use methane gas from cattle manure rather than natural gas, cut down on water use and turn waste into a fertilizer.

The transition will cost $30 million to $40 million and could be done by the end of the year or early next year.

“We’re going to try to produce over 50 million gallons (of advanced ethanol) per year,” said Curt Sheldon, the plant’s chief accounting officer. “At

today’s prices, we could probably pay for the project in two to three years.”

Western Plains plans to buy 17 million bushels of grain sorghum a year from area farmers, and if more biofuel plants begin using sorghum, it has the potential to create a new and much bigger market for those growing the grain.

“Western Plains will be the first, but from our discussion with ethanol plants they won’t be the last,” said Cogburn, whose group helped push the EPA to recognize grain sorghum as a base for advanced biofuel. = The effort also had support from the National Farmers Union.

4400 East Hwy 21, Bryan, TX 77808

BESIDES BUILDING THE BEST TRAILERS ON THE MARKET, WE ALSO OFFER A HUGE SELECTION OF: TRAILER AXLES • HUBS • BRAKES • LIGHTS • JACKS COUPLERS • TOWING • HARDWARE • CARGO CONTROL TIRES AND WHEELS • TRUCK ACCESSORIES • WINCHES GOOSENECK HOOKUPS IN TRUCKS • AND MUCH MORE! BRING IN THIS AD TO ENTER A DRAWING FOR A

50 GIFT CARD

$

TO THE RESTAURANT OF YOUR CHOICE!

(979) 778-0034

See our complete Parts Inventory and order online at:

18

www.goosenecktrailerparts.com www.gooseneck.net

El Niño this fall should benefit Texas agriculture

• September 1, 2012 Texas AgriLife Extension Service Photo A center-pivot sprayer provides needed water to a field in North Texas, which still is recovering from the 2011 drought.

2005 Luling Foundation Forage Trial - Luling, Texas 9,000 8,500 8,000

DM/a

7,500 7,000 6,500

s Plu

e Su

ng ra

ze r

Pr

in

an e ric

Bl iz za

Hu r

rd

o Ju mb

M

ax

im

us

6,000

2009-10 Forage Variety Trial - College Station, Texas 12,000 11,500 11,000 10,500 10,000 9,500 9,000

G ulf

o mb Ju

al l sh ar M

ax

im us

8,500

M

COLLEGE STATION — An El Niño currently developing in the tropical Pacific could mean an improved agricultural outlook for all of Texas, according to John NielsenGammon, state climatologist and regents professor at Texas A&M University.

“An El Niño refers to unusually high tropical temperatures which shift the pattern of tropical convection, and usually leads to a cool and wet winter for Texas,” Nielsen-Gammon said.

Though an El Niño’s effects usually are stronger in southern parts of the state along the Gulf Coast, it generally causes shifts in weather patterns for the entire state, he said.

“It’s a nice switch from the last couple of years, which

were La Niña events which generally favor dry conditions,” he said.

La Niña episodes are when the tropical Pacific temperatures are lower than average, he said.

Unfortunately for the Midwest and Mississippi Valley, an El Niño generally “signals” a drier-than-normal winter, according to Nielsen-Gammon.

Currently, tropical Pacific temperatures are about 0.9 to 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, Nielsen-Gammon said.

“Right now, it looks like a weak to moderate one,” he said. “It would have be [2.7 to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit] above normal to get a strong one.”

But even a weak-to-moderate El Niño should have a pronounced effect of this fall’s winter weather, he said.

“I just want to emphasize

DM/a

By ROBERT BURNS Texas AgriLife Extension Service

The Land & Livestock Post

News

19

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

News Pacific cooling encouraging Continued from A19

that wet conditions from an El Niño are not a sure thing, just like dry conditions with La Niña are not a sure thing,” he said. “Last year, we saw La Niña conditions, but we ended up having above-normal rainfall across the state.

“For the sake of West Texas, I hope this El Niño comes through for us and gives us wet weather, but there’s no guarantee of that.”

North Atlantic temperatures are still running high, which is “a strike against us, especially for summer and fall,” NielsenGammon said. “But sometime around November, statistically the Pacific starts to take over, having a bigger effect on our weather.”

More information on the current Texas drought and wildfire alerts can be found on the AgriLife Extension Agri-

cultural Drought Task Force website at agrilife.tamu.edu/ drought/.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries for the week of Aug. 14-20: Southeast — High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s, with lows in the 70s. Spotty showers allowed moderate forage growth in some areas. Brazos County received 0.5 inch to 1.5 inches of rain, which was expected to improve pastures.

Burleson County had continued hot and dry weather, which was withering existing forages. The corn and grain sorghum harvests were completed with average yields reported.

Some hay harvesting continued.

The first rice-crop harvest wound down.

Central — Some counties received rain but only trifling amounts. Soils were dry, though not as severely as last summer.

See State, Page a24

ollow us on

facebook

20

facebook.com/texasllp

Events Calendar September Sept. 6-9 : Brazos Valley Fair & Expo. Bryan, TX. (979) 823-3976 Sept. 6 : Jordan Cattle Auction, StockerFeeder & Premium Weaned Calf Sale. San Saba, TX. Sept. 13: Advertisng Deadline for Land & Livestock Post : 2012 Bull Issue.

Sept. 15: 4 States Limousin Association Sale.

Mt. Pleasant, TX. 281-808-5511 Sept. 17: Jordan Cattle Auction, StockerFeeder & Premium Weaned Calf Sale. Mason, TX. Sept. 22 : Farm & Ranch Equipment Auction.

Sealy, TX. 979-885-2400 Sept. 24-26 : TSCRA Fall Meeting. Austin, TX. Sept. 27 : Advertising deadline for Land & Livestock Post Sept. 29 : Rudy Mueller Estate, Real Estate Auction. Cat Spring/ Millheim Area. (979) 885-2400 October Oct. 5 : Return to the Remuda. 2012 Annual Sale, 6666 Ranch. Guthrie, TX 806-596-4424

Oct. 6 : Heart of Texas Special Replacement Female Sale. Groesbeck, TX . 903-599-2403 Oct. 9 : Powell Herefords 15th Annual Production Sale. Ft. McKavett, TX. 903-5992403 Oct. 10 : R.A. Brown Ranch 38th Annual Bull, Female & Quarter Horse Sale. Throckmorton, TX 940-849-0611 Oct. 11: Jordan Cattle Auction, Special Bull Offering. San Saba, TX. Oct. 11 : Dudley Bros. 51st Annual Bull Sale.

Comanche, TX. 325-356-2284 Oct. 19 : W4 Ranch, Annual Production Sale.

Morgan, TX. 817-595-1121 Oct. 19 : Briggs Ranches 9th Annual Santa Gertrudis Bull Sale. Bloomington, TX. 361573-7141 Oct. 20 : 35th Annual Tri-Star Santa Gertrudis Sale. Bloomington, TX. 361-573-7141 Oct. 21 : Texas Hereford Fall Classic. Buffalo, TX. 903-322-4940 Oct. 27: Oak Creek Farms Forage Tested Bull Sale. Chappell Hill, TX. 979-836-6832 Oct. 27 : 44 Farms Fall Bull & Female Sale.

Cameron, TX. 254-697-440 1

Do you have a sale or event you’d like listed? Call Jesse Wright at (979) 731-4721 or email jesse.wright@theeagle.com

Trinity River basin water quality, land management workshops begin Sept. 7

Trinity River Basin Texas AgriLife Extension Service graphic TheTrinity River basin watershed area provides water resources for about 40 percent of the state’s population,including the Dallas/Ft.Worth metroplex.

reduced entry fee to the visitor center).

• Nov. 1 from 8 am to noon, Walker County Storm Shelter, 455 Texas 75 N., Huntsville.

According to the Trinity Waters organization, about 40 percent of Texans get their water from the Trinity River. A widespread habitat loss throughout the basin has led to reduced wildlife populations, particularly grassland birds.

“Private landowners own the majority of the land in the middle Trinity basin, so providing them with the information and resources they need to accomplish conservation goals within the basin is critical,” Alldredge said. “Quality land management links common goals in livestock, wildlife and water management.”

He said there will be three sets of workshops, each subsequent workshop with more detailed focus than the previous, to address various aspects of natural resource conservation and land management. These will culminate in a summit workshop.

Coordinators said the initial set of workshops will give participants a better understanding of basic water quality and watershed principles, as well as the strategies state and local organizations use to improve and protect water resources.

“Participants in these first workshops will also hear from personnel with the Trinity River Authority who will explain how effective watershed management practices can benefit society as a whole,” Alldredge said. “The programs will also involve discussion by an area landowner who has employed various conservation practices and, as a result, has improved cattle production and increased income from developing wildlife recreational opportunities.”

Coordinators said a second round of workshops is being scheduled for November and

December. The focus of these subsequent workshops will be more specific land-management information and techniques for landowners to enhance their productivity and improve watershed management.

“Thisnextseriesof workshops will include presentations on the Trinity River Information Management System, or TRIMS, an online mapping tool, habitat restoration tips and how landowners can benefit from developing a water quality management plan through the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board,” Alldredge said.

Coordinators said a third round of workshops is being scheduled for January and February and will include presentations on pasture management and row crop farming techniques to protect water quality; feral hog management; and financial assistance programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service.

“Following these workshops, there will be a capstone summit

September 1, 2012

With significant population growth expected in the Dallas/ Fort Worth and Houston metro areas, current water quality issues and an increasing demand for clean water will place greater pressure on natural resources of the Trinity River basin, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Trinity Waters, a landowner organization based in the Trinity River basin, and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are hosting a series of workshops for landowners and other interested stakeholders in the region.

“The first round of workshops is intended to raise awareness of water and land management issues in the basin among inter-

ested members of the public,” said Blake Alldredge, AgriLife Extension associate and education and outreach coordinator for the Building Partnerships for Cooperative Conservation in the Trinity River Basin project.

Alldredge said continuing education units would be available for attendees of the first round of workshops to be held in September, October and November.

The no-cost, half-day workshops will address water resource protection and improvement.

Times and locations for the initial workshops are: • Sept. 7 from 8 a.m. to noon, IOOF Event Center, 600 N. 45th St, Corsicana.

• Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to noon, Texas Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Center,5301 County Road 4812 Athens (includes

•

By PAUL SCHATTENBERG Texas AgriLife Extension Service

The Land & Livestock Post

News

See PROTECTING, Page A23

Sorghum Hay FOR SALE 979-255-4337

Brazos Valley Livestock Brazos Valley Livestock Commission, Inc. Commission, Inc.

Sales: Tuesdays @ 12 Noon 6097 East Hwy. 21 • Bryan, TX

(979) 778-0904

21

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

22

News

Working to grow America’s bison herd

By MIKKEL PATES Agweek

RUGBY, N.D. — Life is turning out exactly as Kevin Leier hoped.

At age 23, he has a new career as a high school teacher in Rugby. The job is 20 miles from the Heartland Bison Ranch he helped his parents build. He’s an assistant football coach, has a new family and is an emerging leader in what he sees as a healthy bison industry.

Leier was elected to the board of the North Dakota Buffalo Association when he was 19. He was the youngest board member on any regional bison board in the nation and was elected vice president of the 150-member group in December 2010.

“I can tell you that on the state level, the board of directors is constantly concerned that there are too few animals and too few producers, compared to a decade ago,” Leier said. “The population of medium-sized herds is half of what it was. We need to push to get more people to come in. We want to get the word out that if you want to diversify your ranch a bit, this is a good possibility.”

Leier acknowledges there are some high-rollers in the bison business on a continental scale. It’s a good sign that smaller operators have come to North Dakota from as far away as Missouri, Kansas, Texas and Montana. North Dakota can use more herds in the average size

of about 65 to 85 cow-calf pairs, he said.

The North Dakota Buffalo Association recently implemented a mentoring program, available online, at www.ndbuffalo.net.

“It’s set up to give anybody who’s looking at getting into buffalo some real people to talk to,” Leier said. “My Dad and I are one ranch in the mentoring program. There are about five or six.”

The Leiers are cow-calf specialists, but others specialize in feedlots, handling or feed rations.

Leier’s main mentor was his dad — naturally. Kevin was born in 1988, the fourth of eight children, and started life with the family when his parents lived in Las Vegas.

“Dad would tell us about growing up on the farm in North Dakota, and it was something I wanted to do,” Leier said. He was 8 when the family moved from Las Vegas in 1996 to start the buffalo ranch. The live bison market bottomed out in 2002, and Kevin was 16 when he took out a Beginning Farmer loan from the federal Farm Service Agency.

“I thought, if I got some now, and things kept inching up, it could be a good move for me,” he said.

The market came back, and the bison helped pay his college bills.

Leier played football in high school and graduated in 2007. He continued football at Minot State University and was often home on the ranch. He met his wife, Anne, at a friend’s wedding.

Kevin came out of MSU with a social science education degree in 2011. He expected to come back to the ranch eventually, maybe starting as a full-time substitute teacher. But a longtime social studies teacher in Rugby decided to retire. Kevin

Rural Land Loans Country Home Loans Farm & Ranch Loans Livestock Loans Equipment Loans Operating Capital Leasing T E X A S’

L A R G E S T

AP Photo/The St. Paul Pioneer Press, John Doman An older female bison, left, and an older male keep constant company as they graze on the prairie grass at Blue Mounds State Park near Luverne, Minn.

State conservationists now want to use the herd to help build genetic diversity, creating healthier NorthAmerican bison, and someday to bring the native giants to more state parks — where experts say they once lived. This could make Minnesota pivotal in conserving an animal that was near extinction,said Craig Beckman, manager at Blue Mounds State Park. applied and got the job, and was named defensive coordinator for the Rugby Panthers football team. Anne landed a teaching job at an elementary school in town.

Teaching fits nicely with raising bison, Leier said.

“In the winter, when I’m teaching, the bison are minimal

See Using, Page A26

Graham

Land and Cattle Co. Custom Feedlot and Growing Programs • 30,000 Head Feedyard • 14,000+ Head Growing Program • Personal Customer Service • Licensed Feedyard for Nolan Ryan Tender Aged Beef • Pen sizes range from 1-250 head • Access to all performance and carcass data

P.O. Box 925, Gonzales, Texas 78629 Phone: 830-672-6504

Bryan Credit Office

1714 E. 29th Street 979.775.0404 | 877.775.0404 CapitalFarmCredit.com

R U R A L

L E N D E R

Dr. Charles W. Graham, Owner Jay Gray, General Manager www.grahamfeedyard.com

Tyler Graham, Owner Maurice Janda, Feedyard Manager e-mail: grahamcattle@gvec.net

also home of:

sunset

Livestock Carriers, Inc.

Pete Peterman (830) 857-3562

A SOLID INVESTMENT

TO GROW YOUR STOCK.

The Land & Livestock Post

News

• September 1, 2012

Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo A series of three water protection and conservation workshops relating to the Trinity River basin will be held this year and next.

Protecting a resource For more information on the Trinity Waters organization, go where landowners and other stakeholders in the basin will to www.trinitywaters.org.

Those interested in attending come together and discuss the best course of action for water- any of these workshops should shed planning,” Alldredge said. contact Alldredge at 979-845The Building Partnerships for 0916 or balldredge@tamu.edu Cooperative Conservation in the to RSVP and reserve a spot. To Trinity River Basin project is RSVP electronically, go to natufunded by the Texas State Soil ralresourcestraining.tamu.edu/ and Water Conservation Board schedule/and look for “Cooperathrough a Clean Water Act grant tive Conservation in the Trinity from the U.S Environmental Pro- River Basin” and the date and location of the workshop. tection Agency.

Natural Forage Extender 20 • For Beef Cattle on Pasture or Medium to Low Quality Hay • Fortified with Nutrients Needed to Supplement Southern Forages • Economical to Feed at .5 to .75 Pound Per Head Per Day • Efficiency of the Digestive System is Increased • Efficient Immune System Results in Fewer Health Problems • Consistent Product Quality and Constant Nutrient Delivery

Purchase HLS Products at:

CARMINE FEED & FERTILIZER

230 Centennial Street • Carmine, Texas 78932 • 979-278-3111 196 North Madison Street • Giddings, Texas 78942 • 979-542-2446

It’s in the tub.

The Forage Star™ Product Line 8150 Thompson Road • Miles, Texas 76861 325-659-3992 • 1-800-750-9608

hudsonlivestock.com foragestar.com

23

• The Land & Livestock Post

News

Get Your Name Out There

BRAHMAN BULLS/HEIFERS Green Meadows Registered Gray Brahmans • F1 Brafords

September 1, 2012

ALL TYPES OF STRUCTURAL STEEL & PIPE Steel Buildings 979-589-2333 1-866-959-2333 pioneerboys.com

State still needs rain Continued from A20

24

Marketplace

Most hay fields were still green but showed very little growth. Many producers hoped to take a third hay cutting if they get a substantial rain. Producers began preparing fields for planting winter wheat and oats. Stock-tank water levels were sufficient but dropping. The cotton harvest began. Cotton producers were defoliating. The harvesting of corn, milo, sunflowers and soybeans was nearly complete. Pecans looked very good.

Coastal Bend — Most of the area received some much-needed rain, from 0.25 inch to 4 inches.

Despite the rain, hot, dry conditions remained the rule. In areas where cotton was yet to be harvested, growers were using growth regulators in a struggle to keep ahead of vegetative growth. Sesame was maturing rapidly. The rain meant many hay producers might be able to take one more cutting of hay before fall.

Winter wheat was being planted.

Pecan tree limbs were breaking due to the heavy crop load. Cattle were in fair condition with herd numbers holding steady. Producers were still supplementing cattle with hay and protein.

East — As much as 2.5 inches fell across the northern part of the region, but southern counties remained in much need of rain. Ponds and pastures were in good shape where there was rain. A few producers were selling hay. Cattle were in good condition, with calves being

weaned. Feral hogs stayed close to water sources. The West Nile virus outbreak resulted in many calls to county offices about mosquito control. Grasshopper and armyworm infestations continued.

Southwest — Some areas received from 1 inch to 3 inches of rain, improving some pasture conditions. Dry conditions persisted in other areas. The sorghum harvest began but where there was rain, the cotton harvest was temporarily on hold. The corn and grain sorghum harvests were nearly done. Pastures continued to decline under hot and dry conditions, and the danger of wildfire was high.

Far West — Highs were in the triple digits and lows in the mid to upper 70s. Rangeland and pastures remained in very poor condition because of the excessive heat and drought. There were scattered showers reported, with Andrews County getting as much as 1.4 inches and Upton County 3 to 4 inches. Other areas, such as Presidio County, only reported 0.1 inch. In Glasscock County, irrigated cotton was progressing well, but there was some boll-drop after the rains. Most dryland cotton is at cutout, the growth stage prior to boll setting.

Grain sorghum was ready to harvest. Producers continued to provide supplemental feed to livestock and wildlife.

North — The region received much-needed rain, and soil-moisture levels were adequate in most counties.

Bryan Credit Office 979.775.0404 | 877.775.0404 CapitalFarmCredit.com

LAND

FOR SALE

200 PLUS TRACTS CURRENT & REVOLVING INVENTORY

HOMELAND PROPERTIES

www.homelandproperties.com

800-246-2500

22 – 24 Month Old Open Brahman Heifers Ready to Breed.

Good Selection of Gentle Breeding Age Bulls Available.

Anthony Kubicek (979) 324-7391 cell.

(979) 567-4201 ranch.

Email: RoyalKRanch@yahoo.com

Solid Rock Ranch Angus Bulls Twos and coming twos.

One breeding season guarantee.

AI sires include In Focus, CAR Efficient, Danny Boy, Mainline & Retail Product.

Matt Jones. Franklin, TX. 979-777-7571, 979-828-3410 www.solidrockranch.com

Agricultural Insurance Agency, Inc. Insuring Auction Barns & all Ag Related Businesses

(979) 776-2697

Registered Black Angus Bulls Low Birth, High weaning weights A-I’d to top Angus Sires Service Age Bulls One breeding Season Guaranteed

Madisonville, TX 936-349-1955 • 903-445-7817 www.greenmeadowsranch.com

RANCH FARM RESIDENTIAL

Bud

dy Micklitz

979.779.0420 979.218.8674 call for appointment or

micklitz@verizon.net FENCES BARNS PENS GAME FENCES CUSTOM BUILDINGS STALLS REMODELS

Cleere Earthworks L.L.C. TEXAS A&M CLASS OF ‘02

Land Clearing • Ponds • Roads • Pads Dozer • Excavator • Scraper • Dump Truck

979-324-8746 Travis Cleere www.cleereearthworks.com

Get Your Name

Out There To advertise in MarketplaceContact:

Jesse Wright 979.731.4721

jesse.wright@theeagle.com

Is nitrogen fertilizer worth the cost for winter pasture?

By EDDIE FUNDERBURG Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

• September 1, 2012

As of July, urea costs about $750 per ton. This means that a pound of nitrogen from urea costs about 82 cents. This is a high price and leads to the logical question, “Is it worth the cost to fertilize winter pasture for stockers?”

I’ll try to answer this question, but let’s define the ground rules.

First, you already have the winter pasture planted and your only question is whether or not to fertilize it.

Second, the pasture will be grazed out completely by stockers and you are receiving 70 cents per pound of gain.

Third, soil test phosphorus and potassium levels are high and only nitrogen is needed for optimum yields.

To determine if it is worth it to fertilize, you must know the benefits of fertilization. Figure 1 shows the results of applying nitrogen to winter pasture.

This study was conducted on the Noble Foundation Red River Research and Demonstration Farm from 1979 to 1992.

About 2,000 pounds of dry matter forage were produced with no fertilization, and about 4,000 pounds of dry matter forage were produced when 100 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre (217 pounds of urea per acre) were applied. When 100 pounds of nitrogen were applied, each pound of nitrogen resulted in a yield increase of 20 pounds of dry matter forage per acre.

In winter pasture graze-out situations, we generally assume that cattle eat all the forage produced except for about 500 pounds per acre. If no fertilizer was used, that means that the cattle ate about 1,500 pounds of dry matter forage (2,000 pounds produced - 500 pounds not grazed). Stocker cattle generally will gain about 1 pound for each 8 pounds of dry matter winter pasture forage consumed.

This means that stocker calves grazing unfertilized winter forage will gain about 188 pounds of beef per acre (1,500 pounds dry matter forage consumed ÷ 8 pounds dry matter per pound of gain). At a value of gain of 70 cents per pound, the beef gain is worth $132 per acre. There is

obviously no cost for fertilizer or application in this situation.

If you apply 100 pounds actual nitrogen per acre, the cattle should consume about 3,500 pounds of dry matter forage per acre (4,000 pounds produced - 500 pounds not grazed). This will result in a gain of 438 pounds of beef per acre (3,500 pounds dry matter forage consumed ÷ 8 pounds dry matter per pound of gain). At a value of 70 cents per pound, the gross gain value is $307 per acre. The cost of fertilizer plus application must be subtracted from this. At a fertilizer price of 82 cents per pound of actual nitrogen, the fertilizer cost for 100 pounds nitrogen per acre is $82 per acre. Add an application cost of $5 per acre, and the total cost of fertilization is $87 per acre. This makes the net value of the gain from fertilizer $220 per acre ($307 per acre gross - $87 per acre cost).

The short story is that applying 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre to winter pasture should generate $88 per acre more net revenue to the operation than not fertilizing the same field.

The Land & Livestock Post

Annual Forage Issue

Fertilizer still pays in this situ- the value of gain declines, that ation even though it is very ex- would greatly affect the quespensive.

The thing that makes fertilization profitable at this price is the very high value of gain. If

tion of profitability of fertilizing when prices are high.

SALE EACH SATURDAY

25

September 1, 2012

• The Land & Livestock Post

News Bison roaming without borders

By MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press

AP Photo/The St. Paul Pioneer Press, John Doman A young calf sticks close to its mother as they mill around the outskirts of a buffalo wallow at Blue Mounds State Park near Luverne, Minn.

Using genetics to save buffalo Continued from A22 work,” he said. “You put the feed out there, and they’re content.”

In a windshield pasture tour in late July, Leier explained that the herd is kept in an area of natural springs in the winter. They come up to a 115-acre pasture — sandy soil, formerly cropland — where they calve on their own. The best time is the first or second week of April, but all should be calved out by the end of May. “Every four or five days we come out and check them,” he said. “They’ll single themselves off in groups, and go off into the trees and bushes. We don’t see them for about six or seven days, and they come back with babies.”

The bison come in to be worked in an annual Thanksgiving weekend roundup. The whole family comes.

“We try to work them really slow, with the least amount of stress as possible,” Leier said.

Gate systems are run pneumatically, with an air compressor.

“One guy from one spot, here, can control six gates,” he said.

“For separating calves from

cows, it works real well. Usually they’ll come in by themselves because they only see one way to go. One guy walks on the catwalk above them.”

Leier said his long-term goal for his family is to become parttime teachers and full-time ranchers. He doubts either he or Anne will ever give up teaching entirely.

His mother, Rebecca, seems pleased with the whole arrangement. Kevin and Anne live a mile away, where they have 10 acres of their own.

In 2010, Kevin and Anne moved into a ranch house they relocated from a farmstead about 100 miles south in Woodworth. He’s fixing it up with a log cabin decor — the start of a new household.

The Leiers are philosophical about the whipsaw bison went through 10 years ago. They figure the industry encountered logical cycles of growth and change.

“Now they can’t kill enough animals to meet demand,” Kevin said. “It’s a whole different ballgame than it was in the late 1990s.”

BILLINGS, Mont. — Bison could roam year-round in large areas adjacent to Yellowstone National Park under a proposal released last month by Montana officials who want to further ease restrictions on the iconic, burly animals.

For decades migrating bison have been slaughtered or hazed back into the park to prevent them from passing the disease brucellosis to cattle.

The plan would allow the animals to remain year-round in the Hebgen Basin and surrounding areas of the Gallatin National Forest.

To the north, some bison would be allowed year-round in the Gardiner Basin.

Current rules allow some bison to migrate to grazing areas in Montana each winter. But they must return to the park each spring — a perennial source of

friction between conservationists who want more room for bison and ranchers who say they are a disease threat.

The proposed changes are certain to stoke the argument.

Some in the livestock industry already are lining up in opposition.

“They try to talk it down and say we’ve downgraded the disease,” said John Youngberg with the Montana Farm Bureau Federation. “There’s still brucellosis in those bison up there. It hasn’t gone away.”

Yellowstone has one of the largest and most geneticallypure bison populations in the world.

About 40 percent of the animals test positive for exposure to brucellosis, which can cause pregnant animals to miscarry their young.

No bison-to-cattle brucellosis transmissions have been recorded in the wild.

Under the administration of Gov. Brian Schweitzer, the state

has steadily ratcheted back its restrictions against the animals.

That’s allowed the animals to enter new areas and stretched out the date by which they are returned to the park.

Now the state wants to take that a step further, eliminating the May 15 deadline for bison to be returned to Yellowstone’s west side and, for bulls, the May 1 date for the north side.

Federal rules penalizing states with brucellosis infections in cattle have eased in recent years, partially defusing one of the main concerns about allowing bison on a broader landscape.

Yet many in the livestock industry remain adamant that bison pose a potential danger to cattle. They also bristle against the possibility of bison competing for grazing land and knocking over livestock fences.

A final decision could be made in time for the 2012-2013 winter, said Christian Mackay, executive officer for the Montana Department of Livestock.

Questions About Cattle Health?

Ask the Vet! Steve Wikse - Retired DVM Large Animal Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University

WIKSE

Submit your questions to: 10522 FM 2095 • Gause, Texas 77857 Billy Stein • 979.200.1300 billy@fluhartyfarms.net

26

P.O. Box 3000 Bryan, TX 77805 or jesse.wright@theeagle.com

The Land & Livestock Post

â&#x20AC;˘

September 1, 2012

27

• The Land & Livestock Post September 1, 2012

News

Cooperating to save the Texas bison herd

By Donnis Baggett Special to The Post

QUITAQUE — No one’s sure about the origin of the name Quitaque, but some say it was an Indian term meaning “end of the trail.”

During Texas’ pioneer days, Comanche war parties gathered here after raids on the settlements and sold their captives to Comanchero traders. Quitaque became literally the end of the trail for terrified mothers and their children as they were separated and sold into slavery.

The region where the tableflat High Plains crumble and tumble a thousand feet to meet the rolling plains of northwest Texas was almost the end of the trail for the American plains bison as well. But instead it would become a new trailhead for the buffalo, and a century and a half later, America’s iconic mammal is thriving again.

On the morning of July 4, a buffalo bull in the prime of life celebrated Independence Day in a big way. He lay panting heavily beside a young heifer, clearly in a state of happy exhaustion.

For two days he had followed her with a glazed look in his eye and loving on his mind. Now, as the Texas Parks & Wildlife pickup approached slowly across the rangeland, he curled his upper lip and uttered a long, low bawl — an ominous blend of growl, grunt and roar.

That brought a smile to the face of Donald Beard, 45, superintendent of Caprock Canyons

State Park. “He’s telling us not to get too close to his girl,” Beard said.

Covering 15,000 acres, remote Caprock Canyons is Texas’ fourth-largest state park, but one that’s not particularly well known.

“We’re kind of a secret. A lot of folks call us a hidden gem,” Beard said.

This region 90 miles northwest of Lubbock and 90 miles southeast of Amarillo was the undisputed territory of the Indian and the buffalo for centuries.

In the late 1800s that era came to a rapid and violent end with the Indian wars and the arrival of buffalo hide hunters.

Around that time, pioneer cattleman and Texas Ranger Charles Goodnight established the JA Ranch, which sprawled between Quitaque and Palo Duro Canyon, about 40 miles to the northwest.

After running out of buffalo to shoot farther north, the hide hunters turned their guns on the southern herd with gruesome efficiency. Goodnight’s wife, Mary Ann, was tormented by the bawling of orphaned bison calves as she lay in bed at night. She urged her husband to capture a few calves to save them, and he did.

Before the great western migration began, an estimated 30 million to 70 million plains bison roamed North America.

By the time the Goodnights saved their buffalo calves, less than a thousand head remained.

The buffalo is the poster child of survival, however, and slowly but surely the Goodnight bison

— along with handfuls of others saved by private ranchers elsewhere on the Great Plains — pulled the species from the brink of extinction.

As the years passed, offspring of the Goodnight herd went to the Bronx Zoo, to Yellowstone and elsewhere to build other herds and bison numbers rebounded remarkably. Now there are about 500,000 in North America, the overwhelming majority of them under the stewardship of private ranchers.

But a few years ago there was another near miss for the Panhandle herd.

After generations of inbreeding, remnants of the Goodnight herd that had remained in the Caprock region began to suffer from infertility.

“From 1872 on, they never had any influence from outside of these canyons,” Beard said. “Scientists said we had to do something or we were going to lose these really cool animals that

had unique genetics not found anywhere else in the world.”

By 2008, the herd’s calf crop had dropped to zero, and the Goodnight animals — which by then had been donated to the state and became the official Texas state herd — was threatened with extinction once again.

Thanks to the teamwork of government, higher education and yet another high-profile private rancher, that didn’t happen.

New blood obviously was needed, but not just any new blood would do.

Determined to preserve genetic characteristics unique to the southern herd, James Derr of Texas A&M University helped Parks & Wildlife find descendants of Goodnight animals that had been shipped to other ranges long ago.

Tests showed bison at Ted Turner’s Vermejo Ranch in New Mexico were genetic descendants of some Goodnight animals shipped to Yellowstone

in 1902, whose descendants later were moved to New Mexico.

Turner donated four bulls to Parks & Wildlife, and the party was on.

“We went from zero calves in 2008 to 19 calves in 2009,” Beard said, smiling again.

So it was that the Texas herd avoided extinction once again.

The park will commemorate that victory Sept. 14-16, with its second annual Bison Celebration Days.

Events will include 19thcentury living history encampments, a barbecue cookoff, artifact exhibitions, craft vendors and a concert by Asleep at the Wheel. Proceeds will go toward sustaining the park.

Beard hopes Texans will descend on Quitaque to toast the health of their state herd — and celebrate the fact private ranchers helped save the buffalo not once, but twice.

“That’s pretty cool to think about, without a doubt,” he said.

Free Consultation on Federally Subsidized PRF Drought Insurance Specifically Designed For Livestock and Hay Producers • Primarily insures against drought, covers grazingland and perennial hay production • Producers can insure acres that are important to your operation, not all acres are required • Highly subsidized by USDA making it affordable to you and creating a HIGH RATE of Return • All rainfall averages based on 63 years of NOAA & National Weather Service data • No premium due until October 1, 2013

Deadline - November 15th

Let’s sit down and customize a plan for your operation.

You need to know all of your options

28

We also sell Crop Insurance

Ag Southwest Ranch Insurance 866-936-2767 www.agsouthwest.com

The Land & Livestock Post

Good Luck Aggies!

• September 1, 2012

Jon Hildebrand

Endorsed by R.C. Slocum

www.caldwellcountry.com

800 Presidential Corridor East Hwy 21, Caldwell, Texas 77836 (Sales) M-F 8:30am-7pm Sat 8:30am-7pm (Service) M-F 7:30am-5:30pm • Sat 8am-1pm (Parts) M-F 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 8am-1pm

Email: Sales@caldwellcountry.com Toll Free: 800-299-SAVE 979-567-1500

29

30

September 1, 2012

â&#x20AC;˘ The Land & Livestock Post

The Land & Livestock Post

Graze Greener Grass!

•

“We have been using Marshall ryegrass for 3 years and it has really done great for us in our stocker operation. Compared to wheat that we used in the past, we get more grazing days and better gains since our cattle don’t bog down like they do in wheat.

We had gains of 3 pounds per day this year.

As custom grazers, the more days of grazing you get and the more pounds you put on, the better your bottom line. We have dropped cereal grains (wheat) from our grazing program because with Marshall, you make more dollars per acre.”

Shannon Davis Shannon Davis Dairies Winnsboro Livestock and Dairy Auction Yantis, Texas

Billy Dan Watson Leonard, Texas

September 1, 2012

“Marshall has performed better for us year in and year out than any other ryegrass or cereal grain we have tried.

It is so much more productive than summer grasses and is the one forage that has helped us survive these past few years.

The Marshall we cut for baleage made over 9,000 pounds per acre. We can feed cheaper feeds, but we cannot get the economical production that we get from Marshall.

Times have changed and forages are becoming even more important in livestock operations, Marshall is our choice to keep us competitive and profitable. It is the best.”

Marshall and Jackson...

America’s #1 Ryegrasses!

*

BWI Companies Texarkana 800 442 8443 • Schulenburg 800 460 9713 Dallas 800 752 6632 The Wax Company 888 CALL WAX ®

Since 1898

*For grazing. According to university grazing studies - AL AR LA MS ©2012 The Wax Company, LLC

31

32

September 1, 2012

â&#x20AC;˘ The Land & Livestock Post