March March2016 2016——Issue Issue11
Pulling the trigger
How to determine when to destock PAGE 12
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BRYAN, TX 77802 PERMIT # 23
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JAMES THOMPSON FANNING THE FLAMES
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JAMES THOMPSON SADDDLE UP FOR EASTER
JAMES THOMPSON CLIMBING HIGHER
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March 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News From the General Manager
T
his is a special edition of the Land & Livestock Post. Now, I know you probably save every issue — and I can’t blame you since my picture is in every one — but, be sure to put this one in a safe place, because this is our first Leap Year issue. Now, technically, it is the March 1 issue, but the actual publish date in the books is Feb. 29. Now, I did not fact-check or anything, JESSE WRIGHT but I am certain we have not had a Leap Year Issue in the past three years or so. If this issue is not the first-ever published on Feb. 29, then it is for sure the first in recent memory. If anyone out there can prove me wrong, I welcome you. In fact, if you can and do prove me wrong, I’ll send you an autographed copy of this year’s Leap Year Issue — which I’m sure you will cherish. If you go through that much trouble to find out, then you are a bigger fan of the Land & Livestock Post than even I am and an autographed copy of such a rare issue surely would be a prized possession. We will see in the weeks to
come if I get called out on this or not. In this day and age, it’s tough to float a pretty-certain certainty out there and get away with it. You have to make sure you’re in an area with no wi-fi or data service these days if you really want to tell some good whoppers. One thing you don’t want to lie to yourself about is your stocking rate. When it’s good, it’s really good. But you have to watch out and look for several triggers that could suggest it’s time to cut back. In our cover story we take a look at these triggers, and how to recognize them and use them effectively in your operation. In this issue we also have news about upcoming sales, workshops and events, as well as information from around the ag industry. Hope you enjoy it and, as always, thanks for reading. ’Til next time,
• For more information about content or advertising,contact Jesse Wright at jesse.wright@theeagle.com.
Workshop offers online drought decision aid By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
FREDERICKSBURG — A workshop on how to use an online decision aid to assist in mitigating drought losses is scheduled March 2. The workshop will be at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office for Gillespie County, 95 Frederick Road in Fredericksburg. Attendees will receive an on-
line demonstration of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Risk Management Agency pasture and rangeland tool. The workshop will be held from 1-3 p.m. Cost is $10 and one general continuing education unit will be offered for Texas Department of Agriculture license holders. Individuals are asked to bring their license number with them to register. For more information, call 830997-3452.
The Land & Livestock Post
March 2016 — Issue 1
3
News
Taking ground-penetrating research to new crops By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists soon will be looking deep beneath agricultural row crops to determine what makes them stronger, higher yielding and more adaptable, as well as what they offer in the area of climate change mitigation. Dirk Hays, AgriLife Research plant geneticist in the soil and crop sciences department at College Station, will lead a project: “Ground-Penetrating Radar for Enhanced Root and Soil Organic Carbon Imaging.” The project is funded by a $4.6 million, threeyear grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. This segment of the federal department, according to the grant, funds technologies that show technical promise and potential for commercial impact, but are too early in their research and development for private-sector investment. Specifically, Hays said, the Department of Energy is interested in how large biomass root systems can contribute to the building of root-derived soil organic matter while sequestering and allowing carbon dioxide to be stored in the ground and used for climate change mitigation. Hays said his past research has used ground-penetrating radar to phenotype roots in wheat, sorghum, cowpeas and other crops. On Feb. 1, he and a team of AgriLife Research and Texas A&M University scientists started looking at high biomass energy crops, specifically perennial sorghums and millets. “We have not been able to use ground-penetrating radar or any other nondestructive system to select for ideal root systems in the past,” he said. “[Ground-penetrating radar] has only minimally been used in crop systems. So this will be the first large body of work using ground-penetrating radar for crop root systems.
4
Special to The Post
This IDS Georadar Pegasus:Stream combines both a 40 antenna multi-array ground-penetrating radar with 200 and 600 Mhz antenna with a Leica Pegasus terrestrial laser scanner for simultaneous above and below ground three-dimensional imaging. It is an example of the instrument to be developed by the Texas A&M University and IDS Georadar team to image both above ground foliar and below ground biomass root structure simultaneously. “We know it has limitations to see fine roots in heavier soils, but our goal is to take the technology as far as we can to see finer structure and at deeper depths.” Through the project, AgriLife Research is tasked with developing ground-penetrating radar antenna arrays for three-dimensional root and soil organic carbon imaging and quantification, he said. Other AgriLife Research and Texas A&M scientists at College Station on the project include Russell Jessup, perennial grass breeder; Frank Hons, soil scientist; Nithya Rajan, agronomist; Haly Neely, soil scientist; Ben Wu, rangeland ecologist; Michael Bishop, geosciences professor; and Ron Lacey, biological and agricultural engineering professor. Outside major collaborators are Alexander Novo and Enrico Boi with IDS Georadar, the manufacturer of the groundpenetrating radar equipment to be used, and Dean Goodman with Geophysical Acheometry Laboratory in California, who is responsible for developing the software for analyzing the data gathered by the radar. Hays said the visualization of root traits in soils could enable breeders to select climate-resilient bioenergy and other row crops that provide higher yields, require fewer inputs, improve soil health and promote carbon sequestration through increased root-derived soil organic matter. There are existing instruments, but they are not designed
See IMAGING, Page 5
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March 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News Imaging, from Page 4 for row crop root imaging, he said. There is a need to optimize the frequency of the radar and the geometry or multi-array radar antennas and make crop-root GPRs commercially available. “Previously, we’ve worked with smaller root systems. Now we’re looking at the larger mass root systems,” Hays said. “We need to build on the methodology
of analyzing these root systems. “If we can image them nondestructively, we can actually breed for the traits that make the plants more adaptive to Texas conditions.” he said. The crops for the project will be planted in the College Station, Beeville, Lubbock and Stephenville areas to provide opportunities to measure root systems in
See ROOT, Page 15
SALE EACH SATURDAY Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo
Russ Jessup will grow high-biomass perennial millet crops such as this for the study with ground-penetrating radar.
Circle Land and Cattle Co., Ltd.
Proud Members of
Bobcat Bottoms Ranch • Persimmon Creek Ranch • Camp Cooley Ranch Spring Valley Ranch • Windy Hill Ranch • Vista Ridge Ranch
Located just off Hwy. 6 and OSR 1415 East OSR • Bryan • (979) 776-5760 • Steve: (979) 450-0819
The Land & Livestock Post
March 2016 — Issue 1
www.circlexbrangus.com 5
News Consider ‘mob grazing’ By HugH Aljoe The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
Allan Savory states in his book Holistic Management that stock density is the most under-utilized tool in grazing management, implying that most graziers have yet to experience the full range of benefits possible from this tool. There are reasons for this; primarily, they have not taken time to use this tool at the ultra-high level. In recent years, however, a few graziers have begun tapping into the potential of “mob grazing,” or ultra-high stock density grazing, touting its benefits in the popular press and stirring up interest and questions from livestock producers. For those who are considering giving ultra-high stock density grazing a try, here are a few precautions to ponder before you proceed.
Not for novice graziers
One needs to have the infra-
TE PRIVA Y T A E TR
rk An a l C
structure in place to manage the entire herd in close proximity. You need to have adequate pen and corral space, adequate drinking water and recharge capabilities, adequate fencing with quality energizer to carry electricity to extremities of property, plenty of temporary electric fence supplies and appropriate equipment to quickly deploy it — and some experience in managed multipaddock grazing.
Start with a goal
With grazing, the focus is often on the landscape (herd impact), but there also should be emphasis on livestock performance. You don’t have to sacrifice performance to achieve landscape goals. Determine what the important outcomes are and how they will be measured. Monitoring instruments include grazing records, other observational records, photo points, soil samples and range-
See GRAZING, Page 11 CARC ASS DATA
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CODY THOMPSON, MGR. WEBSITE: clarkangus.com EMAIL: clarkangus.aol.com
March 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News Obamacare frustrates agriculture industry By April DemBosky Special to The Post
The Affordable Care Act is putting the agricultural industry in a tizzy. Many contractors who provide farm labor and now must offer workers health insurance are complaining loudly about the cost in their already low-margin business. Some also are concerned that the forms they must file with the federal government under the Affordable Care Act will bring immigration problems to the fore. About half of the farm labor workforce in the U.S. is undocumented. “There’s definitely going to be some repercussions to it,” said
Jesse Sandoval, a farm labor contractor based in Stockton, California. “I think there’s going to be some things that cannot be ignored.” Sandoval came to an educational conference for farm labor contractors — essentially staffing agencies for field workers — held at the San Joaquin County Agricultural Center in Stockton, California, in the fall. Men with broad shoulders, wearing denim jackets and cowboy hats, sat in the audience, listening to lectures on a litany of laws and rules regulating their industry, including Obamacare’s employer mandate. Last year, employers with 100
See HEALTH, Page 8
GRAHAM
SATURDAY
April 2, 2016 • Noon Groesbeck Auction & Livestock Co., Groesbeck, TX (Located 2 miles east of Groesbeck on Hwy. 164)
Cattle available to view online, Thursday, March 24th
www.johnsoncattlemarketing.com
Selling 1,400 HEAD
of Quality Replacement Females including Pairs, Bred Cows, Bred & Open Heifers. Certified F1s, True F1s, Brangus, Hereford, Brahman and other premium quality replacements. This is a very choice set of replacement cattle consigned by leading commmercial ranches throughout Texas. Cattle will be palpated and sold in uniformly sorted groups to fit any cattleman’s needs.
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 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
The Land & Livestock Post
J
N
OHNSO CATTLE MARKETING Tom Johnson
440 FM 246 • Wortham, TX 76693 903-599-2403 •Mobile 817-291-5121
March 2016 — Issue 1
Motel Accommodations Groesbeck - Quality Inn & Suites, 254/729-0077 Days Inn & Suites, 254/729-3335 Express Inn & Suites, 254/729-3017 MEXIA MOTEL - Comfort Inn, 254/562-0005
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News Health, from Page 7 or more full-time employees had to offer health insurance to their workers or pay a stiff penalty. This year, employers with 50 to 99 full-time employees must comply. Sandoval has about 100 workers on his payroll. When farmers need a crew to pick cherries, pumpkins or asparagus, they call him to send the workers. He has to offer them insurance this year, and he’s smarting over the price tag. At $300 a month per employee, he’s looking at a $30,000 monthly bill. Sandoval said he can’t absorb the hit. “The numbers aren’t there,” he said. “My margin is 10 percent, and I have to increase expenses 10 percent? Well, that doesn’t work.” So, like a lot of contractors, he’s passing the bill on to the farmers, who in turn are passing the bill on to the farmworkers. Under the Affordable Care Act, employees can be asked to contribute 9.5 percent of their income toward health premiums. But for farmworkers who pick oranges or peaches for $10 an hour, that’s still too much. Agostin Garcia of Fresno, California, said the two contractors he works for near Fresno offered him insurance directly. But when he saw the price tag, he turned them both down. “For me, I’m the only one in my house who works,” he said. “There’s five of us in the family. It just wouldn’t work. Either I pay for health insurance, or I pay the rent and utilities.” Garcia said only a fraction of his co-workers have signed up for coverage. He said when farm labor contractors hand out packets explaining the coverage, the page where workers reject it is right on top. “I think they do it intentionally,” Garcia said. “They comply with the laws by saying, ‘I offered.’ But they know that nobody’s going to accept it, they know that nobody’s going to pay those amounts.” The cost isn’t the only thing about Obamacare stressing people out in the ag industry. Some are worried about immigration problems. Employers have to file
8
new health care forms with the IRS for all their workers, whether or not they accept the insurance. Attorney Kaya Bromley said this will make it harder for some contractors to turn a blind eye when workers give them fraudulent documents. “Now that there’s more transparency because of all of the reporting, I think we’re going to have a lot more data on how many illegal or undocumented workers we have,” she said. Bromley said among the contractors for whom she consults, she has seen a range of quasilegal and even illegal strategies to sidestep the health law. “I have heard of employees who are choosing to opt out because they want to fly under the radar. I have also heard of employers who are urging the opt-out or at least encouraging it,” she said. “And I warn all of them that they are going to be in big trouble.” Farm labor contractors say they’re stuck in a Catch-22. Technically, immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally aren’t eligible for Obamacare benefits. But employers can’t admit that any of their employees may be working illegally, so they have to offer the insurance or face stiff fines from the IRS, maybe even a discrimination claim. “It’s huge. And no one’s talking about the enormity of it,” Bromley said. “When it plays out, and the penalties start getting assessed, that’s when people will start having religion about it.” Golinda Vela Chavez helps run a contracting company in Salinas, Calif. For her, talk of Obamacare mainly brings up frustration with the country’s complicated immigration system. Contractors wonder how they’re supposed to comply with the health care law when there’s still so much contradiction in the immigration system. The Affordable Care Act is a cookie cutter, she said, and the complexities of the farming industry just don’t fit. • KaiserHealthNewsisanationalhealth policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
SPRING PRODUCTION SALE Saturday, March 5, 2016 • 12:00 Noon • at the Ranch BULL OFFERING 35 2-Year-Old Hereford Bulls • 35 Spring Bulls 16-18 Months Old HEIFERS
HEIFERS
20 Registered Hereford Heifers
20 F-1 B X H Bred Heifers
Bred to LBW Hereford Bulls for Spring
Out of W4 Ranch Registered Hereford Cows and J.D. Hudgins Brahman Bulls; Bred to LBW Brangus Bulls
50 Registered Hereford Heifers
40 F-1 B X H Open Heifers
All Bred to LBW Hereford Bulls to be Fall Calvers
Out of W4 Ranch Registered Hereford Cows and J.D. Hudgins Brahman Bulls
40 Commercial Hereford Heifers
45 F-1 B X H Heifers
Bred to LBW Brangus Bulls to be Fall Calvers
Selling heavy bred to LBW Angus bulls and out of purebred Brahman cows and sired by W4 Ranch Hereford Bulls
Please join us Friday, March 4th for a Steak Dinner & Entertainment
Watch for our Catalog Online at w4ranch.com Registered Herefords & Certified F-1s Bosque County - Since 1961 Office (254) 635-4444 Jeff Chaffin, Ranch Manager Mobile (254) 396-2785 email: jeff@w4ranch.com P.O. Box 9 • Morgan, TX 76671 Joe Walker / General Mgr-Owner Joey Walker / Owner-Member
Sale managed by
W4 Steele Creek Ranch FM 927, Morgan, Texas
FM 927
Morgan
CATTLE MARKETING
Tom Johnson
Cleburne 174
JOHNSON 440 FM 246 Wortham, Texas 76693 (903) 599-2403 Mobile (817) 291-5121 tom@johnsoncattlemarketing.com
Alvarado
Hillsboro
Meridian
March 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News Good management is the key to maximizing corn yields By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
AMARILLO — While producers cannot control the environment during the growing season, they can control the agronomics and irrigation, said Jourdan Bell, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agronomist in Amarillo. Bell, speaking at the High Plains Irrigation Conference and Trade Show recently, said good irrigation will not compensate for bad agronomic management practices, and vice versa. “In corn, irrigation scheduling is necessary to supplement the seasonal water demands of the crop because in-season precipitation is generally not sufficient to meet the crop water requirement on the Texas High Plains,” she said. “While crop water use is driven by environmental demands, agronomic management can also affect water management,” Bell said. “It is important producers realize there is a synergy between agronomics and irrigation to reach yield goals. Efficient water use equals yield, and yield equals money.” Bell outlined a list of corn hybrid characteristics that producers should consider. Crop water use can be maximized with hybrid selections, she said. Knowledge of the hybrid characteristics offered, such as maturity, drought tolerance, ear flex, leaf orientation and “staygreen” are important. Bell said Qingwu Xue, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research crop stress physiologist in Amarillo, studied drought-tolerant hybrids using three different irrigation regimes. He determined that 30 inches of seasonal crop water use is about the maximum needed. “He started seeing the yields decline after that,” she said, adding some producers trying to get maximum yields may be overwatering. Bell said with traditional hybrids, as water-use decreases,
Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo
Corn ear response to two different in-season irrigation treatments. yield decreases. The droughttolerant hybrids, however, seem to partition the water more efficiently and yields do not decrease as rapidly. Heat tolerance is another hybrid trait producers should be aware of, she said. Heat tolerance in corn is not the same as drought tolerance. High temperatures can damage exposed silks and pollen. While pollen shed occurs in the morning naturally allowing the plant to escape high daytime heat, there are still specific hy-
The Land & Livestock Post
brids better suited to areas with higher morning temperatures, Bell said. “Even across the Panhandle, we normally see up to 10 degrees differences in morning temperatures that can affect fertilization,” she said. “This can be managed with hybrid selection and planting date.” Corn hybrids also offer three ear traits – fixed ear, semi-flex ear and flex ear – which reference ear size, Bell said. Ear flex or size can affect yield and can be detrimental, if the right one
March 2016 — Issue 1
for the management practices is not selected. Fixed-ear corn kernel numbers will remain fairly stable, but it allows the producer to plant at a higher population to optimize yield, she said. Semi-flex ear maintains the ear size in high populations and can flex up or get bigger to preserve yields at lower populations. The flex ear offers producers the ability to flex according to in-season growing conditions and inputs. “However,” Bell warned, “this is where producers can get in trouble if they try to plant high populations. They could end up with small ears when they flex the wrong way due to competition for resources.” She said the leaf orientation trait can also be important according to a producer’s management practices. An upright leaf will maximize high population, while a pendulum hybrid will have a canopy that closes much earlier to minimize soil moisture evaporation. The semi-upright leaf provides the best of both worlds, allowing sunlight to penetrate the canopy. This can be important for a producer depending on population and row spacing. It’s also important for producers to manage their stay-green traits, she said. Stay-green allows the plant to continue to photosynthesize under drought, but it also enhances deeper kernel set, longer duration of grain filling and a better test weight. “But in order to get the most
of the stay-green trait, you have to manage nitrogen,” Bell said. “Green leaves need nitrogen.” She advised that while some producers put all their nitrogen up front, they might want to reconsider. Optimally, a producer might consider splitting their fertilizer three or four ways, she said. A post-tassel fertilizer application around the blister stage allows for the plant to stay green, which increases kernel set and yield. “If you have the ‘racehorse’ environment — plenty of water and fertile soil — then you are able to push populations with a fixed ear hybrid,” she said. “If you are in a drought environment, select a pendulum-leaf type to enhance canopy closure and minimize evaporative losses from the soil, and then plant lower populations in order to use flex-ear hybrids to maximize yields. With variable soils, you might want a semi-upright leaf and semi-flex ear.” Bell said there are many good hybrids on the market, and while yield trials give producers an idea of a hybrid’s potential, it is important that producers work with their seed dealers to position hybrids to their specific growing conditions. She also reminded the producers that crop yield begins at planting, and can be affected by conditions such as soil temperature, soil moisture, seed-tosoil contact, planting speed and populations.
3390 Winbrook Dr. Memphis, TN 38116
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News Work starts on ScottsMiracle-Gro Facility at A&M By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
COLLEGE STATION — Construction is starting on the ScottsMiracle-Gro Facility for
Lawn and Garden Research on the Texas A&M University campus, after the recent renewal of an agreement between Texas A&M AgriLife and The Scotts Company LLC.
LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT Brazos Valley
Results of the Brazos Valley Livestock Commission’s Feb. 9 sale. Head: 692 Steers: 200-300 lbs.,$215-$275; 300-400 lbs., $195-$240; 400-500 lbs., $175-$215; 500-600 lbs., $150-$188; 600-700 lbs., $145$165; 700-800 lbs., $142-$150. Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $185$225; 300-400 lbs., $175-$210; 400-500 lbs., $150-$185; 500600 lbs., $138-$162; 600-700 lbs., $125-$145; 700-800 lbs., $126-$138. Slaughter bulls: $82-$92.50. Slaughter cws: $60-$84.50. Bred cows: $900-$1,650. Cow/calf pairs: $1,425-$1,700.
Buffalo
Results of the Buffalo Livestock Commission’s Feb. 6 sale. Head: 608 Steers: 150-200 lbs., $225$340; 200-300 lbs., $245-$300; 300-400 lbs., $215-$240; 400500 lbs., $165-$225; 500-600 lbs., $155-$185; 600-700 lbs., $140-$177; 700-800 lbs., $135$150. Heifers: 150-200 lbs., $235$330; 200-300 lbs., $200-$250; 300-400 lbs., $165-$210; 400-500 lbs., $145-$195; 500-600 lbs., $135-$170; 600-700 lbs.,$130$165; 700-800 lbs., $120-$140. Slaughter bulls: $87-$115. Slaughter cows: $44-$83. Bred cows: $1,100-$1,700. Cow/calf pairs: $1,275-$2,500.
Caldwell
Results of the Brazos Valley Livestock Commission’s Feb. 10 sale. Head: 313 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $225$350; 300-400 lbs., $200-$230;
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400-500 lbs., $180-$225; 500-600 lbs., $170-$185; 600-700 lbs., $145-$165. Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $210$235; 300-400 lbs., $185-$200; 400-500 lbs., $160-$185; 500-600 lbs., $145-$160; 600-700 lbs., $140-$162. Slaughter bulls: $85-$100. Slaughter cows: $60-$85.
Groesbeck
Results of the Groesbeck Auction and Livestock Company’s Feb. 11 sale. Head: 402 Steers: 300-400 lbs., $200-$255; 400-500 lbs., $175-$220; 500-600 lbs., $155-$187; 600-700 lbs., $140-$178. Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $190$215; 400-500 lbs., $145-$190; 500-600 lbs., $140-$175; 600-700 lbs., $135-$160. Slaughter bulls: $93-$105. Slaughter cows: $60-$86. Bred cows: $1,000-$2,100. Cow/calf pairs: $1,300-$2,200.
Renewal of a master research agreement and the initiation of a master service agreement will continue a strong partnership to address many challenges and opportunities in Texas and the region, said Richard White, Texas A&M Agri Life Research turfgrass management scientist in College Station. The location already includes a new surface water runoff facility built specifically to look at issues associated with water conservation, irrigation scheduling and water quality preservation, variety plots for turf selection and management, pest management, nutrient management, and new technology and educational demonstrations. Their newest project will be the construction of buildings to house turfgrass maintenance equipment, provide lab space to support water quality and other research, provide office space for faculty and staff, and provide meeting space for seminars, short courses and other educational activities, White said. The project is expected to be completed in midNovember in time for the annual fall turf and landscape field day.
Rio Ranch
Navasota
Results of the Navasota Livestock Commission’s Feb. 6 sale. Head: 1,004 Steers 150-300 lbs., $160-$375; 300-400 lbs., $150-$245; 400-500 lbs., $140-$230; 500-600 lbs., $135-$165; 600-700 lbs., $125$179. Heifers: 150-300 lbs., $170$325; 300-400 lbs., $140-$215; 400-500 lbs., $130-$180; 500600 lbs., $130-$176; 600-700 lbs., $120-$150. Slaughter bulls: $75-$107. Slaughter cows: $45-$82. Bred cows: $800-$1,550 Cow/calf pairs: $1,200-$1,675. — Special to The Post
Good Selection of Charolais & Brangus bulls for Sale! Scott Milligan - Manager
39606 FM 1736 West • Hempstead, TX 77445 806.683.6435 • scottm@rioranchtx.com
March 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News Grazing, from Page 6 land health tools, grazing exclosures, livestock production measures, etc.
Grazing intensity
Grazing intensity actually should decrease and the residual material should increase but with a high proportion of it left at or on the soil surface due to herd impact. Grasses should be top-grazed, taking the upper one-third of the plant in most instances. Cattle are moved to fresh grazing areas frequently, with multiple moves per day. Due to herd impact, recovery periods usually are longer thus lengthening grazing cycles, especially areas impacted during wet periods.
Forage quantity
Set the initial stocking rate conservatively based on forage availability. Increase stocking rate only after forage produc-
tion increases measurably. It is a good practice to learn how to apply UHSD grazing on something less than the whole. It doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” approach. Cattle have to learn, too; it takes them a couple of weeks to adapt their grazing behavior to fit UHSD grazing. Best livestock performance occurs when a consistent routine is established.
No “magical” value
There is much ado in popular trade magazines about grazing at stock densities exceeding 1 million pounds of live animal per acre. At that stock density, the cattle have to be moved multiple times per hour per grazing period. One needs to fit ultra-high stock density grazing to their operation, management plan and labor capabilities. Implement ultra-high stock density grazing on areas where you want
herd impact when convenient to management. grazing is a management tool, an approach to managing livestock on a land resource area that allows herd impact to be the catalyst for a beneficial outcome. It is not a system to replace management deficiencies. Ultra-high stock density grazing requires the best of management to achieve both landscape and animal performance goals. It is an adjustable tool to be used with a high degree of skill and flexibility. When beginning ultra-high stock density grazing, there will be much trial and error — and much to learn. For more information about ultra-high stock density grazing, read Holistic Management by Allan Savory.
Aljoe’s Definition
Ultra-high stock density grazing is the management tool of grazing livestock in much high-
er than normal concentrations to achieve landscape-focused objectives with the long-term goal of enhancing soils, forages and livestock production. It is usually expressed in pounds of live-weight per acre at a given moment in time. Depending on the environment and forages, ultra-high stock densities are usually in excess of 100,000 pounds of animal live-weight per acre with some graziers
exceeding 1 million pounds per acre thus requiring multiple moves to fresh pasture daily.
Brazos Valley Livestock Brazos Valley Livestock Commission, Inc. Commission, Inc.
Sales: Tuesdays @ 12 Noon 6097 East Hwy. 21 • Bryan, TX
(979) 778-0904
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30X60X12 EAVE 1-10X10 FO ALL GALVALUME $ 6495.00 +TAX
Saturday, March 19, 2016 • SALE 12 NOON
COWS • HEIFERS • BULLS BREDS • PAIRS • OPEN CATTLE FEMALES REQUIRED TO BE 6YRS OR YOUNGER
For more information: Four County Auction 979–357-2545 or call Don Dreyer 979-830-3959
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SPRING CATTLE SALE
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March 2016 — Issue 1
11
News
Signs it’s time to trim the herd Triggers for destocking By RoBeRt FeaRs Special to The Post
R
ain fell in areas east of Interstate 35 within the past three or four months, but that doesn’t mean dry weather is gone forever. Drought is a recurring event and flexible grazing plans are a good tool for protecting ranch profits from moisture deficits. The ability to recognize triggers for destocking is required for successful flexible grazing. The biggest detriment to forage production on pastures is overgrazing. When forage is grazed to the ground, leaf material required for manufacture of carbohydrates is removed. This makes it difficult for plants to regrow foliage resulting in a very slow recovery of pastures. Carbohydrates are manufactured in plant leaves through a photosynthesis process in which light energy from the sun is used to make sugars and starches from chlorophyll. The starches and sugars are necessary for the plant’s functions and growth. Perennial plants store carbohydrates in their roots and crown at the end of the growing season for restarting growth at the beginning of the next growing season. In overgrazed pastures, perennials constantly are required to draw from carbohydrate reserves to produce new growth. Once the reserves are depleted, the plant dies. This is why it is important to know when to destock to avoid overgrazing. J. Alfonso Ortega of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University – Kingsville said, “The three most important variables to monitor in range management are: • Rainfall or moisture • Quantity and quality of the standing forage crop
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Weaning and selling calves early is one method of destocking. Producers need to learn the triggers on when to trim herd size due to impending drought. On the cover: Bare ground is a big detriment to forage production. • Animal body condition scores. “Monitoring these variables and establishing triggers for each of them will help to be proactive when making management decisions rather than reactive.”
Rainfall
“It is important to measure and record daily rainfall on your land because it can be different from ranch to ranch and may vary within the property. The amount of annual rainfall has a big impact on forage production, but the time of occurrence has a greater influence. Learn when rainfall usually occurs in your area and how much can be expected. “If less than the expected amount is
received, you have the first trigger for destocking. There are several ways to destock: reducing the number of animals on the pasture by culling or moving some or all of the cattle to a different pasture with sufficient forage. “Since forage production is not uniform through the year, it is important to determine the months in which it occurs,” Ortega said. “In South Texas, close to 50 percent of the forage production potential for the year occurs from March to May; therefore, rainfall received from January to May needs to be monitored and analyzed to determine if there is enough moisture for pastures to grow. “If we don’t receive at least five inches
March 2016 — Issue 1
Photos by Robert Fears
of properly distributed rainfall in Kingsville from January to May, we know that plants are not going to reach their potential productivity. We know this even before estimating forage production. Reduced rainfall is the first alarm,” Ortega said. “A similar situation occurs during September and October when about 23 percent of the annual forage production occurs,” Ortega said. “Accumulated rainfall from August to October is the primary factor affecting fall forage production. “The first red flag that could trigger a destocking decision is the amount and
See DESTOCK, Page 13
The Land & Livestock Post
News Photo by Robert Fears
Clipping inside plot frames is the most accurate way of measuring current amount of standing forage.
Destock, from Page 12 distribution of rainfall occurring at least a month before and during the periods when maximum forage production occurs. Each rancher should determine the minimum amount
The Land & Livestock Post
March 2016 — Issue 1
of rainfall that is necessary for rangeland or pastures to reach expected productivity potential.”
Quantity and quality
The most useful way to use standing forage crop measurements is to estimate animal days of grazing per acre. Before
See TRIGGERS, Page 14
13
News
$5,350
$16,399
Photo by Robert Fears
Plants need leaves to promote growth. Overgrazing can prevent regrowth of the plants.
Triggers, from Page 13 making the estimates, however, the following questions need to be answered: • How much forage is standing? • When and how to measure the forage? • How much of the forage do we want to use? • What is the minimum amount of standing forage required for pasture recovery? Standing forage should be measured at the end of spring and fall growth periods and continually monitored by visual observation during the remainder of the year. Once you measure forage a few times, it becomes easier to accurately monitor its availability through visual observations. “Clipping inside plot frames is the most accurate way of measuring the current amount of standing forage,” said Jason Hohlt, Zone 4 rangeland management specialist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service in Bryan. “A plot clipping frame can be made from ¼-inch PVC pipe. A recommended size of 12 inches by 23 inches provides a 1.92 square foot area. Choose a very representative area in the pasture to clip. Everything
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rooted in the frame is clipped to ground level at enough locations to provide confidence that a representative sampling has been obtained. Weigh each sample using a gram scale and average the weights if more than one sample was collected. Next determine percent moisture of the sample either by estimation or drying,” Hohlt said. Rocky Lemus, Extension forage specialist at Mississippi State University, recommends drying forage in a microwave oven and determining the amount of dry matter using the following procedure: • Weigh approximately 50 to 100 grams of clipped forage onto a microwave-safe dish or container. Heat the sample for two minutes at full power and then reweigh it. • If forage does not feel completely dry, reheat it for 30 seconds. Reweigh it. Continue drying and weighing until backto-back weights are constant. Do not heat the forage to a point where it chars. If charring occurs, use the previous weight. • Calculate the average dry weight of all collected samples and convert to pounds per acre by multiplying the number of grams by 50. • To calculate moisture per-
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March 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News Root, from Page 5 different soil types. “We know ground-penetrating radar doesn’t work well in heavy clays; the ability to discriminate root-radar return signals versus heavy clay signals is difficult,” he said. “We hope our methodologies and ground-penetrating radar instrument design will help us quantify the root mass and structure better even in the heavier soils.” Hays explained that by quantifying the root production on different crops in different soils, researchers will be able to guide breeders and producers toward more efficient crops and management practices. “We know there are genetic lines with roots that are responsive to cultural practices,” he said. “We want plants with deeper, more adaptive root systems for later crop development. Under deficit irrigation, some genotypes will have roots that go deeper to find the moisture, while others won’t. If we can determine which ones are doing that, we can breed
AgriLife Extension conducting custom agricultural rate survey
Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo
The ground-penetrating radar will help researchers look at the rhyzomes and root systems of perennial sorghums without having to dig them up.
By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
A Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service survey to collect rates charged for custom agricultural operations is being distributed to select farmers, ranchers and landowners across Texas. Steven Klose, AgriLife Extension economist in College Station, said the survey is voluntary, but urges producers to respond as it provides a baseline of rates statewide and further assists with questions regarding specific custom-hire activities. Custom rates are assigned for activities done on the farm ranging from planting to harvesting operations. The survey will collect data on the following categories: tractor rental, tillage operations, planting operations, chemical and fertilizer application, custom harvesting, hay baling, land preparation, brush control and other miscellaneous operations or services. Only regional and state averages will be published, Klose said. Klose said, “While hard copies of the survey will be mailed to a limited group, anyone with knowledge of custom farm and ranch operations may participate online atagecoext.tamu.edu/crs2016. “
those traits. “T his requires our ability to image and quantify roots throughout the crop cycle using a non-destructive technology such as ground-penetrating radar.” In another study, Hays said adding either high rates or no phosphorus to a black-eyed pea crop made no difference in the root system, but adding just a trace amount made the root system significantly larger and deeper, which in turn made the plant more drought-resistant. “That happened to be geneticline specific, and likewise, root adaptation to drought stress is also likely common among most crops,” he said. “As such, if we can image with ground-penetrating radar, we can breed for that kind of trait more effectively and, in turn, reduce fertilizer and irrigation demands.”
Signs, from Page 14
The next step is to calculate the number of available animal days per acre. An animal unit consumes approximately 26 pounds of forage per day. Let’s assume we have 50 cows that collectively will consume 1,300 pounds of forage per day (50 X 26 = 1,300). If we estimate 4,000 pounds of forage per acre and there are 150 acres in the pasture, we have a total forage production of 600,000 pounds
(150 X 4,000 = 600,000). We want to use 25 percent which gives us 150,000 pounds of available forage (600,000 X 0.25 = 150,000). Dividing the amount of available forage by the daily herd consumption tells us that we have 115 grazing days in that particular pasture (150,000 ÷ 1,300 = 115). Events such as drought, grasshoppers or armyworms could change this number, so constant monitoring is necessary, Ortega said. “An important piece of information required for adjusting stocking rates is the potential forage production of a pasture or an ecological range site,” Ortega said. “What can we expect in terms of forage production in an average year? For an example, a Kleberg bluestem pasture may produce 4,500 pounds per acre of dry forage in an average rainfall year. If by June, at the end of the spring growing season, we do not receive five to six inches of properly distributed rain and a standing forage crop of 2,200 pounds per acre, we know there may not be more than 2,600 pounds of forage in October, even if we get 10 inches of rain in September. This is far below the potential forage productivity of 4,500 pounds per
The Land & Livestock Post
centage, subtract the last dry weight from the original wet weight and divide this number by the wet weight. Now multiply by 100. This is the moisture content of the sample. “After we determine the amount of standing forage, we need to answer questions” on how much forage to use and how much standing forage is needed for pasture recovery, Ortega said. “Utilizing 25 percent of the standing forage for cattle is the general recommendation. The minimum amount of standing forage required for recovery from grazing varies depending on the plant community and eco-region.”
March 2016 — Issue 1
acre and is a situation that should trigger the first destocking decision.” The next question is how much to destock? “That depends on how much standing crop you have and what is the target minimum amount of forage you want to maintain to allow recovery,” Ortega said. “Culling 20 to 25 percent of the mother cows might be appropriate. If the market is good, you might want to wean early and market all of your calves. Then in October when you measure the quantity of standing forage again, you will know how many animal units can be maintained without overusing the pasture.”
Body condition scores
It’s fairly easy to assess body condition scores when checking cattle and they are good indicators of forage quantity and quality. Body condition scores in cows should be maintained around 5 and they should be between 5 and 6 at calving. Heifers should have a body condition score of 6 when calving. Monitor cattle closely because once a cow drops a body condition score, it takes a lot of
feed to get her back to her original condition. “Supplementation may be used strategically when body condition scores start declining because of low forage quality,” Ortega said. “The quantity of available forage should be enough to fulfill dry matter requirements of the cattle and supplement should take care of the quality problem. We want the supplement to have an additive effect and under no circumstances, should it substitute for the lack of forage.” In order to survive droughts and to maintain pastures for long-term productivity, we must learn to recognize the triggers for destocking. Vacating a pasture at the correct target amount of residual forage protects the soil from erosion and increases water infiltration and retention when rain occurs. There is significant difference in plant growth following a rainfall event between pastures that have the proper amount of residual cover versus those with mostly bare ground. A pasture with a residual forage cover will recover faster and help keep a cowcalf producer in business.
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News Cowboy Fellowship of Aggieland plans Easter weekend By Bristol Keller Special to The Post
chuck wagon dinner provided by Eddie Eppler.
Cowboy Fellowship of Aggieland will host a fund raiser and Easter celebration. “Easter Weekend — Cowboy Style” starts March 25 at 4 p.m. at Still Creek Ranch Arena. There will be a
Eppler and the Cowboy Fellowship Chuckwagon Team will prepare all the meals served during the weekend’s activities from an authentic 1902 John Deere chuckwagon. Along with dinner, there
Photos courtesy of Cowboy Fellowship of Aggieland
Right,the Cowboy Fellowhsip chuckwagon team will prepare all meals during the Eater Weekend — Cowboy Style weekend from this 1902 John Deere chuckwagon. Left, Jack Brainard, National Cowboy Hall will be live music from the Cowboy Fellowship Band, followed by a Good Friday message from Pastor Todd Keller. The highlight of the evening will be a demonstration from 2016 inductee to the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Jack Brainard. Brainard has trained horses for more than 50 years and is known as the master of the “flying lead change.” He is one of the original founders of the National Reining Horse Association and in 2010 was inducted into its Hall of Fame. Brainard also will speak
See COWBOY, Page 17
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March 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News Cowboy, from Page 16 on the cowboy culture and its history. The March 26 program will begin with a biscuits and gravy breakfast served at 8 a.m. before the clinics start at 9 a.m. The four horse-and-rider classes will last from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a break for a chuckwagon lunch, complete with cobbler and ice cream. The classes will have multiple instructors who will work with all disciplines and all experience levels. The classes provided throughout the day include trail obstacles, challenge obstacles, cattle working, and roping — ropes will be provided. There also will be a chance to learn how to cook cobblers in a dutch oven from 9-11 a.m.. Cowboy Fellowship of Aggieland will have an Easter Sunday sunrise service at 7 a.m., followed by a chuck wagon break-
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fast, free to the community, with live music and fellowship. The regularly scheduled Easter service will be at 10 a.m. with music from the Cowboy Fellowship of Aggieland band and sermon from Keller. “You’re likely to hear a message from God’s Word that’s directed at cowboys, but is suitable for anyone with an ear for God’s truth,” said Keller said. A cowboy church is a fellowship of believers who adhere to the cowboy and western heritage cultures with emphasis on the truth of Scripture. Events on March 25 and March 26 will be at the Still Creek Ranch arena at 6055 Hearne Road in Kurten, The March 27 Easter service will be at the Wellborn Community Center, 4119 Greens Prairie Road in College Station. For further information, go to the Cowboy Fellowship Facebook page or www.aggielandcowboy. com.
Number one yielding seeded bermudagrass in production Number one yielding seededtrials at TAMU Agrilife bermudagrass inExtension production&trials Research Center,Extension Overton, TX at TAMU Agrilife & and Mississippi State University. Research Center, Overton, TX and Mississippi State University. Lower planting rate (10# per acre) due to being pure seed and Lower planting rate (10# pernot acre) coated. due to being pure seed and not coated. Economically priced to avoid the high cost and risk of sprigging Economically priced to avoid the hybrid-bermudagrass pastures highbeefing cost and of sprigging and uprisk existing hybrid-bermudagrass pastures bermudagrass pastures. and beefing up existing bermudagrass pastures. 15% higher yield (four year average) than Coastal 15% higher yield (four year Bermudagrass. average) than Coastal Bermudagrass. Planted in twenty states surpassing 500,000 acres since 1994. Planted in twenty states surpassing 500,000 acres since Hay show winner with quality at 1994. 22.5% digestible crude protein. Hay show winner with quality at Virtually disease free, drought 22.5% digestible crude protein. tolerant and easy to establish. Stands stay productive year after Virtually disease free, drought year. tolerant and easy to establish.
SEEDED BERMUDAGRASS STUDY ANNUAL DRY MATTER FORAGE YIELDS 2011, 2012, & 2013 MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI Variety
Total Yield
Harvest Date LB / ACRE
LB / ACRE
LB / ACRE
3 YEAR
2011
2012
2013
AVG
RANK
Texas Tough +
4,646
11,488
7,618
7,917
1
Sungrazer +
3,516
11,281
6,599
7,132
2
Buckaroo
3,979
10,881
6,428
7,096
3
Cowboy
3,426
10,054
7,301
6,927
4
Ranchero Frio
3,051
10,374
7,013
6,713
5
Numex Sahara
3,201
10,293
6,772
6,755
6
Amarillo King
3,586
9,873
6,561
6,673
7
Laredo
3,410
9,975
6,654
6,680
8
Highlander
2,379
10,880
6,159
6,473
9
Mohawk
3,163
9,739
6,321
6,408
10
Cheyenne II
3,612
9,334
5,941
6,295
11
Rancher
2,830
9,740
6,085
6,218
12
Planting Date: 6/4/11 (Replanted 7/13/11) 10 lbs (P.L.S.) Planting Rate, LSD (0.05) Commercially available varieties only included in these results.
I first planted Texas Tough + Bermudagrass in the Spring of 2009 for grazing and baling. I planted 210 acres of Texas Tough + Bermuda on June 2nd, and year. I now have planted over 200 acres in production. has remained free ofindisease and the of yields grazing inand 45 days. It has been in ourTough rotational for I first Texas Tough +ItBermudagrass the Spring 2009started for grazing baling. My Texas + grazing has been of disease with noTough loss+of stands.fast My yields have remained noup loss in our production even very through havefree remained consistent. Texas establishes with excellent forage quality 7consistent months and with has held under Florida conditions well. our drought of the last four years. It establishes fast with excellent forage quality and much finer stems than Coastal andBermudagrass. fine stems. I am veryItpleased with my Texasmy Tough +, it hastime increased my90 grazing We hope to plant more into the150 futuredays when on the right is available. my land Texas Tough has increased grazing from days on native grasses I plan on planting more in Denny 2015.Chaney – Bertram, TX. Bertram, TX timestands. from 90 days on native pasture to 150 days. Dan Ryals, Ryals Citrus & CattleDenny CompanyChaney– Fort Ogden, FL Stands stay productive year after
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March 2016 — Issue 1
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News Redmon named a Texas A&M Regents Fellow
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THE LARGEST RANCHING EVENT OF THE YEAR
By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Larry Redmon, Texas A&M University soil and crop sciences associate department head and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program leader, has been named a Regents Fellow by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. The award was presented Feb. 10 at the 2014-2015 Regents Awards Reception and Dinner on the Texas A&M campus in College Station. The Board established the Regents Fellow Service Awards program in 1998 to recognize employees who have made exemplary contributions to their university or agency and to the people of Texas. Redmon’s visionary, deliberate course, characterized by an ecological systems approach to natural resources, effective team building in program development and delivery, and a broad outreach through both technology and direct service, will have positive impacts across Texas and the nation for years to come, the nomination stated. His research and educational outreach focus on establishment, management and utilization of forages to improve production systems and protect valuable natural resources. “His work is renowned because it matters in many ways — for the environment, for the livestock industry and for people, from family farmers and small-acreage owners to major producers, land managers and rural and urban Texas residents alike,” the nomination stated. After earning his doctorate in range science from Texas A&M University in 1992, Redmon began a career as an Extension educator at Oklahoma State University. In 1999, he moved back to Texas to join AgriLife Extension, serving first at the Texas A&M AgriLife
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LARRY REDMON Research and Extension Center in Overton and became a professor in 2004. In 2005, he became the agency’s state forage specialist, based in College Station, where he pursued an additional master’s degree in wildlife science. Redmon was named Bennett Trust Extension specialist in 2013. Redmon manages a unique endowment to AgriLife Extension left by Eskel and Ruth Bennett. He also conducts Ranch Management University, an intensive four-day event targeting new or inexperienced ranchers and landowners, twice a year at the G. Rollie White Visitor’s Center on the Texas A&M campus. He was an integ ral part of creating Forage Fax, foragefax. tamu.edu, a website that allows subscribers to receive posts such as reminders to obtain a soil test, drought management recommendations, new products and information regarding critical pasture issues. The forages website forages.tamu.edu receives in excess of 600,000 requests annually. Redmon collaborated on five Lone Star Healthy Streams
See REDMON, Page 20
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March 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News
Interest in prescribed fire sparks ag agent training mesquite and prickly pear across large swaths of West Texas. “Prescribed burning is one of the most cost-effective tools we have as range managers to effectively manage our pastures and ensure the overall productivity and sustainability of our native
By Steve ByrnS Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
SAN ANGELO — A rekindled interest in the use of prescribed fire as a tool for rangeland management has led a range expert to bring her agency’s personnel up to speed on the ancient practice. Morgan Russell, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service range specialist in San Angelo, recently conducted a two-day hands-on prescribed-fire training for AgriLife Extension agents whose clientele have shown a strong interest in the practice. “This training was very beneficial and was targeted directly for AgriLife Extension agents who wanted to learn more about prescribed burning,” Russell said. “The training helped to equip them with the overall knowledge of a basic burn. The idea now is for them to transfer that knowledge to landowners wanting to learn more about prescribed fire.” Lisa Brown, AgriLife Extension agent in Menard County, was one of the participants. She said she is looking forward to having more prescribed-fire activity in her county. “Prescribed burning may be scary to some folks, but done
perennial grasses,” Russell said. Michael Palmer, AgriLife Extension agent in Coleman County, said he felt the school was timely and worthwhile. “We spent the last two days in a
See BURN, Page 21
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Houston Dobbins, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent in Val Verde County, mans a drip torch during a recent prescribed-fire training forAgriLife Extension agents. correctly and on a regular basis, it helps the rangelands become better as far as native grasses go,” she said. “Done regularly as well, it keeps the grass under control so that a wildfire won’t be quite as devastating should it go through your property.” Russell said the increasing interest in prescribed fire is growing rapidly on all levels due to the exponential growth of cedar,
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The Land & Livestock Post
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News Redmon, from Page 18 manuals aimed at educating Texas livestock producers and land managers on how to best protect Texas waterways from bacterial contributions associated with livestock production and feral hogs. He works closely with Texas A&M AgriLife Research faculty members to conduct the forage session at the three-day Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course. In his position on the board of directors of the Prescribed Burn Alliance of Texas, Redmon further confers with researchers and other AgriLife Extension faculty. Redmon has served on numerous agency committees, including the Texas A&M AgriLife Water Initiative and the Extension Drought Incident Response Team, the Extension West Region Livestock Production Team, the Extension East Region Beef Cattle Management Team, the
Extension East Region Small Acreage Education Team, and the Extension Beef Partnership with Extension Program Team. He is a much sought after speaker on forage management, according to the nomination. To date, Redmon has participated in more than 1,100 AgriLife Extension county programs with direct contacts in excess of 73,000 individuals. Redmon is a certified forage and grassland professional, certified wildlife biologist and a certified professional in rangeland management. At Texas A&M, Redmon and other members of the Hurricane Ike Saltwater Intrusion Response Team received the 2009 Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence and the AgriLife Extension Superior Service Award. Most recently, Redmon was named an Outstanding Alumni of the Stephen F. Austin State University department of agri-
culture, only its second-ever such award.
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March 2016 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News U.S. cattle inventory up 3 percent from 2015 Special to The Post
WASHINGTON — As of Jan. 1, there were 92 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms, according to the Cattle Report published last month by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This is the highest U.S. cattle inventory since 2011. Other key findings in the report were: • The 92 million cattle and calves in the United States as of
Jan. 1 is an increase of 3 percent from last year. Of this total 39.6 million were cows and heifers that have calved. • There are 30.3 million beef cows, up 4 percent from last year. • The number of milk cows in the United States increased slightly to 9.32 million. • All cattle on feed increased to 13.2 million, up 1 percent from 2015. • U.S. calf crop was estimated at 34.3 million head, up 2 percent from 2015.
March Mar. 2 49th Annual All Breeds Commercial Range Bull Sale, Houston, TX
Mar. 2 49th Annual All Breeds
To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the U.S. cattle industry, the National Agricultural Statistics Service surveyed about 38,000 operators across the nation during the first half of January. The National Agricultural Sta-
Mar. 5 W4 Hereford Bull &
Commercial Female Sale, Morgan, TX
Mar. 5 South Texas Cattle
Marketing’s Spring Gathering Female Replacement Sale, Nixon, TX
Commercial Range Female Sale, Houston, TX
Spring Bull Sale, Throckmorton, TX
Mar. 2 International Brahman
Mar. 10 Jordan Cattle Auction
Cattle Sale, Houston, TX
Mar. 9 RA Brown Ranch 1st Annual
Mar. 3 Jordan Cattle Auction
Special Bull Offering - Cattleman’s Kind Simmentals, San Saba, TX
Mar. 4 Houston Futurity and
Mar. 17 Jordan Cattle Auction Special Replacement Female Sale, San Saba, TX
Mar. 4 Mid Coast Santa Gertrudis
Mar. 19 – Four County Auction Center Spring Sale, Industry, TX
Stocker-Feeder & Premium Weaned Sale, San Saba, TX Beefmaster Classic Sale, Houston, TX Sale, Houston, TX
Mar. 5 Foundation Angus Alliance Sale, Luling, TX
Mar. 19 Tested by Time Brangus
Sale at Mound Creek Ranch, Leona, TX
tistics Service asked all participating producers to report their cattle inventories as of Jan.1. The cattle report and all other USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports are available online at www.nass.usda. gov.
Mar. 19 Bluebonnet Classic Santa Gertrudis Sale, Hallettsville, TX
Burn, from Page 19 prescribed-burn training learning how the fire ecology works,” he said. “Prescribed fire is a management tool that should be used to bring our rangelands back to what they used to be. It offers a cost-effective way to rid our pastures of negative brush.” Russell noted that fire culture has decreased or disappeared in West Texas over the past few years, so she hopes her efforts and the interest shown by landowners, coupled with that of AgriLife personnel, will help revitalize and grow the practice. “So equipping AgriLife Extension agents with a sense of prescribed burning, increasing their knowledge and also just building an overall fire culture is very important for the management of our rangeland.” For more information contact Russell at 325-653-4576 or morgan.russell@ag.tamu.edu.
Apr. 9 Griswold Cattle Co. Grass to Grid Bull Sale, Follett, TX
Mar. 19 ABBA National F1 and
Apr. 16 Lonestar Angus Sale, Gainesville, TX
Mar. 19 44 Farms Angus Bull Sale,
Apr. 16 Caldwell Livestock Spring
Brahman Sale, Caldwell, TX Abilene, TX
Mar. 24 Jordan Cattle Auction Special Bull Offering, San Saba, TX Mar. 25 Best of the Test Bull Sale, Navasota, TX
April Apr. 1 Centex Performance Brangus Bull Sale, Navasota, TX
Apr. 2 Heart of Texas Replacement Female Sale, Groesbeck, TX
Apr. 9 Collier Farms Advantage Beefmaster Sale, Giddings, TX
Replacement Female & Bull Sale, Caldwell, TX
Apr. 16 Jordan Cattle Auction Best of the Best Replacement Female Sale, San Saba, TX
Apr. 21 Jordan Cattle Auction Special Bull Offering - Featuring Bulls From Angus of Clear Creek, San Saba, TX
Apr. 24 E6 Commercial Replacement Beefmaster Female Sale, Columbus, TX
Do you have a sale or event you’d like listed? Call Jesse Wright (979) 731-4721 or email jesse.wright@theeagle.com
The Land & Livestock Post
March 2016 — Issue 1
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To advertise in Marketplace Contact: Jesse Wright - 979.731.4721 or email jesse.wright@theeagle.com 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
Bulls Angus ChArolAis hereford sim/Angus
A large selection of two year olds, performance records, range raised and range ready, fertility tested, all virgin. Quality to compare anywhere!
Goldthwaite, Texas Mobile: 817.946.8320
Angus Bulls
Bryan Credit Office 3000 Briarcrest Ste 101 979.775.0404 | 877.775.0404 CapitalFarm Credit.com
Twos and coming twos. One breeding season guarantee.
www.cleereearthworks.com
PAt griswold CAttle Co
Solid Rock Ranch
AI sires include Final Answer, Thunder, Cedar Ridge & VDAR Really Windy 4097. Matt Jones. Franklin, TX. 979.777.7571, 979.828.3410 www.solidrockranch.com
Cattle & Domestic Hog Processing Theiss Sausage Company Normangee, TX 936-396-9300
www.theisssausageco.com
979-776-2600 www.ingram-wallis.com
Holladay & Associates, Inc.
Marketplace Rates
Debbie Holladay 979-704-6264
979-704-6265(fax) debbie@holladayassociates.com
12 times - $12/per run 24 times - $9/per run
1X2
1 time - $25 12 times - $20/per run 24 times - $15/per run
1X3
1 time - $37 12 times - $31/per run 24 times - $21/per run
hOrSES-CaTTLE
ANGUS BULLS: Two year old bulls. Solid Rock Ranch, Matt Jones, Frankl in, TX, 979-777-7571 or 979-828-3410. www.solidrockranch.com. CHAROLAIS A+ BULLS: Reg Top Qualilty, Gentle, Polled, Tested. LBW, Fancy Charolais Heifers. Ranch Bred & Raised, (254)729-8644, (254)747-2701
Saturday Open Houses
Only $19.95!
Space Deadline: Wednesdsy by 5pm
Call 776-SELL
22
979-589-2333 1-866-959-2333 pioneerboys.com
LiVESTOCK WanTED
haY-grain TIFTON 85 HAY: Premium quality, large net wrapped bales, $60 each, 400 available, located near Cobb Branch Rd, Franklin, TX 77856, 281-793-8433
Specializing in Deer Commercial Ranch Exotics Fencing, Barns, Project Design, Game Fence, Welding, Stalls, Selective Brush Clearing, Commercial Chain Link, Custom Projects
ALL TYPES OF STRUCTURAL STEEL & PIPE Steel Buildings
1733 Briarcrest Drive, Suite 110 • Bryan
ANGUS BULLS: AI sired by top Angus sires. 14-16 months. Calving ease, high growth. Gentle. Fertility tested, virgin bulls. See at www.brokenkbar. com. (979)777-1682.
1X1 1 time - $14
Karl (Buddy) Micklitz Jr. Bryan, TX micklitz@verizon.net (C) 979.218.8674 (H) 979.779.0420
Tax Preparation • Payroll Bookkeeping • Notary
Farmers market
C l a s s i f i e d s
BUDDY MICKLITZ
PET
merCHaNDIse BUiLDing MaTEriaLS
Litter Special
Jordan Trailer Sales
San Saba, TX “Authorized Dealer” • A Large Selection of Trailers in Stock • Custom Ordering Avail. Call (325) 372-5159 www.jordancattle.com
PaSTUrES-STaLLS PASTURE LEASE(S) Needed, Matt Jones, Franklin, Tx 979/777-7571, 979/828-3410 www.solidrockranch.com
For the latest breaking sports news
Portable Buildings
RENT TO OWN or Purchase Portable buildings with rent starting at $75/mo; 8x12 up to 16x40 buildings. Cabins, utility buildings, lofted barns, play houses. Check us out online bcsportablebuildings.com or at 9638 E. Hwy 21. Not across from Airport. 979-218-0828 We now offer moving services for your Portable Buildings.
Saturday Open Houses Only $19.95!
Call 776-SELL (7355) MiSC FOr SaLE STORAGE CONTAINERS
New/Used 20’ & 40’ Buy/Rent/Rent-to-Own Call for Pricing 979-836-7500 or 409-748-0380
March 2016 — Issue 1
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$
75
5 Lines for 6 Weeks* *Only ad content change allowed is price & number in litter.
Call
776-SELL (7355)
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The Land & Livestock Post
March 2016 — Issue 1
23
Helping farmers and ranchers for the past 73 years.
Fertilizers, Planting Seed & Agronomic Solutions
Quality Fuels & Delivery
Quality Livestock Feeds & Nutritional Services
Full-Line Animal Health
Livestock Handling Equipment
Fencing & Hardware
Your Agriculture Partner Since 1943 1800 N. Texas Avenue in Brryan
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(979) 778-6000
www.producerscooperative.com
March 2016 — Issue 1
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