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Determining stocking rate for introduced forages PAGE 10
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Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News From the General Manager
Basic knowledge and practices assist new cattle producers By Clay Wright The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
When I started at the Noble Foundation in the late 1970s, agriculture in the Southern Great Plains still was dominated by traditional producers engaged primarily in forage-based beef production. Most operations were fairly large and run by experienced fulltime farmers and ranchers. Over the past two decades, the number of these producers has declined. Being sandwiched between the metro areas of DallasFort Worth and Oklahoma City, we’ve seen a tremendous increase in small, often novice landowners. What hasn’t changed in 30-plus years is the fact that most producers seek our consultation services after they’ve been in business long enough for issues to arise that range from minor to critical. Rarely do we get an initial request for consultation before someone has chosen
and invested in an enterprise and has begun operation. When we can get in on the ground floor with a new producer, there are some basic concepts that we make sure are grasped immediately, and management of a livestock enterprise is at least third down on the hierarchy. First are the soils and forages on the property and realistic expectations of the amount of dry matter that can be grown. That number determines stocking rate, which must be appropriate for anything else to work. Once an appropriate stocking rate is determined, there are five basics I believe should be in place before a livestock enterprise is undertaken: • Ensure that you have a sound perimeter fence that will contain the class and species you will run. Be aware that small ruminants have different fencing requirements than beef cattle.
See KNOWLEDGE, Page 5
E
aster is around the corner, and a lot of good things come with that day. But the one bad thing it brings is Easter grass. You know what I’m talking about: that grass that you put in the bottom of your Easter basket so all the plastic eggs don’t break. Easter grass is made out of plastic and, I assume, titanium. When I was a kid, the combination of Easter grass, BBs and playground JESSE WRIGHT gravel was enough to destroy any vacuum cleaner on the market. In addition to having extreme tensile strength, Easter grass shares the physical properties of glitter. Like glitter, Easter grass has the ability to reproduce and get absolutely everywhere. Sure, it looks contained there in the basket, but I guarantee you will
find strands in the couch cushions in June. But this issue is not about all that. Instead, we are going to take a look at regular grass. Specifically, we will look at introduced forages and how the rate of forage available can help you determine your stocking rate. We also have news about upcoming workshops as well as information and stories from around the 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.
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News Meat industry fights proposed USDA dietary guidelines MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The meat industry is seeing red. Meat companies have tried to rehabilitate an image tarnished in recent years by health and environmental concerns. Now the industry is swiftly and aggressively working to discredit a proposal for new dietary guidelines that recommend people eat less red and processed meat. The proposal last month by a government advisory committee also relegates the health benefits of lean meat to a footnote to the main recommendations. “We’ve been put in a position over the years to almost be apologizing for our product. We’re not going to do that anymore,” said
Barry Carpenter, the president and chief executive officer of the North American Meat Institute. The meat industry long has been one of the more powerful lobbies in Washington, enjoying an especially close relationship with the Agriculture Department, which has inspectors in meat processing plants. Together, the meat processing and livestock industries spent about $7 million on lobbying last year and donated more than $5 million to members of Congress in the most recent election cycle, according to the political money and influence tracking website OpenSecrets.org. Meat industry executives say their push is about the Ameri-
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Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News Knowledge, from Page 3 • Have a corral and a means to restrain the animals. It certainly does not have to be elaborate, but it does need to be functional. This is needed to be able to receive and ship, implement health protocols, and address other health-related issues that will arise from time to time. • Develop a good relationship with a veterinarian, including a mutually agreed upon comprehensive health protocol for all classes you will be managing. The protocol should be in place and ready to implement when the livestock arrive. I also believe every producer should be Beef Quality Assurance certified, which usually is accomplished through the state extension ser-
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vice. Beef Quality Assurance is a nationwide program from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, but the principles are applicable to other species as well. • Have a sound understanding of the factors that affect the nutritional requirements of all classes of livestock — factors such as age, sex, weight, stage of reproduction, level of milk production, body condition score, desired rate of gain, weather, etc. It is an eye opener to many new producers to learn that a lactating cow needs twice as much protein and at least 50 percent more energy than when she is not nursing a calf. There are many sources of nutrient requirements for all livestock. • Be aware that adequate nutrition and health is paramount to reproductive performance. Reproductive performance is a direct indication of appropriate stocking rate, effective health and nutrition programs, and management in general. Reproductive performance drives the amount of product you eventually sell, which will determine income and personal satisfaction. As livestock producers, it is our responsibility to contain our animals, be able to address problems as they arise, to know diseases and parasites that can harm them, to provide protection from those diseases and parasites, to know the nutrient requirements of all classes of livestock at all stages of production, and ensure they are receiving adequate nutrition. There are many sources of information and education for producers.
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News Guidelines, from Page 4 can perception of red meat, rather than just dollars, though the guidelines can have an eventual impact on government purchases for the military and school lunches. Carpenter’s group recently released a video of the slaughter process to counter criticism about the way animals are killed. It also is trying to better engage with consumers through social media, tweeting links to its “Meat Mythcrushers” site, which looks at nutrition and other issues from the industry’s point of view. Now, the meat institute is pushing the departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, which will write final dietary guidelines by year’s end. Institute leaders are meeting with officials and asking them to do what they have done in the past: prominently recommend lean meats as part of a healthy diet. They also are asking their many, mostly Republican, allies in Congress to pressure the Obama administration. Congress appears ready to help. “The secretaries share reTE PRIVA Y T A E TR
rk An a l C
sponsibility for these flawed recommendations,” said House Agriculture Chairman Michael Conaway, R-Texas. Conaway was among the House members who wrote the departments earlier this month about the overall recommendations, including advice that people eat a more sustainable, plant-based diet because it is better for the environment. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has not said what the final guidelines will look like. But he has pledged to keep them focused on nutrition and diet, giving the meat industry some hope that perhaps at least the environmental portion could be left out. A spending bill passed by Congress in December asked him “only to include nutrition and dietary information, not extraneous factors” in the guidelines. Environmental groups are lobbying on the issue, pushing the departments to keep that language. Public health groups praised the language on red meat, noting that red meat has been linked to heart disease and colorectal cancer.
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Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
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News
How can green grass possibly be bad? Dr. MereDyth Jones Special to The Post
If you haven’t yet seen a recent edition of the U.S. Drought Monitor map of Texas, give it a look. We have received much-needed rainfall which is producing the green grass we hope for every spring. If you’ve owned livestock for more than about 15 minutes, however, you know that with nearly every good thing that comes along, there’s something to watch out for. This time of year, several factors come together to produce a perfect storm: grass tetany. Grass tetany is characterized by a low level of magnesium in the blood, which results in cows who become rigid or unable to rise, and often become uncharacteristically belligerent and aggressive. Some are simply found dead. Grass tetany happens this time of year due to the collision of several factors associated with the cow and with the grass. Milk production consumes a significant amount of the cow’s magnesium, with peak milk volume produced in the several weeks following calving. We also see cows in their third to fifth lactation (about 5-7 years old) being the highest producers, increasing their risk. Further, there is some evidence that cool weather directly and negatively may impact her management of magnesium. Finally, magnesium i s not stored in the body to any extent — it is a simple in-and-out system. So, when a cow runs low in magnesium, unless she has consumed enough recently to make it immediately available, she can’t pull it out of storage to get her by. In spring calving herds, this peak milk production coincides with the presence of early spring grasses. Early spring grass, to make
Vet’s Voice
things worse, is not helpful to the cow which is under this lactational stress with regards to magnesium. New spring grass inherently is deficient in magnesium. This new grass is high in carbohydrate, potassium and protein, which actually reduce the amount of magnesium the cow can absorb. Low sodium and high water content further contribute to the problem. As all of these factors come together, there comes a point at which insufficient magnesium is available for normal function of many body systems. Treatment of grass tetany involves administration of oral or intravenous magnesium solutions, which should be done with caution, as these cattle can be quite aggressive. Additionally, rapid administration of magnesium-containing solutions can be fatal. Cattle found dead should undergo necropsy and evaluation of their magnesium level. Postmortem testing of magnesium level is typically done on the fluid of the eye; blood can be used to check levels in live cattle. If a veterinarian is not available or there will be a delay in performing a necropsy at the time a cow is found, an eye should be immediately removed — you have to beat the buzzards to it — and placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated until it can be submitted to the lab. So how do we ensure that the cow has enough magnesium to support the milk production she
See TETANY, Page 8
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Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
7
News Tetany, from Page 7 needs to raise her calf ? Well, we certainly don’t want to wish away spring pasture! Prevention of spring grass tetany can begin the fall before with a soil test, which can guide fertilizer application. Fertilizers high in nitrogen and potassium should be used with care; dividing nitrogen application may be advisable. In addition to pasture management, cows should have access to a direct magnesium source. The most common sources for cattle on pasture are “high-mag” mineral blocks, tubs or loose mineral. There are a variety to choose from in these forms and it is important to read the label to determine how many mineral stations are indicated for a given pasture size and stocking density. These mineral sources should be put out with cattle two weeks prior to grazing. Although the cattle do not store or save up magnesium during these two weeks, this time allows them to get used to the mineral feeder and
increase their consumption of the mineral to a level that is protective. Then, the mineral needs to be everpresent in the pasture during the grazing season. Recall that there is no significant storage of magnesium in the body; it’s a daily in-and-out system. A delay in getting mineral refilled can result in cows developing a deficiency. High-quality mineral supplementation is important in all classes of animals throughout the year. Consumption of the mineral is key. It is commonly presumed that if the cattle need it, they will eat it. We have found that some cows simply won’t eat certain mineral preparations. If that occurs, it will be important to find a mineral that the cattle consume at the label rate. Providing a high-magnesium mineral to lactating beef cows in the spring is of particular importance, particularly after the rains we were provided this year. • Vet’s Voice is written by members of the faculty and staff of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. It appers monthy in the Land & Livestock Post.
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Hill Country natural resources workshop By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
KERRVILLE — New, relatively new or absentee landowners in the Hill Country will have an opportunity to get an extensive education on managing natural resources at the second annual Bennett Land Stewardship Conference April 23-24. “Keys to Hill Country Living” will be at the Inn of the Hills Resort and Conference Center in Kerrville. It is funded by the Ruth and Eskel Bennett Endowment and hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, said Larry Redmon, Bennett Trust AgriLife Extension specialist in College Station. Cost of the two-day conference is $75 and includes all meals, break refreshments and tour transportation costs. Register by going to agriliferegister.tamu.edu/BennettTrust or by calling 979-845-2604. Room reservations can be made at bit.ly/1EsSQsQ. Last year’s program attracted an entirely new audience, Redmon said, adding most were from Kerr and Gillespie counties and were not familiar with their AgriLife Exten-
sion program in the county. Rick Machen, livestock specialist from Uvalde, said the event really offers something for everyone. “The longtime or experienced landowner might be interested in the estate planning segment, elder law, water and 1-D-1 open space land tax valuation using wildlife as agriculture,” Machen said. The conference’s preliminary agenda and speakers on the first day include: • “History of the Edwards Plateau-Geology, Plants, Wildlife and People,” Donnie Frels, Kerr Wildlife Management Area manager, Kerrville. • “Hang On to Your Property – Elder Law and Estate Planning,” Marilyn Miller, attorney, Dripping Springs. • “Rainfall Patterns in the Region, El Niño/ La Niña,” George Bomar, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Austin • “Aquifer Recharge and Spring Flow,” Ron Green, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio.
See Market, Page 9
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Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
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News Market, from Page 8 • Two concurrent sessions: Events/Actions That Impact the Hydrologic Cycle “Session I – Drought, Urban Sprawl and Concrete/Asphalt Domination, Municipal Water Use of Water Resources, Rainwater Harvesting,â€? Billy Kniffen, retired AgriLife Extension state water resource specialist, Menard. “Session II – Juniper, Herbivoreâ€?Forage Interaction, Stocking Rate and Infiltration versus Runoff in the Edwards Plateau,â€? Bob Lyons, AgriLife Extension range specialist, Uvalde. Wrapping up the day will be discussions regarding: • “What Are My Options for 1â€?Dâ€?1 Tax Valuation and Implications for Lease Agreements?â€? Tiffany Dowellâ€?Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist, Amarillo. • “Animal Options for the Ed-
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wards Plateau: What Species Mix is Best for Me?â€? Machen. • “Rainfall Insurance,â€? Jason Johnson, AgriLife Extension economist, Stephenville. Day two of the conference provides behind-the-scenes tours, including a Natural Resource Stewardship tour on the historic Hillingdon Ranch in Kendall County; an agritourism tour of sustainable vineyards, orchards and gardens in Fredericksburg and Gillespie County; and a wildlife management and the hunting industry tour on the Edwards Plateau. Both days will conclude with Texas Hill Country hospitality: food, music and the opportunity to visit with conference presenters, the coordinators said. For more information regarding the upcoming Bennett Trust Land Stewardship program, contact Redmon at l-redmon@tamu. edu, Machen at r-machen@tamu. edu, or an AgriLife Extension agent in the region.
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Stock up
Determining stocking rates for introduced forages By RoBeRt FeaRs Special to The Post
W
hen discussing stocking rates on a piece of land it is important to understand there are major differences between native and introduced forages. Methods of determination and utilization of stocking rates on introduced forages are similar to those used on native grasses. Most introduced forages will tolerate a heavier degree of grazing pressure than rangeland plants because of their rapid growth capabilities. Forages are classified into two major groups — warm season and cool season — based on the time of year in which they grow. Cool season introduced grasses include small grains such as oats and wheat and annual ryegrass. Bahiagrass, hybrid bermudas, dallisgrass, forage sorghums and old world bluestems, such as King Ranch, Gordo, and Spar are among the warm season introduced grasses. Warm and cool season legumes are used in introduced forage mixes.
Measure available forage
To avoid over-utilization of pastures, good managers determine stocking rates and carrying capacities after measuring amounts of available forage. Stocking rate is defined as number of animals on a given amount of land over a certain period of time. Carrying capacity is the stocking rate that is sustainable over time per unit of land area. To determine stocking rates and carrying capacities, we must know the amount of available forage, which can vary considerably depending on pre-
10
Photos by Robert Fears
The pile of grass on the left is the daily forage requirement for a 1,200 pound cow. The pile on the right represents the daily requirement of a 1,000 pound cow. On the Cover: When stocking rate is lower than carrying capacity, excess forage can be baled.
cipitation amount, season and grazing intensities. Since forage production is not predictable, the supply must be monitored and compared with livestock requirements.
“Forage surveys are often conducted by riding through various pastures to observe plant and animal conditions,” wrote Larry White and Calvin Richardson of the Texas A&M AgriLife
Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
Research and Extension Center (texnat. tamu.edu/library/publications/howmuch-forage-do-you-have/). “Many
See STOCKING, Page 11
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News Stocking, from Page 10 ranchers have the experience to notice changes in forage quality and quantity, but more specific information can improve stocking rate decision and help avoid over-utilization. “Forage supply is usually monitored visually throughout the year; however, more detailed information may be required before important decisions are made.” the two wrote. “Since forage production is not predictable, forage surveys should be conducted at the end of the normal production cycles. This allows immediate estimation of how long the accumulated forage supply will last during expected nongrowth periods. “In addition, due to increased forage disappearance during the winter (weathering), a March survey is recommended
Hohlt, Zone 4 Rangeland Management Specialist with the USDA Natural Resources 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 an area representative of the pasture to clip. Everything 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.
See Forage, Page 13
Photo by Robert Fears
Most introduced forages will tolerate a heavier degree of grazing pressure than rangeland plants because of their rapid growth capabilities. to evaluate the remaining days of grazing prior to regrowth. This can be critical if spring forage growth is late.”
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“Clipping inside plot frames is the most accurate way of measuring the current amount of standing forage,” said Jason
Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
11
News Meat, from Page 6 Meat executives counter that their product is rich in nutrients and helps people get enough protein in their diets. Processed meat often is lean, they say. Carpenter said he believes the report is encouraging people to eat less lean meat. “The fact that they put it in as a footnote really convinces me that that’s true,” he said. Not true, say members of the advisory committee. “These patterns can be achieved without eliminating any food group,” said Barbara Millen, head of the advisory committee, referring to the diets the committee described. Millen said that the panel looked at the common characteristics of healthy diets that contributed to good health, and high-protein foods such as seafood and legumes emerged most consistently. But the committee added a footnote to clarify that
“lean meats can be a part of a healthy dietary pattern.” Other meat groups also are criticizing the guidelines. “It appears the advisory committee was more interested in addressing what’s trendy among foodies than providing sciencebased advice for the average American’s diet,” Howard Hill, outgoing president of the National Pork Producers Council, said last month. This is not the first time the red meat has campaigned against dietary guidelines. In 1977, the first guidelines, issued by a Senate panel, said Americans should “reduce consumption of meat and increase consumption of poultry and fish.” Meat groups pushed back, and the Senate panel heard them out. A revised version included new language on meat: “Decrease consumption of animal fat, and choose meats, poultry and fish that will reduce saturated fat intake.”
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Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
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News pressure. Because cattle are not the same size, it is necessary to convert number of animals to animal unit equivalents. An animal unit is defined as a 1,000 pound cow with a nursing calf. There are different opinions among range and animal scientists on how to calculate animal unit equivalents. The easiest method to remember is to simply divide the animal’s weight by 1,000. Examples of animal unit equivalents are shown in Table 2.
Forage, from Page 11 Rocky Lemus, Extension Forage Specialist at Mississippi State University, recommends drying forage in a microwave oven and determining 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 percentage, 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.
By the numbers
Although many introduced forages are tolerant of close grazing, not all the produced forage should be removed. Some of the foliage must be left for the plant to conduct basic metabolic functions required for forage production. Suggested residue levels for some of the forages commonly used in East Texas are shown in Table 1. Residue heights can be measured with a yard stick at multiple locations in the pasture to monitor grazing
The Land & Livestock Post
Research has shown that a cow eats approximately 2.6 percent of her body weight daily; therefore, a 1,000 pound cow or an animal unit will consume 26 pounds of dry forage daily, 780 pounds in a month and 9,490 pounds of dry forage during a year. Terrence Bidwell of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service provides the following example on how to calculate stocking rates. Although the method is the same as given by Bidwell, the numbers have been changed. Assume a producer has 100 head of stocker calves that weigh approximately 500 pounds. Size of the pasture is 100 acres and the grazing season is 6 months long. Calculate the total number of animal units using the information in Table 2. O.5 AU X 100 head = 50 AUE Estimate the total amount
of available forage dry matter (DM) based on historical production records and the percent utilization factor from Table 1. In this example, a bermudagrass pasture is assumed to be capable of producing 5,000 pounds of forage DM per acre. 5,000 lbs. DM/Acre X 100 Acres X.75 utilization = 375,000 lbs. of available forage DM Now estimate the number of animal units that could be stocked on the pasture given the above forage production potential. 375,000 lbs. of available forage DM ÷ [120 day grazing period X 13 lbs. daily forage requirement for 1 AUE] = Stocking Rate 375,000 ÷ 1560 lbs. required by 1 AUE per grazing season = 240 animals 100 acres ÷ 240 animals = carrying capacity of 1 animal per 0.4 acre In this example the carrying
5 $19.9
sues s I 4 2
capacity is one steer per 0.4 acre with a current stocking rate of one steer per one acre (100 acres ÷ 1 steer = 1). The producer has at least three options. He can buy more animals, bale the excess forage, or stockpile grass for fall and early winter grazing. Meteorologists still are saying that we are in a 15- to 20-year drought. Even though some areas of Texas have and are receiving rain, a cooler, dry summer is forecasted. Since drought is the norm rather than an exception, producers must focus on forage production and spend the time required to measure, monitor and record in order to stay in the cattle business. Help in learning these techniques can be obtained from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, USDA-NRCS and private consultants.
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News
Fewer want the tough job meeting demand for local beef By SCOTT McFETRIDGE Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa — Kent Weise loves his work, but after 38 years slaughtering cattle, lugging carcasses that can weigh more than 1,000 pounds and slowly, methodically slicing cuts of meat, he understands why few people want to go into the business anymore. “It’s killing cows. It’s blood and guts,” said Weise, who runs a small meat company here with his wife, and whose own three children have no interest in following in his footsteps. Demand for locally produced beef is surging as never before, but the butchers who for generations have prepared and sold meat to customers and markets are a dwindling profession. Thousands of butchers are approaching retirement age across the country. And owners of small meat companies tell similar stories about the difficulty finding younger people willing to take
AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
Amend Packing Company owner Kent Weise checks on aging beef in his small meat company in Des Moines, Iowa. Few young people today are interested in entering the meat-packing business.
over, or even to work in the businesses. Farmers with small operations now often have to truck their cattle 50 or 100 miles to be processed. Higher transportation costs are being passed along to customers at farmers markets, restaurants and groceries that specialize in locally grown meat. Weise, 58, dressed in a blood-smeared white jacket as he cuts fat from a slab of beef, says that when he retires, his business likely will close. Meat-cutting businesses have been sprinkled across the country for generations. In 1990, there were 1,200 federally inspected livestock slaughterhouses in the U.S., but by 2010 the number had dropped to 800. State-licensed operations also have declined. In Iowa, there now are 140 or fewer small meat processors, compared to about 450 in the 1960s, said Marcia Richmann, executive director of Iowa Meat Processors
See BUTCHER, Page 15
April 18 - Caldwell Livestock Replacement Female Sale, Caldwell, TX
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April 26 – Beefmaster E6 Replacement Female Sale. Columbus, TX 210-648-5475
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Replacement Sale. Meridian, TX . 254-7492240
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May 7 - Jordan Cattle Auction Special Stocker & Feeder Sale, San Saba, TX May 16 – Cattleman’s Top Cut
Replacement Female Sale. Navasota, TX. 817-291-5121
Do you have a sale or event you’d like listed? Call Jesse Wright at (979) 731-4721 or email jesse. wright@theeagle.com
Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
The Land & Livestock Post
News Butcher, from Page 14 Association. With purchases of natural, organic and grass-fed beef up 20 percent over a two-decade period, the gap between demand for meat and butchers to process it may grow. An analysis in Minnesota showed about two-thirds of the people who own small meat-processing businesses in the state are nearing retirement age, with no succession plan. Many processors said they began the work soon after high school. The job was hard but dependable. Meat-cutters made a median of $13.75 an hour in 2012, according to federal data, but owners of small meat-cutting businesses can make significantly more. “It’s all I know what to do,” said Weise. There is plenty to keep him busy. Working out of an 87-year-old brick building, within sight of the state Capitol’s gold dome, Weise slaughters about 15 animals a week and then hangs the carcasses to age for a couple weeks, increasing their tenderness. On most days, he and several employees work around a table, cutting meat with knives kept razor-sharp by files that dangle from their waistbands. There’s a little conversation as the workers, some with their sweatshirt hoods pulled up to ward off the cold, slice through the beef, toss fat into a bin, put the meat onto a tray and then grab another section. Processors say that younger
AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
Amend Packing Company owner Kent Weise butchers beef in Des Moines, Iowa. Demand for local beef is surging but people who slaughter cattle and slice the beef into steaks say few people want to go into the business. people now have less grueling work options. “Our son said, ‘Dad, I’m going to be an engineer,’ and he is an engineer,” said Richmann, who ran a meat market with her husband in Clarence, Iowa, for decades. Lauren Gwin, a professor at Oregon State University who coordinates the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, said the demand for specialty meat is prompting some new businesses to open, but that getting started is costly and difficult. “It’s a complex business,” said Gwin, whose group was formed to help overcome such issues. “You have to know a lot of things to run a business like this.” As businesses close, ranchers such as Mike Holden in Scranton, Iowa, worry they’ll need to travel farther to process their animals. Holden now trucks his cows about 80 miles to be butchered. Would the resulting price increases be enough to scare away customers who prefer local suppliers over the larger and more distant slaughterhouses that supply supermarkets? Kathy Davis, who buys meat for her family of six just a few miles away from her home in Collins, Iowa, said she’s not sure. “If there was a huge price difference between the grocery store and what I paid, I might stop buying it,” she said. “I hope not, but I might have to.”
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Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
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News
TEXAS TOUGH + BRAND BERMUDAGRASS America’s Number One Seeded Forage Bermudagrass! 903-597-6637 800-888-1371 www.easttexasseedcompany.com seeds@easttexasseedcompany.com
Spring Forage Workshop to be held April 8 in McGregor Special to The Post
McGREGOR — A spring forage workshop hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offices in McLennan, Bell and Coryell counties will be held from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 8 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center in McGregor. Cost is $20 and includes lunch. Three Texas Department of Agriculture general continuing education units will be offered. Registration begins at 8 a.m. The following are topics and presenters: • 8:30 a.m., Weed and Grass Identification, Ricky Linex, wildlife biologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Weatherford. • 9:20 a.m., Establishment of
Warm Season Grasses, Larry Redmon, AgriLife Extension forage specialist, College Station. • 10:15 a.m., Managing Fertility of our Warm Season Grasses, Larry Unruh, American Plant Food. • 11:05 a.m., Weed and Brush Control, Dillon DeMuth, Dow AgroScience field representative. • 11:50 am.-12:30 p.m. Lunch. • 12:30-1:30 p.m., Informal walking tour with Plant Identification, Best Use, Attributes, etc., Linex and Demuth. For more information, call 254757-5180.
SEEDED BERMUDAGRASS STUDY ANNUAL DRY MATTER FORAGE YIELDS 2011, 2012, & 2013 MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI
Number one yielding seeded bermudagrass in production trials at TAMU Agrilife Extension & Research Center, Overton, TX and Mississippi State University. Lower planting rate (10# per acre) due to being pure seed and not coated.
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
Economically priced to avoid the high cost and risk of sprigging hybrid-bermudagrass pastures and beefing up existing bermudagrass pastures.
Buckaroo
3,979
10,881
6,428
7,096
3
Cowboy
3,426
10,054
7,301
6,927
4
15% higher yield (four year average) than Coastal Bermudagrass. Planted in twenty states surpassing 500,000 acres since 1994.
Hay show winner with quality at 22.5% digestible crude protein.
Virtually disease free, drought tolerant and easy to establish. Stands stay productive year after year.
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. My Texas Tough + has been free of disease with no loss of stands. My yields have remained consistent with no loss in production even through our drought of the last four years. It establishes fast with excellent forage quality and much finer stems than Coastal Bermudagrass. It has increased my grazing time from 90 days on native grasses to 150 days on my Texas Tough stands. I plan on planting more in 2015. Denny Chaney- Bertram, TX
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
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Arpril 2015 — Issue 1
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