Land and Livestock Post

May May2016 2016——Issue Issue22

Going to the birds

Reasons to attract birds to your land PAGE 8

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BRYAN, TX 77802 PERMIT # 23

JAMES THOMPSON HOLDING THE KEY

JAMES PATIOTIC GOING THOMPSON

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JAMES THOMPSON PLANNING FOR THE WORST

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Straight fromindicators Performance the horse'scan mouth. increase profits.

Straight Cat Springs fromsymposium the horse'slooks mouth. at Lenoir grapes.

Straight Red, white, fromblue theear horse's tags boost mouth. calving.

Straight How to protect from thelivestock horse's mouth. when a disaster hits.

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May 2016 — Issue 2

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The Land & Livestock Post

I

News From the General Manager

just got back from my first golf tournament.

I am by no means any good at the game of golf, but I am better than I used to be. I started playing about 15 years ago.

When I started I was horrible, but I enjoyed it.

Every game, I’d make one good shot, or have one good drive that would be enough for me to reflect on and feel good about the day.

As the days following a golf outing passed, the bad shots and bad drives would fade away and those few good ones would stand out strong and I couldn’t wait to get back on the links.

Then one day I played a round without any good shots, any good drives, and the whole round was just lousy. I didn’t play again for five years.

I didn’t swear off golf, I just didn’t feel like playing. It was kind of like when you get a licorice jelly bean: You don’t write your

congressman to put a halt to their production or anything, you just kind of steer clear of them because they left a bad taste in your mouth.

I started playing again a little more than a year ago. I figured, worse case scenario, I’d drive around in a golf cart and enjoy a cold beverage or three.

But then something happened: I got a little better. Not a lot better, but a little, and I actually enjoyed playing again.

While I have had very JESSE WRIGHT few birdies, and I’ve never shot an eagle, our cover story takes a look at how you can increase your avian population in your pastures without even teeing up a ball.

In this issue we take a look at grazing management and how it can help create a habitat for ground nesting birds.

These birds can add value to property through hunting opportunities and insect control as well as aesthetic value.

We also have stories about upcoming events and programs throughout the state, as well as plenty of other news and information.

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.

Field day slated in Luling May 19

By Paul SchattenBerg Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

LULING — The 89th annual Luling Foundation Field Day will be from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 19 in Luling.

Field day activities will include a tour of the foundation’s agriculture demonstration farm, speakers, practical demonstrations and an opportunity for networking, coordinators said.

Three general Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be available to attendees.

“There is no cost for the program thanks to our sponsors, and an RSVP is not required,” said Julie Zimmerman, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service ag-

See LULING, Page 6

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May 2016 — Issue 2

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News

Key performance indicators boost ranchers’ profits

By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

FORT WORTH — Viewed as a report card for a cattle operation, key performance indicators can assist beef producers in measuring factors crucial to an operation.

Stan Bevers, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist in Vernon, discussed key performance indicators at the 2016 Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Convention in Fort Worth. “[Key performance indicators] provide a rancher with an analysis of the operation and detail whether the operation is fulfilling the goals of ownership,” Bevers said.

These indicators are especially important in the current weakening cattle market, he said.

For example, Bevers said the development cost of a replacement heifer is a key performance indicator. Hay production cost per ton is also a key performance indicator.

“One of the big reasons for doing this, I was working with a big

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin

Stan Bevers, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist in Vernon, discussed key performance indicators to beef producers attending the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Convention in Fort Worth recently. ranch in Montana,” Bevers told attendees. “The members of the board were pretty big financial gurus. I shot all of this informa-

tion about the ranching operation to them and they said it was like getting a drink out of a fire hose. They wanted 10 things in about five minutes. That’s where [key performance indicators] came into play.”

Bevers said when ranchers consider a bull purchase, they focus on expected progeny differences, also known as EPDs. “The perfect bull in my mind would be one with an EPD number that is really high for weaning weights, but we can’t focus on one number or one performance metric without sacrificing another,” Bevers said. “It’s the same thing with [key performance indicators].”

Other [key performance indicators] that Bevers suggests ranchers look at include: • Revenue per breeding female.

• Nutrition base expense as a percent of total expenses.

• Labor and management expense as a percent of total revenue.

• Operating expense as a per-

centage of total revenue.

• Net income ratio.

• Cost per hundredweight of weaned calf.

• Total investment per breeding female.

• Debt per breeding female.

• Equity-to-asset ratio or mar-

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May 2016 — Issue 2

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News Kay, from Page 4 most influencing factor on ranch productivity.

“After all, we have to have cows to produce revenue,” he said. “Once we identify an open cow, everything that follows is an expense with no revenue to go against it until she is bred again or sold. The nutrition of that female is paramount to getting her bred. Yet, feed is one of top three expenses on a ranch that also include labor and depreciation.

“Those costs tend to move around a bit. We hear all the time feed is the most expensive cost.

But that’s not necessarily true.

It’s labor and depreciation. A lot of times we don’t even count or factor in our labor. Now, we are paying twice as much as what we used to for bulls. Depreciation has really jumped up in terms of costs.”

With cattle prices already coming down from 2015 levels, Bevers said producers need to continue

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin

Key performance indicators can assist beef producers in measuring factors crucial to an operation.

to watch prices and expenses.

“Expenses won’t come down as fast as commodity prices,” he said. “Cow-calf expenses won’t come down as fast as cow-calf prices. 2016 will have lower calf prices but not to the extent it will affect these higher expenses. During 2017, expenses still will not be coming down, where calf prices will be in their second year of decline. That’s what concerns me.”

Bevers said if ranchers still need things done in an operation, such as putting in new corrals, new fences, or paying down debt, getting it done as quickly as possible is the best way.

“If there is something in the form of a capital asset, get it done quickly,” Bevers said. “Going into 2017, cash flow could be an issue as calf prices are anticipated to continue to come down.”

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May 2016 — Issue 2

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News Wine symposium set for May 20

By KAthLeen PhiLLiPS Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

CAT SPRING — A symposium aimed at sharing successful methods of producing quality red wine from Black Spanish, or Lenoir, grapes will be May 20 at the Cat Spring Agricultural Society Hall, 13035 Hall Road, Cat Spring.

“The Black Spanish/Lenoir grapevine is one of the most attractive varieties planted in Texas vineyards,” said Fran Pontasch, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service viticulturist in College Station, and symposium organizer.

“It reliably grows and produces fruit in many different soil types. Because it is dependable and attractive, it is planted in many Gulf Coast vineyards, often at winery event centers. The grapes, with their rich, deep red color interest most winemakers.”

She said the program will include award-winning winemakers, who will share their tips about using this variety

Luling, from Page 3 riculture and natural resources agent for Caldwell County. “Complimentary breakfast tacos and coffee will be provided by the Caldwell County Farm Bureau.”

She said registration will be at 7:30 a.m. at the Luling Foundation Demonstration Barn, 523 S. Mulberry St. At 8:30 a.m., attendees will board trailers for farm tours, seminars and speaker presentations.

Morning topics and presenters will include: • Well Management, Ward Ling, AgriLife Extension program specialist, College Station.

• Soil and Forage Sampling, Dalton Merz, retired U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service rangeland management specialist, Holland.

• Superstar Plants, H. Brent Pemberton, AgriLife Extension

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of grapes. Viticulturists from AgriLife Extension also are on the program.

Registration is $75 per person and RSVPs must be directed to Pontasch by May 18 at fmpontasch@tamu.edu. Payment will be accepted at the door. The fee includes materials, lunch, breaks and wine tastings.

A Texas wine and grape town hall-type meeting will be held during lunch to discuss current legislative issues affecting the industry and to identify the most crucial issues to address in the next legislative session, Pontasch said.

“This grape’s main use is in port wine, and many well-respected winemakers are dedicated to developing Black Spanish/Lenoir further. It makes an excellent dessert-style wine and is recognized on an international scale,” she noted.

Topics will include managing growth for quality fruit, optimizing harvest chemistry, emerging styles of Lenoir and the introduction of various types of Black Spanish/Lenoir wines. horticulturist, Overton.

Morning presentations will be followed by an exhibit viewing, scholarship presentations and a catered barbecue lunch.

Afternoon topics and presenters will be: • Dispelling the Myths of Agriculture, Julie Borlaug, associate director, Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, College Station.

• Landowner Stewardship, Ron Gill, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist, College Station.

Presentations will be followed at 3 p.m. by optional agricultural equipment demonstrations.

Agencies supporting the field day include the foundation, AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Department of Agriculture, USDA, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the National Weather Service.

For more information on the Luling Foundation, go to www. lulingfoundation.org .

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May 2016 — Issue 2

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News Red, white, blue beef cattle system aims to improve calving

By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

McGREGOR — A patriotic color scheme used in a cattle production system study aims to make cow-calf production more efficient and ultimately produce more pounds of beef with fewer acres, according to researchers.

The project is part of a broader scope of research studies led by Texas A&M AgriLife’s Sustainable Solutions for Beef Production Systems, bit.ly/1VyfkCQ. On a recent visit at the McGregor Research Center, Jason Sawyer, superintendent, and Barton Johnson, research associate, were working with three sets of cows with one quarter Bos Indicus influence. The cattle donned red, white or blue ear tags to help identify which time

of the year they calved or will calve.

“The goal of this project is to develop a system that can achieve a 35 percent improvement in pounds of calf weaned per acre,” Sawyer said.

The color tag scheme greatly enhances the ability to track in the field how far along the cows are during the breeding system or if they have failed on the first try to get bred, he said.

The cows with red ear tags calve in January, while the whitetagged group is targeted to calve in May. The blue tag group is expected to calve in September.

“This gives us three calving seasons across the three groups, each 120 days apart,” Sawyer said. “We also have the opportunity to manage cows very intensively between weaning and

Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Blair Fannin

The cattle don red, white or blue ear tags to help identify which time of the year they calved or will calve. calving, helping to achieve both feed and land use efficiencies.”

Visually, the ear color tagging system helps researchers keep track of which cows are expected to calve during the year, Sawyer said. But the tagging system goes one step further.

“If a cow in the red group fails to breed, at the time we determine that failure, she is switched to the white group,” Sawyer said.

“If she fails there, she has an opportunity to move to the blue group and try again. Every time she fails, she gets a strike. So a red cow that gets a strike be-

See TAGS, Page 13

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News

For the birds

Manage grazing to create ground nesting bird habitat

By RoBeRt FeaRs Special to The Post

T

he artist Claude Monet said, “I want to paint the way a bird sings.”

For thousands of years, mankind has enjoyed the songs of the birds. Bur birds are more than their voice. Some provide food and many help control pests.

Birds add value to property by improving esthetics, providing quail and turkey hunting opportunities, and aiding in insect control. Populations of ground-nesting birds are encouraged with managed grazing that creates and maintains plant cover for protection and spaces between plants for nesting and travel.

To fully develop the art of managing habitat for ground-nesting birds, we need to study grazing history and gain an understanding of how our current landscapes evolved. Grassland grazing history was addressed by Steve Clubine, a grassland management consultant, at the recent Restore the Land Conference in Bastrop. Clubine also discussed habitat needs for ground nesting birds and required management practices.

Information in this article was primarily taken from Clubine’s presentation.

Grazing history

Thousands of years ago, large herbivores (plant eaters) such as big horned bison and mammoth were replaced by bison and elk. Eastern bison were found in small herds of a few hundred, whereas plains bison roamed the prairies in large herds of several thousand animals.

Populations of plains bison may have grown because their primary hunters, American Indians, were dying from diseases brought to America by European explorers.

In contrast to common belief, bison were largely resident animals, not mi-

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Photos by Robert Fears

The Attwater’s Prairie Chicken is almost extinct due to urbanization, replacement of native grasses with introduced forage, and reduced livestock grazing. On the cover: Turkey habitat is created and maintained with grazing management. gratory. They followed fire that was either started by lightning or the Indians.

Bison heavily grazed fresh burns and lightly grazed other areas during warm weather and made greater use of riparian and unburned areas in the winter.

A patchwork of burned and unburned prairie provided intermingled brood and nesting cover for the greater prairie chicken, bobwhite quail, and other grassland biota including rabbits, rodents, insects and soil micro-organisms.

The primary fire source was Native Americans more than lightning. Indians burned to ensure forage for native grazers, create usable habitat for wildlife and keep underbrush low for travel and farming. Indians left a significant amount of areas unburned to promote fall and winter forage where bison and elk could be hunted. This resulted in a shifting mosaic of plant and structural diversity that was critical for good wildlife habitat.

Prior to widespread use of the steel plow, tallgrass prairies extended throughout the American Midwest and smaller portions of southern central Canada. They formed the transition zone between the eastern North American forests west to the shortgrass prairies, and extended south into parts of Oklahoma and Texas. The most obvious features of this ecosystem are the tall grasses such as Indiangrass, big bluestem, little bluestem and switchgrass.

These grasses average between 4.9 and 6.6 feet tall, with occasional stalks as high as 8.2 to 9.8 feet. Prairies also include a large percentage of forbs (herba-

See BIRDS, Page 9

May 2016 — Issue 2

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News Birds, from Page 8 ceous broadleaf plants), such as prairie rosinweed, gay feathers, sunflowers, asters, coneflowers and many other species.

Prairies rarely were without grazing animals. Areas recovered from a burn were grazed severely, but lightly grazed when not burned. The recovery period often is more productive for grassland birds and plants than any static condition. Burned but un-grazed prairie is a recent perception of preservation to which neither native plants nor animals may be adapted.

Cattle began replacing bison as early as the 1500s in many areas, and by the 1700s in Illinois. Raw prairie land was cheap. Hundreds of farmers bought 1,000 acres or more and some farms were 15,000 acres or larger. Captain A.H. Bogardus, a hunter, referred to the prairie pastures in Illinois as the place to hunt grouse. He described the shooting as second to none on pastures that ranged from 2,000 to 10,000 acres. Texas cattle were fattened on such pastures for eastern markets.

After the Civil War, the cattle industry shifted westward to the Great Plains and Illinois ranches eventually were con-

Photo by Robert Fears

Native bunch grassses with managed grazing provide travel lanes for ground nesting birds. verted to cropland. Wildlife thrived after settlers began farming as long as quality grassland remained. Draft animals that included oxen, horses and mules required two acres of grass for each acre farmed.

Euro-Americans continued the mosaic burn practice initiated by the Indians. There was too much grass for their livestock and new patches had to be burned each year for new palatable forage. The patchwork of burned and variably grazed grasslands contributed more to the abundance of small game after Euro-American settlement than grain crops to which credit is erroneously given.

When tractors replaced draft animals in the 1900s, 50 million acres of grasslands were converted to crops. To use surplus production, cattle began to be finished on grain instead of grass. Grassland wildlife populations, including ground nesting birds, plummeted. Grain prices fell during and after the Depression of the 1930s, fostering a New Deal Era cropland retirement program. Cropland

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News Ground, from Page 9

tually disappeared.

was planted to grasses and annual lespedeza, causing grassland wildlife to again flourish.

World War II brought high demand for grain, and when grassland was put back into tillable crops, prairie chickens and other grassland wildlife populations once again plummeted. During the 1950s, when drought brought fears of another Dust Bowl, cropland was planted back to grass and wildlife rebounded.

It was during this time that the United States Department of Agriculture and university extension agencies began promoting new grasses such as tall fescue, Old World bluestems and bermudagrass. As a result, grassland wildlife populations began a long steady decline.

Until the late 1970s, 50 percent of nests were in prairies and wildlife-friendly grass pastures. As Old World bluestem and bermudagrass increased in pastures, higher quality native grasses were weakened, making more room for the introduced grasses. Pasture nesting vir-

Habitat needs

In areas with greater than 25 inches of rainfall, herbaceous cover must be modified by grazing, drought or fire to create habitat for most ground dwelling wildlife. These factors reduce biomass, making areas more attractive to groundnesting birds. Mowing and disking are poor substitutes for natural processes.

Most wildlife need various intensities of grazing — light, moderate and heavy — to complete their life cycles. Moderately grazed land with well distributed water is probably an optimum situation.

Even moderate grazing with poor water distribution provides good wildlife habitat. Additional sites of water, mineral or salt improves livestock grazing distribution but at the expense of biological diversity. Uniform or homogeneous pasture which is mowed often, is not only poor wildlife habitat, it may not be efficient for livestock production.

Old growth of warm-season grasses

Rob Brooks 409.504.0429 jrbrooks@dow.com Dillon DeMuth (580) 318-9261 DJDeMuth@dow.com

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or new growth of cool-season grasses are needed for early nesting in April through May. New growth of warm-season or cool-season grasses is required for late nesting from June through August. On May 15, grass and forb height should be six to eight inches for nest selection by bobwhite quail. For turkey, plant height should be 17 inches on April 15.

Bermudagrass and Old World bluestems rarely get more than a few inches tall except where animals are removed for hay production. Hay is harvested during the summer months at the time of peak Bobwhite quail hatching. Grazing usually follows hay harvest leaving little vegetative cover and no forb or insect diversity.

Management

For Bobwhite quail, the wildlife manager needs to strive for approximately 300 nest sites per acre in vegetation dense enough to hide a softball or football. This number of nests will help a

large number of birds to survive predation. Less than 25 percent standing litter is optimal. Horizontal litter is not desired because it encourages small mammals to move onto the site, which attracts predators. Standing residue doesn’t.

Grazing creates optimum vegetative and structural diversity. Small, heavily grazed spots are needed for courtship and lightly grazed for nesting. Moderate grazing creates a high plant structure for cover and allows growth of forbs to attract insects that serve as food for young birds. This intensity of grazing also provides trails and paths for travel.

Grazing animals promote nutrient recycling through manure and urine for dung beetles and soil micro-organisms.

Type of grazer such as cattle, sheep, or other grass eating animals matters less than how they are managed.

In order to favor wildlife, rotational grazing must allow significant residues in several of the cells or paddocks at

See HABITAT, Page 11

John Roach 281-772-5520 jsroach@dow.com

Ethan Westfall 979.480.4844 EJWestfall@dow.com

May 2016 — Issue 2

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News for one to three growing seasons. They prevent other areas from being reached by fire and create a habitat mosaic of fresh burn-grazed, last year’s burn-intensively grazed, and unburned-lightly grazed areas.

This is patch-burn grazing.

Grassland wildlife requires some woody cover. It is needed more for summer thermal protection than for winter cover.

An area should contain from five to 25 percent woody cover in several relatively small areas. The areas should be about the size of two semi-trailers approximately 150 yards apart.

Light to moderate, seasonlong grazing is the most efficient for livestock production.

It allows animal selectivity for optimum nutrition which increases animal weight gain.

This grazing system also produces cover for grassland wildlife for their greatest and most

lar pressure on low palatability species as it does to the highly palatable plants. High stock density will eliminate nests and habitat quality quickly declines during the rest period. Lightly grazed, resting paddocks are better for nesting and brood movement. Incorporate fire into light grazing systems to create bare ground and to control cedar.

Grasslands throughout North America were dynamic ecological communities maintained by frequent fire and grazing. Until recently, fire and grazing were viewed as independent disturbances; however, there is a fire and grazing interaction. Grazers are attracted to fresh burns and spend 65 percent of their time on these areas until another area is burned. Burned areas are grazed intensively and may not be burned again

Photo by Robert Fears

Grassland wildlife need some woody cover for escape from pedators and thermal protection during the summer.

Habitat, from Page 10 the beginning of the nesting period. Allow a minimum of 35 to 46 days of pasture rest for nest construction, egg laying and incubation. An alternative is to maintain stock densities at a maximum of 2.5 animals per acre during incubation. Most grazing cells should be diverse by containing both grass and forbs. These areas should be distanced from woody cover to reduce predation. The best habitat is when woody cover is not more than 12 feet tall.

Woody plant species such as plums, dogwoods and briars fit these criteria.

Ultra-high stock density grazing improves plant diversity due to long rests and puts simi-

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May 2016 — Issue 2

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News

When disaster strikes: Planning for your livestock

By Dr. BranDon Dominguez College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University

Wayne just got his horse unsaddled and watched the storm blow in from the barn door. He had little warning that the river was rising, but with the help of his neighbor was able to get most of the cattle to higher ground. He was missing 10 first-calf heifers that just wouldn’t come through the gate. Would he be able to get to them after the storm? Would they be flooded in? Could he get feed to them? Would they even survive? The thoughts clouded his head as the rain beat on the tin roof…

How often do those of us in agriculture deal with adversity dealt our way by Mother Nature?

Small profit margins, threats introduced by a global economy, increasing competition for land usage and a society whose understanding of agriculture decreases the likelihood of an agricultural entity surviving the effects of a disaster.

In many cases, the unexpected disaster is an insurmountable threat to what I consider our nation’s most resilient citizens, its farmers and ranchers. The threat of disaster also has serious implications on a much larger scale where adverse circumstances can spread to our entire nation through disruption in our food supply system. Backyard egg producers to vertically integrated farms, our livestock

Vet’s Voice bring value through food on the table, winnings at the competition, money in our wallet, or the enjoyment of rural life, and that value adds to our families, communities, states and the country’s economy.

Livestock producers are in a business. Regardless of the species they raise, it is a business.

The key to surviving unexpected disasters lies in having wellthought-out continuity of operations plans.

States and communities have been mandated to include companion animals in emergency plans. This requirement does not extend to livestock, so producers, much as other business entities, are required to develop their own plans for survival.

Developing continuity of operations plans can be a complicated process as there are many issues to consider, starting with identifying those hazards that are most likely to impact the area of production. These typically are wellknown to ranchers as they tend to be long-time community members with a sound knowledge of their surroundings.

There are other issues to con-

SALE EACH SATURDAY

sider as well, including developing a plan for evacuating livestock before the disaster occurs, regaining containment if fences, barns, or stables are lost as a result of either the disaster itself or the response to the disaster, overcoming a loss of infrastructure that compromises meeting the nutritional needs of the animals, or considering how vehicles and people safely can enter and exit properties without spreading illness in the the event of an infectious disease outbreak.

The reason to write out your continuity of operations plan is threefold: • It stimulates thought and conversation among those involved in the operation.

• It serves as resource for family, friends and employees to use in a disaster.

• It signifies to emergency managers, first responders, bankers and insurance representatives that you have given thought to protecting effectively your business. It also provides a mechanism to convey your intentions to those who you need to rely on to protect effectively your financial investment and the health, wellbeing, and welfare of animals under your care. Including the contact information of all who you need to communicate with in an emergency or disaster is a great tactic to ensure that you are able to get hold of the right help when needed.

Finally, plan for recovery.

Identify those things that will need to be in place so animals can come back and your operation can get back to operating.

Fences and barns may need re-

built, feed and hay may need to be delivered, and insurance payments and loans may be needed.

If you were to need to rebuild, how would you do it differently?

As with the heifers at the beginning of this article, time will tell if you survive, do what you can on the front end to be prepared to face that which may impact your operation.

A resource for continuity of operations planning for livestock operations is available at vetmed.tamu.edu/vet/outreach/ request-form.

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May 2016 — Issue 2

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The Land & Livestock Post

News Tags, from Page 7

Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Blair Fannin

Jason Sawyer, McGregor Research Center superintendent, and Barton Johnson, research technician, record data as part of a red,white and blue beef cattle reproduction study.

comes a white cow with one X on her tag, so that in the field we can tell at a glance which cow has originated where, their current production status and their status in the system.”

Sawyer said this system is designed to allow producers to spread their risk throughout the year, “but more importantly it cuts down on replacement costs by giving her another chance to be productive within four months of her original failure, rather than an entire year, which would be the standard in a normal production system.”

He said it also allows them easily to identify cows that failed to catch on the first try, “so that while she remains productive, we will not keep replacement females from those cows.”

The study is part of a sustainability solutions research grant funded by the Kenneth and Caroline MacDonald Eng Foundation. Leading the study are Sawyer and Tryon Wickersham, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, scientist and associate professor in the department of animal science at Texas A&M. Sawyer said the study’s outcomes are important in helping meet ongoing challenges in Texas and beef production nationally. Cattle and calves are the number one cash agricul-

tural commodity in Texas, recorded at $10.5 billion in 2012.

“Beef production remains a significant driver of economies in Texas with more than 240,000 declared agricultural operations and 130 million acres,” Sawyer said.

Drought, land conversion, fragmentation and increasing capital requirements for entry into the business, however, have led to a 34 percent decline in beef cows during the past 15 years.

“We believe this study will yield new methods and insights on how to create even more efficient beef production practices with less land requirement,” Sawyer said. “This is a long-term study and allows us to incorporate new findings from related projects as they are discovered.

“Agrilife Research has shown a tremendous commitment to research that enhances the long-term sustainability of beef production, and the McGregor Research Center is one of the few locations that can support these types of projects that benefit producers in Texas and the U.S. and can have impact around the world.”

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May 2016 — Issue 2

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News LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT Brazos Valley

Results of the Brazos Valley Livestock Commission’s April 26 sale.

Head: 694 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $185$230; 300-400 lbs., $174-$212; 400-500 lbs., $150-$178; 500600 lbs., $140-$167; 600-700 lbs., $130-$151; 700-800 lbs., $132-$145 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $168$195; 300-400 lbs., $165-$187; 400-500 lbs., $132-$154; 500600 lbs., $128-$149; 600-700 lbs., $118-$136; 700-800 lbs., $115-$128.

Slaugher bulls: $85-$109.50.

Slaughter cows: $61-$84.50.

Bred cows: $1,010-$1,575.

Cow/calf pairs: $1,000-$1,575.

Buffalo

Results of the Buffalo Livestock Commission’s April 23 sale.

Head: 878 Steers: 150-200 lbs., $235$310; 200-300 lbs., $210-$250; 300-400 lbs., $155-$205; 400500 lbs., $145-167; 500-600 lbs., $135-$160; 600-700 lbs., $125-$150; 700-800 lbs., $115$137.

Heifers: 150-200 lbs., $235$255; 200-300 lbs., $165-$235; 300-400 lbs., $140-$175; 400500 lbs., $135-$155; 500600 lbs., $135-$155; 600-700 lbs.,$115-$142; 700-800 lbs., $105-$115.

Slaughter bulls: $87-$105.

Slaughter cows: $44-$87.

Bred cows: $1,100-$1,725.

Cow/calf pairs: $1,275$2,425.

Caldwell

Results of the Caldwell Livestock Commission’s April 28 sale.

Head: 417 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $220-

$280; 300-400 lbs., $150-$200; 400-500 lbs., $150-$165; 500600 lbs., $145-$160; 600-700 lbs., $135-$150; 700-800 lbs., $120-$135.

Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $190$270; 300-400 lbs., $150-$215; 400-500 lbs., $140-$160; 500600 lbs., $135-$160; 600-700 lbs., $130-$150.

Slaughter bulls: $80-$100.

Slaughter cows: $60-$85.

Bred cows: $800-$1,500.

Cow/calf pairs: $1,275$1,750.

Groesbeck

Results of the Groesbeck Auction and Livestock Company’s April 28 sale.

Head: 277 Steers: 300-400 lbs., $190$212; 400-500 lbs., $155-$170; 500-600 lbs., $145-$159; 600700 lbs., $140-$153.

Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $150-

$170; 400-500 lbs., $145-$157; 500-600 lbs., $137-$155; 600700 lbs., $130-$142.

Slaughter bulls: $95-$105.

Slaughter cows: $63-$88.

Bred cows: $1,100-$2,100.

Cow/calf pairs: $1,300$2,400.

Jordan

Results of the Jordan Cattle Auction’s April 28 sale.

Head: 1,300 Steers: Under 200 lbs., $180$207.50; 200-300 lbs., $180$200; 300-400 lbs., $180-$200; 400-500 lbs., $150-$180; 500600 lbs., $135-$176; 600-700 lbs., $128-$153; 700-800 lbs., $120-$140.

Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $150$173; 400-500 lbs., $135-$160; 500-600 lbs., $128-$160; 600700 lbs., $120-$138; 700-800 lbs., $118-$140.

Slaughter bulls: $80-$102.

Slaughter cows: $60-$84.

Bred cows: $1,025-$2,000.

Cow/calf pairs: $1,200$1,675.

Navasota

Results of the Navasota Livestock Commission’s April 23 sale.

Head: 933 Steers 150-300 lbs., $150$300; 300-400 lbs., $140$197.50; 400-500 lbs., $130$165; 500-600 lbs., $125-$160; 600-700 lbs., $115-$144.

Heifers: 150-300 lbs., $150$285; 300-400 lbs., $130$177.50; 400-500 lbs., $125$170; 500-600 lbs., $120-$158; 600-700 lbs., $110-$142.50.

Slaughter bulls: $75-$96.

Slaughter cows: $45-$84.50.

Bred cows: $900-$1,450.

Cow/calf pairs: $1,000$1,625.

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The Land & Livestock Post

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May 2016 — Issue 2

15

MAY 21, 2016

These cattle have all been screened to ensure you only the best quality commercial cattle will be offered.

Cattle will be palpated and sold in uniformly sorted groups to fit any cattleman’s needs.

On Thursday, May 12th, a complete listing of all sale cattle will be at

J

www.johnsoncattlemarketing.com

N

OHNSO CATTLE MARKETING

16

Tom Johnson

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Motel Accommodations Best Western - Navasota (936) 870-4100 Super 8 - Navasota (936) 825-7775

May 2016 — Issue 2

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The Land & Livestock Post