Land and Livestock Post

August 2018 – Issue I

EASE ON DOWN THE ROW

Court clarifies meaning of old easement leases.

PAGE 10

HOPPING MAD

Ways to control grasshoppers.

PAGE 13

IT’S EASY BEING GREEN

Infrastructure award goes to project helped by AgriLife.

PAGE 19

BEAMING WITH PRIDE

Going high-tech to combat invasive mango pests.

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News From the General Manager

y wife and I recently went on a kid-free vacation to Mexico. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen.

It was wonderful.

Sun, sand, cool water, “free” drinks and all the food you could want were just a few of the things that we enjoyed. I thought we would sleep in every day, too, but it turns JESSE WRIGHT out our children broke us, and we woke up at 6 a.m. every morning. But, with no kids, we were able to go back to sleep, a luxury we rarely get.

Now that we are back in the real world, I find myself eyeing kitchen nooks and counter space and trying to decide if I should put in a crepe station or a Bloody Mary bar. I guess I could

put in a swim-up bar in the backyard, but my dog jumped on the pool and popped the top air chamber and I’m sure my kids would put sand or rocks in the blender. They put sand and rocks in everything.

I guess it’s best just to leave Mexico in Mexico, as opposed to trying to re-create it at home. Besides, if I kept eating like I did at the resort, I’d have to buy an entire row of seats on a plane if I ever wanted to go back to the real Mexico.

When feeding your cattle, all-inclusive would be a good option if you could find such a thing. But, I don’t think that is an option, and just as that third trip to the dessert bar, it’s going to cost you.

In our cover story we take a look at managing feed costs, and what options you have to help lower the feed bill.

In this issue, we also have news from around the ag industry as well as information on upcoming events. Hope you

enjoy it, and if you are heading to the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course, be sure to stop by the Land & Livestock Post booth and say “Howdy!” — you are in Aggieland after all! I’d be pleased to meet you. I’ll be at the booth most of the time — that is unless I went back to the ice cream cooler for thirds.

Hope to see you there! ’Til next time.

Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Jourdan Bell

Residue helped retain moisture and allowed these dryland cotton trials to survive, but there is a distinct difference in vigor between varieties in these trials in Gray County.

Dryland cotton suffering while irrigated cotton looks good

By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

z For more information about content or advertising, contact Jesse Wright at jesse. wright@theeagle.com.

AMARILLO — Much like producers’ fields across the High Plains, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service cotton trials are seeing a significant difference in

See COTTON, Page 4

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News Cotton, from Page 3 performance this year between dryland and irrigated trials.

“While cotton can tolerate hot and dry conditions better than many crops, this year’s drought is taking a toll on dryland fields,” said Jourdan Bell, AgriLife Extension agronomist in Amarillo.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Randomized Agronomic Cotton Evaluation, or RACE, trials are conducted annually to provide regional producers a comparison of top-selling cotton varieties under different production environments.

Emi Kimura, AgriLife Extension agronomist in Vernon, said the Rolling Plains is seeing a wide range of conditions, which make these trials valuable, as no single variety excels in all locations.

Kimura said June was dry across the Rolling Plains when most of the dryland producers planted cotton, and so she expects to see a difference in the varieties on drought tolerance.

“Region-specific variety trials are very important for producers’ on-farm variety selection,” Bell said. “When producers select a cotton variety, it is important that they consider the variety’s stability.

“Stable varieties perform well over multiple years and under different management practices; especially under this year’s harsh dryland conditions,” she said. “Because precipitation is extremely variable from year to year across the Texas High Plains, it is important to choose varieties with good early season vigor.”

Bell said while this is important for irrigated and dryland systems, producers are “interested in varieties that perform well on the expanding dryland cotton acres in this region.”

This year’s Texas Northern High Plains and Rolling Plains RACE trials were planted with regional cooperators on dryland and irrigated farms. At each location, eight of the top cotton varieties in the region are being compared in large-replicated plots. Individual plot sizes are no less than 0.4 acres, so data is representative of farm-scale variety

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performance, Bell said.

Trial locations also are selected to represent the diversity of conditions across the region. Irrigated trials in the Panhandle region are in Deaf Smith, Hutchinson, Ochiltree, Parmer, Sherman and Swisher counties. Dryland trials are in Gray, Hutchinson and Randall counties. One limited irrigation trial is located in Moore County.

Irrigated varieties include NexGen 3406B2XF, NexGen 3517B2XF, NexGen 3780B2XF, FiberMax 1320GL, FiberMax 1888GL, Stoneville 4747GLB2, DeltaPine 1612B2XF and DeltaPine 1820B3XF. The dryland variety set adds NexGen 3500XF and DeltaPine 1522B2XF instead of NexGen 3517 and DeltaPine 1820.

In the Rolling Plains, there initially were 15 locations — nine dryland and six irrigated — but several sites were lost due to dry Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Jourdan Bell conditions, Kimura said.

The varieties planted on ir- Bare soil and a lack of moisture has left some cotton fields, like this one in Gray County, with tiny plants struggling to make it. rigated sites were NexGen Many such fields had to be replanted.

4689B2XF and NexGen 4777B2XF, FiberMax 2498GLT and Stoneville 5122GLT, DeltaPine 1522B2XF and DeltaPine 1646B2XF, and Phytogen 480W3FE and Phytogen 440W3FE. Under dryland, NexGen 4545B2XF, DeltaPine 1549B2XF, and FiberMax 2574GLT and Stoneville 5517GLTP replaced some of the irrigated entries.

“The persistent drought across much of the northern Texas High Plains has significantly impacted dryland producers,” Bell said.

“On many fields, cotton is simply surviving. But tillage management is proving to be critical to dryland cotton stand establishment this year.”

She said some dryland producers across the region achieved good stands under limited tillage or no-till fields in rotation with grain sorghum or wheat residue and have been able to take advantage of the little stored moisture.

However, under clean tillage, cotton seedlings burned up in early Scott Milligan - Manager June.

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The Land & Livestock Post

News

Continued drought could lead to culling herds

By AdAm Russell Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

OVERTON — Beef producers should be making plans regarding their herds in case drought conditions continue, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Jason Banta, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist in Overton, said a shortage of forage and hay could mean producers will be forced to reduce herd numbers. Having a plan to cull herds can save producers money in the short- and long-term.

Banta said there was little hay carryover from last year due to the extended winter. Cooler than normal temperatures into spring also meant the first hay cutting, which is typically one of the best, was subpar.

The second cutting also was below normal in quantity and quality due to drought, he said.

Drought conditions also are affecting hay availability in other nearby states, including Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.

“That means hay supplies will be tight,” he said. “A lot of producers are getting worried, and their concerns are justified.”

Herd sizes also have increased over the past several years, he said.

“That complicates things more,” he said. “It means they will need to look at stocking rates and begin thinking about reducing their herd numbers to save some forage supplies and reduce the need for hay in the winter.”

Producers should adjust stocking rates to avoid overgrazing pastures, Banta said. If moisture is received, overgrazing makes it more difficult for grasses to recover. To capitalize on rain, producers should consider keeping a nitrogen fertilizer source with low volatility on better-producing pastures, Banta said. Ammonium nitrate can sit on fields for several weeks with very little or no volatilization concerns.

“There should be nitrogen on pastures in the event that an unexpected rain comes,” he said. “It’s important because you never know when we might get moisture. It takes less rain to produce one ton of forage when there is good nitrogen available.

So, it’s best to capitalize on any moisture we get.”

Banta said producers also should be mindful to maintain cow body condition. Keeping weight on cows is much easier than recovering lost pounds.

Producers may want to wean calves one to two months earlier than usual to help keep cows in better shape going into winter.

“Letting a cow get below a body condition score of 4 will increase the cost to get it back to where they need to be,” he said. “A bred cow will do what she has to do to bring her calf to term, but getting her bred the next time is what we’re trying to preserve.”

Banta said the U.S. cattle herd is the biggest it’s been since 2009, so producers need to maximize the value of culls amid lower prices. Poor body conditions can mean even lower prices and lower weights. Taking culls to market in good condition can help maximize dollars per head.

If conditions continue to decline, Banta said producers should be prepared to cull their herds.

“There is no perfect strategy, but there are different options when it comes to culling,” he said.

Cows with problems, such as bad udders, bad feet, a bad eye or temperament should always be the first to go.

If additional herd reduction is needed, the list below present options: • Virgin replacement heifers.

• Late calvers.

• 2-year-old cows (they have the lowest reproductive rates).

• 3-year-old cows.

• Mature cows (least affected by difficult conditions).

“Virgin replacement heifers

The Land & Livestock Post

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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Adam Russell

Beef producers might start considering culling options in case drought conditions continue to decrease forage and hay availability. are at the top of the list to sell first because those heifers generally have good value as feeder heifers or for breeding in other parts of the country,” he said. “There are pros and cons to every strategy, the pros of this approach are lower feed costs and more calf income in the short run. However, it will mean higher replacement rates over a short period of time in the future.”

Another strategy is to sell the traditional culls, followed by the late-calvers and any cows age 11 or older. After that a percentage from each remaining group, including virgin heifers, young cows and mature cows, would be sold. This approach keeps the herd age structure intact, but results in higher feed costs and fewer calves to sell in the short term.

“Cattle prices are lower than in previous droughts so producers can’t spend as much on feed and expect a return when they go to sale,” he said. “We’re not at the point to cull that deep, but it is time to plan and possibly initiate the first parts of the plan.

The key is to be ahead of things rather than having to react to a bad situation.”

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News

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Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Jourdan Bell Irrigated cotton variety plots in Sherman County are starting to shape up well.

Drought, from Page 4 dryland conditions, Bell said.

With the irrigated cotton fields, many are in a corn-cotton rotation, she said. Just like on dryland, the corn residue was very beneficial for stand establishment and enhancing irrigation efficiency, because in addition to protecting young cotton seedlings from wind injury, the residue serves as a blanket minimizing evaporative losses from the soil surface.

“We have seen the same thing in our variety trials,” Bell said.

“Fortunately, there was rain in early June that was of great benefit to the dryland trial in Hutchinson County. But across the region, rainfall was too late for many of the dryland cotton fields.”

By mid-July, she said, cotton is typically squaring in the northern Texas Panhandle, just slightly behind the Southern High Plains, where cotton typically is flowering. However, producers in this region plant early-maturing or early-mid maturing varieties so still gain sufficient heat units

to finish out the crop.

“Occasionally, we have a wet, cool fall like 2017 that impacts quality, but when we look at long-term weather patterns, we are normally warm and dry when cotton is maturing,” Bell said.

“Our irrigated trials, as well as irrigated cotton across the region, are progressing very nicely.”

Kimura said the Rolling Plains has received moisture in midJuly, and while it was “not as much as we wanted, it will still help many cotton producers, especially those growing dryland cotton.”

The maturity stage of cotton in the Rolling Plains varies widely depending on the planting timing and whether the fields are irrigated or not, she said. However, most of the dryland cotton is still at the squaring stage with very few flowering.

Fleahoppers have shown up in some of the cotton fields, Kimura said, so producers are being encouraged to scout the fields often for insect issues.

Fleahoppers can damage the squares and future lint yield and quality.

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News

Photo courtesy of Noble Research Institute

A side-discharge hay rake will make mowed firebreaks better for fire containment.

Hay rakes can help build better firebreaks

By Frank Motal Noble Research Institute Many decisions go into planning a safe and effective prescribed burn that meets management goals. Landowners will need to determine their burn objectives and consider the weather as well as personnel and equipment needs. They also will need to prepare firebreaks, something that ranks high on the list to conduct a burn safely.

Mowed firebreaks You can use several types of firebreaks with effectiveness, but you will need carefully to monitor mowed breaks for smoldering or for fire creeping across more than you would bare soil or gravel breaks.

When mowing with a brush hog, the clippings are not discharged to the side like a lawn mower. They usually are discharged toward the rear and back onto the firebreak. This creates difficulty in controlling your fire because the clippings dry out, are near the flames and can ignite easily from embers.

If m owed early and often enough, the clippings will break down and decompose, decreasing any potential problems. Let’s face it, though, sometimes we get behind and don’t mow early or often enough to mitigate litter and thatch issues, during dormant- or growing-season burns.

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How hay rakes can help A side-discharge hay rake will help by making mowed firebreaks better for fire containment. At Noble, we put an old hydraulic side-discharge hay rake back into service just for raking fireguards. You can use a ground-driven rake as well, but it may be a little rougher riding in the tractor since speed is needed to make the reel work properly.

For dormant-season burns, you only need to rake once if you have mowed after the plants go dormant. When conducting a growing-season burn, you may need to mow and rake multiple times if the burn is not done soon after the first mowing and raking.

Since using the hay rake, it has been easier for us to extinguish and control flames along our mowed firebreaks. We observed that raking the firebreaks: • Removed excess material that could smolder and reignite by moving the litter farther away from the fireline.

• Made it easier to walk and control fire when conducting the prescribed burn.

• Removed thatch to expose multiple, small spots of bare soil.

• Made the wet-lining technique more effective.

Two minor disadvantages are that fresh-cut litter does not rake well unless it is allowed to dry

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See RAKES, Page 9

August 2018 — Issue I

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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin

A forage management workshop will be held Aug. 30 in San Antonio.

Forage Management Workshop set Aug. 30

By Paul SchattenBerg Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

SAN ANTONIO — The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will present its forage management workshop Aug. 30 at its office in Bexar County.

The workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon in Suite 208 of the Conroy Square business complex at 3355 Cherry Ridge Drive in San Antonio.

The program will be presented by Larry Redmon, AgriLife Extension program leader and state forage specialist in College Station. Topics will include for-

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Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units — two integrated pest management and one general — will be offered for commercial, non-commercial and private applicator license holders.

The cost is $15, and attendees must RSVP by Aug. 23 to Carrie Huntzinger at the AgriLife Extension office at 210-631-0400 or chuntzinger@ag.tamu.edu.

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Rakes, from Page 8 for a couple of days after mowing and that a rake does not work well in leaf litter.

Raking firebreaks with hay equipment may be out of the ordinary, but for us it has been very

useful and will continue to be used in preparing our firebreaks.

If you practice prescribed burning and own a hay rake or can borrow one, think about putting it to use when not baling hay.

It will be worth the time and effort when you are ready to conduct your prescribed burn.

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August 2018 — Issue I

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News Texas court limits width of old, general transmission line easement

By Tiffany Dowell-lashmeT Extension Agricultural Law Specialist

A new case from the Sixth Court of Appeals in Texarkana could prove useful for landowners dealing with old, blanket easement agreements on their property.

In Sothwestern Electric Power Company v. Lynch, the court held that the general easement at issue, which was silent as to width, limited the allowable width of the easement to 30 feet, which was the width historically used by the transmission line company.

Background

Three landowners in Bowie County own land burdened by a utility easement held

by Southwestern Electric Power Company. The easements were granted to the Company in 1949 by the landowners predecessors in title. Each of the easement documents are identical and provide as follows:

“[A]n easement or right-of-way [is granted to Southwestern Gas & Electric Company] for an electric transmission and distributing line, consisting of variable numbers of wires, and all necessary or desirable appurtenances (including towers or poles made of wood, metal or other materials, telephone and telegraph wires, props and guys), at or near the location and along the general course now located and staked out by the said Company over, across and upon the following described lands. ... Together with the right of ingress and egress over my (our) adjacent lands to or from said right-of-way for the purpose of constructing, reconstructing, inspecting, patrolling, hanging new wires on, maintaining and removing said line and appurtenances. ...”

None of the conveyance documents contained any metes and bounds description of the easement. None of the documents specified a width of the easement. The

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The Land & Livestock Post

News Ruling, from Page 10 company continually has used the easement to construct, service, and maintain electric transmission lines along the same general paths on which the lines were constructed in 1949. Historically, the company had utilized 30 feet total, 15 feet on each side of the center of the transmission line.

In 2014, the company began to rebuild and modernize the transmission lines, replacing wooden poles with steel. When this began, the company sent landowners along the line a letter informing them of the planned modernization of the line and offering each of them $1,000 in exchange for supplementing the existing easement and to revise and clarify the width and boundaries of the 1949 easements. Although the original conveyances were silent as to width, the supplemental agreement would have expressly included a width of 100 feet.

The plaintiff landowners refused to sign the supplemental agreements, but the company entered their property and upgraded regardless, arguing they were entitled to do so under the 1949 deeds. Landowners testified that the modified line with the steel poles did not take up additional room beyond the 30 feet that had been utilized by the company’s prior line.

Litigation

The landowners filed suit seeking a declaratory judgment that the company’s easement was limited to a width of 30 feet. It was not, the plaintiffs argued, a blanket easement allowing the company unlimited access to the landowners’ property. The landowners based their argument of a 30-foot limitation on the fact that was the width that the company had used over the years to construct and maintain the power lines. The company argued that the 1949 deeds granted a general easement that was not so limited in width. A general easement, the company argued, gives them “the right to use as much as we reasonably determine each time we need to use the easement.”

The trial court judge sided with the landowners, limiting the company’s use of the easement to 30 feet as that was the width of the prior use.

The company appealed.

Judgment

The court sided with the landowners in this case, affirming the trial judge.

There is a justiciable controversy

Courts only can rule on cases that are justiciable, which requires that, among other things, claims be “ripe.” A claim is ripe if “at the time a lawsuit is filed, the facts are sufficiently developed so that an injury has occurred or is likely to occur, rather than being contingent or remote.” Conversely, a case is not ripe and a court may not rule if a determination of whether the plaintiff suffered injury depends on hypothetical facts or events that have not yet occurred.

The company argued this case was not ripe as the landowners did not allege any action or proposed action by the company that prevented them from utilizing their own property. The landowners argued that their claims are ripe because, due to the company’s position that their easement is unlimited, the company could file trespass claims at any time, and that due to the uncertainty under the deeds created by the company’s position, the landowners are effectively being denied the full use of their property.

The court sided with the landowners, finding that there was a justiciable controversy. Because the company could choose to pursue enforcement of its interpretation of the deeds at any time, and because a larger easement width could impact the landowners’ property usage, it was ripe for decision.

The easements are limited to 30 feet

The company argued that

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The Land & Livestock Post

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August 2018 — Issue I

11

News Court, from Page 11 there was no evidence to support the landowners’ claim that the easements were limited to 30 feet, and the only such evidence to support that claim is the fact that historically that is what actually was used, which is extrinsic and inadmissible.

The scope of an easement holder’s rights is determined by the express terms of the easement document. A general grant or reservation of an easement “in general terms implies a grant of unlimited reasonable use such as is reasonably necessary and convenient and as little burdensome as possible to the servient owner.” Further, the court stated, “it is a well settled rule that where the grant does not state the width of the right-of-way created, the grantee [the company] is entitled to a suitable and convenient way sufficient to afford ingress and egress to the owner of the dominant estate [the company].”

Here, because the 1949 deeds granted a general easement but did not specify the width thereof, the company “was entitled to use as much of the [landowner’s] property asisreasonablynecessary,whilebeing as little of a burden as possible.”

The court held that this constituted 30 feet. The court rejected prior decisions relied upon by the company in which the easement agreements allowed additional lines to be laid in the future and a case where the easement agreement specifically allowed for “relocation” of the line.

Instead, the court said that “under a general easement, once the location of the easement is selected by the grantee, its rights then become fixed and certain.”

Thus, once the company constructed and maintained its transmission lines, its rights became fixed and certain.

The company has filed a motion for rehearing and potentially could appeal the court’s decision to the Supreme Court of Texas.

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Multifaceted leasing workshop planned for Sept. 7

By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

A leasing workshop covering grazing, hunting and livestock leases is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan.

There is no cost to attend the workshop, sponsored by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Ag Workers Insurance and Southern Risk Management Education.

Lunch will be provided.

“More than 500 Texans have participated in these workshops that allow attendees the opportunity to ask questions, interact with attorneys and economists,” said Tiffany Dowell-Lashmet, AgriLife Extension law specialist in Ama-

rillo, one of the workshop instructors.

All participants receive a copy of the Ranchers Agricultural Leasing Handbook, which includes checklists and sample lease language.

“This a great resource for

Special to The Post

landowners and serves guide when potentially entering into respective lease agreements,” Dowell-Lashmet said.

RSVP is requested by Aug. 30 by contacting Dowell-Lashmet at 806-677-5681 or tdowell@ tamu.edu.

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August 2018 — Issue I



The Land & Livestock Post

News Cultural and chemical control is available for grasshoppers AgriLife Soil & Crop Sciences

There are about 150 species of grasshoppers in the state of Texas, but 90 percent of the damage to crops, gardens, trees and pastures is caused by just five species.

Grasshoppers deposit their eggs 1/2 to 2 inches below the soil surface in podlike structures. Each egg pod consists of 20 to 120 eggs. Egg pods are resistant to cold and easily can survive the winter if the soil is not disturbed. Grasshoppers deposit eggs in fallow fields, ditches, fencerows, and weedy areas, as well as in crop fields and hay fields.

Eggs begin hatching in late April or early May; hatching peaks about midJune. If spring weather is cool and dry, hatching may be delayed until July.

Young grasshoppers are called nymphs.

They look like adults, but are smaller and do not have wings. Nymphs go through 5 to 6 developmental stages and become adults in 40 to 60 days, depend-

ing on weather and food supplies.

The adult grasshoppers deposit eggs from late July through the fall. Usually only one generation of grasshoppers is produced each year.

Producers should start watching for grasshoppers early in the season and begin control measures while grasshoppers are still nymphs. Smaller grasshoppers are more susceptible to insecticides than larger ones.

Control options

• Cultural control — Controlling summer weeds reduces available feed for newly hatching nymphs as well as making it easier for birds to prey on grasshoppers.

• Chemical control — Grasshoppers are susceptible to many insecticides.

The length of control will depend on the residual activity of the insecticides and the frequency of treatment. Controlling

grasshoppers over a large area will reduce the numbers present that can reinfest a treated area. Remember, smaller grasshoppers are more susceptible to insecticides than larger ones.

Insecticides that can be used on pastures and hayfields: • Mustang Max (9.6% zeta-cypermethrin) • Karate Z (lambda cyhalothrin): Do not harvest for hay until 7 days after application • Baythroid XL • Dimilin 2L: Dimilin must be applied when grasshoppers are about 1/4 inch.

Dimilin is not effective on adults.

• Sevin 4F, Sevin XLR, Sevin 80S, generic Carbaryl: 14-day waiting period before grazing or harvesting • Tombstone Helios (cyfluthrin) • Prevathon (RynaXypyr): For optimum control, apply to nymphs.

Always read and follow all label inTexas A&M AgriLife Extension photo structions on pesticides.

Grasshoppers resting on a weed.

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August 2018 — Issue I



The Land & Livestock Post

News

Monitor herd’s mineral intake closely during summer

By Glenn Selk Oklahoma State University

Summer often becomes a busy time of year for ranchers — especially during haying season.

Don’t forget to check the mineral feeders or blocks to be certain that they are supplying the minerals that your cows need.

In some cases, medications may be recommended by your veterinarian to be included in the mineral mix. Cow-calf operators will want to monitor mineral consumption closely to be certain that the label-recommended amounts are being consumed by the cattle.

A Veterinary Feed Directive will be necessary for antibiotic feeding in mineral supplements.

Contact and work with your local large-animal veterinarian about

the appropriate directive for your operation.

Placement of mineral feeders and blocks can aid in achieving optimum mineral intake. Place them in areas where cattle spend a lot of time. Minerals should be placed in loafing areas, near water sources, in shady areas, or any other location that tends be a popular place for the herd to congregate. A rule of thumb is to provide one mineral feeding station for every 30 to 50 cows. Check feeders at least once a week and keep a clean, fresh supply of minerals present at all times. A good feeder should keep minerals dry, be portable and hold up to abuse and corrosion. Open tubs are not adequate in high rainfall areas.

Cattle owners can get additional help with calculating min-

eral intake with the OSU Mineral Calculator and OSU Mineral Consumption Record sheets. To download these aids, go to beefextension.com/ and click on the appropriate menu items on the right side of the page.

Choosing a mineral mix requires understanding of the animal’s requirements and the minerals available in the forages and feedstuffs available to the animals.

Mineral needs tend to be area specific and change with soil type, fertilization rates, rainfall and many other factors. Mineral requirements also will depend on animal age and stage of production.

An excellent reference source for Oklahoma beef producers about mineral supplementation

Photo courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

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The Land & Livestock Post



August 2018 — Issue I

15

News

Worth the cost?

Putting a pencil to the feeding program

F

By RoBeRt FeaRs Special to The Post

eed is one of the big expense items in a cow-calf operation, so it is important to put a pencil to the feeding program periodically to determine if your cattle are being fed in the most economical fashion.

Unmanaged feed bills quickly can erode ranch profits.

Ways to reduce the feed bill

“There are some general economic rules to obey when planning and executing a feeding program. First, profitability of any livestock enterprise requires efficient utilization of available forages,” said Jason Johnson, economist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

“The second rule is that cost-effective supplementation should complement forage and not substitute for it nor impair animal forage utilization. There is a very big distinction between supplemental feeding and substitution feeding.

Continued short-cuts in providing adequate nutrition will produce long-term negative consequences.”

Goals of a successful feeding program are facilitating rebreeding of cows while maintaining calving intervals, maintaining pounds of calf produced per cow, minimizing feed cost per pound of calf sold and putting desired weight on calves as quickly as possible.

Factors affecting type and amount of supplementation include forage quantity and quality, animal body condition and size, milking level and age.

The first step in designing a nutrition plan is to determine the amount of nutrients cattle are obtaining from forage and match this information with animal requirements. If nutritional requirements are not being met, deficiencies

16

Photo by Robert Fears

One of the goals of a successful feeding program is maintaining calving intervals. There are many things to consisder when deciding the best way to do that. need to be corrected with supplement.

When forage begins to mature late in the growing season, digestibility and nutrient levels decrease and cattle may be unable to consume enough to meet their needs.

“If space permits, sort cows by age and expected calving date so that each group can be fed according to their nutritional needs,” Johnson said. “Feed the highest quality feeds to animals with higher nutrient requirements such as

August 2018 — Issue I



growing replacement heifers and calves.

Give the lower quality roughages to cows in the middle-third stage of pregnancy.

See SUPPLEMENT, Page 17

The Land & Livestock Post

News

Supplement, from Page 16 “Save the best quality feeds for cows in the last stage of pregnancy and after calving.

Complement low-quality roughages with protein and/or energy supplements to fill nutrient voids.”

“Research studies from several universities indicate little or no difference in performance of cows supplemented two or three times per week compared to those fed daily. Recent studies show that feeding natural supplements with 32 percent or greater crude protein once a week yields results comparable to those fed more frequently.

Reduction of feeding frequency saves labor, fuel and equipment wear,” said Rick Machen, King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management.

“High-energy supplements, however, with 10 to 18 percent crude protein perform best when offered frequently and in small amounts. Infrequent feeding of large amounts of high energy grain can cause serious illness.”

Supplement types

There are many types of supplements and it is important to choose the one that meets nutrient requirements of the herd at the most economical price.

Oilseed meals, such as cottonseed, soybean and peanut, are

Photos by Robert Fears

Top right, good quality hay is a suitable supplement that provides medium levels of protein and energy to your herd.

Bottom right, the first step in designing a nutrition plan is to determine the amount of nutrients cattle are obtaining from forage. high in protein with medium to high energy, whereas grain is low in protein and high in energy. If both protein and energy are deficient in a cow’s diet, an oilseed meal supplement may be a good choice. If cows are deficient only in energy, grain is a good option. Corn and milo (sorghum) are the most common grains fed to cattle, but oats, wheat or barley also are suitable. Good quality hay is also a suitable supplement that provides medium levels of protein and energy.

Breeder or range cubes are a combination of protein and energy, fed in higher amounts than oilseed meals and are higher in nutrient costs than meals and grain. Cubes contain either 20, 30, 32 or 40 percent crude protein. Always read the ingredient list on the feed tag to ensure you are buying what your cattle need. Ask about the total digestible nutrient content, which is not required on the tag. Look for discount break points or if feasible, contract at truck load price discounts.

Liquid formulations of pro-

See DECISIONS, Page 18

The Land & Livestock Post

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August 2018 — Issue I

17

News Decisions, from Page 17 tein supplements are fed at higher cost than cubes. When computing the cost, consider the per-ton price of the supplement plus delivery charges or use of a nurse trailer plus cost of a liquid feeder. Liquid feed typically contains 24 percent protein and 5 percent fat. There are 185 gallons in a ton and a feeder holds 300 gallons.

The most expensive protein supplement is syrup tub formulations. The product is primarily available in 30-, 60-, 200- and 250-pound tubs and formulations either are poured or cooked.

Poured formulations contain water whereas most of the moisture is removed in cooked formulations. Low moisture tubs soften or liquify on the surface as they absorb moisture from the air, which controls intake. The formulations normally contain 24 percent protein and 2 percent fat with most of the protein supplied from urea.

“There are advantages in using liquid feeds or tubs,�

Johnson said. “Convenience is the big advantage in that trips to the pasture are reduced from three to four times per week to one. This results in fuel and labor cost savings. All cows get equal access to feed because the aggressive eaters are limited in consumption and don’t continually stand at the feeder.

Consumption limiters in the formulations facilitate better eating habits. Cattle can eat Ÿ pound, graze and return to the feeder rather than swallowing quickly, ruminating and then grazing.�

Alternate supplemental feed sources (liquids and tubs) work best when made available to the herd year-round. This allows accumulation of body fat reserves that are used in the fall and winter when forage quantity and quality decline.

Reducing feed costs offers a great opportunity to increase ranch profits, so put a pencil to the feeding program.

Photo by Robert Fears

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August 2018 — Issue I

ď‚Ť

The Land & Livestock Post

News

Photo by Joe Bibby

Aerial view of Phase 1 of the Exploration Green project, which received the 2018 Excellence in Green Infrastructure Award.

AgriLife participates in award-winning green infrastructure in Clear Lake

By PAUL SCHATTENBERG Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

HOUSTON — A multifaceted project to help reduce flooding and provide recreation for thousands of residents of Clear Lake City has received the 2018 Excel-

Published by Bryan-College Station Communications, Inc. (979) 776-4444 or (800) 299-7355

President - Crystal Dupré .....................................................Ext. 4613 Publisher and Editor- Darren Benson ....................................Ext. 4653 Sales and Marketing Director - Sean Lewis .......................... Ext. 4740 Advertising Sales/General Manager - Jesse Wright ...............Ext. 4721 Finance Director - Rod Armstrong.........................................Ext. 4605 Production Director - Jerry Buck...........................................Ext. 4671 Circulation Director - Greg Parker ........................................Ext. 4752

Published by Bryan-College Station Communications, Inc., P.O. Box 3000, Bryan,Texas 77805.

E-mail: thepost@theeagle.com All offices are located at 1729 Briarcrest Drive Bryan,Texas 77802.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Eagle, P.O. Box 3000, Bryan,Texas 77805-3000 The Post is printed in part on recycled paper and is fully recyclable.

lence in Green Infrastructure Award.

Texas A&M AgriLife entities have been major participants in developing Exploration Green Nature Park, located about a mile from the Johnson Space Center.

Exploration Green was selected to receive the honor through the 2018 Excellence in Green Infrastructure awards program. The program is a partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies.

“Exploration Green transformed an out-of-use golf course into a 200-acre nature park and stormwater detention facility,” said John Jacob, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist with the recreation, park and tourism sciences department of Texas A&M University in College Station. “For more than a decade we have been involved in the planning and implementation of actions to repurpose this golf course and surrounding area into a green space with water detention features and recreational areas.”

See GREEN, Page 27

The Land & Livestock Post



August 2018 — Issue I

19

News

Evaluating the most economic way to improve range

By Myriah Johnson Noble Research Institute

On many agricultural operations, there are always projects to work on. Some are pertinent and necessary for the operation to continue functioning, while others are “get to it when you can” or “would be nice to do” types of projects.

Often, range management or improvement projects fall in the nonessential category until they reach a critical point. Along the way, these projects continually may be pushed to the back burner for many reasons, such as shortages in time, labor or capital. However, it is best to consider whether there is a financial incentive (or penalty) for waiting until there is a critical mass to address this type of project.

Increased brush reduces revenue

We will focus on what would happen to a range pasture if mesquite was not managed over a 30-year time period.

The article “Economics of Managing Mesquite in North Texas: A Sensitivity Analysis,” written by W.R. Teague, R.J. Ansley, U.P. Kreuter, W.E. Pinchak and J.M. McGrann and published by the Journal of Range Management in 2001, lends itself to this idea.

Their paper depicts the tradeoff between carrying capacity and acres per animal unit with percent mesquite coverage. An area completely clear of mesquite is assumed to start with.

This clear land will support slightly less than 0.12 animal unit years per hectare (or slightly more than 21 acres per animal unit year).

For the first 15 years or so, mesquite coverage slowly increases to about 15 percent and only a minimal decrease in animal unit years per hectare occurs (or a minimal increase in the number of acres per animal unit year).

20

However, in years 15 to 30, as mesquite coverage increases from approximately 15 percent to 30 percent, we observe a steady decline in carrying capacity to less than 0.04 animal unit years per hectare (or more than 62 acres per animal unit year). During these 30 years, there is a reduction in grazeable acres and carrying capacity.

Because fewer head of livestock can be supported, fewer pounds of livestock production per acre are sold. This creates a loss in revenue, leaving a producer fewer dollars to pay for this type of range management.

Further, there is an increase in the production cost per unit of livestock.

Consider loss of revenue evaluating practices

Photo courtesy of Noble Research Institute

An agriculture consultant sprays water at a controlled burn site.

Assume a calf crop of 50 percent steers and 50 percent heifers.

Using Oklahoma City market prices from 2000 to 2017 for 500- to 600-pound steers and heifers, it is estimated that approximately $165,000 in revenue would be lost.

Calculate costs for management options

So, what options are available for mesquite control that would be less costly than losing out on $165,000 in revenue?

We estimated the costs of several management methods

See RANGE, Page 23

None of these consequences are desired, but how does one justify implementing the management practices needed to avoid this situation? One way to look at this is to think of the potential lost revenue from not managing the rangeland.

We will assume there are 1,000 acres in the operation and that 500-pound calves are weaned and sold each October. If the cows weigh 1,100 pounds, on average the 1,000 acres will support 41 cows total (24 acres per cow). With an 85 percent weaning rate, there would be 35 calves to market each fall. This herd size could be supported for the first 15 years or so. At year 18, we assume the operation can support 33 cows with 28 calves to market; at year 23, 22 cows and 18 calves; at year 28, 16 cows and 13 calves; and finally, at year 30, 14 cows and 11 calves.

To calculate the loss in revenue, we compare the pounds that would have been marketed if the land was clear to the pounds marketed when the carrying capacity is decreased.

For example, take the 18 calves, instead of 35, marketed at year 23.

August 2018 — Issue I



The Land & Livestock Post

News AgriLife potato research showing up on nation’s tables

By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

SPRINGLAKE — When Kelly Kuball walked the Texas A&M Potato Breeding and Variety Development Program variety display trials near Springlake recently, he was a long way from his specialty potato company in Arvin, California.

Kuball said the Texas A&M potato breeding materials have the potential to provide new products for his Tasteful Selections clientele. As the company’s variety development coordinator, he is looking for potatoes with unique characteristics, such as shape, color, size — “anything that might improve what we already grow and put in our bag for our customers.”

Tasteful Selections concentrates mainly on baby potatoes, a rapidly growing market, he said. This is his fourth year to come observe the trials in Springlake, but he has been growing and evaluating Texas A&M potatoes for seven years in California and at other Tasteful

Selections growing regions on the West Coast.

It currently has three Texas experimental varieties in its advanced trials.

“If the varieties pass all the qualifications in early observation trials, we then will graduate the lines into replicated and commercial tests,” Kuball said.

Kuball was among about 50 people who attended the annual Potato Field Day in cooperation with Springlake Potato Sales Inc. and the Bruce Barrett Farm.

Isabel Vales, Texas A&M AgriLife Research potato breeder in College Station, said the breeding program’s main goal is to develop new potato varieties. She now leads the breeding program, long run by Creighton Miller.

“We work in different market classes,” Vales said. “Clearly the fresh market russets are very important, followed by the chippers.”

The Texas A&M program is known for its release of several strains of the fresh-market Russet Norkotah, including No. 278, which she

See SPUDS, Page 30

Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Kay Ledbetter

Isabel Vales, Texas A&M AgriLife Research potato breeder in College Station, visits with Tasteful Selections representative Kelly Kuball during the recent field day.

Focused specifically on grazing, hunting, and livestock leases.

Half-day seminar, participants will be able to ask questions, interact with attorneys and economists.

All participants receive their own copy of the Ranchers’ Agricultural Leasing Handbook, which contains checklists and sample lease language.

The Land & Livestock Post



August 2018 — Issue I

21

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August 2018 — Issue I



The Land & Livestock Post

News Range, from Page 20 to answer this question. The methods included prescribed fire, aerial treatment, individual plant treatment and grubbing as well as the combination of aerial treatment and prescribed fire or individual plant treatment and the combination of grubbing and prescribed fire or individual plant treatment. We assumed these management practices were started in year 13, just before destocking would begin. By implementing these practices, destocking would not be needed.

The following calculations are rough estimates based on the Noble agricultural consultants’ knowledge.

Prescribed fire

Initial startup cost of $10,960 for a sprayer, fire guards and other supplies.

We assumed 200 acres would be burned each year with an annual cost of $39.

Total cost over 30-year period: $10,960 + ($39 x 18 years) = $11,662 One consideration for prescribed fire is that mature trees at high densities could lead to lessthan-desirable suppression levels and not result in an increase in carrying capacity.

by fire each year

Add one-time cost for aerial treatment ($32,500), plus prescribed fire startup cost ($10,960) and annual burn cost ($39) for 200 acres.

Total cost over 30 years: $32,500 + $10,960 + ($39 x 17 years) = $44,123

Aerial treatment followed by individual plant treatment each year

Individual plant treatment annual cost: $20 per acre x 200 acres per year = $4,000 Total cost over 30 years: $32,500 + ($4,000 x 17 years) = $100,500

Grubbing

$175,000 every five years, four treatments in an 18-year time frame.

Total cost over 30 years: $175,000 x 4 = $700,000

Grubbing followed by prescribed fire each year

Add one-time grubbing cost

($175,000), plus prescribed fire startup cost ($10,960) and annual burn cost ($39) for 200 acres.

Total cost over 30 years: $175,000 + $10.960 + ($39 x 17 years) = $186,623

Grubbing followed by individual plant treatment each year

Add one-time grubbing cost ($175,000), plus individual plant treatment annual cost ($4,000) for 200 acres.

Total cost over 30 years: $175, 000 + ($4,000 x 17 years) = $243,000 In total, there are eight different management options ranging in cost from about $11,662 to $700,000.

In Table 1, the bolded values represent the options that cost less than the lost revenue value of $165,000. Five options meet the threshold.

Prescribed fire is the cheapest at $11,662. It is followed by the combination of aerial treatment and prescribed fire, then individual plant treatment, then aerial treatment and individual plant

Aerial treatment

$32,500 every five years with four treatments in an 18-year time frame.

Total cost over 30 years: $32,500 x 4 = $130,000

Four economic considerations

First and foremost, you must have the cash on hand to implement the management practices discussed in this article. Just

because you stand to lose revenue does not necessarily mean you have the cash on hand to implement the practices. So, you should consider setting cash aside for range management practices.

You also should consider the fact that the costs to implement any of these practices may increase with deferment. z Contributing to this article were Rob Cook, pasture and range consultant; Will Moseley, wildlife and fisheries consultant; Steven Smith, wildlife and fisheries consultant; and Brian Hays.

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Individual plant treatment

$20,000 every five years, four treatments in 18-year time frame.

Total cost over 30 years: $20,000 x 4 = $80,000 individual plant treatment can be cheaper at lower canopy and density levels but may be less feasible at higher density levels and with more mature trees. Also, cut and spray may be the only IPT option when trees are larger.

treatment, and finally aerial treatment, with an approximate cost of $130,000.

Some producers have suggested the prescribed fire cost is double what is assumed here.

Prescribed fire remains the most economical option.

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23

News Testing electron beams to eliminate invasive pests on mangos

By ADAM RUSSELL Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

By the end of summer, more than one million 5-pound boxes of imported mangos will be treated for possible invasive pests by electron beam, which irradiates fruits and vegetables at low doses to sterilize them, said Suresh Pillai, director of the National Center for Electron Beam Research at Texas A&M University in College Station.

Pillai said a major retailer partnered with the eBeam center to utilize its on-campus technology to meet federal import sanitation requirements efficiently without damaging the fruit. The goal of the collaboration is to test eBeam’s use for large-scale sanitation of products in a real market environment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Inspection Service restrictions require mangos from Mexico be treated to prevent introduction of insect pests, Pillai said. The USDA has approved the use of irradiation to treat imported fruits and vegetables to ensure invasive insects do not enter the country.

Prior to use of electron beam treatment, mangos were either dipped in hot water or exposed to gamma irradiation, Pillai said. However, this created a problem as mangos can’t be too ripe before dipping or the hot water will damage the fruit.

The eBeam center treated ap-

proximately 1.3 million pounds of Mexican mangos with USDAprescribed doses of irradia-

tion in 2017, Pillai said.

“Last year we tested the technology’s robustness and the product handling,” he said.

“From that perspective, what we’ve done and are doing is showing the world that this is a cost-effective, cost-eff ective, environmentally friendly, green technology that can be adopted anywhere.”

Electron beam technology has been used in the U.S. for decades at higher doses by the wire and cable industry, medical-device industry and the ground-beef industry. Low doses such as used on mangoes not only can eliminate insects and pests, but also can extend the shelf life by delaying maturation, Pillai said.

The diversity of uses has

increased the technology’s interest globally, Pillai said. In addition to being the only such facility in the world on a university campus and a major research resource for faculty, the eBeam center at Texas A&M is a fullscale commercial facility that allows private industry to test the technology spectrum of the technology’s commercial uses.

Pillai said the technology has proven effective for treating high volumes of various products, but that tests, especially large-scale projects such as this one, help researchers identify logistical challenges and strategies to optimize the facility to make eBeam systems more efficient and commercially viable.

“The biggest challenge we’ve

See eBEAM, Page 25

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August 2018 — Issue I



The Land & Livestock Post

News eBeam, from Page 24 encountered with this project is a pinch point in material handling,” he said. “The process is so quick that we realize that automation to load and unload boxes off the conveyor belt will be a game changer. Currently, the process is labor intensive and, therefore, the next step would be testing automation.”

Pillai said continued research and partnerships with private companies and public agen cies will be instrumental in the spread of the technology and adoption within various industries into the future.

“There is no question about the equipment or the technology’s effectiveness, but there are still logistical challenges to be considered, especially when dealing with perishable items and staying in compliance with [Animal and Plant Inspection Service] rules and guidelines,”

he said. “But we see the benefits of eBeam technology. What we want to do is prove to the private industry that the technology is a viable investment and empower private industry and entrepreneurs to adopt the technology and expand its use around the world.”

Pillai said private companies already are showing increased interest in building similar eBeam facilities in the U.S. and Mexico to meet manufacturing and phytosanitary application needs.

He said the potential for eBeam continues to be realized with each project, and that he is excited the research center at Texas A&M is spearheading its development and application.

“This is not a lab with little bench-top equipment,” he said.

“This is a big-time commercial scale treatment technology. We like to say our mission is to clean, Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo heal, feed and shape the world Suresh D. Pillai shows where food and other materials pass along an automated conveyor belt to be sanitized. Pillai is a Texas A&M and beyond.”

AgriLife Research scientist and director of the National Center for Electron Beam Research in College Station.

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                

       

The Land & Livestock Post

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August 2018 — Issue I

25

News

Texas A&M AgriLife Research releases new Ace cowpea

By AdAm Russell Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

OVERTON — A new forage cowpea variety — Ace — blends a number of desirable characteristics into into a well-rounded option for livestock, wildlife and improved soil health, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research expert.

Ace is a small-seed cowpea cultivar developed for forage and hay production, as a cover crop and as a wildlife supplemental planting, said Gerald Smith, AgriLife Research plant breeder in Overton.

Cowpea is a warm-season, drought-tolerant legume. Diverse varieties are used as green vegetables for human consumption, for livestock forage and wildlife browse and as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop to improve soil health.

The new cowpea variety was developed in the AgriLife Research Forage Legume Breeding Program at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Centers in Overton and Vernon. It was released in May, certified by the Texas Department of Agriculture State Seed and Plant Board in June and is available from Turner Seed and Justin Seed.

AgriLife Research breeding produced a new variety with qualities including a small seed size, high biomass yields and an extended growing season.

The variety’s biomass matures earlier with a first bloom in late August and seed maturity in northeast Texas by mid-October.

“It wasn’t bred to be an edible variety for humans, but it’s a great forage and browse cowpea, has good vegetation that grows throughout the season and can be utilized for hay or as a cover crop,” Smith said. “It can also be produced for seed here in Texas, which brings a value-added component to its potential.”

Smith said Ace is comparable to an older variety mix called Iron and Clay, which is widely used in Texas and the Southern U.S.

26

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photos by Gerald Smith

Above, Ace cowpea is a good option for livestock forage and hay, wildlife browse or as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop. Above right, Ace cowpea is a new forage cultivar release

by Texas A&M AgriLife Research. as supplemental plantings for white-tailed deer. But Iron and Clay is a late-flowering variety and seed production is restricted in North Texas due to winter kill prior to seed maturation.

Forage biomass production of Ace on dryland acres in Overton was 2,539 and 4,200 pounds per acre in 2013 and 2016, respectively, Smith said. Forage biomass production at Vernon in 2015, 2016 and 2017 was 3,470, 5,302 and 6,015 pounds per acre, respectively.

Protein content of Ace forage at Vernon in 2015 and 2016 was 16.5 percent and 16.4 percent, respectively, he said.

Smith said Ace clearly is applicable to produce browse for deer, but researchers also will be studying its use to supplement quail and turkey.

“It’s useful in mixtures with other wildlife plants such as millet, sunflowers and sorghum,” he said. “Its seed size means producers get more seed per pound, and that lends well to lower seeding rates, which reduces costs.”

Smith said the new variety also has shown potential for annual

reseeding.

Greenhouse studies from two years of seed production indicate about half of an Ace cowpea seed crop will germinate in the first month after seed maturity, and the other half will germinate slowly over about 60 or 70 days, assuming moisture and temperature conditions are appropriate for germination.

The reseeding trait of Ace needs further field testing but could be a valuable tool in stand management, he said.

“That’s another selling point for this variety,” he said. “If allowed to reseed, we think at least half the seed crop of Ace would germinate. That in turn will mean cost savings for producers.”

Smith said Ace represents a valuable cultivar with various market applications that will be important to the Texas seed industry.

“It’s a really good, new and different forage cowpea,” Smith said. “We think its characteristics and potential make it stand out as an option for a wide range of agricultural activities.”

CALDWELL LIVESTOCK COMMISSION REGULAR SALE EVERY

WEDNESDAY, 1:00 PM Carl Herrmann 979.820.5349 Hank Herrmann 979.820.5277 Hwy 36 South, P.O. Box 542, Caldwell, TX 77836 Sale Barn Phone: (979) 567-4119

August 2018 — Issue I

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The Land & Livestock Post

News Green, from Page 19 Jacob, a Houston resident, said the wetlands in Exploration Green were designed to detain and slow floodwaters and clean the runoff from 95 percent of the storms that occur in the community.

Additional provisions were added for a walking trail, lake, wetlands areas and other features.

The award was announced in July at the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies annual conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

According to coordinators, the Green Infrastructure awards program was designed to recognize and spotlight stormwater management projects throughout the country that are advancing and innovating green stormwater infrastructure techniques.

“The 178-acre golf course ran alongside large drainage ditches constructed by the original developer, providing a perfect setting for

accommodating additional runoff,” Jacob said. “The first phase of Exploration Green was about 80 percent completed when Hurricane Harvey hit and the detention area held enough stormwater runoff that even houses that habitually flooded with just 5 to 10 inches of water storms didn’t flood with the 45 or so inches that came with Harvey.

This project shows that Houston can build developments that don’t flood.”

John Branch, board president of the Clear Lake City Water Authority, which owns Exploration Green, said this kind of detention, combined with the wetlands and native landscapes and nature trails is what real resilience is all about.

“The involvement of Texas A&M through its Texas Community Watershed Partners was critical to the success of the overall project,” he said.

Mary Carol Edwards, AgriLife Extension stormwater wetland program specialist affiliated with Texas

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

Community Watershed Partners, said the project is being developed in five phases, with the first phase now complete.

Edwards, who grew up in the Clear Lake area, has been working on the stormwater wetlands portion of Exploration Green.

“This will be one of the largest urban stormwater wetlands initiatives ever undertaken in Texas, with nearly 40 acres of wetlands once all five phases at Exploration Green are completed,” she said.

Water quality studies, funded by a grant from the Texas General Land Office Coastal Management Program, will begin in October to monitor and document water quality changes provided by the stormwater wetlands.

Excavation of the park’s second phase is underway and will include development of a lake with stormwater wetlands, a mile of hike and bike trails and the reforestation of native trees. All phases of the project are expected to be complete in 2022.

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Cattle & Domestic Hog Processing Theiss Sausage Company Normangee, TX 936-396-9300

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August 2018 — Issue I

Holladay & Associates, Inc.

tax Preparation • Payroll • Notary • Bookkeeping 979.704.6264 • www.holladayassociates.com

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1733 Briarcrest Drive, suite 110 • Bryan 9995 County Road 353  Gause, TX 77857

Dr. Roy W Hann Jr.  (979) 255 - 5709 Tyson Hann  (979) 324 - 6659

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The most up to date local news you will find.

For the latest

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Saturday Aug. 18th 8am-2pm Brazos County Expo Center Booths $30 ea;/$40 at door Early Bird Special ends Aug. 6th - $30 ea or 4 for $90 Contact: MarketDay@bvdrc.com Cell/text 979-777-9239

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breaking sports news

August 2018 — Issue I



The Land & Livestock Post

News LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT Anderson

Results of the Mid Tex Livestock Commission’s July 19 sale.

Head: 935 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $150$210; 300-400 lbs., $150-$195; 400-500 lbs., $135-$195; 500-600 lbs., $130-$160; 600-700 lbs., $130-$148; 700-800 lbs., $115-$138 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $130$180; 300-400 lbs., $130-$165; 400-500 lbs., $130-$163; 500-600 lbs., $120-$158; 600-700 lbs., $130-$148; 700-800 lbs., $100-$115 Slaughter bulls: $60-$83 Slaughter cows: $34-$60 Bred cows: $500-$1,100 Cow/calf pairs: $600-$1,000

Brazos Valley

Results of the Brazos Valley Livestock Commission’s July 10 sale.

Head: 1,344 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $175$216; 300-400 lbs., $160-$195; 400-500 lbs., $144-$171; 500-600 lbs., $138-$158; 600-700 lbs., $132-$154; 700-800 lbs., $132-$154 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $140$168; 300-400 lbs., $130-$162; 400-500 lbs., $130-$152; 500-600 lbs., $130-$152; 600-700 lbs., $120-$128; 700-800 lbs., $121-$128 Slaughter bulls: $72-$89.50 Slaughter cows: $42-$69 Bred cows: $675-$1,050 Cow/calf pairs: $910-$1,110

Brenham

Results of the Cattleman’s Brenham Livestock Auction’s June

29 sale.

Head: 1,069 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $162$194; 300-400 lbs., $145-$174; 400-500 lbs., $138-$171; 500-600 lbs., $127-$160; 600-700 lbs., $120-$153; 700-800 lbs., $113-$142 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $160$222; 300-400 lbs., $144-$220; 400-500 lbs., $138-$172; 500-600 lbs., $127-$164; 600-700 lbs., $118-$142; 700-800 lbs., $100-$133 Slaughter bulls: $60-$87 Slaughter cows: $36-$66 Bred cows: $650-$1,200 Cow/calf pairs: $900-$1,350

Buffalo

Results of the Buffalo Livestock Commission’s July 14 sale.

Head: 1,947 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $160$210; 300-400 lbs., $145-$200; 400-500 lbs., $140-$180; 500-600 lbs., $135-$160; 600-700 lbs., $125-$148; 700-800 lbs., $115-$143 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $130$193; 300-400 lbs., $130-$180; 400-500 lbs., $125-$170; 500-600 lbs., $120-$160; 600-700 lbs.,$115-$114; 700-800 lbs., $105-$130 Slaughter bulls: $65-$91 Slaughter cows: $35-$64 Bred cows: $750-$1,450 Cow/calf pairs: $950-$2,025

$150-$182; 500-600 lbs., $142-$158; 600-700 lbs., $134-$151; 700-800 lbs., $127-$139 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $152$197; 300-400 lbs., $144-$190; 400-500 lbs., $138-$172; 500-600 lbs., $142-$158; 600-700 lbs., $134-$151; 700-800 lbs., $127-$139 Slaughter bulls: $60-$85 Slaughter cows: $40-$65 Bred cows: $575-$1,175 Cow/calf pairs: $925-$1,225

Groesbeck

Results of the Groesbeck Auction and Livestock Company’s July 19 sale.

Head: 708 Steers: 300-400 lbs., $175$205; 400-500 lbs., $170-$195; 500-600 lbs., $165-$179; 600-700 lbs., $140-$160 Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $140-

Caldwell

Results of the Caldwell Livestock Commission’s July 18 sale.

Head: 643 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $175$197; 300-400 lbs., $166-$187; 400-500 lbs.,

$180; 400-500 lbs., $135-$172; 500-600 lbs., $125-$153; 600-700 lbs., $120-$141 Slaughter bulls: $74-$85 Slaughter cows: $33-$60 Bred cows: $800-$1,200 Cow/calf pairs: $1,000-$1,200

Jordan

Results of the Jordan Cattle Auction’s July 19 sale.

Head: 3,242 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $180$205; 300-400 lbs., $170-$200; 400-500 lbs., $160-$180; 500-600 lbs., $150-$166; 600-700 lbs., $140-$154; 700-800 lbs., $135-$146 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $145$155; 300-400 lbs., $142-$155; 400-500 lbs., $135-$151; 500-600 lbs., $130-$148; 600-700 lbs., $120-$140; 700-800 lbs., $115-$128

Slaughter bulls: $72-$86 Slaughter cows: $45-$65 Bred cows: $650-$1,325 Cow/calf pairs: $850-$1,475

Navasota

Results of the Navasota Livestock Commission’s July 14 sale.

Head: 1,548 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $115$195; 300-400 lbs., $115$190; 400-500 lbs., $115$177.50; 500-600 lbs., $110-$152; 600-700 lbs., $110-$146 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $115$175; 300-400 lbs., $115$172.50; 400-500 lbs., $115-$160; 500-600 lbs., $110-$151; 600-700 lbs., $105-$143 Slaughter bulls: $55-$79 Slaughter cows: $35-$63 Bred cows: $700-$1,425 Cow/calf pairs: $900-$1,075 — Special to The Post

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August 2018 — Issue I

29

News

Texas A&M AgriLife photos by Kay Ledbetter

Above, about 50 people attended the recent potato field day hosted by the Texas A&M Potato Breeding and Variety Development Program.

Above right, russet stars of the Texas A&M potato breeding program, from left: an unnamed specialty variety with pink eyes; Vanguard, being released this year; Reveille, released in 2015; and the long-standing Norkotah.

Spuds, from Page 21 said is “a beautiful fresh-market russet, long appreciated in the marketplace.” The Texas A&M Russet Norkotah strains currently have 35 licensees in 12 states.

Another recent release, Reveille Russet, has been licensed to 16 seed growers, with comments that it is “a very good baking potato.”

“Vanguard Russet is our latest release,” Vales said. “It is a blocky, attractive potato that we have great hopes for. We also have another russet variety with pink eyes and yellow flesh, but we are still in the process of finding someone interested in promoting it.”

In terms of specialty potatoes, she said researchers are working with varieties that provide different sizes, colors of skin and flesh, as well as some with higher levels of antioxidants.

“We are working in the area of smaller potatoes, bite-sized potatoes, but that’s a relatively new market, and we need promoters or ambassadors who are interested in moving those potatoes to the public,” Vales said. “We also have some pretty advanced materials, not quite ready to be released, but very interesting from the perspective of different

30

culinary preparations.”

She said there is one particular variety with a red flesh “that I think could be useful for vegetarians. It almost looks like red meat. It’s kind of funny, we were calling it ‘paparoni’ after papas, which means potatoes. We cut them like pepperoni to put on a pizza. We need people who are creative and think outside of the box to start giving value to parameters like nutritional content, taste and originality.”

The potato breeding program starts by making crosses between parental lines that may have a desired trait, but not the total package, Vales said. The crossing block has around 70 parents.

“We generate fruits or berries containing true potato seed from that; we plant the seed to generate seedling tubers that go to the field for the first year,” she said.

“They are planted at our Springlake and Dalhart locations. This year there are 70,000 different genotypes.”

When harvested, Vales said all the tubers are looked at according to size, shape, color and other qualities. Selection is stringent at that level, with only 1-2 percent selected to be replanted in the second field year. Every year the seed is increased and additional selections are made.

“Once we have enough seed from one variety, we will move them to replicated trials, where we pay attention to yield, quality, disease resistance, chipping quality and other parameters,” Vales said.

Selections then are moved to the national level and placed in the Southwestern trials, which includes Texas, Colorado and California, she said. If they pass that level, they go to the Western Region trials, which include those three states as well as Washington, Idaho and Oregon.

The chipping potatoes have a separate national effort with several other states and trials, Vales said. While Texas A&M has a big breeding effort in chipping, she said they are not ready to release anything yet.

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August 2018 — Issue I

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The Land & Livestock Post

South Texas Cattle Marketing

“Cattleman’s Opportunity” Replacement Female Sale Saturday, Sept. 1 • 12:00 noon • Nixon Livestock Commision • Nixon, Texas

Selling 1,250 head of Quality Replacement Females

HIGHLIGHT OF SALE - 225 hd. True F1 Tiger-Stripe and Brown White faced heifer pairs, calves will be sired by Angus and Brangus bulls.

175hd. of these pairs will have calves weighing 350 lbs. plus from three of our ranches. Some of these pairs will be three in ones and some have been held for a Fall calving program.

Watch For A New Feature The Sale Within The Sale

We have had much demand for heifers eligible for the various county stock shows and county fairs who give future cattlemen and cattlewomen the opportunity to exhibit and sell their commercial heifers. Females that will be incorporated into productive herds.

We will be offering 300 open heifers.

Reg. Brahman • Brahman • True F-1 Tigerstripe Brangus • Brangus Baldy and Crossbred Heifers that will be sorted into small groups of 3 to 5 head.

On Monday, Aug. 27th, we will have a complete listing, with over 300 photos of our consignments available on our website: www.southtexascattlemarketing.com.

Consignment details are updated daily.

The Land & Livestock Post



August 2018 — Issue I

31

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August 2018 — Issue I

www.producerscooperative.com

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