October 2018 – Issue II
MARCHING ORDERS
NEVER CULL
Market your cattle, but don’t simply get rid of them. PAGE 8
WHO’S BEING BAD?
How to deal with the invasion of armyworms
AgriLife Extension seeks participation in predator survey. PAGE 14
COTTON PICKIN’
PAGE 16
Drought and late rains point to a subpar Texas cotton crop. PAGE 19
STAYING SAFE A&M AgriLife to lead group on cross-border threat screening. PAGE 26
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October 2018 — Issue II
The Land & Livestock Post
News From the General Manager
M
y wife says our dog is not a good dog. She always follows up by admitting he is a sweet dog, but not a good dog. Sure he pees on things, barks incessantly, will lock himself in a room and then destroy said room, once jumped up and grabbed a full raw steak off the counter and ate it all, but JESSE WRIGHT who among us has not done these things? I contend that despite his drawbacks he is, in fact, a good dog. The peeing? Well, I have never seen a coyote, lion or bear in our house. Perhaps that is his way of marking his spot and keeping such predators away. Barking? He just wants to protect us. That is why he barks — at the mailman, the FedEx guy, the UPS man, the pizza boy, Girl Scouts, and anyone else who dares tread on our family’s territory. And his vigilance does not stop at human trespassers. For more dangerous intruders, he does more than bark. He has waged war on snakes, moles, squirrels, scorpions and various other pests that violated the sanctity and safety of our home. The destroying the room? Each and every time I’ve discovered him locked in a room, all I see in there is a Jack Rus-
sell terrier. The room itself is destroyed, but it looks like a great battle took place, and my dog won. Who knows what terrors he’s saved us from? Worth the cost of a little drywall, paint and a laundry basket. Stealing steaks? Well, that actually is inexcusable and he is a bad dog for that. We have not had an armyworm invasion at our house yet, but I’m sure he would try his best. With the recent rains, you may need a whole pack of Jack Russells to deal with armyworms on your place. Or, you could read our cover story about armyworms and find another solution. Even though I stick by the fact that my dog is a good dog, I’d go with reading the article instead of the terrier pack. They can be a handful. We also have stories in this issue from around the ag industry as well as news and information about upcoming events and sales. Hope you enjoy it and, as always, thanks for reading. ’Til next time,
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October 2018 — Issue II
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News Maximize cattle production and help bobwhites on your land By Nick Schell Natural Resources Conservation Service
You’re p robably familiar with the northern bobwhite and its decline. The bobwhite, or what many of us call quail, has seen its population dip by more than 80 percent across large sections of its range during the past 60 years. Farmers can help the species with a few tweaks to their cattle operations.
Why are bobwhites in decline?
Bobwhites are an “edge” species, meaning they seek brushy habitat where crop fields intersect with woodlands, pastures and old fields. But this type of habitat is tough to find. The rise of non-native forage for cattle and advanced agricultural equipment that leaves behind fewer weeds and brush have decreased available habitat. In many ways, cattle and bobwhites have become mutually exclusive. But it
Natural Resources Conservation Service photo
Bobwhites are an“edge”species,meaning they seek brushy habitat where crop fields intersect with woodlands, pastures and old fields. doesn’t have to be that way.
Benefiting beef and ‘bobs’
To help reconnect cattle and quail, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is working with cattle producers to replace non-native forage grasses such as fescue with native warm-season grasses that create productive and palatable grazing options for livestock while benefitting quail and other wildlife species. By replacing non-native forages with native ones, producers can benefit from pastures that are more resilient to drought and more resistant to endophyte, a fungus found in fescue that impacts herd health. Operations that rely only on common
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October 2018 — Issue II
The Land & Livestock Post
News Ag commissioner reaches compromise on spray cattle boxes By Mark reagan The Brownsville Herald
After a 45-day deadline between the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program over the use of spray boxes to apply a powerful pesticide to cows ended Sept. 24, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced a new agreement. Now, cattle raisers who are subject to a Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program quarantine in the Rio Grande Valley will be able to hand-spray cattle instead of using a spray box to apply the pesticide after complaints that the boxes were not ventilated, leading to the alleged deaths of cattle at the hands of the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which jointly operates the program with the Texas Animal Health Commission. Miller said in a press release that the agreement is the result of a recent meeting in Washington, D.C., with USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and Under Secretary Greg Ibach. “I want to thank Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and under Secretary Ibach for our discussions in D.C., and I look forward to working with them to find a more permanent solution to this issue,” Miller said. “Their agreement to allow Texas producers the option to handspray gives them the ability to manage their livestock as they see fit while still ensuring we maintain the fight against any tick outbreaks.” More than two months ago, Miller drew the ire of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raiser Association by ordering the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program to stop using spray boxes to administer a powerful pesticide used to kill off ticks in the Rio Grande Valley that could carry a disease that could devastate the state’s cattle industry. Just two weeks later, after pressure from Texas cattle indus-
try representatives, members of the Texas Animal Health Commission, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency, Miller announced a short-term compromise allowing ranchers to exempt some cattle from spray boxes. That compromise was in effect for a 45-day period, which ended Sept. 24. The Texas Department of Agriculture also announced that it has published a new spray box rule and is seeking input from ranchers and industry representatives. That new rule requires that the pesticide, Co-Ral, must be applied in a ventilated area, which would bring Texas’ regulation in line with the EPA-approved label, which requires Co-Ral application in ventilated areas. The public comment period is open until Nov. 30, and Miller anticipates comments being reviewed in December with no changes in the rule until next year, according to a press release. “I am allowing the Cattle Fever Tick spray boxes to continue operations while we continue to work on a long term solution,” Miller said in a press release. “I am hopeful that comments from producers will continue to shed light on the use of these boxes and provide valuable guidance.” Questions over the safety of spray boxes first appeared in litigation filed by Cameron County rancher Danny Davis in 2015. That lawsuit was dismissed, but in 2017, Davis again sued, as did three other Cameron County ranchers, Luis Ramirez, Juan Delgadillo and Santiago Ramirez, who in three lawsuits
The Land & Livestock Post
Special to The Post Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has reached a compromise over the dangers of cattle spray boxes in South Texas to allow producers to hand-spray cattrle for cattle fever ticks. alleged the death of more than 100 cattle since 2014 due to the misapplication of Co-Ral. There are numerous allegations against the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in the litigation, including that Co-Ral applied to cattle in spray boxes killed the animals because the spray boxes are not ventilated, causing the animals to ingest the pesticide. While the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has
October 2018 — Issue II
pushed back that spray boxes are ventilated, two of its own employees testified during those lawsuits that they did not believe the spray boxes were ventilated. In September, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald Morgan recommended dismissing the lawsuits.
Davis has filed objections to Morgan’s report and recommendations. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera will make the final ruling. If it’s not in his favor, Davis has indicated that he will appeal.
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p
Forage Developed Brangus Bull Sale
Saturday, October 27, 2018 – 12:30 p.m. Oak Creek Farms Sale Facility, Chappell Hill, Texas
Selling 125 Forage Tested OCF Bulls 75 Brangus • 40 Red Brangus • 5 Angus • 5 Red Angus All Bulls Are Oak Creek Farms Bred and Raised 100 Source Verified Commercial Heifer Sale To Follow Bull Sale Pre-Sale activities Friday, October 26, 2018 6:00 pm - Seminar followed by Ribeye Steak Dinner Seminar Speakers: Dr. Tommy Perkins, IBBA Executive Vice President Ranch Tours Available Thursday and Friday
51 YEARS
OAK CREEK FARMS Breeding Brangus Since 1967
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75 Brangus • 40 Red Brangus • 5 Angus • 5 Red Angus
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Directions from Houston: Hwy. 290 (60 mi. west) then 4 mi south on FM 1371 Accommodations: Comfort Suites, Brenham, Texas - 979/421-8100 Special rate under Oak Creek Farms OCF Phenom 854G born 12/15/1996 was a first generation 3/8 Brahman by 5/8 Angus Bull with V8 and Williams Brahman breeding on his top side and Hoff’s renowned Scotch Cap Angus Bull on his maternal side. This iconic sire’s genetics runs deep in Oak Creek Farms’ herd.
THE FLORIDA CATTLEMAN / SEPTEMBER 2018 / 23 Oak Creek Farms — Celebrating our 51st Year — Breeding Brangus Since 1967
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October 2018 — Issue II
The Land & Livestock Post
News
Natural Resources Conservation Service photos
Above, producers can help quail and livestock at the same time. Right, to help reconnect cattle and quail, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is working with cattle producers to replace non-native forage grasses, like fescue, with native warm-season grasses that create productive and palatable grazing options for livestock while benefiting quail and other wildlife species.
Quail, from Page 4 cool-season forages, such as fescue and orchardgrass, may find it increasingly difficult to stay above the bottom line. It helpps that you go “old school” by grazing on native forages. Producers can help quail and livestock at the same time.
Working lands for northern bobwhite
In addition to establishing native forages, the Natural Resources Conservation Service provides producers with assistance to plan and implement a variety of conservation practices. For example, the USDA helps producers establish field borders as well as plant trees, shrubs and hedgerows, which help create that “edge” habitat that quail need. The USDA helps producers improve grazing systems, offering assistance with prescribed grazing and installing cross fencing. And we help produc-
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ers manage for the plants they want with practices such as prescribed burning and herbaceous weed control. All these practices enable you to manage for good habitat for bobwhite and forage for cattle at the same time. To help reconnect cattle and quail, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is working with cattle producers to replace non-native forage grasses, such as fescue, with native warm-season grasses that create productive and palatable grazing options for livestock while benefiting quail and other wildlife species.
More information
To learn more about these practices, download the new “Working Lands for Northern Bobwhite” fact sheet. If you’re interested in getting assistance, contact your local USDA Service Center. USDA accepts applications for conservation programs on a continuous basis.
October 2018 — Issue II
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News
Beef Talk: Market cows and bulls rather than cull By Kris ringwall North Dakota State University
Fall is the time for breeding cattle inventory reconciliation. Factors such as the availability of feed, labor and desire will be part of the review. The outcomes of this review really set the future for the cow-calf enterprise and the degree of managerial pressure through cattle numbers a producer places on the land resources available. This is a big deal. Individual animals will be scrutinized critically and selected for next year’s production herd. The decisions will set the future marketable production of the breeding herd but also will help capture maximum value for market cows and bulls. This an important facet of cow-calf operations, especially as inventories are adjusted to bring in younger cows. The marketing of cows and bulls no longer needed in the herd (often called culling) is similar to the annual sale of calves and yearlings. Once completed, the producer and herd settle in for another production year. If one reviews cattle history, the term “cull” should be dropped from cattle vocabulary. But first, let’s take a closer look at market cows and bulls. I reviewed the executive summary of a publication titled the “National Beef 2016 Market Cow and Bull Quality Audit” that was published by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The 2007 audit encouraged producers to “recognize and optimize cattle value, monitor health, market cattle in a timely and appropriate manner, prevent quality defects and are proactive to ensure beef safety and integrity.” Within the industry, steps were taken to address the 2007 goals. The 2016 executive summary notes a successful outcome of the targeted goals for commercial beef producers when marketing cows and bulls. The implementation of the 2007 goals deserves a pat on the back because market
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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Adam Russell No herd should have any cull cows or bulls. cows and bulls are a significant part of a commercial cattle producer’s marketable pounds. How much? Let’s look at the Cow Herd Appraisal Performance Software benchmarks from those producers involved with the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association. The Cow Herd Appraisal Performance Software benchmark shows that for every 100 cows exposed to the bull, the producer would have 91 calves in the fall. If the male-to-female ratio was 45 steers and 46 heifers, this producer would have approximately 25,785 pounds of steers (573 pounds per steer) to market and 24,932 pounds of heifers (542 pounds per heifer) available as potential replacements and/or to market at 193 days old. The 15 replacement heifers (14.9 percent) would account for 8,130 pounds, leaving 16,802 pounds of market heifers. Approximately 13.2 percent of the cow herd inventory also will be reduced, accounting for 18,057 pounds (1,389 average cow weight for 13 marketed cows). If a bull also is replaced, more than 2,000 pounds of market bull would be available for this assumed North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association herd of 100 cows. If a producer marketed calves at weaning, approximately 42,587 pounds of calf would be available to sell and 20,057 pounds of market cows and bull would be on the auction block. This is no small piece of change because 32 percent of the production weight is market cows and a bull. So think positively. Market, not cull, animals. Back to history: The word “cull” was probably an unfortunate term associated with fall herd reduction. A scan through some computer dictionaries or Webster’s Dictionary shows the
See CULL, Page 9
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October 2018 — Issue II
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News
Cull, from Page 8 definition of the word “cull” as rather offensive. Webster says that if we use the word “cull” as a noun, we are referring to “something rejected, especially as being inferior or worthless.” The word also can be used as an action verb meaning to “select from a group or to identify and remove the culls.” When producers say they are culling, the statement still is true. However, the days of removing inferior and worthless animals should be historic, not current concepts of the process. More correctly, cattle removed today are market cattle, and the livestock markets actively sort and present excellent market cows and bulls. The culls, that is, those cattle that are so inferior as to be worthless, never should be marketed. A managerial talking point certainly is created when nonmarketable cattle arrive in the
sale pen. In terms of marketing alternatives, producers need to strive for zero tolerance by marketing all cattle in a timely manner. Holding some cattle through the grazing season when they should have been marketed the previous year is poor management with serious consequences. When cattle arrive home from summer pasture, sort, resort and market bulls and cows without delay. The concept may seem simple, but understanding the roots of the process means changing a deeply embedded concept that has been long established in the cattle industry. No herd should have any cull cows or bulls. Now go read the 2016 executive summary. May you find all your ear tags.
SALE EACH SATURDAY The Land & Livestock Post
October 2018 — Issue II
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News
Hay testing: Know what you’re feeding your herd By Vanessa Corriher-olson Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
One of the first considerations when purchasing hay is that it should be based on individual animal requirements. For optimal production, forage quality should be matched as closely as possible to the nutritional needs of the animal. Low-quality forage can result in reduced animal performance and increased supplemental feeding costs. Whereas with hay of sufficient quality, little or no supplementation will be necessary to meet the animals’ nutritional needs. Keep in mind that not all forage or hay is created equal. There is great variation between forages, and nutrient content can vary dramatically even within a particular type of forage. Several factors influence hay quality, such as maturity (time of harvesting), forage species and variety, fertilization, temperature, leaf-to-stem ratio and weather at harvesting/baling.
Regardless if you are buying hay or feeding the hay you raised, it is a good idea to test the hay to determine what if any supplementation will be needed when the hay is fed. When collecting samples, a good practice is to sample approximately 10 percent of the bales from a particular cutting or load using a hay probe. Often, a hay probe can be borrowed from your county extension office. Samples should be taken from bales that would represent hay from the entire field. After taking samples from 10 percent of the bales combine the samples and remove a portion of the composite to send off for analysis. Crude protein content is the most common thing people think about when testing hay. While crude protein content is important, a good estimate of total digestible nutrients is as important and in many cases more important than crude protein. There are a multitude of both commercial and university forage labs around the
TJS S Hardware
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo There is great variation between forages and nutrient content can vary dramatically even within a particular type of forage. country. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory offers forage analysis as a service out of College Station. For additional information on forage testing or available forage labs, contact your local beef cattle or livestock specialist or a ruminant nutritionist. If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to get a nutrient analysis of all available hay and forage, sort your cattle based on their nutrient requirements, properly match available forage and hay to the different groups of cattle and make sure their nutrient requirements are being met. Feeding cattle is never cheap but producers with information about what they are feeding can be more efficient.
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October 2018 — Issue II
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October 2018 — Issue II
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News
ews n g A t n e rr u c st o em Searching for th ox? b in il a m e r u o y delivered right to st o P k c to s e iv L & nd Sign up for the La er tt le s w e n ic n o tr elec
Oak Creek Farms in Chappell Hill to host Brangus Breeders Association seminar Special to The Post
Tommy Perkins, executive director of the International Brangus Breeders Association, will speak at Oak Creek Farms’ Seminar on Oct. 26 in Chappell Hill. The event will start at 6 p.m. followed by a ribeye steak dinner. Joe Paschal, Texas A&M AgriLife livestock specialist, will present a program on the “Importance of Cattle Fitting their Environment.” Oak Creek Farms is celebrating 51 years of breeding Brangus, and its annual Forage Developed Registered Brangus Bull Sale will be the following day on Oct. 27. The bulls and heifers will be
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available for viewing all day Oct. 26. The bull sale video with performance data will be on the web site after Oct. 1. The sale will be on DV Auction, and on line bidding is available. Oak Creek Farms is about 60 miles west of Houston on U.S. 290, and then south four miles on F.M. 1371 in Chappell Hill. Accommodations at the Comfort Suites in Brenham are available at a special rate under Oak Creek Farms at 979-421-8100. For more information or a catalog, call John or Carolyn Kopycinski at Oak Creek Farms at 979-8366832, email oakcreekfarms@ hughes.net or go to www.oakcreekfarms.com.
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October 2018 — Issue II
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News AgriLife provides livestock assistance in Hurricane Florence aftermath By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service deployed the first of two animal strike response teams to North Carolina to provide assistance with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. “Having gone through such a disaster last year here in Texas resulting from Hurricane Harvey, those recovery efforts are still fresh on our minds,” said Parr Rosson, AgriLife Extension interim director. “This will allow us to provide some helpful guidance in assisting livestock owners with feed and recovery efforts from catastrophic flooding and other effects of the storm. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with everyone affected by this hurricane.” Last year, AgriLife Extension staged strike teams at various animal supply points around South Texas along the path of Hurricane Harvey. These supply points served as staging areas to receive hay and feed donated by farmers and ranchers throughout Texas as well as industry and commodity association partners. Hay and feed donations were valued at $1.3 million. Todd Swift, AgriLife Extension state program leader for agriculture and natural resources from Uvalde, said strike team members and representatives with North Carolina Extension Service were coordinating activities in Sampson County, south of Raleigh, North Carolina. Swift said some 200 round bales of hay and 150 square bales had been received at the Sampson County location, and more were coming in. “We visited a farm to hear about the challenges the crops farming community was having,” he said. “We were hearing some of the tobacco curing barns were full and operating, but a loss of power for any length of time meant a complete loss of the tobacco crop.” Swift said at the Sullivan fam-
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photos Above, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service deployed the first of two animal strike response teams to North Carolina to provide assistance with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. Right, some 200 round bales of hay and 150 square bales had been received at the Sampson County animal supply point location, and more were coming in. ily farm, tobacco harvest just finished the day before the storm made landfall. “Jay Sullivan said he counted himself very lucky that they were able to finish the harvest and did not lose power in the barns or they would have unloaded barns full of black tobacco leaves that would be worthless and dumped in the woods,” he said. “Others were not so lucky as we observed numerous tobacco fields that were an unharvested loss.” At the Pink Hill supply point in Lenoir County, Deral and Emma Grace Raynor, 12-year-old twin 4-H members, were operating a forklift assisting with unloading many feed supplies that had been donated. “When I asked him why he was here working, Deral said ‘I just want to help people that need help anyway I can,’” Swift said. “With the schools being closed, the twins said they were there and available to help.” The supply point has received 60 round bales, 40 square bales, 400 small square bales and 20 tons of feed. A supply point in Wallace County also was receiv-
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ing resources. Swift said many of the farms were large-scale poultry or swine integrated operations, and may have lost everything. “Some of the small livestock farms, at least while we were there, had lost hay supplies but not a lot of animals were displaced or hungry,” Swift said. “These animals were able to find higher ground and seemed to be doing well. Some hay drops had been made to animals on islands.” As the waters recede, more livestock owners will access their acreage and “find out what they are dealing with,” Swift said. Monty Dozier, AgriLife Extension special assistant who has led Texas rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Harvey, said flood waters have begun to recede in counties north and east of where Hurricane Florence made landfall. “North Carolina Extension is responding by establishing additional animal supply points including ones at Castle Hayne, Kelly and Burgaw that AgriLife Extension agents are supporting this week,” he said.
October 2018 — Issue II
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News Participation requested in AgriLife Extension predator survey By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
SAN ANGELO — The 2018 Predator Survey by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will paint a more accurate picture of real returns for the state’s livestock operations in numbers and economic losses. “Predators cause economic hardship on Texas livestock producers annually,” said Bill Thompson, AgriLife Extension economist based in San Angelo. “When you tally the losses annually across all sectors of livestock, whether it’s lambs, goats or calves, the dollars add up quickly.” Thompson said the last comprehensive survey was conducted about 10 years ago. “These were done primarily
by paper and were costly when factoring in postage expense and compilation of data,” he said. “With this new survey, producers can go online at their convenience and provide their responses. This is a statewide survey and we are hoping to get a complete assessment of how much predators are costing Texas livestock producers.” To access the survey, go to tinyurl.com/PredatorSurvey. Thompson said the survey aims to answer the following: • What predators are causing losses? • What livestock are primary predator targets? • What control measures are being used? • How much are control measures costing producers? Thompson said federal sur-
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo The 2018 Predator Survey by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will paint a more accurate picture of real returns for the state’s livestock operations in numbers and economic losses. To access the survey,go to tinyurl.com/ PredatorSurvey. veys, while important, do not include county estimates and other specific loss estimates. “This survey will also give us a more comprehensive, accurate picture of the real returns for Texas livestock operations,” Thompson said. “Paper copies are available, but we prefer all responses be done online.” For a paper copy of the survey, call Thompson at 325-6577306 or email w-thompson@ tamu.edu.
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October 2018 — Issue II
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News
Texas A&M AgriLife photo TexasA&MAgriLife Extension Service family and community health agents from District 1 earned national recognition for their food safety education programs. Pictured from left are Wendy Hazzard, Wheeler County; Chelsey Tillman, Oldham; Billie Peden, Armstrong; Amalia Mata, Deaf Smith; Lizabeth Gresham and Jennifer Nickell, Potter; Kay Herron-Rogers, Dallam/Hartley; Carolyn Prill-Bennett, Moore; Joan Gray-Soria, Gray.
Extension agents earn national food safety award By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
SAN ANTONIO — A group of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agents from the Panhandle received the Food Safety Award at the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Science conference in San Antonio on Sept. 27. The annual award recognizes outstanding innovative programming that has shown significant impact on food safety, according to the association’s guidelines. With food safety as a primary concern for families both inside and outside the home, AgriLife Extension family and community health agents from across the Panhandle joined forces to help 10,267 adults and youth handle food safely through multiple approaches, the award presentation stated. Recipients of the award and
the counties they represented during the trainings are: Joan Gray-Soria, Gray; Billie Peden, Armstrong; Kay Herron-Rogers, Dallam/Hartley; Amalia Mata, Deaf Smith; Whitley Sprague, Hansford; Miquela Smith, Ochiltree; Amy Wagner, Randall; Wendy Hazzard, Wheeler; Carolyn Prill-Bennett, Moore; Chelsey Tillman, Oldham; and Lizabeth Gresham and Jennifer Nickell, Potter. “We are so proud of this outstanding group of agents who have made food safety a high priority throughout District 1,” said Angela Burkham, AgriLife Extension state program leader for family and community health in Amarillo. “This is a highly competitive and prestigious award presented by the association nationally. The recipients also presented their work during the conference, which attracted almost 900 professionals from across the nation.”
The Land & Livestock Post
October 2018 — Issue II
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News
Worming their way in Armyworms: What you need to know By James Locke Noble Research Institute
Over the past several weeks, we have had numerous reports of armyworm outbreaks. Armyworms have caused significant damage or stand loss in early planted small grains and bermudagrass. The key to keeping these pests below the economic threshold is scouting at least every other day for worms when they are small and easier to control, as well as identifying what species is causing the damage. If left untreated, armyworms can destroy a newly established winter pasture in a very short time.
Find and treat early
It is critical to identify and, if necessary, treat armyworms by their fourth larval stage. As indicated in the accompanying table, armyworms will consume approximately 75 to 80 percent of their total dry matter intake during the final two larval stages. Additionally, once they become greater than ½-inch long, they become more difficult to control with insecticides.
Where to look
Scout along field borders as well as uniformly across the field. Armyworms often will move into fields from weeds along the field edges and fencerows. Treatment sometimes can be limited to the field margins, saving considerable chemical cost. Damage will start as feeding on the epidermal layers of the leaves,
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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension photo Armyworms have caused significant damage or stand loss in early-planted small grains and bermudagrass. Be vigilant in searching for and eradicating armyworms. On the cover: Livestock manager James Fairchild holds an armyworm found ona row of okra at the nonprofit World Hunger Farm in Elm Mott. Armyworms did an estimated $5,000 in damage to the farm’s crops. Photo by Jerry Larson /Waco Tribune-Herald via AP
causing a windowpane effect, and progress to chewing through entire leaves. Look on the plants for actively feeding caterpillars, but also look underneath dirt clods and litter for caterpillars that are hiding
to escape daytime temperatures. They are usually easier to find in the early morning hours or at dusk. You also can watch for birds foraging in a concentrated area of a field and scout that area to see if they are
October 2018 — Issue II
feeding on armyworms.
Identify the species
In addition to scouting for army-
See ARMYWORMS, Page 17
The Land & Livestock Post
News
Noble Research Institute
Armyworms will consume approximately 75 to 80 percent of their total dry matter intake during the final two larval stages. Additionally, once they become greater than ½-inch long, they become more difficult to control with insecticides.
Armyworms, from Page 16
worm numbers, it is important to identify the species of armyworms. The most common damaging species is the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, but the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, also can cause significant damage. Fall armyworm larvae are green, brown or black and have a very distinctive white line between the eyes that form an inverted “Y” on the head capsule.
Beet armyworm larvae are light to dark green with dark and light stripes running the length of the body and a less distinctive inverted “Y” on the head capsule. There is usually a very distinctive dark spot on the second segment behind the head and above these lines. Identification is important because there may be differences in control strategies depending on the species
See ERADICATE, Page 20
The Land & Livestock Post
October 2018 — Issue II
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News USDA
The next steps for advancing animal disease traceability Special to The Post
WASHINGTON — Greg Ibach, under secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs, recently announced USDA’s four overarching goals for advancing animal disease traceability to protect the long-term health, marketability and economic viability of the U.S. livestock industry. “The landscape surrounding animal disease traceability has changed dramatically in the past decade, and producers across the nation recognize that a comprehensive system is the best protection against a devastating disease outbreak like foot-and-mouth disease” Ibach said. “We have a responsibility to these producers and American agriculture as a whole to make animal disease traceability what it should be — a modern system that tracks animals from birth to slaughter using affordable technology that allows USDA to quickly trace sick and exposed animals to stop disease spread.” USDA’s four overarching goals for increasing traceability are: • Advance the electronic sharing of data among federal and state animal health officials, veterinarians and industry, including sharing basic animal disease traceability data with the federal animal health events repository. • Use electronic ID tags for animals requiring individual identification in order to make the transmission of data more efficient. • Enhance the ability to track animals from birth to slaughter through a system that allows tracking data points to be connected. • Elevate the discussion with states and industry to work toward a system where animal health certificates are electronically transmitted from private
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veterinarians to state animal health officials. These goals reflect the core themes resulting from a state and federal Animal Disease Traceability Working Group that developed 14 key points for advancing traceability. They are also in keeping with feedback the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service received at stakeholder meetings held across the country to hear from industry and producers directly. USDA recognizes that some sectors of the livestock industry already have invested a lot of infrastructure into developing their traceability programs. These new goals complement what those sectors are already doing, and will help increase traceability across the entire industry. USDA is committed to continued discussion and collaboration to ensure the USDA coordinates traceability efforts across the country. While electronic ID is critical for advancing traceability, it’s important to emphasize USDA will not dictate the use of a specific tag technology. Different industries prefer different tag types (low frequency vs. ultra high frequency) and choice will continue to be a cornerstone of USDA’s program, giving producers the ability to decide what works best for their operations. Not only will electronic ID allow animals to move more quickly through ports, markets and sales, it will also help ensure rapid response when a disease event strikes. To assist with the transition to electronic ID, USDA is ending the free metal tags program and instead offering a cost-share for electronic tags. This is something stakeholders repeatedly have told us they need to help transition to electronic ID. “Another key component of our plan is sharing a few key
Photo courtesy of Mississippi State University Extension Service
data elements from existing state and industry animal movement databases with our animal health events repository,” said Ibach. “That way, if an outbreak occurs, we can quickly find the information we need to locate and identify potentially diseased or at-risk animals. This helps avoid unnecessary quarantines that could impact producers’ livelihoods. And by linking to that information instead of housing it ourselves, we maintain our stakeholders’ privacy.” Moving forward, USDA wants to continue to build on the current momentum around animal disease traceability, and will begin implementing these animal disease traceability goals start-
ing in fiscal year 2019. USDA will work with our state partners and industry to establish appropriate benchmarks to meet to show progress.
USDA also will ensure all new traceability cooperative agreements will be contingent on measurable advancements toward these four goals.
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October 2018 — Issue II
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News Crop Report Drought, late-summer rain point to subpar cotton crop By AdAm Russell Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
D
rought and untimely late-summer rains likely will mean a subpar 2018 growing season for many Texas cotton producers, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. Gaylon Morgan, AgriLife Extension statewide cotton specialist in College Station, said Texas cotton producers dealt with a myriad of challenges in 2018, including cool spring temperatures, summer drought and late-summer rains. Three cold fronts early in the season put cotton fields behind and caused some poor emergence and considerable replanting, Morgan said. But summer sun and high temperatures provided enough heat units, and drought actually pushed cotton maturity to initiate harvest earlier than normal in South and East Texas this year. However, much of the dryland cotton in many parts of the state was starved for moisture due to the dry summer, Morgan said. In South and East Texas, where dryland fields did survive, cotton yields were below average or not worth harvesting. As the season progressed, hopes were renewed with scattered timely rains and plenty of heat units needed for cotton to develop in the Upper Gulf Coast, Morgan said. “We got off to a rough start, but had a good looking crop in the Upper Gulf Coast before the rains set in in September,” he said. “Now there’s been a month of off and on wet weather at the wrong time for the
remaining cotton in the Upper Gulf Coast and irrigated cotton in the Blacklands.” Morgan said fields in cottonproducing areas in the lower two-thirds of the state have received continuous rains and much of the Southeast and Coastal Bend is saturated, making accessing fields impossible. It’s the third year in a row that producers around the Upper Gulf Coast and Brazos Bottom regions have faced detrimental late-summer rains, including Hurricane Harvey last year. In many of these areas, harvest is at a standstill, he said. Continuous rains are hurting fiber quality and seed quality in the field, and delays are causing problems such as cottonseed sprouting. Morgan also said many producers in the rain-soaked parts of Texas had applied defoliant before rains set in and the delays will mean spending more money on harvest aids to bring remaining cotton in. Harvest in the Rio Grande Valley was complete, Morgan said, and 95-98 percent of cotton in the Coastal Bend was out before the rains hindered producers. But this wet weather also has prevented destruction of post-harvest cotton stalks, which growers are required to do for continued success of the boll weevil eradication program. In the Upper Gulf area, including Matagorda County, around 25-35 percent of the crop was still in fields, and 60-70 percent of fields in the Brazos Bottom were still awaiting harvest, he said. Cotton fields in the Southern Plains and Panhandle should
The Land & Livestock Post
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Gaylon Morgan Cotton fields around much of South and East Texas have received continuous late summer rains that have delayed harvest. Soggy conditions and delays are leading to problems, such as sprouting seeds and reduced fiber quality. be ready for harvest toward the end of the month, he said. Most dryland cotton in the Southern Plains and Rolling Plains was lost to drought, and producers were beginning to apply harvest aids to early maturing fields. “We’re looking at an average irrigated crop (in the Southern Plains and Panhandle) because of the heat and irrigation limitations with little to no precipitation all summer,” he said. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, 25 percent of the Texas cotton crop had been harvested, 5 percent ahead of the five-year average, Morgan said. The report also rated the statewide cotton crop at 6 percent excellent; 22 percent
See WEATHER, Page 21
October 2018 — Issue II
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News
Photo courtesy of the Noble Research Institute
A comparison of a fall armyworm, left, and a beet armyworm.
Eradicate, from Page 17 present. Continue scouting every few days until a killing frost occurs.
Chemical treatment options
The economic threshold for control varies depending on the cost of chemical treatment and the value of the crop, but in general one to two worms per row foot in small grains and two to four worms per square foot in bermudagrass is a good starting place. There are a wide variety of insecticide options for control of armyworms. Which to choose depends on the crop grown, the armyworm species present, their size or growth stage, proximity to sensitive crops or neighborhoods, etc. Some of the products available include:
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• Diflubenzuron (Dimilin) • Chlorantraniliprole (Prevathon) • Spinosad (Tracer) • Malathion (many trade names) • Carbaryl (Sevin, many trade names) • Chlorpyrifos (many trade names) • Methomyl (Lannate) • Pyrethroids such as zetacypermethrin (Mustang Maxx) • Gamma-cyhalothrin (Proaxis) • Lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior) • Beta-cyfluthrin (Baythroid) Always refer to the specific insecticide label to ensure it is labeled for your crop and in your state, for the correct rate to control the species present and for any grazing, harvest or retreatment restrictions. Remember, the label is the law.
October 2018 — Issue II
The Land & Livestock Post
News Weather, from Page 19 good; 34 percent fair; 28 percent poor and 10 percent very poor. Morgan said areas that needed to dry out in South and East Texas received additional rain earlier this month, which means continued delays and reduced fiber quality. Cottonseed production typically covers ginning costs for producers, but sprouting seeds mean farmers will incur additional ginning costs on top of decreased fiber quality. Two years ago, somewhat similar conditions and discounts reduced farmer harvest income by 8-10 cents per pound of fiber, Morgan said. However, the cotton remaining in the fields in South and East Texas likely will see lower fiber qual-
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ity than two years ago, because of the extended exposure to weathering. “All the acres that needed to be harvested were delayed more,” he said. “Everything that remains in the field will get worse until they can get it out.” AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries — The 12 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Districts CENTRAL — Good moisture allowed for growth of grasses, but more sunshine would boost lateseason growth as producers look to cut once more for winter grazing. Cotton harvest continued throughout the district, though most fields were complete. Pasture conditions were decent and improving. Cattle remained in good body condition.
See COTTON, Page 22
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WEDNESDAY, 1:00 PM Carl Herrmann 979.820.5349 Hank Herrmann 979.820.5277 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Gaylon Morgan Cotton ready for harvest in rain-soaked areas of the state was dropping in quality daily from exposure to continuous rains.
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October 2018 — Issue II
Hwy 36 South, P.O. Box 542, Caldwell, TX 77836 Sale Barn Phone: (979) 567-4119
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News Cotton, from Page 21 Armyworms were widespread across the district. Volunteer oats were beginning to come up for producers. Most counties reported good soil moisture. Overall crop and livestock conditions were good in nearly all counties, and rangeland and pasture conditions were fair in nearly all counties. ROLLING PLAINS — The district received good rains, and more precipitation was in the forecast. Irrigated cotton looked fair to good. Dryland cotton was fair. Wheat was being sewn, and some producers were spraying for fall armyworms, which continued to cause significant damage. Recent rains and cooler temperatures continued to create a perfect environment for future armyworm egg lays and infestations. Hay producers were working hard to salvage a last cutting of hay. Pastures were beginning to green up and looked good again. COASTAL BEND — The first cold front of the year brought heavy rains throughout the district, adding to already saturated fields. Most cotton left in fields had sprouted. Many round bales of cotton remained in fields because conditions were too wet to move them. Cotton stalk destruction was becoming an issue because it was too wet to get any field work done. Wet conditions were also delaying hay harvest. Armyworms were becoming a problem for hay producers with fertilized pastures. Winter pastures, including oats, wheat and ryegrass, were being planted as weather allowed. Some producers were concerned that surface water continued to be short despite rains. Weaning of calves was starting. Livestock were doing well. EAST — Rain showers continued to create productive soil moisture levels throughout the district. Gregg County ponds were still low from the drought. Jasper County had a surplus of rain that caused problems for hay producers. Most producers in Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Houston, Panola, Shelby, Smith, Wood and Angelina counties reported new infestations of armyworms. Smith County reported producers
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were scared to plant winter pastures because of armyworm devastation. Wood County reported products for armyworm control were difficult to find due to stores selling out. Armyworm control in Houston County was halted by rain. Many Cherokee County producers began to wrap haylage instead of putting up dry hay due to rainfall and armyworm infestations. Sabine County’s lower temperatures hurt producers’efforts to cure and bale hay. Panola County’s late summer forages continued to come back strong despite ongoing outbreaks of armyworms. Pasture and rangeland conditions were fair to good in most counties. Sabine County reported excellent pasture and rangeland conditions. Subsoil conditions were adequate throughout the district. Topsoil conditions were adequate for all counties except for Polk County, which reported a surplus. Livestock were in fair to good condition. Gregg County cattle prices were up a bit, and the market for feeder calves was strong in Houston County due to a strong wheat outlook. Shelby County reported good numbers at the sale barn with solid calf prices, but slaughter cow prices continued to be weak. Henderson County reported large areas were damaged by wild pigs. SOUTH PLAINS — The district received rainfall again this week ranging from 1-3inches. The recent moisture improved subsoil and topsoil moisture levels. In turn, it slowed down harvest season. Peanut harvest was halted due to moisture. Area cotton crops continued to finish out. Producers had not reported armyworm infestations yet. Cotton strippers were expected to be running as soon as conditions dried enough to start harvesting. Silage was still being harvested. Winter wheat growth should improve with the recent moisture. Pastures and rangelands improved. Cattle were in good condition. PANHANDLE — Much of the district received scattered showers, which improved subsoil and topsoil moisture levels. Corn and soybean harvests continued, as did wheat
See CROP, Page 23
October 2018 — Issue II
The Land & Livestock Post
News very wet in some parts. Some areas received scattered showers, while other areas received additional heavy rains. Harvest progress with remaining rice was very slow due to rain. Field conditions were nasty. In Walker County, conditions were good following the rains. However, additional rainfall may create excess situations. There was water standing in low areas, and it was not draining quickly due to saturated soil. Armyworms continued to be a concern, but some producers reported lower numbers. Coolseason forage plantings should begin with great success when fields can be accessed. Livestock looked healthy. Rangeland and pasture ratings were excellent to poor with fair ratings being most common. Soil-moisture levels ranged from adequate to surplus with adequate being most common. SOUTHWEST — Mild temperatures and good soil moisture made grasses green up. Recent rains increased rangeland and pasture
Crop, from Page 21 planting. Earlier planted wheat was emerging nicely. Grain sorghum and cotton was still maturing through much of the district with harvest expected to begin in the next week or two. Boll openers and defoliators were being applied to cotton, and the majority of fields were rated as fair to good. Some areas were reporting lower yields on corn and were expecting the same to be true in sorghum and cotton due to extreme hot, dry summer conditions. Rangeland and pastures were beginning to mature and dry down. A cool front was beneficial to livestock performance. NORTH — Most counties reported adequate subsoil and topsoil moisture due to recent rains. Reports of armyworms were coming in from farmers who said this was the worst they’ve seen in 50 years. Some farmers were spraying to curb armyworms as much as possible to allow them to plant winter pastures. Wild pigs were active. Cotton and soybeans were decent. Livestock were doing well, and calves were near weaning. FAR WEST — Temperature
conditions considerably. Armyworm infestations were causing problems, and some producers were spraying pastures. Hay was ready to cut, but some producers were waiting for conditions to dry a little. Producers should start wheat, oat and ryegrass planting within the next two weeks. SOUTH — Temperatures were mild with adequate soil moisture levels in most areas. Eastern parts of the district reported wet conditions and surplus moisture. Some counties reported rainfall, while others were dry this reporting period. Webb County reported 3-6 inches of rain, while Zavala County was dry. The benefits of recent rains were apparent around the district. Live Oak County received 4-17 inches of rainfall in September. Atascosa County producers reported damp conditions were delaying some cotton harvesting, which should wrap up quickly once producers can access fields. Some areas reported the need for addition-
al rains. Peanuts were ready to be harvested, and fields were good to excellent in some areas, but fungicide applications were being made due to recent rains. Rains helped livestock producers, but they were monitoring reports of armyworms in some counties. Rangeland and pasture grasses, including Coastal Bermuda grass, were making good growth and improving in quality. Pasture and rangeland conditions were fair to excellent, and some producers were no longer providing supplemental feed. Some early wheat and oat planting started, but the majority of producers were holding off until armyworms move on. Body condition scores on cattle remained good. Harvests of vegetable crops like watermelons and cantaloupes were almost complete. In Zavala County, dry conditions allowed cotton harvest to resume, and planting of oats, wheat, spinach and cabbage was underway. Watering tanks were full in most areas.
highs were in the low 90s with lows in the high 40s. Rainfall averaged 0.25 of an inch to 2 inches. Cooler temperatures continued along with heavy cloud cover. Although the district was still very dry, conditions for field crops improved significantly. Cotton bolls were opening slowly, and early pecan varieties should be finishing out soon. Producers continue to feed livestock and wildlife. WEST CENTRAL — Rainfall amounts ranged from a trace to almost 2 inches. Forages looked good with plenty of sunny, warm days. Armyworms continued to be an issue in hay, oat and wheat fields. Livestock body conditions continued to improve with good forage availability in most places. Field preparation and planting continued for small grains, but some producers were electing to delay planting until the threat of armyworms passes. The cattle market continued a strong active run with stocker steers and heifers selling $5 higher per hundredweight. Pairs, bred cows and feeder steers and heifers sold steady. Packer cows and bulls sold $3 lower per hundredweight. SOUTHEAST — Conditions were
The Land & Livestock Post
October 2018 — Issue II
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News
Your replacement heifers need to continue to grow By Glenn Selk Oklahoma State University
Bred replacement heifers that will calve in January and February need to continue to grow and maintain body condition. Ideally, 2-year-old heifers should be in a body condition score 6 at the time that their first calf is born. This allows them the best opportunity to provide adequate colostrum to the baby, repair the reproductive tract, return to heat cycles, rebreed on time for next year, and continue normal body growth. From now until calving time, the heifers will need to be gaining about 1 pound per head per day, assuming that they are in good body condition coming out of summer. Heifers will need supplemental protein, if the major source of forage in the diet is bermudagrass or native pasture or grass hay. If the forage source is adequate in quantity and average in quality (6 percent
Photo by Oklahoma State University Extension Ideally, 2-year-old heifers should be in a body condition score 6 at the time that their first calf is born. to 9 percent crude protein), heifers will need about two pounds of a high protein (38 percent to 44 percent CP) supplement each day. This probably will need to be increased with higher quality hay (such as alfalfa) or additional energy feed (20 percent range cubes) as winter weather adds additional nutrient requirements. Soybean hulls or wheat-mids may also be
2018 Cow Country Congress set for Oct. 19 in Centerville By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
CENTERVILLE — The 2018 Cow Country Congress is set for Oct. 19 at Triple Son Farms, 7532 F.M. 542 in Centerville. Registration is $30 per person, which includes lunch. Credit card registration is accepted at bit.ly/2Mb6yry. Paper registration can be requested by calling 936-544-7502. “This year’s Cow Country Congress will feature several topics that will be of interest to beef producers throughout the region,” said Jo Smith, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for Houston County. “We will have lots of information on cattle handling and best practices, plus discussions on genetics and heifer selection. “These programs are always well attended and producers tell us they go home with a lot of information that can be applied to
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their operations.” Topics and speakers include: • Low-Stress Cattle Handling — Ron Gill, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, College Station. • Working Dog Demonstration — Gene Stokes, Triples Son Farms ranch manager. • Disaster Planning for Beef Cattle — Joe Paschal, AgriLIfe Extension livestock specialist, Corpus Christi. • Cattle Development: Genetics and Geography — Paschal. • Disaster Planning for Forage — Gill. • Heifer Selection — Jason Cleere, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, College Station. Platinum sponsor is Capital Farm Credit. For more information, call 936-544-7502.
used to ensure adequate energy intake of pregnant heifers. Wheat pasture (if adequate rainfall produces growth) can be used as a supplement for pregnant replacement heifers. Using wheat pasture judiciously makes sense for pregnant heifers for two reasons. Pregnant heifers consuming full feed of wheat pasture will gain about 3 pounds per head per day. If they are on the wheat too long, the heifers can become fat and cause calving difficulty. Also the wheat pasture can be used for gain of stocker cattle or weaned replacement heifers more efficiently. If wheat pasture is used for bred heifers, use it judiciously as a protein supplement by allowing the heifers access to the wheat pasture on at least alternate days. Some producers report that one day on wheat pasture and two days on native or bermuda will work better. This encourages the heifers to go rustle in the warm season pasture for the second day, rather than just stand by the
gate waiting to be turned back in to the wheat. Whatever method is used to grow the pregnant replacement heifers, plan to have them in good body condition (BCS = 6) by calving so that they will grow into fully-developed, productive cows.
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October 2018 — Issue II
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October 2018 — Issue II
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News AgriLife to lead cross-border threat screening group By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M AgriLife will lead a consortium of U.S. academic institutions and other partners in establishing a new Department of Homeland Security Center for Excellence for Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply Chain Defense. The DHS Science and Technology Directorate announced Oct. 1 that Texas A&M University will lead the consortium with $3.85 million in funding in the first year of a 10-year grant period. “Texas A&M looks forward to bringing together its expertise in many disciplines across the A&M System to deliver new, innovative technologies to reduce the risk of biological threat introduction across U.S. borders,” said Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp. Agency project partners include: • Texas A&M AgriLife Research-Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases • Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco • The Texas A&M School of Public Health • Texas A&M Health Science Center • Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine • Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station • Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service • Texas A&M Galveston • Texas A&M Transportation Institute “Texas A&M AgriLife realizes the importance of developing protective measures related to both human and agricultural health as well as transport of products through global supply chain networks,” said Patrick Stover, vice chancellor for agriculture and life sciences at Texas
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Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo Texas A&M AgriLife will lead a consortium of U.S. academic institutions and other partners in establishing a new Department of Homeland Security Center for Excellence for Cross-BorderThreat Screening and Supply Chain Defense. A&M. “We are well-positioned to lead this effort to deliver solutions and help secure the nation without compromising the pace and operational structures of commercial enterprises.” Other project partners include The University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, University of Washington, IBM Research, Quidel, Host Response and SunQ. The new center will work closely with the Department of Homeland Security components such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection to research and develop solutions to counter known and unknown biological threats to the nation’s people, agriculture and economy. Texas A&M will spearhead a consortium of academic, industry, government and laboratory partners throughout the country. The consortium aims to provide continuous access to highquality, university-led research and education resources to the department’s components and the broader homeland security enterprise, according to officials. The new center’s research portfolio will focus on three major topic areas: technologies detecting biological threats moving through global supply chains, data integration and analytics to support threat detection, and novel methods to minimize risks to DHS operations. It will also train and educate a highly skilled workforce to prepare for and respond to current and emerging biological threats. “This is the first time DHS has awarded a new Center of Excellence to an emeritus university,”
See SECURITY, Page 30
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Charolais & Brangus
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scottm@rioranchtx.com
bulls & females
October 2018 — Issue II
Raul Montez • 832.331.6800
The Land & Livestock Post
The Land & Livestock Post
October 2018 — Issue II
27
“It was about five years ago when I tried a new ryegrass, Nelson. I planted my usual ryegrasses, Gulf and Prine also.
Nelson out-performed both Gulf and Prine that year. . . I have been using Nelson ever since.
Like most producers, I want the most days with the most production. Nelson gives me that and more. It takes grazing pressure and comes back faster and last longer. By February, I add a third more cattle per acre just to keep up with Nelson. Most years by mid-May other ryegrasses stop growing, but Nelson
keeps on producing even into the middle of June or longer depending on the year. I’ll say it again...
THE MOST DAYS WITH THE MOST PRODUCTION. That’s Nelson ryegrass. That’s all I want.”
Phillip McDougald
“Our experience last year with Nelson was outstanding. We ran a test with 65 acres of Nelson and 44 acres of Jumbo, a very good product we have used for a number of years. They were planted on adjacent fields on October 14 in well-prepared seedbeds. While Jumbo looked good, Nelson was truly outstanding. I would estimate that we produced 10% more forage with Nelson over Jumbo. I could only describe Nelson as ‘lush’. It was beautiful and the cows never wanted to move for recovery. It is a great product and I will use it again this year.”
“After this year, no more Gulf ryegrass for me, my Nelson was wonderful. We started grazing it 4 – 5 weeks after planting, it bounced back really fast after each grazing and we made 7,000 pounds of hay per acre. I have never seen anything grow like Nelson, it is like a miracle grass with leaves as wide as sorghum. Even my neighbors say it was the best ryegrass patch they have ever seen. Me too.”
John Ring - Anahuac, Texas
Ronald Klump - Round Top, Texas
BWI Companies Texarkana 800 442 8443 • Schulenburg 800 460 9713 Dallas 800 752 6632 The Wax Company 888 CALL WAX
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October 2018 — Issue II
The Land & Livestock Post
To adverTise conTacT: Jesse Wright - 979.731.4721 or jesse.wright@theeagle.com
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tyson@svrtx.com
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Specializing in Commercial Deer Exotics Ranch Fencing, Barns, Project Design, Game Fence, Welding, Stalls, Selective Brush Clearing, Commercial Chain Link, Custom Projects
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Call 776-SELL (7355) The Land & Livestock Post October 2018 — Issue II
29
News Security, from Page 13 said Melissa Berquist, director of the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases in College Station. “Drawing on 13 years of experience and lessons learned will allow [Cross-Border Threat Screening] to deliver agile, responsive and innovative solutions for DHS needs as a ‘think tank’ for research and workforce development solutions across the homeland security enterprise.” The DHS Centers of Excellence were established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to be a coordinated, university-based system to enhance the nation’s homeland security.” They are a well-integrated network of researchers and educators focused on specific highpriority DHS challenges. The centers work directly with the department’s operational agencies to solve complex and difficult
Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo TexasA&M will spearhead a consortium of academic, industry, government and laboratory partners throughout the country. problems across the homeland security enterprise. Each Center of Excellence is led by a U.S. college or university and involves multiple partners. Center of Excellence partners include other academic institutions, industry, national laboratories and other federally funded research and development centers, as well as other federal agencies that have homeland security-relevant missions, state/ local/tribal governments, nonprofits and first responder organizations. For more information, go to www.dhs.gov/st-oup.
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October 2018 — Issue II
The Land & Livestock Post
PROVEN MATERNAL
PROVEN EFFICIENCY
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beefmasters.org
BEEFMASTER
Beefmaster ranked second, for both steers and heifers, in an
18-breed feed efficiency test
conducted by the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center. Steers ADG,DMI = 0.203
The Land & Livestock Post
October 2018 — Issue II
Heifers ADG,DMI = 0.096
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October 2018 — Issue II
The Land & Livestock Post