Mycountrytractor.com is the destination for those looking for community info. Mycountrytractor is involved with county events and child involvement to help support local 4-H and FFA events. We have wonderful Agriculture information for our visitors for all your farming and ranching needs
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Chute N The Bull 12-10
Cattle rustling can conjure up different thoughts depending on who you are. Some imagine a scene from an old western where bandana-wearing cowboys gather up a herd of cows and drive them to a distant and secret location. Others might think this is something from the past and doesn't happen now. Unfortunately, cattle rustling is still a serious issue. Recently, there have been increasing reports of cattle rustling across the country. It seems that when the economy gets tough, crime rates increase. Unfortunately, ranchers are not immune to crime. In many cases, those who live in the country are targeted because criminals know there are fewer people to watch for suspicious activity. As a farm or ranch owner, you must be observant to protect your property from those who would steal it from you. Here are a few tips to reduce the potential of becoming a victim of theft. Permanently identify your cows. A cow that has some form of brand is not attractive to a potential thief. Make sure your brand is registered in the state or county your ranch is in and make sure that local law enforcement authorities know your brand. Don't feed at the gate or in your pens. Don't get your cows used to being fed near the pasture gate or in the working pens. This only trains the cows to come to a place where it is easier for a criminal to catch them. Lock your gates. Criminals are inherently lazy. If they have to work very hard, they'll move on to an easier target. Additionally, a locked gate will slow down a thief; they want to be able to move quickly into and out of an area. Don't give out combinations or keys to your locks. Don't locate working pens near pasture entrances. I call these "thieving pens." If your cows are accustomed to coming to a horn or siren and being fed in the working pens, you have made a thief's job much easier. Feed or check cows at different times of the day. Don't get into a set pattern that will make it easy for a crook to know when you will be around. Make sure you have an accurate head count each time you go out. Be vigilant. If you see a suspicious vehicle on your county road that you have not seen before, take time to write down their license plate number. Or, better yet, stop and chat with the driver. A thief is less likely to steal cattle in the area if he knows people can describe him. Cattle are not the only things that can be stolen. Other popular items are tractors, trailers, saddles, horses and farm equipment. Here are a few tips to reduce the potential for theft of these items. Park trailers and equipment out of view from the road and take your keys. Lock saddle compartments on trailers and tack/equipment rooms. Photograph and brand your horses. A photo can help investigators locate your horse more quickly. Horses that are branded are easily identifiable and less likely to be stolen. Put identifying marks such as a registered brand or driver's license number on valuable equipment and saddles. Photograph those items and the markings. Record serial and model numbers, as well as other distinguishing characteristics of equipment. This will not prevent theft, but can make recovery easier. Put padlocks on and lower the tongue of a trailer so that it has to be raised before connecting to it. This will slow down a thief and make it less attractive. In general, most thieves are opportunists. If we do a few things to slow them down, make it harder on them or readily identify items of interest, they will move on down the road. You work hard for your assets; don't let them become someone else's. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Chute N The Bull 12-17-10
The Bush 2001 and 2003 tax cuts were scheduled to expire on Jan. 1, 2011. If lawmakers did not act before the end of this year, all Americans would face higher taxes in 2011.
The question about what will happen to these tax cuts has finally been answered…they will not expire for another two years. In a compromise with Republicans, these extended tax cuts will affect everyone, not just those families making less than $250,000. In exchange, unemployment benefits will be extended for another 13 months and Republicans will not insist that the benefits’ $60 billion price tag be offset by cuts in federal spending.
Income tax rates will stay the same for another two years. The top two income brackets will remain at 33 percent and 35 percent, respectively. There will be no changes in the taxation of dividends and capital gains. Included in the legislation is another patch for the alternative minimum tax (AMT) that raises the AMT exemption amount to account for inflation.
Many workers may not have even noticed the Making Work Pay tax credit, which is expiring this year. To replace this credit, the White House negotiated a one-year reduction in the Social Security payroll tax paid by employees from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent.
What this means is that for every $1,000 in income subject to the FICA tax, you will get to keep an additional $20. If you make $50,000 a year, that’s $1,000. The maximum amount of income subject to FICA tax is currently $108,600. So the maximum amount a high wage earner can benefit by is $2,172. The goal of this tax break is to give a jolt to the sluggish economic recovery on the assumption that everyone – the middle class and the truly wealthy – will go out and spend that extra money instead of saving it or paying down debt.
There will be a major change in the estate tax over the next two years. There was no estate tax in 2010, and it was scheduled to return in 2011 to a rate of 55 percent on estates worth more than $1 million. However, this legislation sets the estate tax for 2011 and 2012 at 35 percent for estates worth more than $5 million ($10 million for couples).
We don’t know what will happen after 2012. It certainly will make for some interesting promises on the presidential campaign trail. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
The question about what will happen to these tax cuts has finally been answered…they will not expire for another two years. In a compromise with Republicans, these extended tax cuts will affect everyone, not just those families making less than $250,000. In exchange, unemployment benefits will be extended for another 13 months and Republicans will not insist that the benefits’ $60 billion price tag be offset by cuts in federal spending.
Income tax rates will stay the same for another two years. The top two income brackets will remain at 33 percent and 35 percent, respectively. There will be no changes in the taxation of dividends and capital gains. Included in the legislation is another patch for the alternative minimum tax (AMT) that raises the AMT exemption amount to account for inflation.
Many workers may not have even noticed the Making Work Pay tax credit, which is expiring this year. To replace this credit, the White House negotiated a one-year reduction in the Social Security payroll tax paid by employees from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent.
What this means is that for every $1,000 in income subject to the FICA tax, you will get to keep an additional $20. If you make $50,000 a year, that’s $1,000. The maximum amount of income subject to FICA tax is currently $108,600. So the maximum amount a high wage earner can benefit by is $2,172. The goal of this tax break is to give a jolt to the sluggish economic recovery on the assumption that everyone – the middle class and the truly wealthy – will go out and spend that extra money instead of saving it or paying down debt.
There will be a major change in the estate tax over the next two years. There was no estate tax in 2010, and it was scheduled to return in 2011 to a rate of 55 percent on estates worth more than $1 million. However, this legislation sets the estate tax for 2011 and 2012 at 35 percent for estates worth more than $5 million ($10 million for couples).
We don’t know what will happen after 2012. It certainly will make for some interesting promises on the presidential campaign trail. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Chute N The Bull 12-13-10
Shopping, wrapping gifts and making travel arrangements may be on many people’s minds during this time of year. It is smart to also think about year-end tax saving strategies.
Fortunately those individuals who are looking for a tax break still have time to reduce their 2010 tax bill.
It’s always a good idea to make a year-end contribution to your IRA. Actually, you have until April 15, 2011, to make all of your 2010 contributions. If you don’t have an IRA, now is a great time to start one. Again, you’ll have until April 15 of next year to set one up and claim a 2010 tax deduction. Consumers also may want to consider extra payments at the end of the year into their 401(k), 403(b) or 457 plans.”
The end of the year also is a good time to make any planned charitable contributions, especially if you itemize on your tax return. Payments for any job-hunting expenses can also qualify as an itemized deduction.
If your property taxes are due in January, consider paying them before the end of the year to increase your Schedule A deductions. Homeowners may want to pay their January mortgage in late December in order to take an additional deduction for interest paid. Just make sure the payment is processed before the end of the year so the interest amount gets reported on your 1098 form.
Many Texas teachers spend money out of their own pockets to purchase learning materials for their classrooms. These teachers, as well as principals and others who employed in a school, can take up to a $250 deduction on materials they purchase to make a learning experience better for the students.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also referred to as the economic stimulus package, ends in 2010. AARA increased the beginning of the phase-out range for the credit for all married couples filing a joint return. It also provides a temporary increase in the EITC for taxpayers with three or more qualifying children. This means that these taxpayers may qualify for the maximum EITC of $5,657. What’s great is that this tax credit is refundable, which means that you’ll receive the full amount of the credit as a refund, even if you pay no taxes.
In addition, more families are eligible for the Additional Child Tax Credit because of a change in the way the credit is figured. The minimum earned income amount used to calculate the additional child tax credit has been reduced to $3,000. Without ARRA this minimum amount would have been $12,550. This is also a refundable tax credit.
Under ARRA, the Hope Credit was expanded and renamed the American Opportunity Credit. This credit allows parents with children in college to deduct up to $2,500 in college tuition and expenses for the first four years of post-secondary education.
Homeowners who have done home improvements can receive up to $1,500 in home energy tax credits. Upgrading windows and adding insulation fall under this category.
No one really likes to pay taxes, but taking some time now before the end of year to evaluate your options can save you some money when you file your taxes early next year.
You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Fortunately those individuals who are looking for a tax break still have time to reduce their 2010 tax bill.
It’s always a good idea to make a year-end contribution to your IRA. Actually, you have until April 15, 2011, to make all of your 2010 contributions. If you don’t have an IRA, now is a great time to start one. Again, you’ll have until April 15 of next year to set one up and claim a 2010 tax deduction. Consumers also may want to consider extra payments at the end of the year into their 401(k), 403(b) or 457 plans.”
The end of the year also is a good time to make any planned charitable contributions, especially if you itemize on your tax return. Payments for any job-hunting expenses can also qualify as an itemized deduction.
If your property taxes are due in January, consider paying them before the end of the year to increase your Schedule A deductions. Homeowners may want to pay their January mortgage in late December in order to take an additional deduction for interest paid. Just make sure the payment is processed before the end of the year so the interest amount gets reported on your 1098 form.
Many Texas teachers spend money out of their own pockets to purchase learning materials for their classrooms. These teachers, as well as principals and others who employed in a school, can take up to a $250 deduction on materials they purchase to make a learning experience better for the students.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also referred to as the economic stimulus package, ends in 2010. AARA increased the beginning of the phase-out range for the credit for all married couples filing a joint return. It also provides a temporary increase in the EITC for taxpayers with three or more qualifying children. This means that these taxpayers may qualify for the maximum EITC of $5,657. What’s great is that this tax credit is refundable, which means that you’ll receive the full amount of the credit as a refund, even if you pay no taxes.
In addition, more families are eligible for the Additional Child Tax Credit because of a change in the way the credit is figured. The minimum earned income amount used to calculate the additional child tax credit has been reduced to $3,000. Without ARRA this minimum amount would have been $12,550. This is also a refundable tax credit.
Under ARRA, the Hope Credit was expanded and renamed the American Opportunity Credit. This credit allows parents with children in college to deduct up to $2,500 in college tuition and expenses for the first four years of post-secondary education.
Homeowners who have done home improvements can receive up to $1,500 in home energy tax credits. Upgrading windows and adding insulation fall under this category.
No one really likes to pay taxes, but taking some time now before the end of year to evaluate your options can save you some money when you file your taxes early next year.
You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Chute N The Bull 12-6-10
Nuts have been a part of the human diet for countless ages. The first documented evidence of nut consumption occurred around 7,000 BC during the Stone Age (King, 2007). More recently, nuts have received a large amount of media attention as an emphasis on heart-healthy diets has spread. Pecans are a well-known, favorite southern nut and widely available throughout Oklahoma and Texas. Pecans will be widely used in many recipes as families come together to celebrate during the holiday season. While many of these dishes may not necessarily be considered healthy, pecans by themselves provide many health benefits. In fact, you may be surprised to find out just how healthy pecans actually are.
During the 2006 Texas Master Gardener Conference in College Station, Texas, participants were asked to complete a survey that included questions about the nutritional properties of pecans. Surprisingly, 86.9 percent of the participants thought pecans would increase their level of LDL cholesterol. However, 54 percent of the respondents correctly indicated that pecans contained minerals (Lombardini, 2008). According to the National Pecan Shellers Association website, pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, several B vitamins and zinc. Even though pecans are a great source of these minerals, consumers often think that pecans are an unhealthy food choice due to their high percent of total fat. However, the majority of this fat is in the form of unsaturated fats, some of which may have a positive impact on health.
While the total fat composition may be high, many studies have shown that eating pecans is beneficial to health. Researchers at Loma Linda University conducted a diet study to determine the effects of using pecans to alter the serum lipid profiles of individuals. The results showed that a diet enriched with pecans lowers both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels (Rajaram, 2001). It has also been proven that pecans can delay the decline in motor neuron function that often occurs with aging. In a study conducted at the Center for Cellular Neurobiology & Neurodegeneration Research at the University of Massachusetts, motor neuron function significantly increased in mice that were fed a diet with 0.05 percent pecans (Suchy, 2010).
Based on the results of these studies, adding pecans to a balanced diet may not only improve heart health, but also slow the effects of aging. As more research is conducted and more health benefits of pecan consumption are documented, pecans should remain a popular nut choice among consumers. As other nations like China and India begin eating pecans for the health benefits, the demand for pecans will increase. Increased demand will, in turn, encourage future pecan plantings and the need for additional pecan research. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
During the 2006 Texas Master Gardener Conference in College Station, Texas, participants were asked to complete a survey that included questions about the nutritional properties of pecans. Surprisingly, 86.9 percent of the participants thought pecans would increase their level of LDL cholesterol. However, 54 percent of the respondents correctly indicated that pecans contained minerals (Lombardini, 2008). According to the National Pecan Shellers Association website, pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, several B vitamins and zinc. Even though pecans are a great source of these minerals, consumers often think that pecans are an unhealthy food choice due to their high percent of total fat. However, the majority of this fat is in the form of unsaturated fats, some of which may have a positive impact on health.
While the total fat composition may be high, many studies have shown that eating pecans is beneficial to health. Researchers at Loma Linda University conducted a diet study to determine the effects of using pecans to alter the serum lipid profiles of individuals. The results showed that a diet enriched with pecans lowers both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels (Rajaram, 2001). It has also been proven that pecans can delay the decline in motor neuron function that often occurs with aging. In a study conducted at the Center for Cellular Neurobiology & Neurodegeneration Research at the University of Massachusetts, motor neuron function significantly increased in mice that were fed a diet with 0.05 percent pecans (Suchy, 2010).
Based on the results of these studies, adding pecans to a balanced diet may not only improve heart health, but also slow the effects of aging. As more research is conducted and more health benefits of pecan consumption are documented, pecans should remain a popular nut choice among consumers. As other nations like China and India begin eating pecans for the health benefits, the demand for pecans will increase. Increased demand will, in turn, encourage future pecan plantings and the need for additional pecan research. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Chute N The Bull 11-29-10
The year is 2015 and after years of debate among conservation organizations, pro-hunting organizations, animal rights activists and antihunting groups, all forms of hunting in the United States have been banned by the federal government. Is this a real possibility? In my opinion, the answer is yes. Regardless of what some people think, hunting is an opportunity that can be taken away and those who will ultimately decide its fate are the non-hunting public. Currently, the public is mostly undecided on whether hunting is moral, a wholesome activity or still involves the sportsmanlike pursuit of animals.
There are about 12.5 million hunters over the age of 16 in the U.S. It is vital for hunters, both individually and as a group, to demonstrate that hunting is a moral and wholesome activity. This is increasingly difficult because more and more people are further removed from rural lifestyles. Fewer immediate family members are involved in hunting or agriculture where the birth, care and death of animals are parts of daily life. Lessons from the farm are largely lost on today's generation, including hunters.
The fate of hunting will be influenced by at least three factors. First, hunters need to police their own ranks and not ignore questionable acts of other hunters. Secondly, hunters need to communicate more effectively with non-hunting groups. Lastly, to be sustainable, the sport needs new hunters.
Policing our ranks should not emphasize internal debates over archery, muzzle loader or rifle seasons or equipment choice. These things are minor compared to hunters holding one another accountable to ethical and high moral conduct. We can't ignore activities such as poaching and trespassing. Additionally, appropriate conduct extends to the concept of "fair chase" or avoiding the use of technology, gadgets or practices that gives unfair advantage to hunters over the animals being pursued.
Drs. Michael Nelson and Kelly Millenbah published an article in the fall 2009 issue of Wildlife Professional proposing that there may be more common ground between ethical hunters and non-hunters than either group thinks. They point out that, in the debate over the ethics of hunting, dialogue has been replaced by dogmatism, honesty by hostility and progress by platitudes. However, they suggest that a common ground exists: respect for animals. They go on to say that most anti-hunters simply want hunters to demonstrate respect for the animals they hunt and to acknowledge that animals have moral standing. They propose that "wildlife professionals and hunters could recognize the direct moral standing of animals and work to unite this recognition with the possibility of hunting and eating animals."
With the increasing commercialization of hunting and wildlife, the potential grows for this industry to substitute "entertainment" and a "positive experience" for traditional values and ethical concepts, such as fair chase. Some aspects of commercialization, e.g., canned hunts and gadgetry, will appeal to those who are shortsighted and are not vested in the outcome of hunting. Time in the field is at a premium and, with companies offering gadgets and canned hunts that promise increased odds of harvesting an animal... well, money talks.
Statistics show that hunter numbers are declining annually. Probable factors are too numerous to look into here. Traditionally, hunting has been a male-dominated activity, but this is changing. More and more women are taking up and enjoying hunting. In regards to youth, hunting seems to be overshadowed by video games, television, computers and organized activities such as sports and music. An increasing number of youth are not being taught that death is a part of life and that game animals are a renewable resource. It is important that youth and women become involved and participate in hunting and that hunting mentors teach them what fair chase and ethical conduct is all about.
Take a child hunting. Invite your spouse, sister, aunt or a neighbor to spend some time in the field to share your knowledge regarding the importance of respecting animals, hunting ethically, observing sportsmanship and maintaining wildlife habitat. Who is a better mentor than an ethical, knowledgeable and conservationminded sportsman? The future of hunting depends on you. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
There are about 12.5 million hunters over the age of 16 in the U.S. It is vital for hunters, both individually and as a group, to demonstrate that hunting is a moral and wholesome activity. This is increasingly difficult because more and more people are further removed from rural lifestyles. Fewer immediate family members are involved in hunting or agriculture where the birth, care and death of animals are parts of daily life. Lessons from the farm are largely lost on today's generation, including hunters.
The fate of hunting will be influenced by at least three factors. First, hunters need to police their own ranks and not ignore questionable acts of other hunters. Secondly, hunters need to communicate more effectively with non-hunting groups. Lastly, to be sustainable, the sport needs new hunters.
Policing our ranks should not emphasize internal debates over archery, muzzle loader or rifle seasons or equipment choice. These things are minor compared to hunters holding one another accountable to ethical and high moral conduct. We can't ignore activities such as poaching and trespassing. Additionally, appropriate conduct extends to the concept of "fair chase" or avoiding the use of technology, gadgets or practices that gives unfair advantage to hunters over the animals being pursued.
Drs. Michael Nelson and Kelly Millenbah published an article in the fall 2009 issue of Wildlife Professional proposing that there may be more common ground between ethical hunters and non-hunters than either group thinks. They point out that, in the debate over the ethics of hunting, dialogue has been replaced by dogmatism, honesty by hostility and progress by platitudes. However, they suggest that a common ground exists: respect for animals. They go on to say that most anti-hunters simply want hunters to demonstrate respect for the animals they hunt and to acknowledge that animals have moral standing. They propose that "wildlife professionals and hunters could recognize the direct moral standing of animals and work to unite this recognition with the possibility of hunting and eating animals."
With the increasing commercialization of hunting and wildlife, the potential grows for this industry to substitute "entertainment" and a "positive experience" for traditional values and ethical concepts, such as fair chase. Some aspects of commercialization, e.g., canned hunts and gadgetry, will appeal to those who are shortsighted and are not vested in the outcome of hunting. Time in the field is at a premium and, with companies offering gadgets and canned hunts that promise increased odds of harvesting an animal... well, money talks.
Statistics show that hunter numbers are declining annually. Probable factors are too numerous to look into here. Traditionally, hunting has been a male-dominated activity, but this is changing. More and more women are taking up and enjoying hunting. In regards to youth, hunting seems to be overshadowed by video games, television, computers and organized activities such as sports and music. An increasing number of youth are not being taught that death is a part of life and that game animals are a renewable resource. It is important that youth and women become involved and participate in hunting and that hunting mentors teach them what fair chase and ethical conduct is all about.
Take a child hunting. Invite your spouse, sister, aunt or a neighbor to spend some time in the field to share your knowledge regarding the importance of respecting animals, hunting ethically, observing sportsmanship and maintaining wildlife habitat. Who is a better mentor than an ethical, knowledgeable and conservationminded sportsman? The future of hunting depends on you. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Chute N The Bull 11-22-10
One aspect of prescribed burning that people often overlook is smoke management. Smoke impacts not only the burn crew during a burn, but public safety, health and perception of prescribed burning as well. Even though weather conditions might be ideal for safe ignition, consideration must also be given to smoke produced by burning vegetation during and after a burn.
Smoke is produced when there is incomplete combustion due to a lack of oxygen to completely burn a fuel (vegetation). Carbon dioxide and water vapor are the largest components of smoke, comprising 90 percent of emissions. The remaining smoke is comprised of hydrocarbons, particulate matter and other compounds. Ways to decrease the amount of smoke produced are to burn smaller areas, utilize more backfires and burn when fuel moistures are relatively low. Burning smaller areas requires more burns, but reduces the amount of smoke each burn produces. Backfires are more efficient at consuming fuels, so they produce less smoke compared to a head fire. Since a large percentage of smoke is water vapor, burning with lower fine fuel moistures also decreases the amount of smoke produced.
Sensitive areas such as airports, roads, towns, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, private residences and public parks that are downwind need to be considered. It is the responsibility of the burn boss to keep smoke away from such areas by ensuring that suitable wind directions and conditions will lift smoke above the sensitive areas. Oklahoma's Prescribed Burning Notification Plan helps landowners ensure that neighbors and authorities are notified in order to mitigate potential health problems or hazards. When burning in other states, it is also a good idea to notify all neighbors and authorities of the planned burn.
Atmospheric dispersion and inversion are two environmental factors that influence smoke behavior and need to be monitored when planning a prescribed burn. OK-FIRE defines atmospheric dispersion as "the ability of the atmosphere to dilute and disperse a compound such as smoke as it travels downwind." The Oklahoma Dispersion Model breaks down atmospheric dispersion into six categories: 1 (very poor); 2 (poor); 3 (moderately poor); 4 (moderately good); 5 (good); and 6 (excellent). It is best to burn when atmospheric dispersion conditions are 4 (moderately good) or higher. An inversion is when there is stable, warm air at higher altitudes, reducing atmospheric dispersion. An inversion can quickly be identified when it looks like smoke has hit a ceiling in the sky. Inversions are common at night, complicating smoke management. The distance from the ground to an inversion layer is called the mixing height. It is best to burn with a mixing height of at least 1,500 feet and even higher when smoke-sensitive areas exist downwind.
The Category Day system is another method used to predict smoke behavior. It is determined by the ventilation rate which takes into account mixing height and transport wind speed. The Category Day system has five categories. They are 1 (poor), 2 (fair), 3 (good), 4 (very good) and 5 (excellent). Avoid burning with a Category Day less than 3 (good). Two reference websites that provide this information are okfire.mesonet.org and radar.srh.noaa.gov/fire.
Air quality is a hot topic. As prescribed burners, we need to make sure we know where our smoke is going and lessen its impacts so we can continue to use prescribed burning as an effective land management tool. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Smoke is produced when there is incomplete combustion due to a lack of oxygen to completely burn a fuel (vegetation). Carbon dioxide and water vapor are the largest components of smoke, comprising 90 percent of emissions. The remaining smoke is comprised of hydrocarbons, particulate matter and other compounds. Ways to decrease the amount of smoke produced are to burn smaller areas, utilize more backfires and burn when fuel moistures are relatively low. Burning smaller areas requires more burns, but reduces the amount of smoke each burn produces. Backfires are more efficient at consuming fuels, so they produce less smoke compared to a head fire. Since a large percentage of smoke is water vapor, burning with lower fine fuel moistures also decreases the amount of smoke produced.
Sensitive areas such as airports, roads, towns, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, private residences and public parks that are downwind need to be considered. It is the responsibility of the burn boss to keep smoke away from such areas by ensuring that suitable wind directions and conditions will lift smoke above the sensitive areas. Oklahoma's Prescribed Burning Notification Plan helps landowners ensure that neighbors and authorities are notified in order to mitigate potential health problems or hazards. When burning in other states, it is also a good idea to notify all neighbors and authorities of the planned burn.
Atmospheric dispersion and inversion are two environmental factors that influence smoke behavior and need to be monitored when planning a prescribed burn. OK-FIRE defines atmospheric dispersion as "the ability of the atmosphere to dilute and disperse a compound such as smoke as it travels downwind." The Oklahoma Dispersion Model breaks down atmospheric dispersion into six categories: 1 (very poor); 2 (poor); 3 (moderately poor); 4 (moderately good); 5 (good); and 6 (excellent). It is best to burn when atmospheric dispersion conditions are 4 (moderately good) or higher. An inversion is when there is stable, warm air at higher altitudes, reducing atmospheric dispersion. An inversion can quickly be identified when it looks like smoke has hit a ceiling in the sky. Inversions are common at night, complicating smoke management. The distance from the ground to an inversion layer is called the mixing height. It is best to burn with a mixing height of at least 1,500 feet and even higher when smoke-sensitive areas exist downwind.
The Category Day system is another method used to predict smoke behavior. It is determined by the ventilation rate which takes into account mixing height and transport wind speed. The Category Day system has five categories. They are 1 (poor), 2 (fair), 3 (good), 4 (very good) and 5 (excellent). Avoid burning with a Category Day less than 3 (good). Two reference websites that provide this information are okfire.mesonet.org and radar.srh.noaa.gov/fire.
Air quality is a hot topic. As prescribed burners, we need to make sure we know where our smoke is going and lessen its impacts so we can continue to use prescribed burning as an effective land management tool. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Chute N The Bull 11-15-10
We are quickly approaching our first traditional frost date of mid-November. There are a couple of important tasks to do NOW to insure the health of your lawn and landscape this winter. The most crucial is the fall application of fertilizer; this is commonly referred to as "Winterizing." Many folks are wondering when to apply fall fertilizer, what analysis to use, and how much to apply. The important thing to remember is that the fall application of "Winterizing" is the most critical. If you were given the option of applying fertilizer only once a year to your lawn or landscape, the best choice would be a fall application.
Fall fertilization is applied when shoot growth slows or around the time of the season's last regular mowing. Because of favorable environmental conditions (cool temperatures, short days, and high light intensity) nitrogen applied at this time aids the photosynthetic production of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are stored for use the following growing season, providing an earlier spring green-up and an energy source for turf grasses to recuperate from drought and other related stresses.
Another reason for fall fertilization is to reduce the need for high amounts of spring-applied nitrogen. Too much spring fertilization can actually reduce carbohydrate reserves and root development by inciting rapid shoot growth. This is because growing shoots take priority over roots for carbohydrate use.
Both spring and summer fertilization is used to maintain the color and density produced by fall fertilization the previous year. Fertilization at these times should not produce succulent plant tissue which can increase the severity of turf grass disease and reduce the plant's ability to withstand heat, drought, mowing or wear stress.
Most root growth in warm season grasses such as Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine predominantly occurs in spring and summer. Fertilization during these periods stimulates root growth. The roots of Bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass die in the spring following green-up. Heavy fertilization in early spring may result in more stress during this critical survival period.
What is the best kind of fertilizer to use in the fall? For many years, high phosphorus fertilizers (high middle number) were popular for fall use, but through research we now know that these can actually reduce winter hardiness and impede spring recovery. Furthermore, in this area of Texas, excessive applications of phosphorus will tie up the iron and zinc in our soil and result in yellow, weakened grass.
The application of a complete fertilizer which is high in nitrogen and potassium will enhance fall lawn color (prolongs color retention) and promote early green-up next spring, plus give added cold hardiness. The actual phosphorus level should be lower than that of the nitrogen and potassium. The best nutrient ratios for fall fertilizer are 3-1-2 and 4-1-2. In the nursery you will find these ratios in such fertilizer analysis as an 18-6-12 or a 19-5-9.
The fall application of fertilizer should take place in mid-to-late October or early November. NOW!!! The amount needed is in terms of actual nitrogen to be applied is NO more than 2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet. This equates to about 40 pounds of 18-6-12 on a 7200 square foot lawn. The average size front and lawn in this area is approximately 5000 square feet, so the remainder can be used on established plants in the landscape.
The slow release nitrogen fertilizers are as beneficial in the fall since a quick uptake by the plants is important. In the fall we want the nitrogen to be available to the grass quickly so that it can be taken up into the plant and utilized. Besides, slow-release fertilizers are much more expensive because of their slow-release mechanisms.
Consider also applying at this time, Texas Green Sand at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet. Since are soils are very basic and alkaline the Texas Green Sand with help loosen the heavy clay soils and provide essential micro-nutrients such as iron. Feathering a ½" to ¾" top-dressing compost to the lawn will also provide enriched nutrients as well as a deeper more defined root system.
The second task that is a must to insure a healthy turf is controlling brown patch. Brown patch is a fungus disease that attacks St. Augustinegrass in cool, damp, fall weather and will weaken the lawn going into the winter. It is identified as a circular area in the lawn, usually 3x10 feet in diameter. In the edge of the area you will see browning or yellowing grass, yet the interior of the circle may be a healthier green. Pull blades of grass at the edge of the circle. If the blades pull easily away from the stems and look brown and rotted at the base of the blades, then your lawn does have brown patch and should be treated. The most economical and effective chemical control for brown patch is terraclor- PCNB Turfcide or Fertilome F-Stop.
To help prevent brown patch from getting started in the lawn, do not water in the evening. Water droplets that stay on the grass all night will spread the brown patch spores. Therefore, water in the early morning hours so that the grass will dry out during the day and before nightfall. Once you have brown patch, do not walk through or mow through contaminated areas when wet, so that further spreading will not occur.
One other important chore in the lawn and entire landscape to prevent winter damage is watering thoroughly during the winter. Although the top of plants may go dormant during the winter, the root system do not, and the grass needs moisture to continue growth. Also, it's a fact that a well watered plant is less likely to suffer freeze damage then a drought stressed plant. So get out there this winter and water that landscape at least once a month in lieu of rainfall.
Fall fertilization, controlling brown patch and watering will insure that our lawns will be well on their way to a healthy next season.
Tree and shrub health is also important, and fertilization at the proper times insures tree and shrub overall health. I also recommend that you take the time this fall to fertilize your trees and shrubs using the same "Winterizer" fertilizer which is recommended for grasses. During the fall period of maximum rainfall, plants absorb nutrients more effectively. Summer and winter are not optimum times to fertilize. Hot temperatures cause the soil to become dry and compacted; in cold weather, plants are dormant, and the soil is not workable.
In the forest, trees draw nutrition from a steady supply of organic plant and animal matter such as decomposed leaves. This layer of matter covering the forest floor acts as a fertilizer. Like mulch, it helps the ground hold moisture and maintain moderate temperatures.
But in tidy backyards and other landscaped areas, this nutrient-rich layering process doesn't often take place. Instead, the ground is covered with lawn, which must compete with trees and other plants for nutrients and water. Construction and other land-use projects may alter the soil by adding pollutants and rubble to it.
Without the balanced natural environment, even vigorous, specimens may have some trouble. Because a plant's well-being depends on its ability to grow, the health of the root system is crucial. Roots must keep drawing sufficient nutrients and water to sustain growth. But as they continue to grow, at some point they'll run into restrictions such as paving, structures, rocks, rubble, roots of other plants, and hard, compacted soil. With such conditions they may not be able to absorb nutrients and water as easily as before. The results: less new growth, pale color, and damage due to insect attacks and disease. To overcome these growth inhibitors, trees and shrubs need good care and maintenance.
Timing, knowing when to fertilize is vital to top quality plant care. It's important to fertilize plants at or during a certain time so the tissues of the new growth will toughen sufficiently to weather the first freezes. Without this "hardening-off" and easing into dormancy, the plant can be severely damaged by winter stress. Proper timing will help you promote dormancy early enough to prevent such damage.
Fertilization keeps trees and shrubs from falling victim to health problems such as previously mentioned decay. Resilient limbs and general vigor make them sturdy enough to weather storms and extreme temperatures. And the healthier they are, the more beautiful they look. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Fall fertilization is applied when shoot growth slows or around the time of the season's last regular mowing. Because of favorable environmental conditions (cool temperatures, short days, and high light intensity) nitrogen applied at this time aids the photosynthetic production of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are stored for use the following growing season, providing an earlier spring green-up and an energy source for turf grasses to recuperate from drought and other related stresses.
Another reason for fall fertilization is to reduce the need for high amounts of spring-applied nitrogen. Too much spring fertilization can actually reduce carbohydrate reserves and root development by inciting rapid shoot growth. This is because growing shoots take priority over roots for carbohydrate use.
Both spring and summer fertilization is used to maintain the color and density produced by fall fertilization the previous year. Fertilization at these times should not produce succulent plant tissue which can increase the severity of turf grass disease and reduce the plant's ability to withstand heat, drought, mowing or wear stress.
Most root growth in warm season grasses such as Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine predominantly occurs in spring and summer. Fertilization during these periods stimulates root growth. The roots of Bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass die in the spring following green-up. Heavy fertilization in early spring may result in more stress during this critical survival period.
What is the best kind of fertilizer to use in the fall? For many years, high phosphorus fertilizers (high middle number) were popular for fall use, but through research we now know that these can actually reduce winter hardiness and impede spring recovery. Furthermore, in this area of Texas, excessive applications of phosphorus will tie up the iron and zinc in our soil and result in yellow, weakened grass.
The application of a complete fertilizer which is high in nitrogen and potassium will enhance fall lawn color (prolongs color retention) and promote early green-up next spring, plus give added cold hardiness. The actual phosphorus level should be lower than that of the nitrogen and potassium. The best nutrient ratios for fall fertilizer are 3-1-2 and 4-1-2. In the nursery you will find these ratios in such fertilizer analysis as an 18-6-12 or a 19-5-9.
The fall application of fertilizer should take place in mid-to-late October or early November. NOW!!! The amount needed is in terms of actual nitrogen to be applied is NO more than 2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet. This equates to about 40 pounds of 18-6-12 on a 7200 square foot lawn. The average size front and lawn in this area is approximately 5000 square feet, so the remainder can be used on established plants in the landscape.
The slow release nitrogen fertilizers are as beneficial in the fall since a quick uptake by the plants is important. In the fall we want the nitrogen to be available to the grass quickly so that it can be taken up into the plant and utilized. Besides, slow-release fertilizers are much more expensive because of their slow-release mechanisms.
Consider also applying at this time, Texas Green Sand at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet. Since are soils are very basic and alkaline the Texas Green Sand with help loosen the heavy clay soils and provide essential micro-nutrients such as iron. Feathering a ½" to ¾" top-dressing compost to the lawn will also provide enriched nutrients as well as a deeper more defined root system.
The second task that is a must to insure a healthy turf is controlling brown patch. Brown patch is a fungus disease that attacks St. Augustinegrass in cool, damp, fall weather and will weaken the lawn going into the winter. It is identified as a circular area in the lawn, usually 3x10 feet in diameter. In the edge of the area you will see browning or yellowing grass, yet the interior of the circle may be a healthier green. Pull blades of grass at the edge of the circle. If the blades pull easily away from the stems and look brown and rotted at the base of the blades, then your lawn does have brown patch and should be treated. The most economical and effective chemical control for brown patch is terraclor- PCNB Turfcide or Fertilome F-Stop.
To help prevent brown patch from getting started in the lawn, do not water in the evening. Water droplets that stay on the grass all night will spread the brown patch spores. Therefore, water in the early morning hours so that the grass will dry out during the day and before nightfall. Once you have brown patch, do not walk through or mow through contaminated areas when wet, so that further spreading will not occur.
One other important chore in the lawn and entire landscape to prevent winter damage is watering thoroughly during the winter. Although the top of plants may go dormant during the winter, the root system do not, and the grass needs moisture to continue growth. Also, it's a fact that a well watered plant is less likely to suffer freeze damage then a drought stressed plant. So get out there this winter and water that landscape at least once a month in lieu of rainfall.
Fall fertilization, controlling brown patch and watering will insure that our lawns will be well on their way to a healthy next season.
Tree and shrub health is also important, and fertilization at the proper times insures tree and shrub overall health. I also recommend that you take the time this fall to fertilize your trees and shrubs using the same "Winterizer" fertilizer which is recommended for grasses. During the fall period of maximum rainfall, plants absorb nutrients more effectively. Summer and winter are not optimum times to fertilize. Hot temperatures cause the soil to become dry and compacted; in cold weather, plants are dormant, and the soil is not workable.
In the forest, trees draw nutrition from a steady supply of organic plant and animal matter such as decomposed leaves. This layer of matter covering the forest floor acts as a fertilizer. Like mulch, it helps the ground hold moisture and maintain moderate temperatures.
But in tidy backyards and other landscaped areas, this nutrient-rich layering process doesn't often take place. Instead, the ground is covered with lawn, which must compete with trees and other plants for nutrients and water. Construction and other land-use projects may alter the soil by adding pollutants and rubble to it.
Without the balanced natural environment, even vigorous, specimens may have some trouble. Because a plant's well-being depends on its ability to grow, the health of the root system is crucial. Roots must keep drawing sufficient nutrients and water to sustain growth. But as they continue to grow, at some point they'll run into restrictions such as paving, structures, rocks, rubble, roots of other plants, and hard, compacted soil. With such conditions they may not be able to absorb nutrients and water as easily as before. The results: less new growth, pale color, and damage due to insect attacks and disease. To overcome these growth inhibitors, trees and shrubs need good care and maintenance.
Timing, knowing when to fertilize is vital to top quality plant care. It's important to fertilize plants at or during a certain time so the tissues of the new growth will toughen sufficiently to weather the first freezes. Without this "hardening-off" and easing into dormancy, the plant can be severely damaged by winter stress. Proper timing will help you promote dormancy early enough to prevent such damage.
Fertilization keeps trees and shrubs from falling victim to health problems such as previously mentioned decay. Resilient limbs and general vigor make them sturdy enough to weather storms and extreme temperatures. And the healthier they are, the more beautiful they look. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Chute N The Bull 11-8-10
The economy is on the minds of many Americans today. Why isn't a more impressive and sustainable recovery occurring? The recession that began in December 2007 has been different than past recessions for a variety of reasons, and the recovery also looks different. Why is the recovery taking longer than it has in the past and how may this affect rural economies?
The main cause of the economic collapse was the overextension of credit. This is the first reason the economic recovery is slower. Easy access to credit eventually led to many loans that could not be paid back. This, in turn, resulted in tighter regulations when applying for loans. Currently, interest rates are much lower than in recent history, but down payment amounts have increased and much more detailed credit checks are being performed. Therefore, it has become more difficult to obtain funds from lending organizations. The agricultural community has remained relatively unharmed by many of the changes, however, as commodity prices and demands for agricultural products have remained relatively strong or rebounded faster than expected.
The second reason for the slow recovery is uneasiness over future tax rates. At the end of 2010, many Bush-era tax cuts for investors, small business owners and families are set to expire, which will result in higher income tax rates, an increase in estate taxes and higher capital gains tax rates. Small businesses are also unsure about future health care cost liabilities and the expensing of capital asset purchases. These issues and uncertainty about income flow will likely continue to lead consumers to be cautious about spending. Businesses will limit expansion because of the uncertainty of the impact that new employees and equipment will have on their bottom lines.
A third reason for a slow recovery in the U.S. is related to the historically high unemployment rate, which was 9.6 percent in September 2010 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are several negative economic impacts associated with having so many Americans without work, including decreased demand for goods and services, increased government expenses from unemployment payments and benefits, and a reduction in income tax revenues. A higher unemployment rate also results in many cutbacks or furlough time from companies. This leads to many individuals having less disposable income and a further reduction in demand for goods and services.
Some rural regions in the U.S. have experienced less of an economic downturn than other localities. However, fundamental problems remain in rural communities according to a 2010 article published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.1 Many rural populations depend on government jobs and public funding for local services. With decreases in revenues from lower tax receipts, many state and local governments are facing tough budgeting decisions. Examples of these decisions may include Medicaid funding levels and the possibility of the reduction of government services through public schools, medical facilities and transportation departments. As a result, state and local governments are looking at ways to cut spending, increase efficiency and/or increase revenues to bridge the gap.
Once we have fully recovered, the economy, particularly in rural communities, may look very different. Hopefully, the problems and issues that are currently impeding economic recovery will be addressed intelligently with minimal negative impact on those recovering in its wake. America still has several speed bumps remaining in the road to recovery, but we have recovered substantially from our lowest point. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
The main cause of the economic collapse was the overextension of credit. This is the first reason the economic recovery is slower. Easy access to credit eventually led to many loans that could not be paid back. This, in turn, resulted in tighter regulations when applying for loans. Currently, interest rates are much lower than in recent history, but down payment amounts have increased and much more detailed credit checks are being performed. Therefore, it has become more difficult to obtain funds from lending organizations. The agricultural community has remained relatively unharmed by many of the changes, however, as commodity prices and demands for agricultural products have remained relatively strong or rebounded faster than expected.
The second reason for the slow recovery is uneasiness over future tax rates. At the end of 2010, many Bush-era tax cuts for investors, small business owners and families are set to expire, which will result in higher income tax rates, an increase in estate taxes and higher capital gains tax rates. Small businesses are also unsure about future health care cost liabilities and the expensing of capital asset purchases. These issues and uncertainty about income flow will likely continue to lead consumers to be cautious about spending. Businesses will limit expansion because of the uncertainty of the impact that new employees and equipment will have on their bottom lines.
A third reason for a slow recovery in the U.S. is related to the historically high unemployment rate, which was 9.6 percent in September 2010 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are several negative economic impacts associated with having so many Americans without work, including decreased demand for goods and services, increased government expenses from unemployment payments and benefits, and a reduction in income tax revenues. A higher unemployment rate also results in many cutbacks or furlough time from companies. This leads to many individuals having less disposable income and a further reduction in demand for goods and services.
Some rural regions in the U.S. have experienced less of an economic downturn than other localities. However, fundamental problems remain in rural communities according to a 2010 article published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.1 Many rural populations depend on government jobs and public funding for local services. With decreases in revenues from lower tax receipts, many state and local governments are facing tough budgeting decisions. Examples of these decisions may include Medicaid funding levels and the possibility of the reduction of government services through public schools, medical facilities and transportation departments. As a result, state and local governments are looking at ways to cut spending, increase efficiency and/or increase revenues to bridge the gap.
Once we have fully recovered, the economy, particularly in rural communities, may look very different. Hopefully, the problems and issues that are currently impeding economic recovery will be addressed intelligently with minimal negative impact on those recovering in its wake. America still has several speed bumps remaining in the road to recovery, but we have recovered substantially from our lowest point. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Friday, October 29, 2010
Chute N The Bull 10-27-10
Most people who manage or hunt white-tailed deer on private land want to produce or harvest bucks with large antlers. Three primary factors influence antler size: age, nutrition and genetics. Although all three are important, only age and nutrition can be effectively manipulated in wild, free-ranging deer herds. Age is the primary factor limiting buck size on most properties. Buck age can be improved or increased by decreasing buck harvest and allowing more bucks to get older. The most economical way to improve buck nutrition is to improve deer habitat and decrease deer numbers through doe harvest.
Many managers and hunters try to influence antler size by culling bucks. Culling is the intentional harvest of bucks with supposed inferior genetics for antler growth. Genetics is unquestionably important because many studies and deer farms have proven antler size can be increased through controlled breeding in pens. However, is culling bucks a practical management practice in a wild, free-ranging deer population? The Noble Foundation wildlife staff does not believe it is appropriate in most free-ranging deer herds for the following reasons:
• We question whether it is possible to consistently identify "cull bucks" based on their phenotypic antler characteristics. Ken Gee monitored antler development of tagged bucks at the Noble Foundation Wildlife Unit for 24 years. Some young bucks that seemed to have inferior antlers developed into spectacular trophies and several promising looking young bucks developed into only mediocre mature bucks.
• Breeding cannot be controlled among wild, free-ranging deer. In a pen, both the male and female genetics of each breeding are controlled. Penned deer and wild, free-ranging deer are completely different management scenarios.
• All young bucks grow larger antlers as they age until some point later in their lives when antler development peaks. Some evidence indicates antler size of most wild, free-ranging bucks continues to increase throughout their lives contrary to some penned studies. When wild bucks live long enough, antler sizes of nearly all bucks peak after 4 years old and many do not peak until 6-9 years old.
• Each buck probably has genes for large antlers, mediocre antlers and small antlers regardless of his phenotypic antler expression. Most offspring from bucks with Boone and Crockett record book eligible antler scores on the Noble Foundation Wildlife Unit did not grow spectacular antlers, and some offspring from mediocre-antlered bucks grew spectacular antlers.
• Does contribute at least half of antler genetics. Currently, it is not possible to select for trophy antlers among wild, free-ranging does.
• In a pen, one buck can service several does because does cannot escape the buck and he does not have to travel and cover hundreds of acres. In wild, free-ranging situations, a large percentage of the buck population and all adult age groups are involved in breeding does. Even though white-tailed deer are polygamous, adult does are receptive to bucks only during a few days. Most Oklahoma and north Texas does are in heat during the same few weeks, so many bucks are necessary to service all the does in wild, free-ranging populations.
Theoretically, harvesting "inferior" bucks would seem to make sense, but seldom helps the situation in the real world of wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer. The futility of culling bucks in wild, free-ranging deer was demonstrated by a research project involving a very intensive culling program across four years on the Comanche Ranch in Texas. Culling did not increase antler size in successive generations.
The following points are the most important criteria for producing large-antlered bucks in a free-ranging situation: 1) provide excellent, diverse habitat on as many acres as possible; 2) harvest relatively few bucks, probably less than 10 percent of the buck population; 3) maintain deer abundance within a habitat's carrying capacity; 4) maintain adult sex ratio as close to 1:1 as possible; and 5) avoid harvest of young males, especially those less than 4 years old. In summary, culling bucks probably is a waste of bucks and a wasted effort. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Many managers and hunters try to influence antler size by culling bucks. Culling is the intentional harvest of bucks with supposed inferior genetics for antler growth. Genetics is unquestionably important because many studies and deer farms have proven antler size can be increased through controlled breeding in pens. However, is culling bucks a practical management practice in a wild, free-ranging deer population? The Noble Foundation wildlife staff does not believe it is appropriate in most free-ranging deer herds for the following reasons:
• We question whether it is possible to consistently identify "cull bucks" based on their phenotypic antler characteristics. Ken Gee monitored antler development of tagged bucks at the Noble Foundation Wildlife Unit for 24 years. Some young bucks that seemed to have inferior antlers developed into spectacular trophies and several promising looking young bucks developed into only mediocre mature bucks.
• Breeding cannot be controlled among wild, free-ranging deer. In a pen, both the male and female genetics of each breeding are controlled. Penned deer and wild, free-ranging deer are completely different management scenarios.
• All young bucks grow larger antlers as they age until some point later in their lives when antler development peaks. Some evidence indicates antler size of most wild, free-ranging bucks continues to increase throughout their lives contrary to some penned studies. When wild bucks live long enough, antler sizes of nearly all bucks peak after 4 years old and many do not peak until 6-9 years old.
• Each buck probably has genes for large antlers, mediocre antlers and small antlers regardless of his phenotypic antler expression. Most offspring from bucks with Boone and Crockett record book eligible antler scores on the Noble Foundation Wildlife Unit did not grow spectacular antlers, and some offspring from mediocre-antlered bucks grew spectacular antlers.
• Does contribute at least half of antler genetics. Currently, it is not possible to select for trophy antlers among wild, free-ranging does.
• In a pen, one buck can service several does because does cannot escape the buck and he does not have to travel and cover hundreds of acres. In wild, free-ranging situations, a large percentage of the buck population and all adult age groups are involved in breeding does. Even though white-tailed deer are polygamous, adult does are receptive to bucks only during a few days. Most Oklahoma and north Texas does are in heat during the same few weeks, so many bucks are necessary to service all the does in wild, free-ranging populations.
Theoretically, harvesting "inferior" bucks would seem to make sense, but seldom helps the situation in the real world of wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer. The futility of culling bucks in wild, free-ranging deer was demonstrated by a research project involving a very intensive culling program across four years on the Comanche Ranch in Texas. Culling did not increase antler size in successive generations.
The following points are the most important criteria for producing large-antlered bucks in a free-ranging situation: 1) provide excellent, diverse habitat on as many acres as possible; 2) harvest relatively few bucks, probably less than 10 percent of the buck population; 3) maintain deer abundance within a habitat's carrying capacity; 4) maintain adult sex ratio as close to 1:1 as possible; and 5) avoid harvest of young males, especially those less than 4 years old. In summary, culling bucks probably is a waste of bucks and a wasted effort. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Chute N The Bull 10-19-10
A question I'm often asked by market gardeners is, "Is there a tool or guide I can use to schedule plantings to ensure a continuous harvest? I need to have a consistent supply of product to keep my customers satisfied." My usual response is yes and no. Yes, there are tools available to assist growers in developing their own planting schedule, and no, there is no such thing as a "one size fits all" planting schedule.
When developing a planting schedule, keep in mind there is no schedule that can guarantee a continuous harvest. Assuming your crops survive multiple assaults from freezing temperatures, flooding rain, hail, wind and pest organisms, there will always be annual variance in soil temperature and moisture content, air temperature and sunlight availability. These factors not only influence initial harvest date, but the harvest frequency and yield distribution for any crop harvested multiple times from a single planting. Variable weather is the primary reason why it is impossible to develop a planting schedule for continuous harvest of field-grown vegetables that guarantees consistent results from year to year.
The easiest and most direct planting approach is to copy the schedule of a successful grower in your vicinity. Keep in mind you will need to use the same varieties and same production techniques. Of course, this assumes your neighbor is willing to share this information with you.
Most growers incorporate the use of varieties having different maturity dates and successive plantings of a single variety when developing a planting schedule for continuous harvest. These two techniques are often combined.
Novice growers or growers who don't keep production records often resort to a "shotgun" approach when scheduling successive plantings, hoping that if they stagger enough plantings, sufficient overlap will occur to ensure a continuous harvest.
A more accurate and less costly method of scheduling for continuous harvest incorporates the use of yield distribution profiles. With most vegetable crops that are harvested multiple times from a single planting, yield increases over time until a peak is reached, after which it decreases gradually. If your goal is to achieve a continuous, consistent harvest, schedule plantings so that the initial harvest of the most recent planting coincides with the peak harvest of the planting before it. In theory, the increasing yield of the later planting compensates for the decreasing yield of the earlier planting. The use of yield distribution profiles to schedule planting dates is not an exact science due to an ever changing growing environment, but it sure beats the shotgun approach. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
When developing a planting schedule, keep in mind there is no schedule that can guarantee a continuous harvest. Assuming your crops survive multiple assaults from freezing temperatures, flooding rain, hail, wind and pest organisms, there will always be annual variance in soil temperature and moisture content, air temperature and sunlight availability. These factors not only influence initial harvest date, but the harvest frequency and yield distribution for any crop harvested multiple times from a single planting. Variable weather is the primary reason why it is impossible to develop a planting schedule for continuous harvest of field-grown vegetables that guarantees consistent results from year to year.
The easiest and most direct planting approach is to copy the schedule of a successful grower in your vicinity. Keep in mind you will need to use the same varieties and same production techniques. Of course, this assumes your neighbor is willing to share this information with you.
Most growers incorporate the use of varieties having different maturity dates and successive plantings of a single variety when developing a planting schedule for continuous harvest. These two techniques are often combined.
Novice growers or growers who don't keep production records often resort to a "shotgun" approach when scheduling successive plantings, hoping that if they stagger enough plantings, sufficient overlap will occur to ensure a continuous harvest.
A more accurate and less costly method of scheduling for continuous harvest incorporates the use of yield distribution profiles. With most vegetable crops that are harvested multiple times from a single planting, yield increases over time until a peak is reached, after which it decreases gradually. If your goal is to achieve a continuous, consistent harvest, schedule plantings so that the initial harvest of the most recent planting coincides with the peak harvest of the planting before it. In theory, the increasing yield of the later planting compensates for the decreasing yield of the earlier planting. The use of yield distribution profiles to schedule planting dates is not an exact science due to an ever changing growing environment, but it sure beats the shotgun approach. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Chute N The Bull 10-18-10
All sports fans know that when the team didn't do as well as expected
this year, there's always next year. Weed control can work like that
too. If you didn't get the sandburs this year, make plans now to get 'em
next year.
We conducted a study in 2010 on how well four products controlled
sandbur in bermudagrass and how much the three post-emergent products
injured the bermudagrass crop. Following is a list of the different
products we used, how well they controlled sandbur and how much crop
injury they caused.
Prowl H2O® (pendimethalin)
This is a pre-emergent product that must be applied before the sandbur
emerge. This is usually in March or very early April. Rainfall must
occur within two weeks of application or efficacy will be reduced
dramatically. We used 2.1 and 3.2 quarts of product per acre in our
study. Sandbur control was rated at 63 and 70 percent, respectively.
This was statistically the same as that provided by the post-emergent
products. Prowl H2O® was not evaluated for crop injury.
Roundup WeatherMax® (glyphosate)
Roundup WeatherMax® is labeled for sandbur control only after the first
cutting of hay on bermudagrass. Application must be made very soon after
hay cutting or crop injury may occur. There is a 28-day grazing and
haying restriction after the herbicide has been applied.
We used two rates of Roundup Weathermax®, 6.5 and 11 ounces per acre.
Sandbur control was rated at 100 percent for each rate. Crop injury in
the form of discoloration and reduced plant height was observed 14 days
after treatment, but the bermudagrass outgrew the injury within 30 days
after treatment. We harvested the plots, and there was no yield
difference between the Roundup WeatherMax® plots and the plots that
didnot receive herbicide.
Pastora® (metsulfuron methyl and nicosulfuron)
Pastora® is a relatively new product that is a mixture of herbicides
trade-named Cimarron® and Accent®. The label requires using the product
when sandbur are less than 2 inches tall and bermudagrass is less than 4
inches tall. There are no grazing or haying restrictions with Pastora®.
We applied Pastora® at rates of 1 and 1.5 ounces per acre. We achieved
sandbur control ratings of 97 and 100 percent, respectively. We saw
visual crop injury soon after treatment, but the bermudagrass largely
outgrew the injury after 30 days. When we harvested the crop 35 days
after application, there was no statistically significant yield difference between
the Pastora® treatments and the plots that did not
receive herbicide.
Panoramic® (imazapic)
Panoramic® is a generic version of a product that was previously sold as
Plateau®. It has both pre-emergent and post-emergent activity, but is
usually more effective when used post-emergent. The label states to not
use Panoramic® on drought-stressed bermudagrass, when bermudagrass is in
the transition stage between dormancy and full green-up, on newly
aerated fields, in the establishment year for bermudagrass or on the variety World Feeder.
We applied Panoramic® at rates of 6 and 12 ounces per acre. Sandbur
control was rated at 100 percent for each rate. However, crop injury was
very severe. Panoramic® caused the worst visual injury symptoms of the
herbicides tested, and the injury carried over into yield. The 6 and 12ounce
rates of Panoramic® caused yield reductions of 41 and 78 percent,
respectively, when harvested 35 days after treatment.
Summary
All the herbicides we tested controlled sandbur. Visual crop injury
symptoms were noted in all the post-emergent treatments 14 days after
treatment, but the visual crop injury symptoms decreased dramatically
when observed 30 days after treatment. Neither Roundup WeatherMax® nor
Pastora® decreased bermudagrass yield when harvested 35 days after
treatment, but Panoramic® applications caused severe yield reductions.
In general, we feel that Prowl H2O® is a good pre-emergent product if
rainfall occurs in a timely fashion after application and that Pastora®
and Roundup WeatherMax® are good post-emergent products if applied in a
timely manner. Although it controls sandbur well, we have difficulties
recommending Panoramic® due to crop injury concerns.
If you have sandburs, now's your chance to plan to get' em next year.
You can find this and past articles on the web at
http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs
serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex,
religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University
System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners
Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of
socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national
origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
this year, there's always next year. Weed control can work like that
too. If you didn't get the sandburs this year, make plans now to get 'em
next year.
We conducted a study in 2010 on how well four products controlled
sandbur in bermudagrass and how much the three post-emergent products
injured the bermudagrass crop. Following is a list of the different
products we used, how well they controlled sandbur and how much crop
injury they caused.
Prowl H2O® (pendimethalin)
This is a pre-emergent product that must be applied before the sandbur
emerge. This is usually in March or very early April. Rainfall must
occur within two weeks of application or efficacy will be reduced
dramatically. We used 2.1 and 3.2 quarts of product per acre in our
study. Sandbur control was rated at 63 and 70 percent, respectively.
This was statistically the same as that provided by the post-emergent
products. Prowl H2O® was not evaluated for crop injury.
Roundup WeatherMax® (glyphosate)
Roundup WeatherMax® is labeled for sandbur control only after the first
cutting of hay on bermudagrass. Application must be made very soon after
hay cutting or crop injury may occur. There is a 28-day grazing and
haying restriction after the herbicide has been applied.
We used two rates of Roundup Weathermax®, 6.5 and 11 ounces per acre.
Sandbur control was rated at 100 percent for each rate. Crop injury in
the form of discoloration and reduced plant height was observed 14 days
after treatment, but the bermudagrass outgrew the injury within 30 days
after treatment. We harvested the plots, and there was no yield
difference between the Roundup WeatherMax® plots and the plots that
didnot receive herbicide.
Pastora® (metsulfuron methyl and nicosulfuron)
Pastora® is a relatively new product that is a mixture of herbicides
trade-named Cimarron® and Accent®. The label requires using the product
when sandbur are less than 2 inches tall and bermudagrass is less than 4
inches tall. There are no grazing or haying restrictions with Pastora®.
We applied Pastora® at rates of 1 and 1.5 ounces per acre. We achieved
sandbur control ratings of 97 and 100 percent, respectively. We saw
visual crop injury soon after treatment, but the bermudagrass largely
outgrew the injury after 30 days. When we harvested the crop 35 days
after application, there was no statistically significant yield difference between
the Pastora® treatments and the plots that did not
receive herbicide.
Panoramic® (imazapic)
Panoramic® is a generic version of a product that was previously sold as
Plateau®. It has both pre-emergent and post-emergent activity, but is
usually more effective when used post-emergent. The label states to not
use Panoramic® on drought-stressed bermudagrass, when bermudagrass is in
the transition stage between dormancy and full green-up, on newly
aerated fields, in the establishment year for bermudagrass or on the variety World Feeder.
We applied Panoramic® at rates of 6 and 12 ounces per acre. Sandbur
control was rated at 100 percent for each rate. However, crop injury was
very severe. Panoramic® caused the worst visual injury symptoms of the
herbicides tested, and the injury carried over into yield. The 6 and 12ounce
rates of Panoramic® caused yield reductions of 41 and 78 percent,
respectively, when harvested 35 days after treatment.
Summary
All the herbicides we tested controlled sandbur. Visual crop injury
symptoms were noted in all the post-emergent treatments 14 days after
treatment, but the visual crop injury symptoms decreased dramatically
when observed 30 days after treatment. Neither Roundup WeatherMax® nor
Pastora® decreased bermudagrass yield when harvested 35 days after
treatment, but Panoramic® applications caused severe yield reductions.
In general, we feel that Prowl H2O® is a good pre-emergent product if
rainfall occurs in a timely fashion after application and that Pastora®
and Roundup WeatherMax® are good post-emergent products if applied in a
timely manner. Although it controls sandbur well, we have difficulties
recommending Panoramic® due to crop injury concerns.
If you have sandburs, now's your chance to plan to get' em next year.
You can find this and past articles on the web at
http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs
serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex,
religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University
System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners
Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of
socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national
origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Chute N The Bull 10-11-10
It has been a long time since profits from agricultural activities have justified the price of land. Escalated prices are often attributed to speculation, but with a fixed land resource and a growing population, the price of land is likely to continue to increase over the coming decades.
For many agricultural producers, land is the highest valued asset on their balance sheet. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the viability and integrity of the land from a value standpoint, while still achieving the production, landscape and quality of life goals of the owner.
With the impact of the "The Great Recession" that began in December 2007, many agricultural producers are looking for ways to improve their bottom line. There are two ways to do so: cut costs or increase revenue. Neither one is typically easy to do for an agricultural producer. Even though farmers and ranchers are very resourceful people, much of what they produce is sold as a commodity. Thus, producers typically receive a non-differentiated price while costs are already kept at a minimum.
When I am trying to help an agricultural producer increase profitability, I first start with their largest expense category. In most cases, this is the cost of land. While refinancing a land note at a lower rate is a possibility, there is a different strategy available to help the bottom line. Namely, one should consider production activities that can provide economic benefits while minimally impacting other agricultural enterprises conducted on the land.
It's often said that a combination of production activities is better from both risk and profit standpoints. Some alternative production activities such as developing wildlife hunting leases, establishing agritourism, leasing pecan harvest of productive native trees, establishing a wind energy or mineral lease, and developing novel marketing plans for produced goods have little additional cost associated with them.
Other activities to capitalize on existing land resources, but which would require additional capital, include improved pecan orchards, production of meat goats and production of fruits or vegetables. While additional capital is required, these activities are more of a complement to the overall operation than a substitute for existing activities.
If one of these ventures is being considered, it is important to evaluate the operation's ability to manage the new endeavor. Additionally, it is important to know how much additional time and paperwork would be necessary to see the venture to completion. Brainstorm with a consultant about other enterprises that would work well with your current operation and how to turn produced goods into differentiated products that demand a premium price.
It is important to remember that your land is valued based on the perceived future value of its optimal earning possibilities. It is fine to use the land for less than its highest possible combination of activities, but money is being left on the table, or in this case, in the soil. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension proserve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
For many agricultural producers, land is the highest valued asset on their balance sheet. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the viability and integrity of the land from a value standpoint, while still achieving the production, landscape and quality of life goals of the owner.
With the impact of the "The Great Recession" that began in December 2007, many agricultural producers are looking for ways to improve their bottom line. There are two ways to do so: cut costs or increase revenue. Neither one is typically easy to do for an agricultural producer. Even though farmers and ranchers are very resourceful people, much of what they produce is sold as a commodity. Thus, producers typically receive a non-differentiated price while costs are already kept at a minimum.
When I am trying to help an agricultural producer increase profitability, I first start with their largest expense category. In most cases, this is the cost of land. While refinancing a land note at a lower rate is a possibility, there is a different strategy available to help the bottom line. Namely, one should consider production activities that can provide economic benefits while minimally impacting other agricultural enterprises conducted on the land.
It's often said that a combination of production activities is better from both risk and profit standpoints. Some alternative production activities such as developing wildlife hunting leases, establishing agritourism, leasing pecan harvest of productive native trees, establishing a wind energy or mineral lease, and developing novel marketing plans for produced goods have little additional cost associated with them.
Other activities to capitalize on existing land resources, but which would require additional capital, include improved pecan orchards, production of meat goats and production of fruits or vegetables. While additional capital is required, these activities are more of a complement to the overall operation than a substitute for existing activities.
If one of these ventures is being considered, it is important to evaluate the operation's ability to manage the new endeavor. Additionally, it is important to know how much additional time and paperwork would be necessary to see the venture to completion. Brainstorm with a consultant about other enterprises that would work well with your current operation and how to turn produced goods into differentiated products that demand a premium price.
It is important to remember that your land is valued based on the perceived future value of its optimal earning possibilities. It is fine to use the land for less than its highest possible combination of activities, but money is being left on the table, or in this case, in the soil. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension proserve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Chute N The Bull 10-4-10
Lyrics from this popular 1953 song talk about how a person does not have to spend large amounts of money to make a big impression on another - it's the little things that count. I was reminded of this recently as we were working to get a field study planted. We spent a lot of time making sure we had the little things taken care of that will make a big impact on success or failure in the field. Here are a few of the little things that come to my mind that can wind up making a huge impact on success or failure in your operation.
Get out of the truck
It is darn near impossible to assess cow body condition, weed pressure, insect pressure, disease pressure, forage availability, seed emergence... with a windshield view. It's amazing how many wrecks you can avoid by spending quality time in the field.
Use pre-emergent crabgrass control when sprigging bermudagrass
When sprigging bermudagrass on sandy soils, crabgrass can be a huge competitor which can cause delayed bermudagrass coverage or failure. Using a pre-emerge control for crabgrass can be the difference between stand establishment and the additional cost of re-establishment.
Clean equipment
Pulling drills out of the shed, filling them with seed and heading to the field is a big mistake. Grain can sprout in cups, spider webs can plug drop tubes and bearings can freeze, and all these little things can prevent seed from getting from the drill and into the ground. The same holds true for sprayers. Nozzles plug, many of the chemicals we use corrode rubber and metal, and residual chemical left in a tank can kill a crop. Cleaning is a little thing... but it can mean a lot.
Calibrate, calibrate, calibrate
Herbicides and seeds are not cheap. Putting out the right amount at the right time can make all the difference. Calibration of spraying and planting equipment takes time, but it will make you money. After a piece of equipment has been calibrated, re-check it in the field as things can change with field bounce.
Verify seed depth and seed to soil contact
Many forage crops have recommended seeding depths of ¼" or less, which, especially in no-till, is an extremely difficult depth to control. Once in the field, get out of the tractor seat and look for seed. Planting too deep can result in uneven emergence or complete failure to emerge. Check depth when changing from sand to clay soils, and make sure you have good soil closure around the seed for optimal germination.
Use good seed and good sprigs
Planting seed without knowing seed germination or vigor is asking for trouble, as is sprigging bermudagrass sprigs that have been sitting exposed on a truck for 24 hours. This little item can definitely save you a re-plant and a whole year of production.
Conduct soil and forage tests
Supplemental feed on average is 62 percent of the cost of running a cow for a year. Depending upon the product, fertilizer prices are averaging $250-$550 per ton. Soil and forage tests cost about $10 each and are the only way to accurately calculate feed supplement or fertilizer application. Spend $10 up front to save hundreds of dollars on feed and fertilizer cost. It's a little thing that can add up to a lot.
Make a plan and stick to it
Plan your forage grazing, forage establishment, breeding program, marketing program and seedbed preparation. Develop a whole farm management plan and stick to it.
This list is far from complete, but, from personal experience, these are some small practices that make a big difference. If you have others and want to share, e-mail them to me and I will work the best tips into a future column. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Get out of the truck
It is darn near impossible to assess cow body condition, weed pressure, insect pressure, disease pressure, forage availability, seed emergence... with a windshield view. It's amazing how many wrecks you can avoid by spending quality time in the field.
Use pre-emergent crabgrass control when sprigging bermudagrass
When sprigging bermudagrass on sandy soils, crabgrass can be a huge competitor which can cause delayed bermudagrass coverage or failure. Using a pre-emerge control for crabgrass can be the difference between stand establishment and the additional cost of re-establishment.
Clean equipment
Pulling drills out of the shed, filling them with seed and heading to the field is a big mistake. Grain can sprout in cups, spider webs can plug drop tubes and bearings can freeze, and all these little things can prevent seed from getting from the drill and into the ground. The same holds true for sprayers. Nozzles plug, many of the chemicals we use corrode rubber and metal, and residual chemical left in a tank can kill a crop. Cleaning is a little thing... but it can mean a lot.
Calibrate, calibrate, calibrate
Herbicides and seeds are not cheap. Putting out the right amount at the right time can make all the difference. Calibration of spraying and planting equipment takes time, but it will make you money. After a piece of equipment has been calibrated, re-check it in the field as things can change with field bounce.
Verify seed depth and seed to soil contact
Many forage crops have recommended seeding depths of ¼" or less, which, especially in no-till, is an extremely difficult depth to control. Once in the field, get out of the tractor seat and look for seed. Planting too deep can result in uneven emergence or complete failure to emerge. Check depth when changing from sand to clay soils, and make sure you have good soil closure around the seed for optimal germination.
Use good seed and good sprigs
Planting seed without knowing seed germination or vigor is asking for trouble, as is sprigging bermudagrass sprigs that have been sitting exposed on a truck for 24 hours. This little item can definitely save you a re-plant and a whole year of production.
Conduct soil and forage tests
Supplemental feed on average is 62 percent of the cost of running a cow for a year. Depending upon the product, fertilizer prices are averaging $250-$550 per ton. Soil and forage tests cost about $10 each and are the only way to accurately calculate feed supplement or fertilizer application. Spend $10 up front to save hundreds of dollars on feed and fertilizer cost. It's a little thing that can add up to a lot.
Make a plan and stick to it
Plan your forage grazing, forage establishment, breeding program, marketing program and seedbed preparation. Develop a whole farm management plan and stick to it.
This list is far from complete, but, from personal experience, these are some small practices that make a big difference. If you have others and want to share, e-mail them to me and I will work the best tips into a future column. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Chute N The Bull 9-27-10
For most cattle producers, culling cows is not an easy task. However, some culling needs to be done each year to maintain optimal productivity. Records on each cow's yearly production would be beneficial when making culling decisions, but collecting some information when the cows are processed can give you a good place to start.
Cattlemen should make it a point to evaluate all breeding females at least once a year. Weaning is likely the most convenient time to do this evaluation. In addition to their vaccinations, cows should also be pregnancy-tested, evaluated for structural soundness and aged based on the condition of their teeth. This information will take a little extra time to collect, but will be valuable when determining a culling order. In addition, this culling order will be useful during a drought as it is usually more profitable to cull unproductive cows as a drought is beginning than to try to hold on until the drought is over.
Usually, the best cows to cull are the ones that have the least chance of being productive in the long term or are the farthest away from being productive. Use the following list as a guideline for establishing your culling order. Cull cows in this order until you reach the desired herd size.
1. Disposition: Some producers can tolerate more disposition problems than others. Disposition should be evaluated both in the pasture and in the pen because some cattle will react differently once corralled. Make a note of those animals that make it difficult to gather the herd or rotate pastures. Any animal that is aggressive should make the list.
2. Open females: All open females should be culled. According to the Cattle-Fax Cow/Calf and Stocker Survey, the average annual cash cost to carry a cow in 2006 was $366. It will be very difficult for an open cow to make up for a year of lost production. In addition, if a heifer does not settle in the same period as her contemporaries, she is telling you that she does not fit your management environment.
3. Structural soundness: Evaluate the structural soundness of each cow based on her ability to raise a calf. Anything that limits her ability should be noted. Look for bad feet or toes, a history of prolapse, eye problems and poor udder conformation, including bad quarters and big teats.
4. Age: Typically, a cow is most productive between the ages of 4 and 9. The condition of a cow's teeth is indicative of her age. A cow with broken or missing teeth should probably be culled. Those with badly worn or separated teeth would be next on the list.
At this point, it becomes increasingly difficult to make culling decisions because you will have to cull productive animals.
5. Bred cows over 9 years of age: These cows will likely be culled in the near future and are close to the end of their most productive years. Within this group, cull the thin cows first.
6. Replacement heifers. First, cull yearling heifers that have not been exposed to a bull. These animals have very good value as feeder heifers. Bred heifers would be next in the culling order.
7. Phenotype: Use this as an opportunity to make your herd more uniform. Any cow that does not fit due to breed, size or low productivity should be culled next.
8. Bred cows 3 to 9 years of age: These are your most productive cows. If you must cull out of this group, 3-year-olds and those cows that are 8 to 9 years old would go first.
The decision about which animals to cull can be difficult. Each operation will have different goals and, therefore, may need to adjust accordingly. Use this list as a guideline for developing a culling order for your herd. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Cattlemen should make it a point to evaluate all breeding females at least once a year. Weaning is likely the most convenient time to do this evaluation. In addition to their vaccinations, cows should also be pregnancy-tested, evaluated for structural soundness and aged based on the condition of their teeth. This information will take a little extra time to collect, but will be valuable when determining a culling order. In addition, this culling order will be useful during a drought as it is usually more profitable to cull unproductive cows as a drought is beginning than to try to hold on until the drought is over.
Usually, the best cows to cull are the ones that have the least chance of being productive in the long term or are the farthest away from being productive. Use the following list as a guideline for establishing your culling order. Cull cows in this order until you reach the desired herd size.
1. Disposition: Some producers can tolerate more disposition problems than others. Disposition should be evaluated both in the pasture and in the pen because some cattle will react differently once corralled. Make a note of those animals that make it difficult to gather the herd or rotate pastures. Any animal that is aggressive should make the list.
2. Open females: All open females should be culled. According to the Cattle-Fax Cow/Calf and Stocker Survey, the average annual cash cost to carry a cow in 2006 was $366. It will be very difficult for an open cow to make up for a year of lost production. In addition, if a heifer does not settle in the same period as her contemporaries, she is telling you that she does not fit your management environment.
3. Structural soundness: Evaluate the structural soundness of each cow based on her ability to raise a calf. Anything that limits her ability should be noted. Look for bad feet or toes, a history of prolapse, eye problems and poor udder conformation, including bad quarters and big teats.
4. Age: Typically, a cow is most productive between the ages of 4 and 9. The condition of a cow's teeth is indicative of her age. A cow with broken or missing teeth should probably be culled. Those with badly worn or separated teeth would be next on the list.
At this point, it becomes increasingly difficult to make culling decisions because you will have to cull productive animals.
5. Bred cows over 9 years of age: These cows will likely be culled in the near future and are close to the end of their most productive years. Within this group, cull the thin cows first.
6. Replacement heifers. First, cull yearling heifers that have not been exposed to a bull. These animals have very good value as feeder heifers. Bred heifers would be next in the culling order.
7. Phenotype: Use this as an opportunity to make your herd more uniform. Any cow that does not fit due to breed, size or low productivity should be culled next.
8. Bred cows 3 to 9 years of age: These are your most productive cows. If you must cull out of this group, 3-year-olds and those cows that are 8 to 9 years old would go first.
The decision about which animals to cull can be difficult. Each operation will have different goals and, therefore, may need to adjust accordingly. Use this list as a guideline for developing a culling order for your herd. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Chute N The Bull 9-18-10
Grasslands are complex environments comprised of many different kinds of living organisms affected by abiotic factors such as weather. There are few things that are black and white in such complex ecosystems, but there may be some self-evident "truths." If you haven't considered them in your grazing operation, perhaps you should.
Rotational grazing
Grazing systems developed over the past 100 years attempt to optimize the productivity of pastures while at the same time produce a useable or saleable product. What most rotational grazing systems try to do is mimic the defoliation patterns under which grasslands were thought to have evolved; severe defoliation of native flora by massive herds of native ungulates (hoofed animals such as bison) for a relatively short period of time. Did short-term overgrazing occur by bison? Of course it did.
The integrity of these grasslands was maintained because bison would not return to these heavily grazed areas for many months or years, giving the land adequate opportunity to recuperate. Short duration grazing, high intensity-low frequency grazing, management-intensive grazing and, recently, mob-grazing have all been introduced as the grazing system that best mimics the movements of the great bison herds of the past. Fences were not in place back then, but rotational grazing occurred by herd movements over time. Isn't it interesting that these massive herds were able to maintain their numbers despite no one being around to feed them hay all winter long?
Diversity of grazing species
Historically, the Southern Great Plains was a very diverse ecosystem with a mixture of grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees on the landscape. Bison preferred herbaceous vegetation; woody plants were not their forage of choice. Fortunately, there were other ungulates that did utilize woody plants as well as forbs. Pronghorn antelope, elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer were common on the Southern Great Plains prior to European settlement. Today, domestic cattle have taken the place of the bison, and many cattle producers spend huge amounts of money trying to kill plants that some animals (e.g., deer, domestic sheep and goats) use. Fencing is a challenge for sheep and goats, but money spent on weed and brush control would buy a lot of woven wire fence. Cattle didn't pay for five-strand barbed wire fences the first year they were up, either.
Fire
The impact of fire on the Great Plains cannot be overstated. In addition to grazing, plant communities evolved with fire during all months of the year. The resulting regrowth was preferred by grazing animals, and Native Americans would use this technique to attract the great bison herds. Fire on the Great Plains has been reduced significantly since European settlement, resulting in increasing woody vegetation such as Eastern Red-cedar. Not using prescribed fire can lead to loss of grassland, landscape heterogeneity and plant diversity, not to mention the cost of trying to control woody plants with chemicals. Fire is not a stand-alone tool. In conjunction with a targeted grazing system and a diversity of grazing animals, you may be able to use forbs and woody plants instead of fighting them. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Rotational grazing
Grazing systems developed over the past 100 years attempt to optimize the productivity of pastures while at the same time produce a useable or saleable product. What most rotational grazing systems try to do is mimic the defoliation patterns under which grasslands were thought to have evolved; severe defoliation of native flora by massive herds of native ungulates (hoofed animals such as bison) for a relatively short period of time. Did short-term overgrazing occur by bison? Of course it did.
The integrity of these grasslands was maintained because bison would not return to these heavily grazed areas for many months or years, giving the land adequate opportunity to recuperate. Short duration grazing, high intensity-low frequency grazing, management-intensive grazing and, recently, mob-grazing have all been introduced as the grazing system that best mimics the movements of the great bison herds of the past. Fences were not in place back then, but rotational grazing occurred by herd movements over time. Isn't it interesting that these massive herds were able to maintain their numbers despite no one being around to feed them hay all winter long?
Diversity of grazing species
Historically, the Southern Great Plains was a very diverse ecosystem with a mixture of grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees on the landscape. Bison preferred herbaceous vegetation; woody plants were not their forage of choice. Fortunately, there were other ungulates that did utilize woody plants as well as forbs. Pronghorn antelope, elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer were common on the Southern Great Plains prior to European settlement. Today, domestic cattle have taken the place of the bison, and many cattle producers spend huge amounts of money trying to kill plants that some animals (e.g., deer, domestic sheep and goats) use. Fencing is a challenge for sheep and goats, but money spent on weed and brush control would buy a lot of woven wire fence. Cattle didn't pay for five-strand barbed wire fences the first year they were up, either.
Fire
The impact of fire on the Great Plains cannot be overstated. In addition to grazing, plant communities evolved with fire during all months of the year. The resulting regrowth was preferred by grazing animals, and Native Americans would use this technique to attract the great bison herds. Fire on the Great Plains has been reduced significantly since European settlement, resulting in increasing woody vegetation such as Eastern Red-cedar. Not using prescribed fire can lead to loss of grassland, landscape heterogeneity and plant diversity, not to mention the cost of trying to control woody plants with chemicals. Fire is not a stand-alone tool. In conjunction with a targeted grazing system and a diversity of grazing animals, you may be able to use forbs and woody plants instead of fighting them. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Cow Country Congress
2010 Cow Country Congress
To Be Held in Freestone County
September 23th, 2010
Cow Country Congress is an annual multi-county event supported by the Extension Beef & Forage Committees from Walker, Madison, Houston, Trinity, Leon, Freestone and Anderson Counties. This educational program rotates within the group of host counties each year. In addition to the traditional seven county area, beef producers from outside these counties are invited to attend this educational program. Participants in attendance will have the opportunity to visit with a variety of commercial exhibitors several times during the course of the day between presentations, demonstrations, and tours of the host property.
The 2010 Cow Country Congress program will meet at one of the F.E. Hill Company Ranch locations located north of Fairfield, Texas. The program is scheduled for Thursday, September 23, 2010. F.E. Hill Company Ranch is a multifaceted agricultural enterprise that has been known in Freestone County for extremely high quality hay production, and intensive beef herd management characterized by progressive reproductive practices. The ranch also uses an intense land management program that allows them to decrease production cost. Waterfowl and Whitetail Deer are managed for and are abundant on their property. Topics discussed at this Cow Country Congress will include new methods in feral hog control, wildlife diversification on the ranch, fly control in the cow herd, and genetics and their role at F.E. Hill Company Ranch. A live cattle handling demonstration will also be provided along with a discussion by the Luminant Power Big Brown Complex Reclaim Team. The site where the event will be hosted is a reclaim site resulting from coal mining operations in the area. The team will discuss the reclaim process and share some recommendations on land management. This event will also showcase truly outstanding facilities for working cattle.
Program registration will begin at 8:15 AM. The program will begin with introductions at 8:45 AM. Individuals interested in attending the 2010 Cow Country Congress should R.S.V.P. prior to September 21st to the Freestone County Extension Office (903) 389-3436, or one of the other participating County Extension Offices from any of the seven sponsoring counties. A registration fee of $10.00 per person will provide each participant a Barbeque Lunch with all the trimmings! In addition to the benefits of a catered lunch, on-site commercial vendors, and touring the ranch operation, each participant with a Texas Department of Agriculture- Pesticide Applicators License will be eligible for 2 IPM hours of Continuing Education Credits for renewal of their license. Additional participant credit of 1.5 hours will be given for Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) recertification. Directions and a printable map may be downloaded from the Freestone County Texas AgriLife Extension Service web page at http://freestone-tx.tamu.edu.
Provisions from the American Disability Act will be considered when planning educational programs and activities. Please notify the County Extension Office if you plan on attending an Extension Educational program and need specialized services. Notification of at least two weeks in advance is needed, so that we may have ample time to acquire resources needed to meet your needs. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
To Be Held in Freestone County
September 23th, 2010
Cow Country Congress is an annual multi-county event supported by the Extension Beef & Forage Committees from Walker, Madison, Houston, Trinity, Leon, Freestone and Anderson Counties. This educational program rotates within the group of host counties each year. In addition to the traditional seven county area, beef producers from outside these counties are invited to attend this educational program. Participants in attendance will have the opportunity to visit with a variety of commercial exhibitors several times during the course of the day between presentations, demonstrations, and tours of the host property.
The 2010 Cow Country Congress program will meet at one of the F.E. Hill Company Ranch locations located north of Fairfield, Texas. The program is scheduled for Thursday, September 23, 2010. F.E. Hill Company Ranch is a multifaceted agricultural enterprise that has been known in Freestone County for extremely high quality hay production, and intensive beef herd management characterized by progressive reproductive practices. The ranch also uses an intense land management program that allows them to decrease production cost. Waterfowl and Whitetail Deer are managed for and are abundant on their property. Topics discussed at this Cow Country Congress will include new methods in feral hog control, wildlife diversification on the ranch, fly control in the cow herd, and genetics and their role at F.E. Hill Company Ranch. A live cattle handling demonstration will also be provided along with a discussion by the Luminant Power Big Brown Complex Reclaim Team. The site where the event will be hosted is a reclaim site resulting from coal mining operations in the area. The team will discuss the reclaim process and share some recommendations on land management. This event will also showcase truly outstanding facilities for working cattle.
Program registration will begin at 8:15 AM. The program will begin with introductions at 8:45 AM. Individuals interested in attending the 2010 Cow Country Congress should R.S.V.P. prior to September 21st to the Freestone County Extension Office (903) 389-3436, or one of the other participating County Extension Offices from any of the seven sponsoring counties. A registration fee of $10.00 per person will provide each participant a Barbeque Lunch with all the trimmings! In addition to the benefits of a catered lunch, on-site commercial vendors, and touring the ranch operation, each participant with a Texas Department of Agriculture- Pesticide Applicators License will be eligible for 2 IPM hours of Continuing Education Credits for renewal of their license. Additional participant credit of 1.5 hours will be given for Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) recertification. Directions and a printable map may be downloaded from the Freestone County Texas AgriLife Extension Service web page at http://freestone-tx.tamu.edu.
Provisions from the American Disability Act will be considered when planning educational programs and activities. Please notify the County Extension Office if you plan on attending an Extension Educational program and need specialized services. Notification of at least two weeks in advance is needed, so that we may have ample time to acquire resources needed to meet your needs. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Chute N The Bull 9-10-10
It's September and fall is fast approaching. The growing season is winding down, but from a forage production standpoint, an active growing season still lies ahead. For much of our area, the first hard freeze will occur about Nov. 24, which leaves a good 60 days of growing season for warm-season forages. Cool-season forage growth will occur optimally in a temperature range from 70 to 80 degrees F with some growth occurring as low as 40° F, meaning cool-season forages can conceivably grow through winter in Texas. Favorable growing temperatures during this period are also accompanied by rain.
Stockpile Introduced forages Bermudagrass, bahiagrass, Old World bluestems and tall fescue are some of the more common forages that can be used for stockpiling. Of these, bermudagrass and tall fescue will work the best due to the quality and the amount of forage they can produce. If stockpiling toxic-endophyte-infected tall fescue, delay use until as late in the season as possible. For introduced forages, ideally select a pasture where previous growth has been removed, and apply nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 50 to 60 lbs/ac. On bermudagrass at this fertility rate, expect about 2,500 lbs/ac accumulation. Here are two things to keep in mind regarding stockpile fertility of warm-season perennials. One, if spring fertility was applied, due to the dry spring and limited forage growth, there may be carryover nitrogen available; a soil test can tell you this. Two, growing days are limited - there is no need for high nitrogen rates since response will be limited by the short growing season. If phosphorus and potassium are deficient, this is a good time to correct deficiencies. Defer from grazing until after frost. If you have introduced pastures with a large amount of residual growth from spring or summer, do not add additional fertilizer. These can be utilized, but realize this is not a true stockpile, and quality will be much, much lower than fresh, fall-accumulated stockpile. Forage utilization will be higher if grazing access can be controlled through the use of strip grazing or some other means. Make sure you match quality to animal requirements and supplement appropriately.
Nativegrass
In a perfect situation, nativegrass stockpile would begin with spring grazing followed by deferment from early July until frost. In a less-than-perfect situation, nativegrass needs at least 60 to 75 days of rest prior to frost to accumulate carbohydrate reserves for spring growth. If sufficient growth has occurred during this period to allow grazing, it can be utilized after a hard frost. After frost, be very careful not to graze the range too close - leave a 6-inch residual to avoid crown damage. Again, be aware that quality may not be the best, and supplementation should be done based on animal requirements.
Cool-Season Annuals (CSA)
The traditional establishment deadline for CSA has been Sept. 15. Clean-till CSA are usually best utilized by growing animals because of their high quality and cost of establishment. Overseeding CSA into warm-season perennials is a common practice, but, due to competition from warm-season perennials during the fall, expect only limited fall production from CSA. No-till drilling the annual can help with establishment and earlier production. Annual ryegrass is the most common overseeded annual with bermudagrass. It can give you 45 to 60 days of grazing prior to bermudagrass green-up. Overseed 15 to 20 pounds per acre of ryegrass in September, and topdress with nitrogen in February. Because of its aggressive re-seeding, annual ryegrass may not need to be re-seeded for several years. Acreage that is used for stockpile bermudagrass works well for ryegrass production. Grazing the stockpile off allows for the spring release of ryegrass. It is not advisable to have all your introduced warm-season perennial forage acres overseeded because spring competition will delay green-up of the warm-season perennials.
Some Tips
1. When using stockpile, remember that cows are very selective forage consumers - just like you are at your favorite buffet. If allowed, cows will consume leaves first, followed by stems, which can lead to underutilization if grazing is not controlled.
2. Extending the grazing season implies that you are pushing limits of forage availability. If forage availability is limited, animal intake will be limited, which directly influences condition and performance. Try to accumulate 2,000 pounds of forage per acre so intake will not be limited. Be sure to monitor cow body condition and make adjustments as necessary.
3. Monitor cow pies. When a cow pie stacks up like a high rise, forage quality has dropped and you probably need to add a supplement.
4. Always have hay on hand. Establish a goal of only feeding hay for 45 days during the winter, or, better yet, eliminate hay feeding. But be realistic and err on the side of caution and have the hay when you need it.
5. Avoid the "sympathy bale." Many producers really like their cows and work a little too hard to meet cow needs. Producers need to change their mindset from "I have to feed hay" to "I feed hay only when I have to."
You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Stockpile Introduced forages Bermudagrass, bahiagrass, Old World bluestems and tall fescue are some of the more common forages that can be used for stockpiling. Of these, bermudagrass and tall fescue will work the best due to the quality and the amount of forage they can produce. If stockpiling toxic-endophyte-infected tall fescue, delay use until as late in the season as possible. For introduced forages, ideally select a pasture where previous growth has been removed, and apply nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 50 to 60 lbs/ac. On bermudagrass at this fertility rate, expect about 2,500 lbs/ac accumulation. Here are two things to keep in mind regarding stockpile fertility of warm-season perennials. One, if spring fertility was applied, due to the dry spring and limited forage growth, there may be carryover nitrogen available; a soil test can tell you this. Two, growing days are limited - there is no need for high nitrogen rates since response will be limited by the short growing season. If phosphorus and potassium are deficient, this is a good time to correct deficiencies. Defer from grazing until after frost. If you have introduced pastures with a large amount of residual growth from spring or summer, do not add additional fertilizer. These can be utilized, but realize this is not a true stockpile, and quality will be much, much lower than fresh, fall-accumulated stockpile. Forage utilization will be higher if grazing access can be controlled through the use of strip grazing or some other means. Make sure you match quality to animal requirements and supplement appropriately.
Nativegrass
In a perfect situation, nativegrass stockpile would begin with spring grazing followed by deferment from early July until frost. In a less-than-perfect situation, nativegrass needs at least 60 to 75 days of rest prior to frost to accumulate carbohydrate reserves for spring growth. If sufficient growth has occurred during this period to allow grazing, it can be utilized after a hard frost. After frost, be very careful not to graze the range too close - leave a 6-inch residual to avoid crown damage. Again, be aware that quality may not be the best, and supplementation should be done based on animal requirements.
Cool-Season Annuals (CSA)
The traditional establishment deadline for CSA has been Sept. 15. Clean-till CSA are usually best utilized by growing animals because of their high quality and cost of establishment. Overseeding CSA into warm-season perennials is a common practice, but, due to competition from warm-season perennials during the fall, expect only limited fall production from CSA. No-till drilling the annual can help with establishment and earlier production. Annual ryegrass is the most common overseeded annual with bermudagrass. It can give you 45 to 60 days of grazing prior to bermudagrass green-up. Overseed 15 to 20 pounds per acre of ryegrass in September, and topdress with nitrogen in February. Because of its aggressive re-seeding, annual ryegrass may not need to be re-seeded for several years. Acreage that is used for stockpile bermudagrass works well for ryegrass production. Grazing the stockpile off allows for the spring release of ryegrass. It is not advisable to have all your introduced warm-season perennial forage acres overseeded because spring competition will delay green-up of the warm-season perennials.
Some Tips
1. When using stockpile, remember that cows are very selective forage consumers - just like you are at your favorite buffet. If allowed, cows will consume leaves first, followed by stems, which can lead to underutilization if grazing is not controlled.
2. Extending the grazing season implies that you are pushing limits of forage availability. If forage availability is limited, animal intake will be limited, which directly influences condition and performance. Try to accumulate 2,000 pounds of forage per acre so intake will not be limited. Be sure to monitor cow body condition and make adjustments as necessary.
3. Monitor cow pies. When a cow pie stacks up like a high rise, forage quality has dropped and you probably need to add a supplement.
4. Always have hay on hand. Establish a goal of only feeding hay for 45 days during the winter, or, better yet, eliminate hay feeding. But be realistic and err on the side of caution and have the hay when you need it.
5. Avoid the "sympathy bale." Many producers really like their cows and work a little too hard to meet cow needs. Producers need to change their mindset from "I have to feed hay" to "I feed hay only when I have to."
You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Chute N the Bull 9-2-10
Productive winter pasture can be a valuable asset, but can also be expensive to establish and grow. Following are five items that will help
your winter pasture start out right.
First, determine what kind of winter pasture is best suited to your
location. This article will only address wheat and cereal rye, our
primary winter pasture species, although other options include oats,
triticale, annual ryegrass, brome grasses, tall fescue and cool-season
legumes. Wheat is better adapted to heavier soils and lasts longer in
the spring, while cereal rye is better adapted to lighter soils and
provides earlier grazing in the fall. Select the forage or forage
mixture that fits your location and meets your forage demands.
Second, collect good quality soil samples and have them analyzed at a
reputable agricultural laboratory. A good quality soil sample will be
representative of the field, collected to the depth recommended by the
lab, be a composite of at least 15 soil cores and represent no more than
40 acres. Phosphorus, potassium and lime requirements can only be
determined by soil analysis. If these are deficient or if soil pH is
below 5.5, production potential and response to nitrogen fertilizer will
be reduced. Phosphorus and potassium should be applied prior to or near
planting while lime should be applied well before planting to allow it
time to react. Nitrogen rates are based on yield goal unless a
sensor-based system, like the Greenseeker®, is being used. Nitrogen
application timing depends on when the forage is needed. If fall or
early winter grazing is the priority, apply most or all of the nitrogen
near planting or soon after emergence. If spring grazing is the
priority, apply enough nitrogen to get the crop started in the fall and
the remainder in late winter or early spring.
Third, prepare a good seedbed. Seedbed preparation can be clean till,
minimum till or no till. Stand establishment is usually quickest with a
weed-free, firm, clean-till seedbed; however, this is the most expensive
method and increases the risk of soil erosion. Minimum till preparation
may consist of mowing, haying or grazing standing vegetation short
and/or burning down with a herbicide followed by light tillage. No-till
preparation is similar to minimum till without the tillage, although
managing summer growth and previous crop residue becomes more important.
Fourth, select a planting method and seeding rate. Planting methods
include drilling and broadcasting. Advantages of drill planting include
improved plant spacing, lower seeding rates, better seed to soil contact
and proper seeding depth. Seeding rates for drill planting range from 90
to 120 pounds per acre. Disadvantages are slower planting speed and
higher equipment costs. Broadcast planting involves spreading the seed
over the seedbed surface, then incorporating it into the soil with a
disk, culti-packer or other light tillage implement. Advantages of
broadcast seeding include faster planting speed, lower equipment cost
and the ability to spread with fertilizer. Disadvantages are higher
seeding rate, lack of depth control, requirement of a second pass for
incorporation and a higher risk of stand failure. Seeding rates for
broadcast planting range from 120 to 150 pounds per acre.
Fifth, select a good variety with quality seed available. Variety
selection can be complicated by seed availability, but try to find one
that has produced well over several years and/or locations in university
trials. Using good quality planting seed is just as important as using
the right variety. If time permits, have an accelerated aging test
conducted to have an indication of the seedling vigor as well as
viability.
By paying attention to these items and with a little cooperation from
Mother Nature, you have taken the first steps toward productive winter
pastures. Next, be ready to manage post-emergence weeds, insects,
diseases and grazing. You can find this and past articles on the web at
http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race,
color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University
System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners
Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of
socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national
origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
your winter pasture start out right.
First, determine what kind of winter pasture is best suited to your
location. This article will only address wheat and cereal rye, our
primary winter pasture species, although other options include oats,
triticale, annual ryegrass, brome grasses, tall fescue and cool-season
legumes. Wheat is better adapted to heavier soils and lasts longer in
the spring, while cereal rye is better adapted to lighter soils and
provides earlier grazing in the fall. Select the forage or forage
mixture that fits your location and meets your forage demands.
Second, collect good quality soil samples and have them analyzed at a
reputable agricultural laboratory. A good quality soil sample will be
representative of the field, collected to the depth recommended by the
lab, be a composite of at least 15 soil cores and represent no more than
40 acres. Phosphorus, potassium and lime requirements can only be
determined by soil analysis. If these are deficient or if soil pH is
below 5.5, production potential and response to nitrogen fertilizer will
be reduced. Phosphorus and potassium should be applied prior to or near
planting while lime should be applied well before planting to allow it
time to react. Nitrogen rates are based on yield goal unless a
sensor-based system, like the Greenseeker®, is being used. Nitrogen
application timing depends on when the forage is needed. If fall or
early winter grazing is the priority, apply most or all of the nitrogen
near planting or soon after emergence. If spring grazing is the
priority, apply enough nitrogen to get the crop started in the fall and
the remainder in late winter or early spring.
Third, prepare a good seedbed. Seedbed preparation can be clean till,
minimum till or no till. Stand establishment is usually quickest with a
weed-free, firm, clean-till seedbed; however, this is the most expensive
method and increases the risk of soil erosion. Minimum till preparation
may consist of mowing, haying or grazing standing vegetation short
and/or burning down with a herbicide followed by light tillage. No-till
preparation is similar to minimum till without the tillage, although
managing summer growth and previous crop residue becomes more important.
Fourth, select a planting method and seeding rate. Planting methods
include drilling and broadcasting. Advantages of drill planting include
improved plant spacing, lower seeding rates, better seed to soil contact
and proper seeding depth. Seeding rates for drill planting range from 90
to 120 pounds per acre. Disadvantages are slower planting speed and
higher equipment costs. Broadcast planting involves spreading the seed
over the seedbed surface, then incorporating it into the soil with a
disk, culti-packer or other light tillage implement. Advantages of
broadcast seeding include faster planting speed, lower equipment cost
and the ability to spread with fertilizer. Disadvantages are higher
seeding rate, lack of depth control, requirement of a second pass for
incorporation and a higher risk of stand failure. Seeding rates for
broadcast planting range from 120 to 150 pounds per acre.
Fifth, select a good variety with quality seed available. Variety
selection can be complicated by seed availability, but try to find one
that has produced well over several years and/or locations in university
trials. Using good quality planting seed is just as important as using
the right variety. If time permits, have an accelerated aging test
conducted to have an indication of the seedling vigor as well as
viability.
By paying attention to these items and with a little cooperation from
Mother Nature, you have taken the first steps toward productive winter
pastures. Next, be ready to manage post-emergence weeds, insects,
diseases and grazing. You can find this and past articles on the web at
http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race,
color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University
System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners
Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of
socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national
origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
Monday, August 30, 2010
Chute N The Bull 8-30-10
Whether you raise crops, forages or animals, there seems to be a constant flow of new products into the agricultural marketplace. You see advertisements in trade publications, at stores and farm shows, and on the Internet and television. How do you know if these new products really work? Do they really make your other inputs work better or give you greater yields or better quality in your end product or anything else that they promise?
Marketing of these new products will often include pictures, testimonials and some form of numerical data. Naturally, the numerical data will show an advantage to using the new product. However, it is very important to know some things about the numbers. The most important thing to know is whether or not the numbers are statistically significant. I won't go into an in-depth lesson on statistics, but here are some basics that need to be considered.
Was the study replicated? We all know there is variability in biological systems. Replication allows an experiment to be conducted in a way that accounts for natural variability. This way we can have a certain degree of assurance the difference observed is real and not just due to natural variability.
Was the study conducted one year or over multiple years? Again, there is variability from year to year. We want some degree of assurance that the product will work every year and not just once in a while when conditions are just right.
Was the study done in an environment similar to yours? Even if it was properly replicated over multiple years, results may be completely different in a field or laboratory far from your location. What works in the Panhandle of Oklahoma may not work on the Gulf Coast of Texas and vice versa.
Was the study statistically analyzed? If so, look for a least significant difference (LSD) value. This is, as the name implies, the least numerical difference between any two treatments that is significant. Differences between product A and product B that are less than the LSD are not significant, and we cannot say with confidence that A and B are truly different from each other. Likewise, differences between product A and product B that are greater than the LSD are significant, and we can say with a degree of confidence that A and B are truly different from each other.
Whether you are looking at different wormers, pesticides or any other input, look for replicated data from multiple locations and multiple years in environments similar to yours that show they have been statistically analyzed. Only then can you be confident that the new product will work for you. . You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
Marketing of these new products will often include pictures, testimonials and some form of numerical data. Naturally, the numerical data will show an advantage to using the new product. However, it is very important to know some things about the numbers. The most important thing to know is whether or not the numbers are statistically significant. I won't go into an in-depth lesson on statistics, but here are some basics that need to be considered.
Was the study replicated? We all know there is variability in biological systems. Replication allows an experiment to be conducted in a way that accounts for natural variability. This way we can have a certain degree of assurance the difference observed is real and not just due to natural variability.
Was the study conducted one year or over multiple years? Again, there is variability from year to year. We want some degree of assurance that the product will work every year and not just once in a while when conditions are just right.
Was the study done in an environment similar to yours? Even if it was properly replicated over multiple years, results may be completely different in a field or laboratory far from your location. What works in the Panhandle of Oklahoma may not work on the Gulf Coast of Texas and vice versa.
Was the study statistically analyzed? If so, look for a least significant difference (LSD) value. This is, as the name implies, the least numerical difference between any two treatments that is significant. Differences between product A and product B that are less than the LSD are not significant, and we cannot say with confidence that A and B are truly different from each other. Likewise, differences between product A and product B that are greater than the LSD are significant, and we can say with a degree of confidence that A and B are truly different from each other.
Whether you are looking at different wormers, pesticides or any other input, look for replicated data from multiple locations and multiple years in environments similar to yours that show they have been statistically analyzed. Only then can you be confident that the new product will work for you. . You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
Thank you,
Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax
Monday, August 23, 2010
Chute N The Bull 8-23-10
I recently went on a consultation visit to a producer's farm. The last time I had been on his property was 2005. Some of his bermudagrass pastures were infested with threeawn, but for the most part, they were in fair to good condition. At that time, we assisted him with fine tuning his fertilizer applications through soil testing and recommending the appropriate nutrients to apply for his production goals. We also recommended he rotate between haying and grazing on these pastures. His native grass pastures were only in fair condition, and he wanted to improve them. We recommended he rest his better native grass pastures for at least half the growing season and rest those in the poorest condition for the entire growing season, and only graze them from frost until May 1.
What a difference a few years has made. His bermudagrass pastures are in excellent condition with little evidence of threeawn. They are still being managed for both bermudagrass and ryegrass for haying and grazing. The native grass pastures are in good to excellent condition and are now dominated by Indiangrass, switchgrass, big bluestem and little bluestem. Overall, his total forage production has increased significantly from 2005 to 2010.
Introduced pastures, such as bermudagrass, can be rapidly improved through proper fertility, weed control and grazing management. However, native grass pastures are a different beast altogether. When I see a native grass pasture in poor condition, I typically ask producers if it was previously used as cropland, how long it has been in its current state, what is the current stocking rate and grazing management practice, and what it has been in the past. I evaluate the resource to see if there is still any evidence of desirable plants. All of these facts are key to developing a plan to improve one's pastures and can be the difference between success and failure. However, the proper stocking rate is always first and foremost in any system of livestock management.
When our stocking rate is too high, we are destined to fail in the long run. The longer we have overgrazed a pasture, the longer it will take to recover. If a pasture has been in cropland for many years and is now being managed for grazing, there may be little seed left in the soil to produce desirable plants, and it may be necessary to add seed to the system. If the pasture has not been cropped and there is evidence of desirable plants, simply incorporating periodic rest may be sufficient to improve the condition of the range.
For a simple review of management guidelines to assist you with improving pasture condition and optimizing forage utilization, please see Management Guidelines Can Help Improve Pasture Condition, Optimize Forage Utilization. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
What a difference a few years has made. His bermudagrass pastures are in excellent condition with little evidence of threeawn. They are still being managed for both bermudagrass and ryegrass for haying and grazing. The native grass pastures are in good to excellent condition and are now dominated by Indiangrass, switchgrass, big bluestem and little bluestem. Overall, his total forage production has increased significantly from 2005 to 2010.
Introduced pastures, such as bermudagrass, can be rapidly improved through proper fertility, weed control and grazing management. However, native grass pastures are a different beast altogether. When I see a native grass pasture in poor condition, I typically ask producers if it was previously used as cropland, how long it has been in its current state, what is the current stocking rate and grazing management practice, and what it has been in the past. I evaluate the resource to see if there is still any evidence of desirable plants. All of these facts are key to developing a plan to improve one's pastures and can be the difference between success and failure. However, the proper stocking rate is always first and foremost in any system of livestock management.
When our stocking rate is too high, we are destined to fail in the long run. The longer we have overgrazed a pasture, the longer it will take to recover. If a pasture has been in cropland for many years and is now being managed for grazing, there may be little seed left in the soil to produce desirable plants, and it may be necessary to add seed to the system. If the pasture has not been cropped and there is evidence of desirable plants, simply incorporating periodic rest may be sufficient to improve the condition of the range.
For a simple review of management guidelines to assist you with improving pasture condition and optimizing forage utilization, please see Management Guidelines Can Help Improve Pasture Condition, Optimize Forage Utilization. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Go Texan Winner
GO TEXAN WINNER DONATES $5000.00 BACK TO LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS!!!
John Tuma owner of KDR Construction and winner of the Area Go Texan Steak Dinner this weekend donated his winnings back to the organization for local scholarships. The Leon County Area Go Texan Committee has made a commitment to the youth of Leon County. They provide a $1000.00 scholarship to one student from each school in Leon County. In addition to the local money, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has made available a $15,000.00 scholarship to one student from Leon County.
John Tuma owner of KDR Construction and winner of the Area Go Texan Steak Dinner this weekend donated his winnings back to the organization for local scholarships. The Leon County Area Go Texan Committee has made a commitment to the youth of Leon County. They provide a $1000.00 scholarship to one student from each school in Leon County. In addition to the local money, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has made available a $15,000.00 scholarship to one student from Leon County.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Chute N The Bull 8-16-10
A railroad claims official once said that trains have done more harm to the genetic quality of America's cow herds than anything else. He said every cow that ever met her doom on a rural track was invariably the best, most productive cow in the plaintiff's herd. Often, the deceased cow was "nursing twins and close to calving again" just before her demise. It makes you wonder how much better our industry would be today if it hadn't been for this accidental culling over the last century and a half. I guess we're still making up for this lost genetic ground in our breeding and selection programs.
Seriously, commercial cow-calf producers often ask about culling protocols for their cow herds. Selection is the process of deciding which animals stay in the herd another year and is based on defined criteria for reproduction, functionality and production within the herd. Culling is simply passing out the pink slips or removing cows that no longer have a place in an operation. Routine criteria vary from ranch to ranch, depending on producers' goals and objectives, and from year to year, depending on economic factors.
One culling criterion that I consider etched in stone addresses the most important economic trait in a cow herd: reproduction (fertility). Assuming you have given the cow an adequate environment (such as for health, reproduction and nutrition), you should demand that she conceive a calf every 365 days. If she is open at pregnancy check, she should be culled. The only decision to be made is when to sell her.
Then there are those cows that are pregnant, but failed to raise a calf to weaning. Most of the time, these calves die within 14 days of birth. From a long-term, hard-nosed production perspective, this loss usually reflects a lack of mothering ability, and these cows should be removed. At certain points in the cattle cycle, agricultural economists may suggest that you relax this criterion, especially for those cows that are historically good producers and are bred to calve early in the next calving season. If you do allow any of these cows to stay in the herd, they should be identified and given only one reprieve. Note: If calf losses are excessive, you should evaluate your management practices for potential problems.
Another culling criterion I consider imperative is poor disposition, a subjective evaluation. For some, a couple of crazy cows just make things more interesting. For my money, a cow not only has to breed on schedule, but also has to act civilly. In any situation, a wild animal can harm the attitude of the herd around her and can hurt herself, other cattle or the working crew. When you have the chance to get her in a trailer, ship her.
At culling time, cows should be examined for functionality. As a rule of thumb, if a physical problem interferes with a cow's production potential, she should be culled. Permanent lameness, bad udders, so-called hardware disease and blindness are just a few of these problems. Cow age is in this category. Badly worn or missing teeth can reduce a cow's production and even her ability to survive. Longevity in a cow herd is a desirable trait, but consider culling a cow while she still has acceptable salvage value.
Besides culling for reproduction and functionality, many operations have set production criteria for their cows. The most common culling criterion in these herds is based on the weaning weight of the calves. Weaning weight is a measure of mothering ability of the cow and growth potential of the calf. Actual weaning weights for all calves can be standardized to 205 days of age and adjusted for the age of the dam. The adjusted 205-day weight of each calf is compared with the average weight of its sex and contemporary group. This ratio yields a relative comparison of production between cows for that calf crop. Using adjusted 205s, a producer can identify cows with high, average and low production capability, and make accurate culling decisions on cow performance.
Whether you call it culling or selection, the result should be the same. The cows that meet your criteria get to stay. Those that don't, go to town.
And whatever you do, keep the railroad right-of-way fences mended. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Seriously, commercial cow-calf producers often ask about culling protocols for their cow herds. Selection is the process of deciding which animals stay in the herd another year and is based on defined criteria for reproduction, functionality and production within the herd. Culling is simply passing out the pink slips or removing cows that no longer have a place in an operation. Routine criteria vary from ranch to ranch, depending on producers' goals and objectives, and from year to year, depending on economic factors.
One culling criterion that I consider etched in stone addresses the most important economic trait in a cow herd: reproduction (fertility). Assuming you have given the cow an adequate environment (such as for health, reproduction and nutrition), you should demand that she conceive a calf every 365 days. If she is open at pregnancy check, she should be culled. The only decision to be made is when to sell her.
Then there are those cows that are pregnant, but failed to raise a calf to weaning. Most of the time, these calves die within 14 days of birth. From a long-term, hard-nosed production perspective, this loss usually reflects a lack of mothering ability, and these cows should be removed. At certain points in the cattle cycle, agricultural economists may suggest that you relax this criterion, especially for those cows that are historically good producers and are bred to calve early in the next calving season. If you do allow any of these cows to stay in the herd, they should be identified and given only one reprieve. Note: If calf losses are excessive, you should evaluate your management practices for potential problems.
Another culling criterion I consider imperative is poor disposition, a subjective evaluation. For some, a couple of crazy cows just make things more interesting. For my money, a cow not only has to breed on schedule, but also has to act civilly. In any situation, a wild animal can harm the attitude of the herd around her and can hurt herself, other cattle or the working crew. When you have the chance to get her in a trailer, ship her.
At culling time, cows should be examined for functionality. As a rule of thumb, if a physical problem interferes with a cow's production potential, she should be culled. Permanent lameness, bad udders, so-called hardware disease and blindness are just a few of these problems. Cow age is in this category. Badly worn or missing teeth can reduce a cow's production and even her ability to survive. Longevity in a cow herd is a desirable trait, but consider culling a cow while she still has acceptable salvage value.
Besides culling for reproduction and functionality, many operations have set production criteria for their cows. The most common culling criterion in these herds is based on the weaning weight of the calves. Weaning weight is a measure of mothering ability of the cow and growth potential of the calf. Actual weaning weights for all calves can be standardized to 205 days of age and adjusted for the age of the dam. The adjusted 205-day weight of each calf is compared with the average weight of its sex and contemporary group. This ratio yields a relative comparison of production between cows for that calf crop. Using adjusted 205s, a producer can identify cows with high, average and low production capability, and make accurate culling decisions on cow performance.
Whether you call it culling or selection, the result should be the same. The cows that meet your criteria get to stay. Those that don't, go to town.
And whatever you do, keep the railroad right-of-way fences mended. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Monday, August 9, 2010
What is the Death Tax?
The death tax (a.k.a., the federal estate tax) is a tax applied to the transfer of a person’s assets at death. It is defined by the Internal Revenue Service as “a tax on your right to transfer property at your death.”[1]
Under current law, the estate tax was repealed for one year on January 1, 2010. On January 1, 2011 the estate tax is set to return at a rate of 55 percent on all assets above a $1 million exemption amount.
The estate tax is imposed on any and all life-savings. This includes:
• personal property (such as a home, cars, furniture, artwork)
• business assets (property, machinery and inventory)
• investments (stocks, bonds and real estate)
The estate tax is paid by the recipients of an inheritance – most often family heirs – and is due within 9 months of the decedent’s death. If the heirs do not have sufficient cash, personal property and business assets must be sold to pay the tax.
In the case of family business owners and farmers, the tax often exceeds the ability of the family to pay. These heirs are consequently forced to sell off part, if not all, of their enterprise in order to pay the tax.
To learn more on the subject The Texas Agrilife Extension Service and Leon County Farm Bureau will be providing an educational program on September 10, 2010 at 12:00noon in the First United Methodist Church in Centerville. To register for this program call 903.536.2531. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Under current law, the estate tax was repealed for one year on January 1, 2010. On January 1, 2011 the estate tax is set to return at a rate of 55 percent on all assets above a $1 million exemption amount.
The estate tax is imposed on any and all life-savings. This includes:
• personal property (such as a home, cars, furniture, artwork)
• business assets (property, machinery and inventory)
• investments (stocks, bonds and real estate)
The estate tax is paid by the recipients of an inheritance – most often family heirs – and is due within 9 months of the decedent’s death. If the heirs do not have sufficient cash, personal property and business assets must be sold to pay the tax.
In the case of family business owners and farmers, the tax often exceeds the ability of the family to pay. These heirs are consequently forced to sell off part, if not all, of their enterprise in order to pay the tax.
To learn more on the subject The Texas Agrilife Extension Service and Leon County Farm Bureau will be providing an educational program on September 10, 2010 at 12:00noon in the First United Methodist Church in Centerville. To register for this program call 903.536.2531. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Chute N The Bull 8-9-10
A will. Once the inventory is complete, one will then have a rough estimate of the gross value of the estate and the options available to transfer certain assets. This will be important in determining if the estate will be subject to an estate tax. In addition, preparation will greatly improve the efficiency of time spent with an attorney.
Federal estate tax laws are in a stage of uncertainty. For 2010, there is no federal estate tax on estates of decedents who pass during 2010. On Jan. 1, 2011, the federal estate tax will become 55 percent on the amount of an estate that exceeds $1 million. There is speculation that Congress will pass legislation before the end of 2010 that will change the federal estate tax law. Depending on the prediction one reads, the exemption could increase from $1 million to somewhere between $3.5 and $5 million, and the estate tax rate could be lowered to 35 or 45 percent. Do not let uncertainty of future laws cause you to delay planning. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Reputable estate attorneys will know the latest developments on estate tax legislation.
Hiring an attorney is an important step in the planning process. Seek an attorney who is competent in estate planning and preferably one who also has knowledge of production agriculture. Your perseverance in finding the right attorney will be worth the effort.
Often there are multiple objectives in planning an estate. Objectives could include such things as reducing estate taxes, minimizing probate costs and transferring assets to those of one's choosing. Caution should be exercised because certain objectives could take priority over providing sufficient income for the owner(s) of the estate.
Once a plan starts to develop and a draft has been completed, it is wise to schedule a time to communicate with potential heirs. Heirs should have an opportunity to respond in case a bequest The time will eventually come when each one's estate will be transferred to another person or persons. No one knows exactly when that time will be, but it is often assumed that it will be later rather than sooner. Therefore, many postpone estate planning because it is thought there will be plenty of time to attend to it later. This is a mistake.
Planning one's estate often requires making some difficult decisions. Making these tough decisions can lead to delay in the planning process. However, if a person fails to make the decisions about the transfer of their estate, then the state will make those decisions for them according to statutes under the laws of descent. Even though planning for the estate transfer is not easy, most will want to determine who receives their estate instead of leaving that decision to the state government.
Planning generally starts by compiling an inventory of one's estate. The inventory would include how title is held for certain assets along with an approximate value of each asset. How the title is held will impact the options for transferring the asset. For example, if title is held as joint tenancy with right of survivorship, the surviving tenant will receive that asset. The asset cannot be bequeathed by will to anyone else. If title of an asset is held as tenancy in common, each tenant or owner's share can pass to an heir or heirs under is actually a liability rather than a blessing. Communication will also ease possible surprise and stress later and give one's heir(s) time to make appropriate plans themselves.
Start planning today if you have not already done so. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Federal estate tax laws are in a stage of uncertainty. For 2010, there is no federal estate tax on estates of decedents who pass during 2010. On Jan. 1, 2011, the federal estate tax will become 55 percent on the amount of an estate that exceeds $1 million. There is speculation that Congress will pass legislation before the end of 2010 that will change the federal estate tax law. Depending on the prediction one reads, the exemption could increase from $1 million to somewhere between $3.5 and $5 million, and the estate tax rate could be lowered to 35 or 45 percent. Do not let uncertainty of future laws cause you to delay planning. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Reputable estate attorneys will know the latest developments on estate tax legislation.
Hiring an attorney is an important step in the planning process. Seek an attorney who is competent in estate planning and preferably one who also has knowledge of production agriculture. Your perseverance in finding the right attorney will be worth the effort.
Often there are multiple objectives in planning an estate. Objectives could include such things as reducing estate taxes, minimizing probate costs and transferring assets to those of one's choosing. Caution should be exercised because certain objectives could take priority over providing sufficient income for the owner(s) of the estate.
Once a plan starts to develop and a draft has been completed, it is wise to schedule a time to communicate with potential heirs. Heirs should have an opportunity to respond in case a bequest The time will eventually come when each one's estate will be transferred to another person or persons. No one knows exactly when that time will be, but it is often assumed that it will be later rather than sooner. Therefore, many postpone estate planning because it is thought there will be plenty of time to attend to it later. This is a mistake.
Planning one's estate often requires making some difficult decisions. Making these tough decisions can lead to delay in the planning process. However, if a person fails to make the decisions about the transfer of their estate, then the state will make those decisions for them according to statutes under the laws of descent. Even though planning for the estate transfer is not easy, most will want to determine who receives their estate instead of leaving that decision to the state government.
Planning generally starts by compiling an inventory of one's estate. The inventory would include how title is held for certain assets along with an approximate value of each asset. How the title is held will impact the options for transferring the asset. For example, if title is held as joint tenancy with right of survivorship, the surviving tenant will receive that asset. The asset cannot be bequeathed by will to anyone else. If title of an asset is held as tenancy in common, each tenant or owner's share can pass to an heir or heirs under is actually a liability rather than a blessing. Communication will also ease possible surprise and stress later and give one's heir(s) time to make appropriate plans themselves.
Start planning today if you have not already done so. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)