Chute N The Bull

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 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

Proper fireguards (fire breaks) can prevent a fire from escaping the burn unit during a prescribed burn. So what types of fireguards are best for your burn unit? The answer to that question is the one that every biologist loves to give: it depends. It depends on available equipment, slope, soil type, labor, and amount and type of fuel. There are many types of fireguards, and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each type can help determine which one to use for a given situation. Additionally, you might already have some fireguards in place and not even know it. Bare Soil Fireguard This is probably the most popular type of fireguard. They can be created with a disk, plow, blade or bulldozer, and are effective at stopping backfires and flank fires. Bare soil fireguards require little to no water when igniting along them, but can cause erosion in areas that have a significant slope. Also if it rains prior to or during a burn, vehicles and tractors may have difficulty traveling on bare soil fireguards. Roads These can be paved, gravel, dirt or two-track roads. Roads are good fireguards because they require little to no preparation and provide a good base for vehicles. They are effective at stopping backfires and flank fires with little water needed. Using roads as fireguards has some limitations; a land manager is restricted to the location of the road and might be required to burn around fire-sensitive areas. Green Fireguards


In areas with a significant slope, green fireguards can be used as an alternative to bare soil fireguards to reduce erosion. Winter crops can serve as green fireguards. Green fireguards also limit the chance of getting stuck after a rain. However, green fireguards require months or even years of advance planning. For more info on green fireguards, refer to the July 1996 Ag News and Views article Green Fireguards or contact any Noble Foundation wildlife and fisheries consultant. Natural Features These can be lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, cliffs, bluffs or gullies. In certain situations, water and topographic features can be very effective at stopping a fire and require little to no preparation. On the downside, if a fire jumps a natural feature, access to and containment of a spot fire can be very difficult. Mowed or Hayed Line These can be useful in areas with significant slope because there is still vegetation on the ground to reduce erosion, and they provide a firm base for vehicles after rain. Mowed/hayed lines only slow fire movement across the fire line so fire can be more easily extinguished with a sprayer. This technique requires a lot of water and labor because the crew is constantly extinguishing the fire as it creeps across the mowed/hayed line. Regardless of fireguard type used, it is a good idea to have a back-up sprayer, because if the first one breaks down, it can be very hard to stop a fire from crossing the fire line. This technique usually results in very slow ignition progress, so it is not desirable on larger burns. Black Line These are strips along the edge of the burn unit that have been pre-burned. Black lines can be used to widen existing fireguards to more effectively contain a fire. They can be difficult to implement due to weather variables and the labor required prior to the scheduled burn date for the entire unit. To learn more about fireguards and prescribed burning in general, plan on attending the Beef CEU Update in Centerville on January 29, 2010. To register call the Texas Agrilife Extension Office at 903.536.2531. 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