Maintaining a healthy lawn by proper fertilizing, watering and mowing is your first line of defense in controlling weeds. However, if your lawn has become thin through neglect or weather-related reasons, you might need another level of weed control. February is the time in northeast Texas to put out pre-emergent chemicals to control weeds and grasses. Pre-emergent herbicides control weeds by forming a barrier that prevents the seed from germinating.
First, identify the type of weed you need to control. Crabgrass, goosegrass, sandbur and dallisgrass are the major grassy weeds which cause problems in lawns during the summer. The first three are annuals that emerge from seed each spring. Dallisgrass is a perennial that recovers from rhizomes in the spring, but also produces seed that spread throughout the lawn. With the exception of dallisgrass, these grassy weeds can be controlled with pre-emergent herbicides applied in late winter. Dallisgrass can be controlled by spot-treating the plants with a contact herbicide.
Broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, chickweed, henbit, clover, dock and mustard can be controlled with selective postemergent herbicides applied in the spring. These weeds can also be controlled by applying a pre-emergent herbicide in the early fall (September). Only materials recommended for St. Augustine grass and Centipede should be used on these lawns, as the turf might be damaged by some chemicals that are safe for Bermuda grass. Repeat applications may be necessary for both pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides. Label recommendations should be followed for all herbicides. 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
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
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Chute N The Bull
I was struggling to find a topic for this article when a child in an
Agriculture Awareness Program at the Ft Worth Stock Show inadvertently
gave me an idea. They had seen a similar program at the State Fair of
Texas during the fall semester, during that program the presenters do
projects with pumpkins because it is timely for Halloween and
Thanksgiving. The students wanted to know if they would get to do the
pumpkin projects. How many fresh pumpkins are available in January? This
story exemplifies one of the huge problems facing farming and ranching -
a lack of knowledge or understanding and the corresponding disconnect by
those who are not involved in production agriculture.
Farmers and ranchers have become a huge minority! Approximately 2
percent of the U.S. population is involved in farming or ranching. Of
that number, more than half are small operators. Therefore, less than 1
percent of our population is truly engaged in farming. The majority of
our population doesn't know when, where or how their food gets to them.
They expect it to magically be there when they need it. Obviously, more
than 1 percent of the population is involved in getting food to the
consumer, but how many of them know that most of our vegetables and
numerous other crops are planted in the spring and harvested in the
fall? And how about the food animals? Do they know that cows have one
calf per year and that milk cows freshen only once a year? What about
the seasonality of pork and egg production? I think you are getting the
picture. Production agriculture has some giant hurdles.
How can such a minority survive? I think we need to study how others
have been successful in advancing their causes. Generally, they have:
• been dedicated to a purpose;
• been very persistent;
• been very vocal to draw attention to themselves or their issues;
• targeted a small number of key issues; and
• raised money very aggressively.
I am not advocating that we employ all of the actions and methods that
some minority groups have used; however, I think there are lessons to be
learned. Unity is a key issue. The time has long since passed for
squabbling and bickering within the industry. We need to seek common
ground and work together to accomplish meaningful goals.
The general population is far removed from farms and ranches. There is a
wide gap in knowledge, understanding and perception between production
agriculture and the general population. The public doesn't understand
that fertilizer, pesticides and biotechnology are good things when used
properly. They have watched too many movies and listened to too many
slanted "news reports" that are based on emotion and fear rather than
facts and science. Many children don't know that beef comes from cattle
and think that milk and eggs originate at the grocery store. They think
cereal comes from a box without realizing that it was grown on a farm.
We must become advocates of agriculture. We have to do a better job of
telling our story and explaining our position, or we may not have a
story to tell. How can you effectively impact this situation? Become
more active in producer organizations. Be a member of the local, state
and national organizations that represent you. Go to local meetings and
have an influence on what is happening regarding issues and policy. An
organization has a difficult time representing you and your views if you
are not a member or fail to participate in the process. Learn the issues
- be informed and proactive. Engage people you encounter in your daily
life. Tell the good things about agriculture and know the facts. Avoid
being negative or argumentative as this generally hurts your credibility
and the industry. Be dedicated to purpose and avoid coming across as
unintelligent or hotheaded. We can sometimes be our own worst enemy.
Strive to represent what is right with farming and ranching, not what's
wrong with it. You can find this and past articles on the web at
http://www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.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
Agriculture Awareness Program at the Ft Worth Stock Show inadvertently
gave me an idea. They had seen a similar program at the State Fair of
Texas during the fall semester, during that program the presenters do
projects with pumpkins because it is timely for Halloween and
Thanksgiving. The students wanted to know if they would get to do the
pumpkin projects. How many fresh pumpkins are available in January? This
story exemplifies one of the huge problems facing farming and ranching -
a lack of knowledge or understanding and the corresponding disconnect by
those who are not involved in production agriculture.
Farmers and ranchers have become a huge minority! Approximately 2
percent of the U.S. population is involved in farming or ranching. Of
that number, more than half are small operators. Therefore, less than 1
percent of our population is truly engaged in farming. The majority of
our population doesn't know when, where or how their food gets to them.
They expect it to magically be there when they need it. Obviously, more
than 1 percent of the population is involved in getting food to the
consumer, but how many of them know that most of our vegetables and
numerous other crops are planted in the spring and harvested in the
fall? And how about the food animals? Do they know that cows have one
calf per year and that milk cows freshen only once a year? What about
the seasonality of pork and egg production? I think you are getting the
picture. Production agriculture has some giant hurdles.
How can such a minority survive? I think we need to study how others
have been successful in advancing their causes. Generally, they have:
• been dedicated to a purpose;
• been very persistent;
• been very vocal to draw attention to themselves or their issues;
• targeted a small number of key issues; and
• raised money very aggressively.
I am not advocating that we employ all of the actions and methods that
some minority groups have used; however, I think there are lessons to be
learned. Unity is a key issue. The time has long since passed for
squabbling and bickering within the industry. We need to seek common
ground and work together to accomplish meaningful goals.
The general population is far removed from farms and ranches. There is a
wide gap in knowledge, understanding and perception between production
agriculture and the general population. The public doesn't understand
that fertilizer, pesticides and biotechnology are good things when used
properly. They have watched too many movies and listened to too many
slanted "news reports" that are based on emotion and fear rather than
facts and science. Many children don't know that beef comes from cattle
and think that milk and eggs originate at the grocery store. They think
cereal comes from a box without realizing that it was grown on a farm.
We must become advocates of agriculture. We have to do a better job of
telling our story and explaining our position, or we may not have a
story to tell. How can you effectively impact this situation? Become
more active in producer organizations. Be a member of the local, state
and national organizations that represent you. Go to local meetings and
have an influence on what is happening regarding issues and policy. An
organization has a difficult time representing you and your views if you
are not a member or fail to participate in the process. Learn the issues
- be informed and proactive. Engage people you encounter in your daily
life. Tell the good things about agriculture and know the facts. Avoid
being negative or argumentative as this generally hurts your credibility
and the industry. Be dedicated to purpose and avoid coming across as
unintelligent or hotheaded. We can sometimes be our own worst enemy.
Strive to represent what is right with farming and ranching, not what's
wrong with it. You can find this and past articles on the web at
http://www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.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
Chute N The Bull
For the benefit of regional ranchers, the ultimate achievement would be to provide a year-round grazing system that could utilize a perennial cool-season grass. Cool-season grasses, such as tall fescue, can fill part of the forage gap by replacing annual winter pasture.
For me, what makes this grass so interesting is a fungus (Neotyphodium coenophialum) that grows between the plant cells and grows into the developing seed. This fungus is known as an endophyte, and it provides grasses like tall fescue with tolerance to stresses such as drought and resistance to insects. A similar fungus, Neotyphodium lolii, is found in perennial ryegrass, a grass that is predominantly used for forage in New Zealand and Australia. The grass and fungus live in a mutualistic symbiotic relationship where the endophyte is provided with shelter and nutrients, and is dispersed in the seed while the grass gains greater persistence and tolerance to stresses.
Unfortunately, this very fungus is what gave tall fescue a bad reputation. When tall fescue was first introduced in the late 1930s, it showed great promise as the next generation forage due to persistence during drought. However, it was noted that there was a negative side to this grass. The fungus that was beneficial to the grass was capable of producing compounds detrimental to grazing animals and resulted in poor animal performance. In this case, the grass was considered "hot" in that it contained an endophyte that was harmful to the livestock because of the production of ergot alkaloids that caused fescue toxicosis. If you cure the grass of the fungus, animal productivity goes up, but the grass persistence declines. There are many management possibilities for fescue toxicosis (Roberts, C., and Andrae, J. [2004]. Tall fescue toxicosis and management. Online. Crop Management doi:10.1094/CM-2004-0427-01-MG), but one solution is to replace the "hot" endophyte with one that is considered animal friendly, but still able to provide many of the positive attributes. The animal-friendly endophytes are the same species as the toxic varieties, but are naturally occurring variants that have been identified in tall fescue from places such as the Mediterranean. Once an animal-friendly endophyte is reinfected into an endophyte-free seedling, it is able to establish in the plant and can be transmitted through the seed. This allows for seed production of a pure animal-friendly line.
So how does the endophyte help the grass and how are the toxic compounds made? We actually don't understand all the biology behind this grass/fungal association, but we do know that the fungus is capable of making a range of compounds that help with persistence. Some of the compounds, the lolines and peramine, are considered beneficial to the host plant as they provide protection from many insects. However, ergovaline (an ergot alkaloid) and lolitrem B have been documented as compounds that are detrimental to the grazing animals. In the last 10 to 15 years, a lot of research has been accomplished to identify the fungal genes that are essential for the production of these compounds. Now that we know the regions of the genome that are required for these compounds, we can use this information to help us search for better endophytes that don't have the detrimental genes.
In my laboratory, we are using a series of molecular biology tests that allow us to monitor the presence of the endophyte in the grass. Not only can we tell the endophyte is there, but we also have markers to help us distinguish them from each other and markers that tell us the likelihood that a newly identified endophyte can make certain compounds. For example, we can tell the "hot" endophytes apart from the animal-friendly types. We can also conduct analyses for ergot alkaloid levels. These tools are being used in quality assurance pipelines with our grass breeders to follow levels of endophyte infection and make sure the right endophyte is present. Through these extra levels of testing, farmers and ranchers can be assured that forages released by the Noble Foundation will not only be productive, they will also be safe for livestock. 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
For me, what makes this grass so interesting is a fungus (Neotyphodium coenophialum) that grows between the plant cells and grows into the developing seed. This fungus is known as an endophyte, and it provides grasses like tall fescue with tolerance to stresses such as drought and resistance to insects. A similar fungus, Neotyphodium lolii, is found in perennial ryegrass, a grass that is predominantly used for forage in New Zealand and Australia. The grass and fungus live in a mutualistic symbiotic relationship where the endophyte is provided with shelter and nutrients, and is dispersed in the seed while the grass gains greater persistence and tolerance to stresses.
Unfortunately, this very fungus is what gave tall fescue a bad reputation. When tall fescue was first introduced in the late 1930s, it showed great promise as the next generation forage due to persistence during drought. However, it was noted that there was a negative side to this grass. The fungus that was beneficial to the grass was capable of producing compounds detrimental to grazing animals and resulted in poor animal performance. In this case, the grass was considered "hot" in that it contained an endophyte that was harmful to the livestock because of the production of ergot alkaloids that caused fescue toxicosis. If you cure the grass of the fungus, animal productivity goes up, but the grass persistence declines. There are many management possibilities for fescue toxicosis (Roberts, C., and Andrae, J. [2004]. Tall fescue toxicosis and management. Online. Crop Management doi:10.1094/CM-2004-0427-01-MG), but one solution is to replace the "hot" endophyte with one that is considered animal friendly, but still able to provide many of the positive attributes. The animal-friendly endophytes are the same species as the toxic varieties, but are naturally occurring variants that have been identified in tall fescue from places such as the Mediterranean. Once an animal-friendly endophyte is reinfected into an endophyte-free seedling, it is able to establish in the plant and can be transmitted through the seed. This allows for seed production of a pure animal-friendly line.
So how does the endophyte help the grass and how are the toxic compounds made? We actually don't understand all the biology behind this grass/fungal association, but we do know that the fungus is capable of making a range of compounds that help with persistence. Some of the compounds, the lolines and peramine, are considered beneficial to the host plant as they provide protection from many insects. However, ergovaline (an ergot alkaloid) and lolitrem B have been documented as compounds that are detrimental to the grazing animals. In the last 10 to 15 years, a lot of research has been accomplished to identify the fungal genes that are essential for the production of these compounds. Now that we know the regions of the genome that are required for these compounds, we can use this information to help us search for better endophytes that don't have the detrimental genes.
In my laboratory, we are using a series of molecular biology tests that allow us to monitor the presence of the endophyte in the grass. Not only can we tell the endophyte is there, but we also have markers to help us distinguish them from each other and markers that tell us the likelihood that a newly identified endophyte can make certain compounds. For example, we can tell the "hot" endophytes apart from the animal-friendly types. We can also conduct analyses for ergot alkaloid levels. These tools are being used in quality assurance pipelines with our grass breeders to follow levels of endophyte infection and make sure the right endophyte is present. Through these extra levels of testing, farmers and ranchers can be assured that forages released by the Noble Foundation will not only be productive, they will also be safe for livestock. 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
Thursday, January 21, 2010
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
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
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Chute N The Bull
Have you ever wondered why ruminant livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats, or wildlife such as deer, elk and bison eat what they do? For example, cattle and bison eat primarily grass; deer eat primarily forbs and browse (the edible leaves and stems of woody plants), but very little grass. Some ruminants, such as goats, have the ability to choose their diet across a wide spectrum of available plant types: grasses, forbs and woody vegetation.
A ruminant is an animal that has a four-compartment stomach and has the ability to re-chew ingested plants after they have been softened in the rumen. The rumen is the largest compartment of the ruminant's stomach and sets this type of digestive system apart from that of monogastrics such as horses, pigs and humans.
Ruminant animals have been classified into three categories of feeding strategies based on digestive, behavioral and morphological differences. One classification is the grass-roughage feeder (GR). Cattle, elk and bison fall into this category. They have no upper teeth and use their tongue to sweep forage into their mouth and then pinch it between the upper dental pad and lower teeth, tearing it off. This type of grazing does not allow much selectivity. These herbivores ferment large amounts of fibrous, low quality forage in the rumen with help from microbes to break it down for digestion. When forage quantity is limited, too much time is spent searching for grass and more bites are required to harvest the grass needed to meet their daily requirement. When grass is in short supply, cattle will sometimes use more energy searching for forage than they get from it, thus losing body condition.
A different feeding strategy is used by the concentrate selector (CS). Deer and other CSs feed on easily digested, highly nutritious plants and plant parts. CSs have highly motile, prehensile lips and a narrow muzzle which allows selection and access to the most nutritious and digestible parts of a plant. Another attribute that allows CSs to graze selectively is their smaller body size. This small body size translates into a relatively lower absolute nutrient requirement for maintenance, which allows more time for seeking out higher quality forages. In addition, rate of passage in CSs is faster because they usually ingest higher quality, more digestible forage. When forage quantity is lacking, the CSs have an advantage over GRs.
The final category of feeding strategy is the intermediate feeder (IF). The IFs are those herbivores that exhibit versatility in their foraging behavior, which allows their diets to diverge from either the GR or CS. Diets of IFs can include plants and plant parts that GRs and CSs would not or could not utilize. For example, goats have a prehensile lip and can stand on their hind legs and reach browse inaccessible to other herbivores.
There is some debate about which category some ruminants, such as sheep and goats, fall into. Some say sheep are IFs and others say GRs. Sheep are versatile grazers that eat a high proportion of forbs and browse along with grass. Similarly, some think goats are IFs while others call them CSs. Goats, even more so than sheep, are highly versatile in their eating habits. Depending on the plant community and time of year, the amount of grass in a goat's diet can range from 10-65 percent.
Take a look around your place and determine the foods available for the animals that you are trying to produce. If you are raising cattle, do them a favor and maintain adequate stubble height on your grasses so that they can be efficiently harvested. If you have mostly brush and forbs, then another kind of animal might be better suited for that environment. 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
A ruminant is an animal that has a four-compartment stomach and has the ability to re-chew ingested plants after they have been softened in the rumen. The rumen is the largest compartment of the ruminant's stomach and sets this type of digestive system apart from that of monogastrics such as horses, pigs and humans.
Ruminant animals have been classified into three categories of feeding strategies based on digestive, behavioral and morphological differences. One classification is the grass-roughage feeder (GR). Cattle, elk and bison fall into this category. They have no upper teeth and use their tongue to sweep forage into their mouth and then pinch it between the upper dental pad and lower teeth, tearing it off. This type of grazing does not allow much selectivity. These herbivores ferment large amounts of fibrous, low quality forage in the rumen with help from microbes to break it down for digestion. When forage quantity is limited, too much time is spent searching for grass and more bites are required to harvest the grass needed to meet their daily requirement. When grass is in short supply, cattle will sometimes use more energy searching for forage than they get from it, thus losing body condition.
A different feeding strategy is used by the concentrate selector (CS). Deer and other CSs feed on easily digested, highly nutritious plants and plant parts. CSs have highly motile, prehensile lips and a narrow muzzle which allows selection and access to the most nutritious and digestible parts of a plant. Another attribute that allows CSs to graze selectively is their smaller body size. This small body size translates into a relatively lower absolute nutrient requirement for maintenance, which allows more time for seeking out higher quality forages. In addition, rate of passage in CSs is faster because they usually ingest higher quality, more digestible forage. When forage quantity is lacking, the CSs have an advantage over GRs.
The final category of feeding strategy is the intermediate feeder (IF). The IFs are those herbivores that exhibit versatility in their foraging behavior, which allows their diets to diverge from either the GR or CS. Diets of IFs can include plants and plant parts that GRs and CSs would not or could not utilize. For example, goats have a prehensile lip and can stand on their hind legs and reach browse inaccessible to other herbivores.
There is some debate about which category some ruminants, such as sheep and goats, fall into. Some say sheep are IFs and others say GRs. Sheep are versatile grazers that eat a high proportion of forbs and browse along with grass. Similarly, some think goats are IFs while others call them CSs. Goats, even more so than sheep, are highly versatile in their eating habits. Depending on the plant community and time of year, the amount of grass in a goat's diet can range from 10-65 percent.
Take a look around your place and determine the foods available for the animals that you are trying to produce. If you are raising cattle, do them a favor and maintain adequate stubble height on your grasses so that they can be efficiently harvested. If you have mostly brush and forbs, then another kind of animal might be better suited for that environment. 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, January 6, 2010
Chute N The Bull 12-27-09
With the increasing cost of inputs (fuel, feed, fertilizer, etc.), many producers are looking for ways to cut costs while still maintaining yield (net return, forage biomass and forage quality). The most economical forage system will have a diverse set of species to provide high quality forage throughout the entire year (warm-season and cool-season perennial forages) to reduce the need for hay and feed. Traditional grass systems (bermudagrass and tall fescue) will be the most important components of any forage system, but, if legumes could be incorporated, then these systems could be more sustainable and economical.
Within the Agricultural and Forage Improvement divisions at the Noble Foundation, sustainable forage systems are being evaluated over a wide geographic area (20- to 50-inch rainfall zones). Legumes are typically site-specific and not adapted over a wide geographic region, therefore many different legumes are being evaluated as a means to maintain high nutritive value, improve seasonal distribution and reduce the need for nitrogen fertilizer. For example, annual cool-season legumes like hairy vetch, medics and clovers are being evaluated in annual rye/ryegrass as well as perennial warm-season (switchgrass and bermudagrass) and perennial cool-season (tall fescue) systems. Perennial legumes like white clover and alfalfa are also being evaluated in perennial grass systems.
It would be nice if the environment in southern Oklahoma and north Texas would allow rich species diversity and cool-season and warm-season annuals, and perennials all to be grown together to provide year-round grazing with no forage deficits, but this has been impossible. Therefore, several experiments are being conducted to look at the compatibility between annual and perennial legumes in grass systems. Even after establishment of grass-legume mixtures with the same seasonal production, it is extremely difficult to manage these mixtures because cattle typically graze the higher quality legume and not the grass, especially in bermudagrass. However, utilizing legumes with different seasonality (e.g., vetch in bermudagrass or alfalfa in tall fescue), it may be easier to manage since cattle would not be grazing the grass in the off-season when forage quality is lower.
One study in particular seems to have potential (alfalfa-tall fescue row orientation). Tall fescue and alfalfa mixtures are difficult to establish; however, by planting alternating rows or even alternating drill passes, both species were successfully established and may persist over time, but it is still unclear how long these might persist together under grazing. This research is being repeated in three geographic regions (25-, 30- and 35-inch rainfall zones - from Vernon, Texas, to Ardmore, Okla.) and will continually be monitored to see if these two important forages can be managed together under grazing to provide better seasonal production, improved forage quality and increased yield. 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
Within the Agricultural and Forage Improvement divisions at the Noble Foundation, sustainable forage systems are being evaluated over a wide geographic area (20- to 50-inch rainfall zones). Legumes are typically site-specific and not adapted over a wide geographic region, therefore many different legumes are being evaluated as a means to maintain high nutritive value, improve seasonal distribution and reduce the need for nitrogen fertilizer. For example, annual cool-season legumes like hairy vetch, medics and clovers are being evaluated in annual rye/ryegrass as well as perennial warm-season (switchgrass and bermudagrass) and perennial cool-season (tall fescue) systems. Perennial legumes like white clover and alfalfa are also being evaluated in perennial grass systems.
It would be nice if the environment in southern Oklahoma and north Texas would allow rich species diversity and cool-season and warm-season annuals, and perennials all to be grown together to provide year-round grazing with no forage deficits, but this has been impossible. Therefore, several experiments are being conducted to look at the compatibility between annual and perennial legumes in grass systems. Even after establishment of grass-legume mixtures with the same seasonal production, it is extremely difficult to manage these mixtures because cattle typically graze the higher quality legume and not the grass, especially in bermudagrass. However, utilizing legumes with different seasonality (e.g., vetch in bermudagrass or alfalfa in tall fescue), it may be easier to manage since cattle would not be grazing the grass in the off-season when forage quality is lower.
One study in particular seems to have potential (alfalfa-tall fescue row orientation). Tall fescue and alfalfa mixtures are difficult to establish; however, by planting alternating rows or even alternating drill passes, both species were successfully established and may persist over time, but it is still unclear how long these might persist together under grazing. This research is being repeated in three geographic regions (25-, 30- and 35-inch rainfall zones - from Vernon, Texas, to Ardmore, Okla.) and will continually be monitored to see if these two important forages can be managed together under grazing to provide better seasonal production, improved forage quality and increased yield. 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
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