A good pasture is the foundation of any profitable livestock operation. It provides the forages needed to not only sustain but also allow the livestock to grow. Having enough forages for all of the animals is important to keep your feed costs down to a manageable level. However, keeping a pasture at this level can be a little complicated.
Despite your best efforts, a good pasture can end up going bad on you. We have all seen it before: certain invasive species somehow make it into your pasture and overruns everything. They then choke out the forages that your animals need meaning you will either need to supplement or reduce your numbers. Another thing that can happen is that you start seeing bare spots showing up more and more.
Needless to say, people are not too happy when facing scenarios like this. In fact, people tend to dread it when they think that they will need to renovate their pasture. They think it will require a tremendous amount of amount and equal amount of money to get it back to form. What if I told you there were some ways to do this without breaking the bank? Here are some things to consider before shelling out a lot of money to fix your pasture.
A wheat pasture is a valuable resource for many cattle operations. This plant is a valuable source of high-quality forage when most other forages are low in quantity and quality. The unique climate in areas of the Southern plains, like here in Texas can allow producers to use wheat as both a forage and a grain crop. This can potentially increase the overall profitability of many operations.
Grazing management in the fall can have an impact on your future forage production. The intensity of your grazing animals determines what state they will be in. Also, grazing during the winter may be limited depending on what forages you have available.
Performing a soil test is one of the most underutilized range management tools. Knowing your soil’s fertility and what nutrients are provided is crucial. Often times producers just put out the same fertilizer they always have and hope for the best.
Prickly pear as well as with other species of cactus is a common problem in pastures. It is not an uncommon sight to have many cacti growing out in a pasture. They can interfere with the movement of livestock and cause serious health problems.
Drought can be a very devastating thing to deal with. Forages stop producing, making it difficult for ranchers to make it. All in all, drought can make things seem pretty bleak while going through it.
Looking out onto a field of perfectly rolled hay bales is a beautiful sight to see. It is even more impactful if you are the one that baled them. Can feel yourself filling with pride on a job well done.
Having a good summer pasture management plan in place can save you a lot of headaches later on. It will give you a chance to put out any potential fires, not literally, before they can occur.
Drought is one of those things that every cattle producer will have to deal with at some point. It ranks right up there with Death and Taxes. Just like those two though it is unavoidable however it is also something that most producers find themselves unprepared for.
Cedar, more accurately known as juniper, can be a very difficult plant to control. It is a very aggressive woody plant that grows here in Texas as well as in other places. It is often viewed as invasive because if left unchecked it can quickly take over a pasture choking out any grass growth.
