Tag: Pasture Management

Soil testing 101: a rancher’s guide to better yields

Soil testing 101: a rancher's guide to better yieldsSoil testing, often overlooked, is a powerful tool in range management. Understanding your soil’s fertility and nutrient composition is critical to informed decision-making. Instead of relying on guesswork, soil testing empowers producers to make targeted fertilizer applications, maximizing their resources and improving forage production.

Soil fertility and health are the bedrock of forage production. By increasing forage production, the need for costly supplements is reduced. This cost-saving potential, coupled with improved soil health, underscores the importance of soil testing for producers, providing a sense of financial security.

Improving pasture health, productivity, and longevity doesn’t have to be daunting. The practical first step is soil testing, a straightforward process that can often be overlooked in the midst of daily tasks. Here are five practical tips to help producers get the most out of their soil tests and make the process more manageable.

Continue reading

How to win the battle against pasture prickly pear

How to win the battle against pasture prickly pearPrickly pear, along with other cactus species, is a pressing issue in pastures. The proliferation of these cacti can impede livestock movement and pose serious health risks.

Prickly pear can rapidly overtake a pasture, choking out more desirable forages. Once established, controlling it is a labor-intensive, long-term endeavor. Complete eradication is unlikely, even with significant effort.

Because of this, they pose a very serious problem for livestock producers wherever they appear. Here are some things to consider before controlling this troublesome plant.

Continue reading

These are the fall tips to have better cattle

These are the fall tips to have better cattleWith fall and cooler weather right around the corner, it’s essential to give your cows their best chance going into winter. Good winter management practices contribute to healthy and productive cattle and keep feed costs reasonable.

As with other seasons, a cow’s nutrient requirements differ during this time of year. Of course, the requirements depend on what production cycle you have them on. If you are on a spring calving timeframe, they will need requirements met to grow the calf inside the cow. The requirements are on top of the cow’s regular needs, as well as keeping the cow’s body warm during the colder times of the year.

But fear not; this article is here to help. You can use some things to get your cattle on the best foot going to winter. Here are some things that you can do to help your cows going into the later part of the year:

Continue reading