Prickly pear as well as with other species of cactus are a common problem in pastures. They can interfere with the movement of livestock and cause serious health problems. Along with this they can overtake a pasture very quickly and strangle out more desirable forages. Because of this they pose a very serious problem for livestock producers wherever they show up.
Tag: ranch plan (Page 8 of 12)
It is never good whenever your cattle are suffering from a disease. It can rob you of performance while increasing your expenses.
Many health problems that occur can be handled if they are detected early. If detected in time they can be prevented or even minimize losses. You can then take steps to keep it from spreading or coming back. One main thing to remember is to always consult your veterinarian if you believe a health problem has occurred.
Though sickness can occur anytime of the year here are 4 of them that tends to happen during summer. I’ve included some signs to look for as well as steps you can take to minimize it’s effects.
Well it’s getting to be that time of year again. The days are getting longer and the temperatures are getting warmer…. yep, summer is on it’s way. Now is a good idea to have a summer pasture management plan in place.
Pastures during this time can provide essential nutrients to the cattle herd. As the grasses are growing they will provide the protein and other nutrients that your cows will need. The only problem is that as they mature their nutrition value also declines just as your cows are needing more for gestation. It is for this fact that pasture management is very important for this time of year.
Having a plan in place now can save you many headaches later on down the road. Here are 5 things that you should look at going into summer:
Though just one part, minerals are important to your cattle. The proper balance of protein, energy, and minerals is needed for your livestock to perform at their best. Putting out a lot of mineral will not do you any good if the other areas are lacking. Selecting the right mineral program is essential for the production of your cattle.
Finding the right balance is a combination of art and science. It takes knowing what your pasture is providing as well as what your animals’ needs are. It also requires some trial and error to find out what will work and what will not. Here are 4 things to consider when planning out your mineral program.
Continue reading
Do you know what your stocking rate is? Let me rephrase that: Do you know what your real stocking rate is? Many people follow just a general rule of thumb that was developed years ago. The truth is that cattle will not always graze on every acre that is available. You could have the scenario where certain areas are being overgrazed while others are not being used at all. This is where determining your grazeable acreage will help.
Things like the brush density, rock coverage, accessibility and other factors will have an impact on how many acres that the herd will use. Determining these factors will give you a more accurate measure of what your stocking rate is. There are many ways that you can look at these but the best way will always be walking the property and looking at them from ground level.
Beef calf producers are always on the look for ways that they can improve their operation and their bottom line. They are always searching for ways to both improve their calf crop’s well being as well as their revenue. Creep feeding their calves to increase weaning weight is one strategy that has been used.
Cedars are a very aggressive and destructive woody plant here in Texas. They are known to take over a pasture quickly. Along with taking forage space they are a very thirsty plant. A large infestation of cedars will completely suck dry a spring or other pasture water source.
Getting control of any cedars in your pasture is achievable. Much like with mesquite it is not something that will occur after just one application. Here are some things to consider if you are looking to take back your grazing pastures from cedars.
Typically when it comes to selling a cull most producers don’t give it much thought. They just take it to the auction barn or packing house and get whatever price they get. If you are wanting to increase the revenue from your ranch then how you sell your culls can not be overlooked.
Revenue from selling culls generally range from 15% to 30% of a ranch’s annual income. That is almost a quarter of all the money that comes in from the cows you don’t want anymore. Properly marketing your culls can be like any other plan that your operation has. If planned and executed correctly can improve your return on investment.
A well planned out preventative health plan is important for any operation. It prepares weaned calves for the next stage of the production cycle. When it is running correctly they receive a leg up and perform better than those from a less than effective one. Keeping vaccines effective is a very important part of any animal health plan.
Course the greatest plan in the world won’t work properly if each step is not handled correctly. This goes for how you handle and administer the vaccines. Improper handling or administration of the vaccines can render it ineffective. As the saying goes “a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link”. Here are some steps you can follow to make sure that your vaccines aren’t that weak link.
In order to produce beef efficiently cattle producers know it is important what you feed your cows. A nutritionally balanced diet will allow the cattle to perform at their best. Sometimes forages alone are not gonna meet the demands of your herd, sometimes you will need to feed a supplement.
Cattle feed accounts for 60%- 80% of a producers total production cost. With this high of a percentage it is vital that a rancher should calculate the most cost-effective ration that they can. There are 4 steps that you can follow to ensure that you are getting the best feed for the best price.
Products
-
I love my wife
$22.99
-
Farm Strong
$22.99
-
Hay There
$22.99
-
Ag Philosophy Classic Hoodie
$41.99
-
Ag Philosophy Classic Tee
$24.99