News Update
May 6, 2015
Feeding During Drought
A harsh drought or raging wildfire can quickly destroy a cattlemen’s most valuable summer commodity: grass. Confinement feeding of cattle during this time may be the answer to saving the breeding herd.
John Jaeger, Western Kansas Agricultural Research Centers (WKARC) beef cattle scientist, says confining cattle using drylots or unused feedlot pens during periods of reduced grass availability has allowed cattle producers to feed a small, nutrient-dense packaged diet; thus, retaining cattle rather than hauling them to the sale.
“That’s really where the basis for all this came from,” Jaeger said. “But now, we’re really looking at it as a way we can expand the U.S. cow herd by placing cows in a feedlot if there are not any grazing acres available.”
Watch the full interview and others in this week’s The Angus Report. You can also tune into RFD-TV each Wednesday at 5 p.m. CDT, Saturday at 1:30 p.m. or Monday at 7:30 a.m. CDT.
Photo Monitoring Public Lands
Public lands, those managed by the Federal government such as the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, are highly controversial in the way they are managed. Many of the ranchers grazing these public lands are caught in the crossfire in the discussion of multiple use vs. preservation.
Due to budget, time contraints and the almost constant threat of litigation, monitoring these public lands by agency personnel has often fallen short of acceptable. However, photo monitoring (taking photos of the range) offers a rancher-friendly way to show change over time on lands grazed by cattle.
“Rangeland monitoring data is an opportunity for you to tell your own story and back it up with data,” says Amanda Gearhart, rangeland extension specialist for the University of Idaho.
In fact, photo monitoring, when done correctly, is accepted by public lands agencies as credible work and is a complement to other monitoring techniques that may have been done, helping ranchers protect themselves.
Read the full article online at the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA website.
Forest Service Chief Predicts “Above Normal” Wildland Fire Potential in Much of the West
U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell presented the Forest Service forecast on the upcoming 2015 fire season in testimony May 5 before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Forest Service researchers expect 2015 to continue the trend of above average fire activity.
The forecast indicates there is a 90% chance that this year’s Forest Service fire suppression costs will be between $794 million and $1.657 billion, with a median estimate of $1.225 billion, potentially forcing the diversion of funding from other vital programs to support suppression operations. Any costs above the median is greater than the “10 year average” and would force the Forest Service to leverage funding from other land management programs. Diverting funds to cover the cost of wildfire suppression affects other critical Forest Service programs and services, said Tidwell, including efforts to reduce wildfire risk through mechanical thinning, prescribed fires and other means.
Funding has not kept pace with the cost of fighting fire. During the last 10 years, adjusting for inflation, the Forest Service has spent an average of almost $1.13 billion on suppression operations annually.
For more information, please view the full news release online.
Hay Made in May is Better Any Day
April showers that drive corn farmers crazy make better grass and hay, for livestock farmers.
Early grass growth made 200 pounds of dry matter per acre per day in early April. “That’s amazing,” says Rob Kallenbach, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist.
“As expected, growth slowed to 100 pounds per day in late April,” he adds. “Three inches of growth a week takes intense management, but it allows making more nutritious hay early in May, the best haymaking month of the year.”
Photosynthesis and stored carbohydrates fuel early growth. Cool weather, sunshine and frequent rains help.
Cool-season grasses, fescue and orchardgrass will soon shift from growing leaves to making seeds.
“Producers must harvest grass, by grazing or haying, before seedheads emerge,” Kallenbach says.
Haying early makes fewer bales. But that makes fewer nutrition-empty bales to store and move for winter feeding. Late-baled hay contains stems, seeds and empty leaves. To cows, hay made in June or July tastes like straw, not grass.
Learn more about why the best hay is made in May by reading the full release online.
Five-county West Texas Livestock and Range Conference Slated for May 21 in Big Spring
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will conduct the West Texas Livestock and Range Conference from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. May 21 at the Broughton Agriculture Complex on the Howard College campus in Big Spring.
The annual event this year involves the AgriLife Extension offices in Glasscock, Martin, Upton, Howard and Reagan counties.
The morning session’s topics include an Akaushi update, a look at traditional, specialty and niche cattle markets; toxic plants and water, estate planning, parasite control, future cattle market outlook, cost of pregnancy, implications for heifer management, and laws and regulations.
Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units — one laws and regulations and two general — will be offered.
Individual preregistration is $20 if received at the AgriLife Extension office in Glasscock County by May 15, and is $25 thereafter. The fee includes the noon meal.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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