When it rains, this country is the Garden of Eden.” And when it doesn’t? Well… Wayne Cockrell should know. In his 12 years as manager of the Carter Ranch near Oakwood, TX, halfway between Dallas and Houston, he’s seen the Trinity River bottomland at its very best and its very worst – all within 24 months....More

After losing a court battle, some ranchers in southwestern South Dakota are asking the legislature for help in dealing with prairie dogs that leave public land and invade their private ranches. Charles Kruse of Interior says the damage from prairie dogs has decreased in recent years because many of them died from plague, but ranchers want to change state law to make sure the state is required to help control prairie dogs or give financial help to ranchers hurt by invading critters....More

John Koski is itching to pick up his rifle after losing dozens of cows to hungry wolves on his farm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula — and it appears he'll soon get his chance. A legal shield that has protected gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region for nearly four decades has now disappeared, as the animal is no longer on the federal endangered species list. With that milestone, a primal struggle that was waged in this rugged backcountry for more than a century will resume, although in a more restrained fashion....More

Ice on the windshield is a reminder that winter is growing closer....More

U.S. range and pasture conditions “improved” last week. At least, they improved if one measures current conditions as a drop in the percentage of acres rated in poor or very poor condition for the first time since the first week of JUNE!...More

The Southwest hasn’t had to endure all the 12 plagues of Egypt this growing season but they’ve had enough to test most folks’ religion just with dust, wind, drought and wildfires that, all combined, will result in millions of dollars of crop losses before harvests conclude....More

Many poisonous plants emerge in the early spring before grasses begin to grow. During cool wet springs, poisonous plants often gain an advantage over the grasses and if livestock are turned out too early poisoning may occur. BEEF provides this tool to help you understand and prevent cattle toxicity....More

Every spring I get questions from producers about fertilizing their pastures with nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K)....More

It’s worth your time to listen to the old timers, says David Graham; they’ve earned their wisdom through hard experience. Graham learned the value of old timers shortly after he came to the northeastern corner of New Mexico in 1967 as a newly minted county Extension agent...More