Grazing Systems

Kochia – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Thu, 24 May 2012 18:42:00 +0000

For many cattlemen, kochia is a fact of life. That can be a good thing, if you manage your kochia pastures correctly. If you don’t, it can quickly turn into a major forage-related wreck.

Considerations On Pasture Rental Costs

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:44:00 +0000

iGrow.com

New demands for corn, such as ethanol production and growing export markets, have increased the price of corn, and the repercussion has been increased costs of virtually all other feedstuffs. Through both direct and indirect influences, this has also driven land prices and rental rates up, including range and pasture land. Thus, one of many rapidly escalating portions of rising annual cow costs is the cost to rent grass.

Preparing For Heat Stress In Cattle

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:52:00 +0000

iGrow.com

Summer heat waves pose a serious danger to cattle. It’s not only the death loss, but also the loss in performance and the potential for poorer reproductive performance of bulls and breeding females caused by heat stress that cause economic harm to beef producers. Taking some steps now to plan ahead will put producers in a better position to deal with heat waves when and if they occur.

What Is Good Grazing Management?

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:56:00 +0000

In the April issue, I described four ecosystem functions: water cycle, mineral cycle, energy flow and biological succession. Our grazing management can have a profound effect on these functions, with the results either improving or diminishing the land’s health and productivity.

Strategic Planning For The Ranch

U.S. Farmland Price Boom To Slow, But Not Plateau

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:25:00 +0000

Reuters

The surge in farmland prices, which doubled in a decade amid an agricultural boom, should cool in the coming year as prices bump against the ability of cropland to pay for itself.

How Much Can You Pay For Land?

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:30:00 +0000

One of the biggest challenges facing producers today is the rising cost of land. In fact, I recently read that the price of land is the number-one concern of young farmers and ranchers today, with many finding it nearly impossible to compete against established ranchers and obtain the necessary credit to make the purchase. And, once a purchase is made, does the investment pencil out?

BEEF Daily

High-Sugar Grass Increases Pasture Grazing Gains

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:52:00 +0000

By Meghan Sapp

Across the pond in the United Kingdom (UK), there’s a quiet revolution going on that means cow-calf producers – along with their dairy and lamb brethren – are feeding less while making more profits. Live-weight gains are 20% higher than the “old” way, so it’s no wonder the revolution in getting a lot of attention.

Free-Range Cow Rams Woman On Bike

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:35:00 +0000

The Blaze

These days there’s often a lot of talk of the benefits of free-range farm animals. But for one Fresno, CA, woman, the more animal-friendly rearing technique could have turned deadly. A free-range cow charged her while she was cycling, causing her to fly 30 ft. down a hill off her bike.

Ranchers Sing The Praises Of Mob Grazing of Cattle

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:28:00 +0000

Heather Smith Thomas

Gary Wofford, Kevin Fulton, Chad Peterson, Greg Judy and Mark Brownlee are “mob” men – mob grazing, that is. The term refers to short-duration, high-intensity grazing of many cattle on a small area of pasture, moved several times a day to new forage.

In Search Of 300-Day Grazing

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:10:00 +0000

Never in history have the costs of feed, fertilizer and fuel increased so dramatically over such a short period,” says Tom Troxel, University of Arkansas (UA) Extension beef cattle specialist.