Farm Progress

Breeding soundness key for cattlemenHerd management featured Sept. 23Toxic Plant ID meeting in sonoraOverton center expands programs thanks to generous support

Ron Smith 1, Senior Content Director

September 6, 2016

3 Min Read
<p>The Managing the Beef Herd Sept. 23 program will also will include a tour of Circle X Ranch operations at Camp Cooley.</p>

Four new reports from Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension offer Southwest cattlemen information on herd management, a look at what a recent donation to the Texas A&M AgriLife Research programs in Overton will mean to the livestock and other ag industries and an upcoming opportunity to learn about toxic plants in rangelands.

 

Breeding soundness is crucial factor in cattle herd success

It’s a process that should be as basic as taking a soil test before planting seeds.

Unless a cattle producer knows the breeding soundness of his herd, he can’t predict how productive the herd will be. And not knowing can cost a lot of money in lost revenue.

Stan Bevers, AgriLife Extension economist in Vernon, who retired after 27 years in late August, discussed the importance of breeding soundness at the recent 62nd Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course in College Station.

 

Cattle producers learn about managing the beef herd Sept. 23

A Managing the Beef Herd program scheduled Sept. 23 in Franklin, Texas, will feature “an elite group of experts,” who will evaluate the cattle market, winter feeding options, and pesticide laws.

Attendees also may participate in a contest to help sharpen their management skills. Prizes will be awarded to those with the highest scores. The program also will include a tour of Circle X Ranch operations at Camp Cooley.

 

Toxic Range Plant identification

Sometimes livestock producers mistake toxic plant poisoning with disease or parasite infections. The misdiagnosis can be costly.

A Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Toxic Range Plant workshop schedule Sept. 22 in Sonora, will offer information on toxic plant identification.

Program developers say weather patterns may affect toxic plant infestations and livestock consumption and losses.

“While many of us know the ‘usual suspects’ when it comes to toxic plants, many cases of livestock poisoning are misdiagnosed and blamed on disease or parasites,” says Pascual Hernandez, AgriLife Extension agent in Sutton County. “Our goal is to bring producers up to date on our area’s current toxic plant status.”

Topics will include Identification of toxic plants, integrated pest management strategies, and understanding the clinical signs of poisoning in livestock.

For the latest on southwest agriculture, please check out Southwest Farm Press Daily and receive the latest news right to your inbox.

 

Overton Research gets more support from Bruce McMillan Jr. Foundation.

With support from longtime benefactor Bruce McMillan Jr. Foundation, Texas A&M AgriLife Research programs in Overton will incorporate a 446-acre farm on Texas Highway 135 east of Overton into research and outreach programs. The foundation also will provide funds each year to support the expanded activities.

The Overton station works across many diverse disciplines to provide innovations to crop, livestock and urban clientele. Plant breeding has resulted in the release and licensing of numerous forage cultivars adapted to East Texas and the Coastal Plains states of the South.

Other efforts include grazing management, including nutrient cycling. Overton center researchers also study the effects of early puberty, temperament and stress on the growth, reproduction and health of tropically adapted beef cattle.

About the Author(s)

Ron Smith 1

Senior Content Director, Farm Press/Farm Progress

Ron Smith has spent more than 40 years covering Sunbelt agriculture. Ron began his career in agricultural journalism as an Experiment Station and Extension editor at Clemson University, where he earned a Masters Degree in English in 1975. He served as associate editor for Southeast Farm Press from 1978 through 1989. In 1990, Smith helped launch Southern Turf Management Magazine and served as editor. He also helped launch two other regional Turf and Landscape publications and launched and edited Florida Grove and Vegetable Management for the Farm Press Group. Within two years of launch, the turf magazines were well-respected, award-winning publications. Ron has received numerous awards for writing and photography in both agriculture and landscape journalism. He is past president of The Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association and was chosen as the first media representative to the University of Georgia College of Agriculture Advisory Board. He was named Communicator of the Year for the Metropolitan Atlanta Agricultural Communicators Association. More recently, he was awarded the Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award by the Texas Plant Protection Association. Smith also worked in public relations, specializing in media relations for agricultural companies. Ron lives with his wife Pat in Johnson City, Tenn. They have two grown children, Stacey and Nick, and three grandsons, Aaron, Hunter and Walker.

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