Mesquite trees, everyone’s favorite “trash” tree. It can provide us with some really good firewood but it does pose some problems for range managers.
Despite being viewed by some as a poor quality rangeland plant a mesquite does have some benefits. One such benefit is that it can provide both food and cover for wildlife and livestock. Also, since it is classified as a legume it has the ability to fix nitrogen back into the soil.
Despite it’s benefits if it is left unmanaged it can dominate a rangeland. This will choke out any grass that you may have in the pasture providing less for your animal to eat. With it also being a very thirsty plant it will also suck your place dry if you let it get out of hand.
The thing to remember is that complete eradication is not possible but getting them under control is. Here are 5 steps that you can follow to do this.
Spring weather has finally arrived to many parts of the country. The snow (if you got any) has started to melt away and things are starting to grow again.
It is that time of year again: Spring Calving season. Calving season can be one of the busiest times of year for cattle producers. Along with being busy it is also one of the most important times of the year.
Having the right replacement heifers is important for long term profitability of any ranch. It is necessary to be able to rotate the breeding stock out to improve the overall genetic pool. Also cows will get to a point that they will get to be too old to breed any more. When this happens you will need to have new stock to take their place.
A protein tub is a very good way to provide extra nutrition when needed. One benefit is that once you have placed it in the pasture you don’t need to check it every day. This is helpful for those that may have a job back in town.
Feed costs remain the single largest expense for any cattle producer. This expense can easily be half of the total annual expenses for a rancher.
Looking out onto a field of perfectly rolled hay bales is a beautiful sight to see. It is even more impactful if you are the one that baled them. Can feel yourself filling with pride on a job well done.
Anyone involved in cattle production is aware of the danger of internal parasites in cattle. Internal parasites, such as lung worms and coccidia, live in the gastro-intestinal tracts of cattle. They will cause decreased production and in some cases even death.
Having a good summer pasture management plan in place can save you a lot of headaches later on. It will give you a chance to put out any potential fires, not literally, before they can occur.
Will your cattle meet their mineral requirements this summer?
