Land and Livestock Post

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDBRYAN, TX 77802PERMIT # 23

JAMES THOMPSONStraight from the horse's mouth.PAGE 3




September 2013—

To apply ornot to apply?XXXXXXXXXXXXXXPAGE 12

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDBRYAN, TX 77802PERMIT # 23

EDUCATING HUNTERSState intorduces a streamlined process.PAGE 5

BE FRUITFUL2nd annual Texas Fruit Conference starts Sept. 30.PAGE 8

SURVIVING BADWEATHERStudy shows early calf weaning can boost profits.PAGE 10

GOOD EATSState Fair of Texas picks the best new fried foods.PAGE 18

September 2013— Issue 2

What the hay?Getting themost from your feedPAGE 14

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Another summer hascome and gone, and Istill don’t have a tan.

My heritage is mostly Irish,andwe’re not exactly a tropi-cal folk.

But givenmy two op-tions— paleor bright-redand burned— I’ll stickwithmy lilly-whiteness.

I spendplenty of time outdoors, andeven go to the pool now andagain, but without sunscreenthe result is akin to a brisket inthemicrowave.

But with summer prettymuch over, I just have to wait abit and I’ll fit in with everyoneelse as their bronze fades away.

In our feature story we havesome tips that can keep youfrom getting burned when itcomes to buying hay.We lookat the selection process and

what you should look for to en-sure you get what you need foryour herd.

We also have a few storiesabout wildlife and some aboutcattle, and even one about foodat the State Fair.

So, it’s a pretty goodmix. Ihope you find something youlike,

Thanks for reading.’Til next time.

From theGeneralManager

JESSE WRIGHT

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NewsBuck Country Classic Wildlife Expoand Cattle Conference to be Sept. 21

Special to The Post

The Buck Country ClassicWildlifeExpoandCattleConfer-ence will be held Sept. 21 from5-8:30 p.m. at Franklin HighSchool in Franklin.The event, sponsored by

M&M Farm Supply, is free tothe public andwill offer vendorbooths, door prizes and a lightmeal.There will be guest speakers

as well as a cattle seminar.Special guests will be the

Priefert Boys from BackwoodsBloodline on he Sportsman’sChannel.The cattle seminar will run

from 5-6 p.m., followed by theopening of the expo and amealfrom 6-7:30 p.m.There will be the speakers

and and the awards ceremonyfrom 7:30-8:30 p.m.For more information, con-

tact the sponsor, M&M FarmSupply at 979-828-3516 or go towww.backwoodsbloodline.com.

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NewsSteamlinedTexashuntereducationprocessapproved

Special to The Post

Starting this fall,newhunterswhoneed tocomplete the state’s required hunter educa-tion will have expanded options designed tobemore convenient, flexible and accessible.The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commis-

sion has approved additional options forhunter education certification, including astreamlined, one-day basic course reducingthe mandatory hours of classroom instruc-tion from 10 to amaximumof six hours andcreating an option for anyone 17 or older totake the hunting safety training completelyonline.The new options should be available by

late September. The combination onlinehomestudyand four- tofive-hour skillsfieldday course still will be offered, aswell as ad-vancedhuntereducationavailableaspartofhigh school and college courses.Anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971,must suc-

cessfullycompleteahuntereducation train-ing course or purchase a one-time deferralgood for one license year in order to huntlegally in Texas.Based on 16 pilot classes held earlier this

summer to assess newoptions, the core cur-riculumof thestreamlinedcoursebringsan

evensharper focusonthekeyreasonbehindthe training requirement: improved huntersafety. Since mandatory hunter educationfirst started in 1988, the number of huntingaccidentsandhunting fatalitieshasdeclinedsteadily to less than three per 100,000hunters.The basic course will cover only

essential skills of safe, legal andethical hunting.

To pass the currentcourse options, studentsmust get 70 percentcorrect if they takethe traditionaltwo-day courseor 80 percentif they takethe courseonline. Underthe new system,the passing gradefor all options will bea minimum score of 75 per-cent.Totakethe freehuntrsafety e d u c a -

tion course online, go to www.hunter-ed.com/texas/.Thecertification isvalid for lifeandishon-

ored in all other states and provinces.

Special to The Post

AUSTIN— Texas dove huntersshould see plenty of opportuni-

ty this fall as conditions areshaping up for an above

average season, ac-cording to the TexasParks and WildlifeDepartment. Dove

seasonkickedoffSept.1acrossmostof thestate.Texas dove hunters

number upwards of 250,000and collectively bag between 5-6

milliondovesduringthe70-daysea-son. Thanks to new rules approvedby theU.S.FishandWildlifeServicethis year, hunters can possess up to45 birds— three times the daily baglimit. Previously, the possessionlimit was twice the daily bag. Dailybag limits still apply.“For the last two decades, white-

winged dove populations have

steadily expanded both their num-bersandtheirgeographical extent,”said Dave Morrison, small gameprogram director with the TexasParks and Wildlife Department.“We believe, and the service agrees,an expansion is appropriate to takeadvantageof additionalhuntingop-portunities.”Dove season in the North and

Central zones will run concurrentfromSept. 1-Oct. 23 andDec. 20-Jan.5. TheSouthZone dove season is setfor Sept. 20-Oct. 27 and Dec. 20-Jan.20, with the regular season in theSWWDA Sept. 20-Oct. 23 and Dec.20-Jan. 20.According toShaunOldenburger,

Texas Park’s Dove Program leader,“It appears thatbreedingdovenum-bershave increased fromlastyear inmany regions of the state,” he said.“Increased precipitation helped im-provedoveproductionandgenerateample food supplies. It should be agood season.”

An above-average dove season

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Sale Management:Roy SchwakeOffice: 903-338-2117Mobile: 214-542-8162Fax: [email protected]

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NewsQuail show increase in numbers after 2010 decline

By John DavisTexas Tech University

The well-worn, topless Jeeppulls out of the carport by thehorse barn and starts down adirt trail flanked by sage andmesquite.

Asthewheelsbounceoverthesandy terrain of his 6,000-acrequail ranch in Stonewall Coun-ty, Rick Snipes starts out seek-ing the familiar and iconic birdcall. The ranch sits in an areaknown for some of the nation’sbest quail hunting.

Only 7:30 a.m., and alreadythe air hangs heavy with heaton this bright June morningin West Texas — a harbingerof the strangling temperatureto come. Weathermen havewarned to prepare for 105 de-grees on this day, and Snipeswonders how lucky the groupwill be at tracking its quarry.

He pulls into a meadow andshuts off the engine. Sitting si-lent for a bit, the bird rings outand heads turn to detect its lo-cation.

“Bob-white!”“That’s a beautiful sound,”

Snipes says as he scans theground.Thecall isclose,andthebrown-and-white bird appearsfromthegrassclose to theJeep.Numbershave improvedslowlythis summer, both on his ranchand in other parts of the state.But they’re still nowhere nearthe anticipated bumper crop of2010 that seemed to almost van-ish prior to the opening day ofhunting season.

In June of that year, Snipessaid so many quail called in themornings that he couldn’t eventell how many were in the area.Forthepast20years, the formerinsurance executive cleanedup his over-grazed patch of Big

Countryandsculpted it into theperfect quail habitat. It seemedall his hard work paid off, andheawaitedanexcellenthuntingseason by October.

That never happened.By August, the silence was

deafening. The bobwhite hadevacuated Snipes’ featheredEden. Stumpedand concerned,hecheckedwithotherranchersaround him. They, too, had losttheir birds. It made no sense,he said, because his carefullyplanned ranch had sustainedso many bobwhites only a fewmonths prior.

Soon, hunters, landownersand state officials realized theyhad a population crisis on theirhands. Throughout the Plainsregion of Texas, Western Okla-homa and even into Kansas,quail had flown the coop. Someestimated between 70 and 90percent of bobwhites had dis-appeared.

Not only did this mean badnewsforthebirds,butalsoruralareas that cash in during quailseason would feel the negativeeconomic impact. Quail hunt-ers in Texas spent an averageof $8,600 dollars in pursuit ofquail in 2010, and half of thatwas spent in the destinationcounty, according to a TexasA&MAgrilifeExtensionsurveyof quail hunters in Texas.

The Rolling Plains Quail Re-search Ranch, of which Snipeswas a founding member andis now the current president,responded to the crisis. Theranch’s foundation receivesprivate donations from quailhunters and Park Cities Quail,aDallas-basedconservationor-ganization.

The organization originallywas conceived to fund sciencethatwouldhelplandownersbet-

ter manage the quail on theirproperty. Then, studies donein 2009 and 2010 at the researchranchfoundhighlevelsof para-siticwormsprior to andduringthe population decline. Thatprompted the ranch’s founda-tion to recruit scientists fromTexas Tech, Texas A&M andTexas A&M-Kingsville univer-sities to discover other possiblecauses that might play a role.

This culminated in a historiceffort to examine the role ofdiseases and parasites in thedecline of quail.

Dubbed“Operation Idiopath-

ic Decline” as a nod to doctor-speakforadeclineof “unknowncause,” the ranch’s foundationhasgivena totalof $2.75millionto fund the project. About halfthe proceeds have gone to TheInstituteof EnvironmentalandHuman Health at Texas Tech.

Scientists began looking foranswers on 35 ranches or wild-life management areas locatedin25counties inWestTexasand10inWesternOklahoma,aswellasat theRollingPlainsQuailRe-searchRanch’s4,700-acreranchnear Roby. Project organizersestimate the totalcoverageareaof this study includes about 19

million acres of land.In the past two years, scien-

tists have collected data from647birds.While theanswerstillremains elusive, some of thefactors they discovered in thelargest quail research projecteverundertakenhavesurprisedthem and landowners alike.

The good news is that popu-lations in most areas have ap-pearedtomakeasmall reboundduring the summer of 2013, thescientists say. Results fromthis summer’s collections andresearch could be the most tell-ing of the three-year effort.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photoDevastating fires in 2007 and a mysterious die-off in 2010 devastated the quail population in Texas.Researchers from Texas A&M University, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas Tech University are workingwith the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch to help quail populations recover.

For Rick Snipes, nothing beats quail hunting on his Texas ranchBy John Davis

Texas Tech University

For Rick Snipes, nothing beats quailhunting. Inside his home, photos andpaintings of bird dogs line the walls. Onone table, a lifelike carving made fromonepieceof woodportraysahawksittingon a fence post, quail in talon.

“Most of the people whose friendshipI really value Imet throughadog, a birdor a shotgun,” Snipes joked as he sat inthe shade of his porch.

For him, it’s not so much about thebird as it is about the hunt and the rela-tionship between man and dog. Snipes

also raises bird dogs and has a kennelwith 10 pointers and one setter.

“The magic for a quail hunter is thedog,” he said. “The bobwhite has an en-dearing characteristic, which is that itusually will hold for the dog. Bobwhitesexist in a covey. So when you find one,you find 15 or 20, and they behave for abirddogand that iswhatmakes thebob-white special.”

RearedinSouthCarolina,Snipesgrewup hunting quail. That was back whenquail populated that state in numberslargeenoughtobehunted, though.Sincethat time, the birds have vanished due

to human encroachment and habitatchange.

That loss of habitat and hunting op-portunity is what drove Snipes and hiswife to buy a ranch in the Rolling Plainsof Texas.Here, save for the barbedwire,cattleandlossof thebuffalo, the landhasremainedrelativelyunchanged,andvastnumbers of the birds thrived.

Snipes’homeisat theendof adirt trailflanked by sage and mesquite.

“The ranch, when we first boughtit, was probably typical of West Texas

Texas Tech University photoRick Snipes said, “The magic for a quailhunter is the dog.”

SeeQUAIL, Page 7

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ranches in the Rolling Plainsin that it was characterizedby ‘subsistence agriculture,’”Snipes said. “It was radicallyovergrazedandovergrownwithbrush in certain places. But atthe same time, birds were ev-erywhere. What that tells youis that we were living in a rainyperiod. A nice rainy spring for-gives almost all poor land man-agement, it seems. What we didwas look at the ranch and say,‘What can we do to make it abetter habitat for quail and forpeople?’”

He started by taking everycow off the land for six years

and allowed the native grassesto flourish. He thinned some ofthe brush, which in turn freedup more water for the grasses.Then, he kept a small herd ofcattle to graze at high intensityforshortperiods toemulatebuf-falo.

The practices worked amaz-ingly well, he said.

“The number of birds on thisranch defy belief most of thetime,” he said. “From 2001 to2008, we averaged finding fivecoveys an hour in good weath-erorbadweather, and thebirdswereeatingpurelynatural feed.That is remarkable in this dayand time.”

For 2010, it looked like an

unprecedented crop of birdsinhabited Snipes’ ranch. Eachmorning theair rangwith theircalls, and Snipes couldn’t waitfor hunting season.

“By September, we had nobirds to speak of,” he said. “Forevery 100 birds we expected tohave, we had four or five birds.Sowesaidtoourselves, likeany-one would, ‘What in the worldhappened here?’ Rather thanjust being quail hunters whoowned a ranch, we were fortu-nateenoughtobeinthepositionto do some research. We knewfor sure it wasn’t habitat, weknewforsure itwasn’tweather,so what was left was disease orparasites.”

Collaborative research seeks answers to quail lossby John Davis

Texas Tech University

Quailpopulationdeclinemaybe attributed to more than justhabitat.

With the number of birdsplummeting, theRollingPlainsQuail Research Ranch shiftedgears and funded OperationIdiopathic Decline to discoversome answers. In the project,researchers from The Instituteof Environmental and HumanHealth at Texas Tech Universi-ty, the ranch, Texas A&M andTexas A&M-Kingsville collectand share data with colleaguesat other institutions.

Dale Rollins said such a hugeproject could not have been ac-complished without adequatefunding, theacademicexpertisefrom the three universities andlogistical support. Many land-owners permitted scientists ac-cess to their lands for research.The Oklahoma Department ofWildlife Conservation proved avaluablepartner for study sitesin the Sooner State.

Normally, when researchersstudy population decline, themantra is to look solely at thehabitat.

Rick Snipes, Rollins and oth-ers suspected more than envi-ronment had caused the rapiddecline. Not every part of thestate experienced the sameproblems from the drought.On Snipes’ ranch, where everyavailable resource quail needstillabounded,habitatshouldn’thave been the problem.

Snipes and Rollins met withSteve Presley, an associate pro-fessorof environmental toxicol-ogy, and Ron Kendall, directoremeritus at the institute and

professorof environmental tox-icology. After touring the facil-ityanddiscussing the scientifictalent base available, Snipessaid if Texas Tech would buildthe lab, the ranch would fundthe program, donating $550,000into the lab itself.

The institute’s unique attri-butes as a lab dedicated to en-vironmental toxicologymade itthe perfect place to study whatmay be impacting the quail,Snipes said.

“The lab at Texas Tech was aseismicadvance fromwherewestarted,”hesaid.“Acentralizedreceiving lab where samplingcould be coordinated and tis-sue samples could be collected,catalogued, archived and dis-seminated to the researcherswas essential.”

With theRollingPlainsQuailResearchRanch’s fundingandastaffof three faculty, three staffmembers, 11 full-time gradu-ate students and 18 additionalresearchers from different col-

legesparticipating,KendallandPresley said the quail lab madeOperation Idiopathic Declinemore focused and capable offinding answers.

Quail researchAlabatTheInstituteof Envi-

ronmental and Human Healthisdedicated tostudyingvariousenvironmental factors impact-ing the quail.

“The quail populations inWest Texas, which has beenvery important as a speciesof interest for hunting, havedropped precipitously over thelast few years,” Kendall said.“We do not think it’s entirelyhabitat- or weather-related. Wethinkit’ssomeparasite,disease,contaminant or something tocause such a dramatic drop. Insomepartsof theRollingPlainsof West Texas, there may be upto 90 percent or more drop inpopulations. Historically, thisarea has been one of the great

bastionsof quailpopulations inthe nation and in Texas.”

Presley, a zoonotic diseaseresearcher in charge of thecentral receiving lab and dis-ease studies at the institute,said researchers at Texas Techhaven’t found a silver bulletyet. But they don’t expect tofind just one. In 2009, scientistsat Texas Tech discovered somequailpopulationshadexposureto West Nile and Newcastle dis-easeviruses.Hesuspectsmanyfactors culminated the decline.

“With this funding, we’re go-ing to expand the scope on ourquail population screening fordiseases spread by insects andticks,” he said. “Diseases, suchasWestNilevirus,maycompro-mise quail health enough thatthey don’t reproduce as well orcan’t escape predators as well.We’re going to expand our re-search to determine if quaildecline is related to arthropod-borne disease.”

Senior scientists and gradu-ate students trap and collecta vast array of data from bob-whites during August and Oc-tober each year, Presley said.Most are weighed, measuredand have blood drawn andother samples collected. Abouta quarter of birds sampled aresacrificed and flash-frozen forcomplete necropsy back at thecentral lab in Lubbock.

“Thecentral labhasafleet ofmobile laboratory trailers thatwe send out with the teams,”he said. “All of the sampleshave a code to identify wherethey came from and the datecollected. Sacrificed birds arenecropsied at [The Instituteof Environmental and HumanHealth] toassessgeneralphysi-

cal internal condition. All theorgansareextracted,examinedand weighed.

Heavy metalsSo far, scientists have found

interesting evidence of lead,mercury and pesticide residuein some of the tissues, Kendallsaid.Heavymetals in thebodiesof thequailcouldcause loweredimmune systems. That, pairedwith parasites and viruses,could be responsible.

“Lead in the femur bone andmercury is being seen in someof the quail muscle tissue,” hesaid. “In many of the birds, wesee the residues of DDE, whichis the residual of DDT. Theseare some of the early signalsof the things going on. One ofthemost interesting things thatwe’veseenisthepresenceof eyeworms,whichareparasites thatoccupy the eyes of quail. Whatis interesting is that we see asignificant number of the quailin the Rolling Plains with eyeworms. In South Texas, almostnone are seen. There are vari-ous investigations going on tosee what this means. We’re get-ting reports of quail flying intofences andflying intobuildingsorhittingcarsanda lotof timeswe’re seeing eye worms. Theseworms could impair the birds’abilitytoescapefromapredatoror find food.”

Rollins said scientists alsofound high numbers of cecalworms in the lower gut of thequail. While these parasitesaren’t thought to be overlydangerous, the unusually highnumbers found in birds fromthe study could impair diges-tion, especially in the winter.

Texas Tech University photoResearchers analyze quail tissue to identify the cause of the population decline.

Quail, from Page 6

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NewsSecondannualTexasFruitConference tobeginSept.30

By Kathleen PhilliPsTexas A&MAgriLife Extension Service

COLLEGE STATION — The secondannualTexasFruitConferencewillofferinformation for both novice and experi-enced growers, said organizerswith theTexasA&MAgriLifeExtensionService.

“While this conference is intended toassist commercial fruit producers, thematerials presented will also be help-ful to homeowners and gardeners whosimply want to grow fruits and nuts forhome consumption and pleasure,” saidMonte Nesbitt, AgriLife Extension hor-ticulturist of College Station, one of theconference organizers.The conference will be Sept. 30 and

Oct. 1. An additional Texas High Tun-nel Conference will be offered on Oct. 2for thosewhowantmore informationonthat type of growing system.The fruit conference begins at 1 p.m.

Sept. 30 at the Best Western Atrea Ho-tel in Old Town Center, 1920 Austin’sColony, Bryan.Onlinepreregistrationatbit.ly/1ctfiDz

is $80 for the fruit conferenceand$55 forthe high tunnel conference, or $125 forboth. At-the-door registration for the

fruit conference will be $90. People alsocan register by phone at 979-845-2604.

Nesbitt said experts will present thelatest information on new Texas A&MAgriLife peach and nectarine varieties,commercialgrapeopportunities,assess-ing and coping with insufficient winter

chilling, stone fruitdiseasecontrol, foodsafety for fruit growers, brownmarmo-rated stink bug issues in Texas, black-berryproductionhistoryandmanagingPhytophthora root rot.New growerswill hear about basic is-

sues such as tree planting, orchard es-

tablishment, disease problem solving,and assessing orchard and vineyardnutrition.On Oct. 1, speakers will cover 12 top-

ics, including a statewide overview ofrenewed interest in commercial fruitcrops such as pomegranates.

TheTexasHighTunnelConferenceonOct. 2, sponsored inpart throughagrantby the University of Arkansas NationalStrawberrySustainability InitiativeandThe Walmart Foundation, will have ahalf dayof presentationsonstrawberryproduction and management for Texasgrowers, and a half day on other fruitsand vegetables in low-cost, frost protec-tionshelters, according toRussWallace,AgriLife Extension horticulturist inLubbock, conference organizer.

Wallace said the daylong conference,also will include talks on high tunnelsin the U.S. and around the world, con-struction techniques, crop and cultivarselection, pestmanagement, economicsandtheU.S.Departmentof Agriculture-NaturalResourcesConservationServicehigh tunnel programs for growers.TexasDepartmentof Agriculturepes-

ticidecontinuingeducationunitswill beoffered at both events.

Texas A&MAgriLife Extension Service photoBlackberries in Texas will be among the topics of the Sept. 30-Oct. 1 Texas Fruit Conference in Bryan.

Beef Cattle Educational Program to be Sept. 18By Paul schattenBergTexas A&MAgriLife Extension

Service

FLORESVILLE—TheTexasA&M AgriLife Extension Ser-vice in Wilson County, in co-operation with the Texas FarmBureau, will present the “FallBeef Cattle Educational Pro-gram” from 6-8:30 p.m Sept. 18in Floresville.The program will be held at

theWilson County Show Barn,435 U.S. 97 E.

“This is a free educationalprogram presented by WilsonCountyFarmBureauandAgril-ife Extension in Wilson Coun-ty,” said Bryan Davis, AgriLifeExtensionagent foragricultureand natural resources.“This is a critical time for

beef cattle producers to beginpreparing for how to meet thenutritional requirements oftheir herd through the fall andwinter.“The program will provide

useful and timely informationon this topic.”Registration will be from

6-6:30 p.m., followed by a shortintroduction by TomOrtmann,president of Wilson CountyFarmBureau, and Davis.

The program will begin at6:40 p.m. with a comprehensive

presentation by Rick Machen,AgriLife Extension livestockspecialist inUvalde, titled“Win-ter 2013—Holding onwithHayandMirror,Mirror…WhatLiesJust Ahead?”“Dr. Machen will provide

information on forage and hayrequirements for producers toget cattle through the 2013 falland winter,” Davis said. “Hewill also give a winter marketoutlook.”

OneTexasDepartmentof Ag-riculture continuing educationunit is offered in the generalcategory.While there is no charge for

the program, seating is limit-ed, so attendees are requestedto RSVP to the Wilson CountyFarm Bureau Office at 830-393-2481.For more information on the

program, contact Davis at [email protected].

Texas A&MAgriLife Extension Service photo by Robert BurnsA beef cattle education program focusing on fall and winter forage preparation willbe held Sept. 17 in Floresville.

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NewsUSDAstudyshowsbenefitsofweaningcalvesearly

By Sandra avantSpecial to The Post

It pays to wean calves earlywhensevereweatherconditionssuchasdroughthinderbeef cat-tleproduction,U.S.Departmentof Agriculturestudiesconfirm.During drought, limited for-

age for livestock grazing canrestrict calf growth, resultingin lightercalf weaningweights.Droughtalsomaycausecowstolosebodyweightandmayweak-en their immune functions, re-ducing their overall health andreproductive performance.Animal scientist Richard

Waterman, at the AgriculturalResearch Service’s Fort KeoghLivestock and Range ResearchLaboratoryinMilesCity,Mont.,examinesmanagementoptionstominimizetheeffectsof severedroughtonrangeland livestockproduction. The AgriculturalResearch Service is USDA’sprincipal intramural scien-tific research agency, and thisresearch supports the USDA

priority of promoting interna-tional food security.Workingwith local ranchers,

MontanaStateUniversityscien-tists and American SimmentalAssociation collaborators inBozeman, Mont., Watermanevaluated the early weaningof beef calves and its impact

Photo courtesy of USDAWhen drought limits forage, it can bemore productive for cattle ranchers towean calves earlier.

SeeWEAN, Page 25

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Preventingrespiratoryacidosis innewborncalvesBy Glenn Selk,

Oklahoma State University

Wehavepreviouslydiscussedthe research that indicates thatthe average length of time thata mature cow is in stage 2 ofcalvingis lessthanhalf anhour.Theaverage lengthof time thatafirstcalf 2-yearold is instage2of labor is about an hour.Remember stage 2 of calving

is considered the time fromthe first appearance of a waterbag and ends when the calf isdelivered completely. Whathappens if a cow or heifer isallowed to stay in labor for amuch longer time?Everybaby calf has a certain

degree of respiratory acidosis.Acidosis is the result of the de-privation of oxygen and the ac-cumulation of carbon dioxidethat results fromthepassageofthecalf throughthebirthcanal.Theexcessof carbondioxidere-sults in a build-up of lactic acid(therefore the acidosis.)Inorder to correct the lackof

oxygenandtheexcessof carbondioxide and its by-products, thehealthy calf will pantvigorous-ly shortly after birth. The pant-ingwill allow the calf to take inmore oxygen and release morecarbon dioxide and the bloodgasconcentrations soonreturnto normal.Some calves, if they have

been subjected to a lengthystage 2 of calving, may be slug-gish and slow to begin this cor-rective process.Depending on the severity of

the respiratory acidosis, totalcorrection may take place toolate to prevent some damage tokey organs.Oxygen deprivation to the

brainmayresult inwhatranch-ers have termed “dummy”calves.In moderate respiratory

acidosis, the calf may be slowto rise to its feet and thereforeslow to find the teat and nurse.Colostrumintake in thefirst sixhoursof life iscritical to thedis-easedefenseof thecalf andany

delay in the intakeof colostrummay reduce the amount of pas-sive immunity that the calf re-ceives from its mother.

Compounding theproblem isthe ongoing acidosis.Research has shown that

calves that are acidotic will be

less able to absorb the antibod-ies that are contained in thecolostrum, even if it is ingestedon time.As we observe cows and es-

pecially first calf heifers in thisfall calving season, it is to oureconomic advantage to save asmany calves as possible.Providing timely assistance

to a cow or heifer strugglingwith the delivery process canbeimportant ingettingthemostpossible calves to market nextyear at sale time.

Special to The PostCalves in stage 2 labor more than one hour can suffer from respsiratoryacidosis and may need help to be born.

NEW YORK (AP) — Merckis suspending sales of its cattlefeed additive Zilmax in the U.S.and Canada while it studies apossible link between Zilmaxand lameness in cattle.MerckandCo. saidonAug. 30

that stopping sales will allow itto set up a study protocol andfollow certain cattle to find outpossiblecausesof lamenessandother mobility problems. The

company also plans to reviewother possible factors such asnutrition and transportationof the cattle.Zilmax is mixed into food

and is used to bulk up cattlebefore they are slaughtered. Ithas been on the market in theU.S. since 2007 and is one of twosupplements approved for thatpurpose. Theproducts canhelpfeedyards get roughly 25 morepounds of beef from each car-cass.They’vebeen increasinglyused to offset dwindling cattleherdnumbers, especially in theface of last year’s drought.Zilmax is the more potent of

the two, and requires a three-day withdrawal period prior toslaughter.Merck reported $159 million

in U.S. and Canadian sales ofZilmax in 2012.TysonFoodssaidAug.9 that it

would stopbuyinganimals thatwere fed Zilmax, citing expertswhosaiditmaybecausingcattletobecomelame.Tyson,based inSpringdale, Ark., is one of thenation’s largestbeef processors.It said its decision, to take effectstarting Sept. 6, was based onconcernsaboutanimalwelfare,not food safety.Merck has said it doesn’t be-

lieve Zilmax is the cause of theproblems. “We believe in thescience that supports Zilmax.”

Merck suspends Zilmax sales

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NewsSept.19 training inKilleen to focusonNolanCreekBy Paul SchattenBergTexas A&MAgriLife Extension

Service

KILLEEN — A Texas Wa-tershed Steward workshop onwater quality issues relatedto Nolan Creek will be heldfrom 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 19 atTexasA&MUniversity-CentralTexas, 1001 Leadership Place,Killeen.The free training is open toanyoneinterestedinimprovingwater quality in theKilleenar-ea, saidprogramcoordinators.Participantsareencouragedtopreregister at tws.tamu.edu.The workshop is sponsoredbytheTexasA&MAgriLifeEx-tension Service and the TexasStateSoil andWaterConserva-tionBoardas part of theTexasWatershed Steward program,and is being held in coordina-tion with the Texas Institutefor Applied EnvironmentalResearch.“The workshop is designedto help watershed residentsimprove and protect their wa-ter resources and gain a betterunderstanding of how waterquality inNolanCreek isbeingmanaged,” said Lyle Zoeller,AgriLife Extension agent forBell County.“It will include an overviewof waterqualityandwatershedmanagement inTexas, but pri-marily focus on water qualityissues relating toNolanCreek,including current efforts tohelp improve and protect thisimportantwaterbody,”Zoellersaid.“Nolan Creek extends fromits headwaters northwest ofKilleen to its confluence withthe Leon River just south ofBelton,” said Nikki Jackson,senior project and policy di-rector with the environmen-tal research institute. “NolanCreek is an important part ofthe area, having been used forrecreation and also serving asawildlifehabitat formanyspe-cies.”The training will include adiscussion of watershed sys-tems, types and sources ofwater pollution and ways toimprove and protect waterquality. There also will be agroupdiscussiononcommuni-ty-drivenwatershedprotection

andmanagement.“Nolan Creek is on the statelist of impaired waters for el-evated levelsof bacteria”Jack-son said. “It first appeared onthat list in 1996 and currentefforts are aimed at furtherassessing the extent of the im-pairment.”Jackson encouraged stake-holders to attend the TexasWatershed StewardWorkshopto learn about the dangers ofwater pollution and how to be-come involved inwaterqualityprotection efforts.Participants will receive acopy of the Texas WatershedSteward Handbook and a cer-tificateof completion.Thepro-gramalsoofferssevencontinu-ing education units in soil andwater management for certi-fied crop advisors, seven unitsfor professional engineers and

certified planners, and sevencontinuing education creditsfor certified teachers.The workshop also offersthree general continuing edu-cation units for Texas Depart-ment of Agriculture pesticidelicense holders, seven for cer-tified landscape architects andthree for certified floodplainmanagers.“Participating in the TexasWatershed Steward training isa great opportunity to get in-volved and make a differenceinyourwatershed,” saidGalenRoberts, AgriLife Extensionprogramspecialist andcoordi-nator for the TexasWatershedSteward Program.Formore informationand topreregister,go to tws.tamu.eduorcontactGalenRobertsat979-862-8070, [email protected], or Lyle Zoeller at 254-933-

5305, [email protected] information aboutthe “Nolan Creek Assessmentof Water Quality and Water-shed Based Planning” project,visit www.tceq.texas.gov/wa-terquality/nonpoint-source/projects/.The Texas Watershed Stew-ardprogramis fundedthrough

a Clean Water Act nonpointsource grant from the TexasState Soil and Water Conser-vation Board and U.S. Envi-ronmental Protection Agency.

Texas A&MAgriLife Extension Service graphicA free TexasWatershed Steward training relating to water quality issues in and around Nolan Creek will be Sept. 19 in Killeen.

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PRAIRIE MINERAL CO.

Prairie Mineral Company is currently buying royalty and mineral interests in yourarea. Shoule you wish to consider the sale of your interests, please contact us.

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NewsA prairie chicken’s longjourney throughout IowaDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) —

The long, circularpath takenbya prairie chicken has surprisedIowaresearcherswhoarestudy-ing the bird as part of an effortto reintroduce the species toIowa.ThehenwasfittedwithaGPS

tracker and released April 4nearKellerton in south-centralIowa. It has logged nearly 1,200miles since, flying south intonorthern Missouri and backagain, as far north as GuthrieCounty in Iowa.Thebird seemsto have settled down in UnionCounty.Jen Vogel, a research associ-

ateat IowaStateUniversitywhohasmonitoredBirdNo.112, saidresearchersexpectedthebird totravel, but not nearly so far.“We did expect a range of

maybe50miles.Wereallydidn’texpect thisdistance,”Vogel toldTheDesMoinesRegister (dmreg.co/17555dG).The Iowa Department of

Natural Resources is studyingprairie chickens as it works to

reintroduce the species. Flocksof up to 30,000 of the birds oncegathered in Iowabut thespecieslargely was gone from the stateby the 1950s due to overhuntingand habitat loss.

BirdNo.112,whichcamefromNebraska, was among 10 thatwere fitted with GPS trackers.One bird shed the transmitterand the other eight were killedby predators.Vogel said no one knowswhy

the bird traveled so much, butone theory is that since it wasmoved from Nebraska, it waslooking for a suitable spot tocall home.“Wemight assume that since

shecamefromNebraskaandwemoved her to Iowa, she doesn’tknow where the appropriatehabitat might be,” she said. “Itseems like the bird is looking.”Scientists said prairie chick-

ens are an “umbrella species.”Thatmeans that efforts tobuildhabitat and grow the bird’spopulation will indirectly helpother species.

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News

HaynowSelecting,buyingand feedinghay

By RoBeRt FeaRsSpecial to The Post

Placing value on hay is critical to thesuccess of any cattle operation.The Next Generation Agricultural

Conference was held in Bryan duringMay and dealt primarily with financialrisk reduction. Placing value on hayfor a cattle operation was a selectedtopic because of the tremendous ex-pense in buying forage during thedrought.Jason Banta of the Texas A&M

AgriLife Extension Service at Overtonled the discussion andmost of thema-terial in this article is taken from hispresentation.

Selection and purchaseWhen buying hay, it always is wise

to ask for a nutrient analysis. Comparethe analysis results with the crude pro-tein and total digestible nutrients re-quirements of cattle, which are shownin Table 1. If there are not enoughnutrients in the hay tomeet animalneeds, the deficits will need to be filledby feeding supplements.If a nutrient analysis cannot be

obtained, ask when the haywas har-vested because time of year influenceswarm-season perennial grass quality.Digestible drymatter content of warm-season grasses is good in the spring,declines as temperatures increase andthen improves as temperatures coolin the fall. So the best quality hay isusually harvested in the spring andfall. Although the peaks and valleysof digestible drymatter content aresimilar amongwarm-season perennialgrasses, overall values vary among thedifferent grass species.Since good quality hay with high nu-

trient value is usually sold at a higherprice than low-quality hay, selectionsneed to be based on economics of thefeeding program. Is it less costly tobuy lower quality hay and supplementthan buy high quality hay that doesn’trequire supplementation?To answer this question, additional

information is needed. Is the require-ment a protein supplement or anenergy feed?What is the price of the

required supplements? How oftenwill the supplement need to be fed?Supplemental energy from total digest-ible nutrients should be fed every day,whereas protein supplementmay befed less frequently if certain guidelinesare followed.What is the distance between opera-

tions? This affects time and fuel costs.The best selection of hay quality basedon economics varies among ranches,so eachmanager needs to calculatewhat is most cost effective for his orher operation.

Bale weight, as determined by den-sity and size, affects hay value in addi-tion to nutrient content. To comparevalues of different loads of hay, dividethe cost per bale by the bale weight andmultiply by 2,000 to determine cost perton. The importance of doing these cal-culations is emphasized in Table 2.If all of the bales listed in Table 2

are being offered for sale at $50 perbale, price per ton changes dramati-cally with differences in bale size andweight.To further determine hay value, cal-

culate its nutrient cost.Let’s assume that the nutrient analy-

sis of hay showed it to contain 14 per-cent crude protein and 60 percent totaldigestible nutrients. We calculated theprice per ton to be $90. Cost per poundof Crude protein and total digestiblenutrients is calculated by the followingsteps:2,000 pounds X 14 percent = 280

pounds of crude protein$90 ÷ 280 = $0.321 per pound of crude

Photo by Robert FearsHay wraps help conserve quality, but not as well as storing hay in a shed. The quality of the hay depends on several factors, which producers would be wise tolearn before purchasing hay for their herds. See photo, page 15.

See HAY, Page 16

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News

Photo by Robert FearsCompare nutrient content of your hay with the nutrient requirements of the cowbeing fed.

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Newsprotein2,000 pounds X 60 percent =

1,200 pounds of total digestiblenutrients$90 ÷ 1,200 = $0.075 per

pound of total digestible nu-trientsPer pound cost of crude

protein and total digestible nu-trients in hay can be comparedwith that in a bag of supple-ment to determine the bestvalue. Percent crude proteinin a sack of feed is listed on thetag, but percent total digestiblenutrients is not. You have tocontact themanufacturer forthe amount of total digestiblenutrients. If themanufacturercannot furnish this informa-tion, youmight want to con-sider switching to a differentproduct.Once percent crude protein

and percent total digestible nu-trients in the supplement areknown, the same calculations,as shown above, can be used todetermine the cost per poundof each nutrient. Calculating

cost per pound of nutrienthelps answer the question ofwhether buying low qual-ity hay and feeding a largeramount of supplement is moreeconomical than purchasingbetter quality hay and feedingfewer supplements.

FeedingHay is expensive regard-

less of the effort used to selectand purchase the best value.Obtainmaximum benefit fromyour investment by feeding inamanner tominimize waste.The right type and location offeeders are important in re-ducing feeding waste.“If round bale hay feeders

are used, be sure to selector purchase amodel with asheeted solid bottom,” saidDave Lalman, Oklahoma StateUniversity Beef Extensionspecialist.“Open bottom hay feeders

have been shown to waste asmuch as 21 percent of the orig-inal bale weight. The sheeted

Hay, from Page 14

See FEEDING, Page 17

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Newsbottom should reduce waste to around 12to 13 percent. Using a cone style feeder ormodified cone feeder with a sheeted bottomshould reduce waste to around 5 to 8 percentof the original bale weight.”

“A common practice is unrolling roundbales when feeding,” said Jason Cleere ofthe Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Serviceat College Station. “Don’t unroll the entirebale at one time. Unroll only what the cattleneed to eat in one to two days. Make themvacuum it up to prevent waste from tram-pling and fecal contamination.”

Feeding in one area destroys sod and usu-ally causes muddy conditions. In this situ-ation, feed on concrete or gravel to reducehay losses and eliminate some of the muddyconditions. Waste also can be reduced byfrequently moving the feeding sites to otherareas in the pasture.

Banta recommends feeding in an area ofthe pasture that is less productive. Organicmatter produced by the mixture of decom-posed hay, feces and urine helps improvesoil health in these areas and eventuallymakes them more productive.

To derive the best value from hay, selectquality that fits the herd nutrition program,buy at a price that provides good value andfeed with minimum waste.

Feeding, from Page 16

Photo by Robert FearsNutrient content is preserved when hay is stored under a roof. Using the proper feeder and location can make a difference, too.

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The Elite Simgenetic Sale of the Fall SeasonSponsored By The Heart of Texas Simmental/Simbrah AssociationSponsored By The Heart of Texas Simmental/Simbrah Association

October 12, 2013 1PM ▪ Drew Ranch Sale Facility ▪ 2 mi East of Hearne TX on FM 391

Contact Sale Manager:Roy Schwake214-542-8162 Cell903-338-2117 Ofc903-338-3214 Fax [email protected]

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TSSA Approved SaleView the sale catalog September 15, 2013www.texassimmentalsimbrah.com

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NewsFriedCubanroll,Thanksgivingdinner topFairhonors

By DIANA HEIDGERDAssociated Press

DALLAS — A fried Cubanroll filled with chopped hamandslow-cookedporkshoulder,cheese and pickles drew “BestTaste” honors at a State Fair ofTexas fried food contest.A Thanksgiving dinner of

stuffing, turkey and creamedcorn rolled into a ball anddeep-fried took“MostCreative”honors at the Big Tex ChoiceAwards.Athree-judgepanelonSept. 2

taste-testedeightfinalistsbeforeawarding the prizes.Other con-tenderswereadeep friedNutel-la, a deep fried King Ranch cas-serole and chicken-fried meat-loaf. were selected Sept. 2 by athree-judgepanel.Alleight foodfinalists will be for sale duringthe State Fair of Texas, whichruns Sept. 27 through Oct. 20,fair spokeswoman Sue Good-ing said.“We really dohave incredible

food,” Gooding said. “I wouldencourage people who come tothe fair to be prepared to sharethe treats so that you can tryevenmore.”The Southern-style meatloaf

slices are coated in chicken-

fried breading and then deepfried and served with garlicmashed potatoes, Texas creamgravy and a glaze for dipping.Among the other treats that

were up for the choice awardsinclude a deep-fried Nutellacream cheese and hazelnutspread on flaky dough sheets,that are rolled and deep fried.It’s served with honey andshaved almonds.Made in the shape of Texas,

Fernie’s deep-fried King RanchCasserole is a mix of meltedcheese dipped in an egg washand coated in bread crumbs.Another entry was million-

aire pie: sweetened cream-cheese filling with pineappleandTexaspecans, thenwrappedin a pie crust and deep fried.There’salsospinachdipbites,

which are coated with crispytortilla chips and then fried.For bacon lovers, the Texas-

fried fireball rolls pimentocheese, pickles, cayennepepperand bacon into a ball, which isthen dipped in buttermilk, cov-ered with a jalapeno-infusedbatter and deep fried.Lastyear’sBestTastewinner

wasafriedbaconcinnamonroll,and theMost Creative new foodin 2012 was deep-fried jamba-laya.

AP Photo/State Fair of TexasAbove, Southern style chicken fried meatloaf competed was one of eight finalists for the State Fair of Texas Big Tex ChoiceAwards. Opposite page, fried Thasnksgiving dinner was one selected as “Most Creative” in the fair’s fried food contest.

AP Photo/State Fair of TexasMillionaire pie was one of eight finalists for the State Fair of Texas Big Tex ChoiceAwards.Winners for Best Taste and Most Creative new foods were selected Sept. 2by a three-judge panel.A fried Cuban roll filled with chopped ham and slow-cooked pork shoulder, cheese and pickles drew “Best Taste” honors

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Saturday,September 21, 2013Franklin High School

1216 W. FM 1644Franklin, TX 77856

NewsThe

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Heart of Texas

SpecialReplacementFemale Sale

1,350 Headof Quality Replacement FemalesIncluding Pairs, Bred Cows,

Bred & Open Heifers

Saturday, Oct 5, 2013 • 12 NoonGroesbeck Auction & Livestock Co., Groesbeck, TX(Located 2 miles east of Groesbeck on Hwy. 164)

Sale Day Phone 254-729-3277

Certified f-1s, True F-1s,Brangus, Herefords,Brahmans and otherPremium qualityreplacements

This is a very choice setof replacement cattleconsigned by leadingcommercial ranches

throughout Texas. Cattlewill be palpated and sold inunifomly sorted groups tofit any cattleman’s needs.

For additional information contact:

Tom Johnson440 FM 246 • Wortham, TX 76693

903-599-2403 •Mobile 817-291-5121Listings of sale cattle will be available online

April 3rd at www.johnsoncattlemarketing.com

CATTLE MARKETINGNOHNSOJMotel Accommodations

Groesbeck - Express Inn & Suites, 254-729-3017Groesbeck - Best Western, 254-729-0077Mexia - Holliday Inn Express, 254-562-0005

Mexia

Marlin

Waco Groesbeck BuffaloHWY. 6 &164HWY. 164

HWY. 84

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Rural Land LoansCountry Home LoansFarm & Ranch LoansLivestock LoansEquipment LoansOperating CapitalLeasing

Bryan Credit Office1714 E. 29th Street

979.775.0404 | 877.775.0404CapitalFarmCredit.com

T E X A S ’ L A R G E S T R U R A L L E N D E R

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NewsCottonharvestwellunderway throughoutTexas

By RoBeRt BuRnsTexas A&MAgriLife Extension

Service

From the Gulf Coast toDallas, cotton harvesting. orpreparations for it, were going“fast and furious” at the startof September, according to aTexas A&M AgriLife Exten-sion Service expert.

“There’s going to be a lotof cotton coming out of thesefields in a fairly compressedperiod compared to mostyears,” said Gaylon Morgan,AgriLife Extension statewidecotton specialist in CollegeStation.

In the Upper Gulf Coast, thecotton harvest actually startedin mid- to late-August, but wasdelayed by rain. However, nowthe harvesting has actively re-sumed, Morgan said.

Coastal counties, such asMatagorda, are mostly fin-ished, with Wharton and Colo-rado making great progress,and harvest activities wereprogressing up through theCentral Texas Blacklands, hesaid.

“A lot of defoliating hasgone on in the past seven to10 days in the Blacklands,and will continue for thenext week,” he said in earlySeptember. “Harvesting hasbegun is some areas of theBlacklands, and will increasethis week.”

Without any tropical stormson the immediate horizon,Morgan expected the harvestin the southern half of thestate to continue with minimalissues.

“In many cases, we havetropical storms or fall weatherbringing more precipitationinto the Upper Gulf Coast andBlacklands, but we haven’thad that this year, which hasbeen great for timely harvestand should also keep the fiberquality up,” he said.

South Plains and RollingPlains cotton — at least thatwhich is irrigated — has madeprogress thanks to warmerweather, according to Morgan.

“Increased heat units thepast couple of weeks have al-lowed the crop to catch up onmaturity,” he said. “The badnews, they haven’t had muchmoisture.”

In the Rolling Plains, thecrop has been late but haslooked pretty good most of thesummer, but the dryland could

use more moisture, he said.“In most of the High Plains,

the dryland crop really doesn’texist, but the Rolling Plainsdryland crop was planted late,got some moisture and shouldmake a respectable crop,”Morgan said.

What could spoil the pros-pects for the High Plains andRolling Plains cotton would bean early freeze as the crop isstill a little behind in maturity,he said.

More information on thecurrent Texas drought andwildfire alerts can be found onthe AgriLife Extension Agri-cultural Drought Task Forcewebsite at agrilife.tamu.edu/drought/.

AgriLife Extension districtreporters compiled the follow-ing summaries:Central — The region was hot

and mainly dry, with a few show-ers over the Labor Day weekend.Stock water was becoming anissue in some areas. Grasshop-pers still had a presence, andarmyworms were found in a fewlocations. Corn and sorghumyields were good. Producers weredefoliating cotton. Pecan treeswere dropping nuts, and therewere reports of heavy aphid infes-tations. Hay fields showed little

growth. Livestock body conditionscores were declining due to thelack of grazing across the area.Coastal Bend — Many areas

received much-needed rain, bring-ing from 0.7 inch to 2 inches ofmoisture. The rain temporarily putthe cotton and soybean harvestson hold. Some grain sorghum andcorn were yet to be harvested.Most of the cotton being harvest-ed was showing below-averageyields. Sesame was beginning todry down, and the harvest was ex-pected to start within two weeks.Rice farmers continued to dealwith limited to no water from theLower Colorado River Authority.The harvest of the primary ricecrop was nearly finished, and withthe assistance of irrigation wells,some farmers have flooded forthe ratoon crop. Quality and yieldlooked good for the primary crop.Armyworm damage in pasturesand hay meadows was reportedin some areas. The rain greenedareas up, but growth of pasturegrasses remained minimal. Somehay was still being made, but itwas being fed almost as fast as itwas harvested as many pastureswere bare and out of grass. Pro-ducers continued supplementalfeeding of livestock and werebeginning to cull cows basedon performance. Black Spanish

grapes were delivered to the win-eries, which marked the end ofthe grape harvest. Most growersreported average yields of morethan four tons per acre.

East — The entire regionneeded rain as drought condi-tions continued to worsen. Thelack of rain, high temperaturesand winds, along with armyworminfestations, took their toll on haycrops and forages. Burn banswere in effect throughout the re-gion. Grasshoppers continued tobe a problem as well. Very littlegrazing was available to livestock,and some producers were alreadyfeeding hay. Lack of stock-watersupplies in pastures were alsoa problem. Despite the lack ofgrazing, cattle remained in goodcondition. Weaning and selling

of spring calves and cull cowscontinued. Field preparation forwinter pasture planting was slowdue to the drought.Far West — Days were hot and

dry and nights mild. Some areasreported scattered showers with atrace to 0.2 inch of accumulation.Where there was rain, grass wasgrowing rapidly. Area pasturesand rangeland without rain weredoing poorly. Grasshoppers werebeginning to cause problems incotton fields.

North — Soil-moisture levelswere very short in some areas.Pastures and rangeland weredeteriorating very quickly and live-stock watering ponds were drop-ping. Bermuda grass was turningbrown. Pastures in some countieswere grazed down to the pointwhere most producers had tostart heavily feeding supplemen-tal hay. Livestock showed signs ofheat stress. Local burn bans werebeing initiated across the region.Corn and grain sorghum growerscontinued to harvest, with above-average yields for both crops, andthe harvest was 80-85 percentcomplete in most counties and100 percent in others. Cottonwas beginning to open bolls inDelta County. Farmers there hada problem with sugarcane aphidson sorghum gumming up equip-ment.Panhandle — Temperatures

were hot and dry for most of theregion. Many producers wereeither planting or preparing toplant winter wheat. Irrigation oncorn was very active. Despite thedry conditions, corn looked prettygood. Irrigated grain sorghumwas doing well, but the drylandcrop was struggling to survive.The potato harvest was underway.Rangeland and pastures contin-ued to improve with the recentmoisture but were still mostly invery poor to poor condition. Cattlewere in good condition. Produc-ers were weaning spring calves

Texas A&M AgriLife ExtensionCotton harvesting has begun in some areas of the Blacklands and sped up the second week of Sep-tember, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

See COTTON, Page 27

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ROUNDOVERHEADFEED STORAGE BINS

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Southwest Fabricators580/326-3589 • Toll Free: 877/326-3574503 South Industrial - Hugo, OK 74743

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NewsActivists arehurting,nothelpingwildhorsesThefuror of lawsuit

threats, animal rightsterrorists, gesticulating

celebrity actors and ex-politi-cians traveling the countrysidelike Barnum and Bailey isfinally bringing out those whoreally havesomethingat stake inthe wildhorse/domestichorseslaughterissue.It is easy

for amoviestar orpolitician or animal rights ad-vocate to fall under the trancethat horses live forever andeventually go to horse heaven,because that is about as deepas they think. Their weak solu-tions to the abandoned horseproblem that they have helpedcreate are like ducks peeing ona forest fire.I don’t wish to ridicule them.

I appreciate their compassion,their concern for animals be-ingmistreated, and their wishthat horses wouldn’t die. Butthey live in a dreamworld.Buster, a life-long cowboy

and horse trainer takes it per-sonally when he sees picturesof starving, skeletal aban-doned horses. He says, “Thereare a lot more humanewaysfor a horse to die than starva-tion.”The “Wild HorseWreck” we

have created by not allowingthe Bureau of LandManage-ment to cull the herds of wildhorses and burros is as big afiasco as the Forest Service’smisguided policy of banningtimber and grazing in nationaland state forests. Oh, howwehave to learn the hard way.The American Indians have

always held the horse in highesteem ever since Coronadocrossed the border in 1535 andintroduced them to America.The horse is revered, valuedand used by them as chattel.But the Indians also take the

responsibility of caring for theherd and the land. They noware trying to talk to peoplewho live behind a desk about“nature’s balance.”The Navajo Nation in New

Mexico, the biggest tribe in the

United States, has joined theNational Congress of Indiansand other tribes in support ofhorse slaughter in the U.S. “We… can no longer support theestimated 75,000 feral horsesthat are drinking wells dry andcausing ecological damage tothe drought-stricken range,”its leaders say.They aren’t kiddin’ and they

knowwhat they’re talkingabout. Studies of cost to feedandmaintain one horse for ayear in a rescue, feedlot, sum-mer pasture, or refuge can beas low as $2,400 to $3,650. Us-ing the lowest estimate, $200/month or $2,400/year x 75,000horses comes to $1.8 million.Three of the entities actively

involved in preventing thehorse slaughter plant in NewMexico are ex-Gov. Bill Rich-ardson, movie star Robert Red-ford and the Humane Societyof the U.S.I have listened to their

speeches and read theirquotes. I do not doubt they aresincere. I don’t question theiremotional motives.I have yet, however, to hear

a viable solution for not justNewMexico’s impending cri-sis, but for our whole country’sequine catastrophe that wasthe result of cessation of horseslaughter plants.I would suggest that Rich-

ardson, Redford and the othersput their moneywhere theirmouth is. Gov. Richardson hashad some legal problems dueto shady politics, but I wouldguess he could come upwith$250,000. Redford has an esti-mated net worth of $170mil-lion, and in the recent budgetsof the Humane Society of theU.S., spending runs about $250million a year. They could anteup together andmake the firstdonation, $420million. Thatwill take are of the Navajos fortwo years.Well, we all know they don’t

intend to spend their ownmoney— they don’t care thatmuch.But the train is comin’ down

the track and they are standin’right between the rails andthey better turn around andsee it before it’s too late.

• Contact Baxter Black atwww.bax-terblack.com.

BAXTER BLACKOn the Edge ofCommon Sense

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Jesse Wright [email protected]

To advertise in MarketplaceContact:

ALL TYPES OF STRUCTURALSTEEL & PIPE

Steel Buildings979-589-23331-866-959-2333pioneerboys.com

Cleere Earthworks L.L.C.TEXAS A&M CLASS OF ‘02

Land Clearing • Ponds • Roads • PadsDozer • Excavator • Scraper • Dump Truck

979-324-8746Travis Cleere

www.cleereearthworks.com

Bryan Credit Office979.775.0404 | 877.775.0404

CapitalFarmCredit.com

Solid Rock RanchAngus Bulls

Twos and coming twos.One breeding season guarantee.AI sires include In Focus, CAREfficient, Danny Boy, Mainline

& Retail Product.Matt Jones. Franklin, TX.979-777-7571, 979-828-3410www.solidrockranch.com

BRAHMAN BULLS/HEIFERS

Anthony Kubicek(979) 324-7391 cell.(979) 567-4201 ranch.Email: [email protected]

22 – 24 Month OldOpen Brahman Heifers Ready to Breed.

Good Selection of GentleBreeding Age Bulls Available.

Registered Gray Brahmans • F1 Brafords

To advertise in MarketplaceContact:

Out ThereGet Your Name

36th Annual CattlemanBull & Female SaleJanuary 18, 2014El Campo, Texas

Consignments welcome!www.cattlemanbullsale.comAdrian Knight 903-452-7591Kelly Conley 903-857-2594

Cattle&

Domestic HogProcessing

TheissSausageCompanyNormangee, TX936-396-9300

www.theisssausageco.com

RANCH FARMRESIDENTIAL

979.779.0420979.218.8674call for appointment or

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[email protected]

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News

Brazos ValleyResults of the Brazos Valley Live-

stock Commission’s Aug. 27 sale:Head: 1,239

Steers: 200-300 lbs., $195-$270; 300-400 lbs., $185-$250;400-500 lbs., $160-$190; 500-600 lbs., $144-$170; 600-700lbs., $130-$155; 700-800 lbs.,$132-$141.

Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $177-$215, 300-400 lbs., $154-$179;400-500 lbs., $138-$158; 500-600 lbs., $130-$157; 600-700lbs., $130-$157; 700-800 lbs.,$123-$132.

Slaughter bulls: $89-$103.Slaughter cows: $65-$87.50.Bred cows: $925-$1,450.Cow/calf pairs: $1,000-$1,575

BuffaloResults of the Buffalo Livestock

Marketing’s August 24 sale:Head: 1,981Steers: 150-200 lbs., $200-

$290; 200-300 lbs., $195-$285;

300-400 lbs., $175-$260; 400-500 lbs.,$160-$212;500-600 lbs.,$150-$182; 600-700 lbs., $145-$153; 700-800 lbs., $130-$148.

Heifers: 150-200 lbs., $190-$240; 200-300 lbs., $185-$235;300-400 lbs., $165-$230; 400-500 lbs.,$145-$200;500-600 lbs.,$140-$175; 600-700 lbs., $130-$170; 700-800 lbs., $120-$165.

Slaughter bulls: $82-$105.Slaughter cows: $55-$93.Bred cows: $975-$1,625.Cow/calf pairs: $1,000-$1,860

CaldwellResults of the Caldwell Livestock

Commission’s Aug. 14 sale:Head: 702Steers: 200-300 lbs., $220-

$260; 300-400 lbs., $200-$230;400-500 lbs., $160-$190; 500-600 lbs., $150-$165; 600-700lbs., $140-$155; 700-800 lbs.,$135-$145.

Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $180-$210; 300-400 lbs., $170-$225;400-500 lbs., $160-$235; 500-600 lbs., $140-$170; 600-700

lbs., $135-$155; 700-800 lbs.,$130-$145.

Slaughter bulls: $96-$110.Slaughter cows: $60-$97.Stocker cows: $800-$1,350.Cow/calf pairs:$1,075-$1,475.

GroesbeckResults of the Groesbeck Auc-

tion and Livestock Exchange’sAug. 13 sale:

Head: 606.

Steers: 300-400 lbs., $185-$230; 400-500 lbs., $175-$205;500-600 lbs.,$150-$170;600-700lbs., $145-$165.

Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $170-$200; 400-500 lbs., $160-$190;500-600 lbs., $1405-$155; 600-700 lbs., $130-$150.

Slaughter bulls: $96-$106.Slaughter cows: $70-$91.Stocker cows: $800-$1,400.Cow/calf pairs: $900-$1,600.

JordanResults of the Jordan Cattle Auc-

tion Market Aug. 8 sale:Head: 1,296Steers: 300-400 lbs., $190-

$240; 400-500 lbs., $185-$210;500-600 lbs.,$150-$172;600-700lbs., $145-$165.

Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $170-$200;400-500 lbs.,$1,650-$190;500-600 lbs.,$145-$160;600-700lbs., $135-$155.

Slaughter bulls: $96-$106.Slaughter cows: $70-$92.Stocker cows: $850-$1,400.

MilanoResults of the Milano Livestock

Exchange’s Aug. 27 sale:Head: 725.Steers: 300-400 lbs., $132-

$237; 400-500 lbs., $120-$187;500-600 lbs.,$125-$187;600-700lbs., $110-$149.

Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $130-$201; 400-500 lbs., $125-$203;500-600 lbs.,$117-$169;600-700lbs., $111-$143.


Cow/calf pairs:$1,275-$2,000.

NavasotaResultsof theNavasotaLivestock

Auction Co.’s Aug. 24 sale:Head: 2,423.Steers: 150-300 lbs., $150-

$270; 300-400 lbs., $150-$250;400-500 lbs.,$125-$195;500-600lbs., $120-$172.50; 600-700 lbs.,$115-$157.50.

Heifers: 150-300 lbs., $135-$230; 300-400 lbs., $130-$195;400-500 lbs.,$120-$170;500-600lbs., $115-$157.50; 600-700 lbs.,$115-$149.


— Special to The Post

LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT

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Do you have a sale or eventyou’d like listed?

Call Jesse Wright at(979) 731-4721 or email

[email protected]

Events Calendarollow us

facebookon

facebook.com/texasllp

September:Sept. 16 - Jordan Cattle Auction SpecialStocker & Feeder Sale. Mason, TX

Sept. 21 - Jordan Cattle Auction SpecialReplacement Female Sale, San Saba, TX

Sept. 21 - Muleshoe Ranch AnnualRange Ready Hereford & Angus Bull Sale,Breckenridge, TX

Sept. 26 - Advertising Deadline for theLand & Livestock Post

Sept 26 - Jordan Cattle Auction SpecialStocker & Feeder Sale. San Saba, TX

Sept. 27 – Real Estate Auction. Jourdanton,TX. 979-885-2400

Sept. 28 - Live Oak BBA Fall Sale. ThreeRivers, TX

October

Oct. 5 – Heart of Texas SpecialReplacement Female Sale. Groesbeck, TX.

817-291-5121

Oct. 8 - Powell Herefords 16th AnnualProduction Sale. Fort McKavett, TX. 325-653-1688

Oct. 9-11 - RA Brown Ranch 39th AnnualBull & Female Sale Complete Dispersal.Throckmorton, TX. 940-849-0611

Oct. 19- Central Texas BBA Beef “On” ForagePerformance Tested Bull Sale, Brenham, TX.

Oct. 23 - Texas Hereford Association FallClassic Bull Sale. Buffalo, TX.

Oct. 26 – The Sale at 44 Farms. Cameron,TX. 254-697-4401

Oct. 26 – Oak Creek Farms TestedRegistered Bull Sale. Chappell Hill, TX. 979-836-6832

News

on cow, heifer and steer perfor-mance.CalvesattwolocationsinMontana—JudithGap and theLivestock and Range ResearchLaboratory — were weaned at80 days and at the more tradi-tionalageof 215days.Cows thatweanedearlyweighedmoreandwere inbetterbodyconditionatthe start of winter.As a result, the amount of

harvested feedstuffs requiredfor cows to maintain satisfac-torybodyweightsandconditionthroughoutwinterwasreduced.Waterman confirmed that

early weaning is a viable man-

agement option, presents fewerproblems and allows producersto control better their produc-tion environment.He also dem-onstrated that early weaningincreases the likelihood thatheifers will become pregnanton time in the next season.Additional studies showed

that early-weaned steersreached maturity sooner thantraditionally weaned steerswhen body weight gain, feedlotperformance and carcass traitsweremeasured.Waterman noted that man-

agementof early-weanedsteersdirectly can impact how theygrade at harvest.

Wean, from Page 10

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Metal Roofing &Building SupplyNavasota, TX

936-825-0500 1-800-91-HILCO

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Armyworm Treatment • Rye Gras s Seed ing

Our gates are always open for visitors!

Registered Herefords and Certified F-1s

Bosque County, since 1961

Jay Wright, Manager • 254-635-4444 office

254-396-2584 mobile • Email: [email protected]

P.O. Box 9 • Morgan, Texas 76671

James, Joe & Joey Walker

Catalog will be online at:w4ranch.com

Tom Johnson440 FM 246

Wortham, Texas 76693903-599-2403

Mobile [email protected]

J NOHNSOC AT T L E M A R K E T I N G

Sale managed by

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Cleburne174

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Alvarado

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26www.caldwellcountry.comCaldwell Country

979.567.1500 • 800 E. Hwy 21, Caldwell, TX

Chevrolet

NOW HERE!THE ALL NEW 2014

CHEVROLET SILVERADO

Newsearly. The fall calving season wasjust starting for some. Horn flieswere bad on cattle in feedlots andpastures. There was an increasein insect populations in all crops,with corn earworm and cottonbollworm presence increasing inparticular.Southwest — Scattered show-

ers were reported, but generally,hot and dry conditions persistedover most of the region. Rangeand row crops were declining.However, fall corn made goodprogress. Farmers were sprayingcotton defoliants and preparingfields for planting of oats and

winter wheat. Livestock remainedin good to fair condition with con-tinued supplemental feeding. Thedeer fawn crop looked good, withlarge numbers having survived thesummer.West Central — The region

was dry with triple-digit tem-peratures returning. Soil-moisturelevels were declining due to theextreme heat and lack of rain.A few areas reported scatteredshowers that helped somewhat.Cotton was maturing rapidly. Thecorn harvest was underway withgood yields being reported. Someproducers continued cutting andbaling hay. Pecans looked promis-ing.

Cotton, from Page 21

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Plowing new ground for• Private Property Rights• Farm Program Legislation• Immigration• Regulatory Issues

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