Egyptian wheat....mowing.....planned grazing

[catscratch]

My weakest point; plant id. Any sources you can recommend to get me more familiar with the natives?

I wish the land was set up a little better for burning and grazing. There are two house, two driveways, an orchard, only one water source, and a through road that would need adjustments to be able to graze it. None of this was an issue until I built my house on it, now we have to think things through a little more for everyone's convenience. I will probably spend the rest of this yr making plot strips for winter wheat around the parts I want to burn and setting up paddocks for easier use with cattle. Seems nothing is ever a quick process but I might as well do it right when I'm doing it. First step - planning!

That Noble link looks like it has a lot of interesting articles. I'm going to have to pick through them when time permits.

 

[dgallow]

Roads make excellent fire guards.....just mow the shoulder back and blow the road if needed! Yes....think through and write up a habitat management plan for yourself...changing as needed over time. Cut down any cedars or mow tall native grass and greenbriers which might let embers jump to a house roof.....all those are volatile fuels.

This forum is a good place for plant ID. Many chemical companies also have placards with common pasture weeds....that is a good source. Beyond that you pretty much have to surf the web or check the deer management publications as they contain pics of common plants used by deer..

When you are doing a forage inventory if you can differentiate between a dicot (forbs, legumes....broadleaf plants), a monocot (grasses and sedges) and woody species that is good enough for initial inventory. Much easier to identify forbs later in the growing season when they have more foliage.

 

[catscratch]

I'm thinking that I could do a small burn on the hilltop grass this spring and then put the cows on there for a week or so (that would probably be long enough for them to get the two bites on grass). We could e-fence around the house and ask the FIL to open gates for the week. A slight inconvenience for him as he drives it multiple times a day but I wouldn't feel too bad since it's short term... and his cows would get free pasture. I'll mention it and gauge his reaction.

My wife wasn't too happy with me cutting cedar trees by the house. She likes the view they make, they scare the crap out of me during burn season. I'm winning that battle but it isn't without consequences.

 

[dgallow]

33rd ANNUAL SW MISSOURI SPRING FORAGE CONFERENCE
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
http://springforageconference.com/?page_id=70

MO by far has provided the most practical information for rotational and planned grazing systems. I don't think you will find a line-up of top-notch speakers at any other conference in the US for $35 which includes lunch! Hope to see you there learning more about betterment of land stewardship and sustainable ranching.

 

[dgallow]

Pulled fence for the last cut on stockpiled native range last week. Everyone followed me to the upper Mesa.....put their heads down into a small patch of reseeding winter annuals and didn't hear a peep out of them the rest of the morning.

The herd trampled into submission the downwind buffer of the 2017 burn unit which was delineated by a hot wire lane. Took a few minutes to close off that lane at the corner with the reel and a few posts. Other tan filling their bellies and regenerating dormant NWS plants.....the herd will impact the last flank of the burn unit to reduce fuel loading and spread of an escaping ember. Mid-morning the following day, the herd was finishing their grazing bout in the densest part of that rangeland.....so I took a few pics. The goal for these native lands between fire cycles is to "grow it tall, stomp it down, and let it fully recover to build rich topsoil!" This area was first burned and thinned in March 2011 as sticks, rocks and leaves....most are aware the drought which came later that year......the vegetation recovered from that stress and the rocks are still there! Some will question the value of this for wildlife....I will tell you long term it is tremendous benefit.....wild turkey were in there busy shredding manure while I was taking down fence....they stayed within stone throw distance......deer come later for the regrowth and now shift bedding around the herd.

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[dgallow]

A vball tourney tourney that weekend in Ft Smith would cut short the time for much ranch work. Our team placed second to our nemesis....little blonde was pleased with her play...which is most important!

How many of you 'make time' to visit family or a friend who is doing the same as you do? I suspect with the advent of text messages and email.....visitation has become taboo!

That is unfortunate as you will learn much more practical information from friends you meet at meetings than you will from the keynote speaker of that meeting! So my son and I took the time to visit a friend in far eastern OK who has done some form of intensive grazing since the Kerr Center got him started in the 90s. It only took him a few years to reduce winter hay feeding from 3 down to 0.8 round bales per cow....that is significant cost savings for a 200 head herd! Here are a series of pics from our visit....he is running replacement heifers under contract currently. It all starts with a plan....on paper! An extra $15 in gas and 2 hrs in visitation that day will save me a grand easy over the next 2 years!

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[catscratch]

33rd ANNUAL SW MISSOURI SPRING FORAGE CONFERENCE
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
http://springforageconference.com/?page_id=70

MO by far has provided the most practical information for rotational and planned grazing systems. I don't think you will find a line-up of top-notch speakers at any other conference in the US for $35 which includes lunch! Hope to see you there learning more about betterment of land stewardship and sustainable ranching.

I looked at going but work won't let me. I bet it's interesting with a lot to be learned.

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[OkieKubota]

I looked at going but work won't let me. I bet it's interesting with a lot to be learned.

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They should have those things over the weekend so folks who work all week can go...

 

[catscratch]

They should have those things over the weekend so folks who work all week can go...

When I grabbed the calendar I started at the weekend, and then realized it was on Tuesday. Not that it would have made that much of a difference as I think I have a regional SO competition that weekend anyway.

 

[catscratch]

Doug, is that "high tensile" e-fence and is that how he sets all his corner posts?
Congrats to the kiddo on the tournament!

 

[Paradise725]

Dgallow, one of these days when I get a home place large enough to have some cattle, I'm going to make a trip to Oklahoma and learn how it's done. Your thread is so interesting to me, having grown up on a small cattle farm where we gave access to 100% of the pasture 100% of the time. Thanks for sharing all of this insight.


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[dgallow]

They should have those things over the weekend so folks who work all week can go...

I agree but most are weekdays. Figure it's targeted a) at those who make a living doing this and b) as a regular workday for extension and NRCS folks. For me it is 'continuing ed'!


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[dgallow]

Doug, is that "high tensile" e-fence and is that how he sets all his corner posts?
Congrats to the kiddo on the tournament!

Same question I had....yes 12.5 ga high tensile. When he first started, guys from the Kerr Center helped him out on those 2 long paddocks on south end....corners were a single or braced 2-7/8" pipe. Over the years he figured they were overkill.....so he went with conduit/hose clamp bracing.....got a welder and went with the rebar brace. He takes the plate off the angled t-post and welds it to the bottom of post for an anchor. I have some Ts with a hole near the end and could drive a short length of rebar through it for an anchor. For 2-3 wires.....better to use pipe.

Finished clearing the 2 wire barbed we put up in 10 and moved a bunch slash back into that side of burn unit. Part of that was the first hinge cutting we did and it sucked cleaning the dead stuff out of that. Anyway, I plan on adding some Ts to that fence and running a middle strand of 12.5 ga HT down it so I can power the native unit differently.

Little Blonde is a shed magnet.....she found these 2 while on our normal routine. One on top is 2 yo shed a month or so ago.....one on bottom is fresh and from 'Buddy' who I took a selfie with in Sept....his pedicels are 1.5" dia...should be a good one in a couple years.

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[dgallow]

Dgallow, one of these days when I get a home place large enough to have some cattle, I'm going to make a trip to Oklahoma and learn how it's done. Your thread is so interesting to me, having grown up on a small cattle farm where we gave access to 100% of the pasture 100% of the time. Thanks for sharing all of this insight.


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Sure....come on....soon we will bringing in our herd and I will have much more flexibility. Weaned calves were gone Monday so that is 16 head closer to Independence Day.

Start 'time controlled grazing' and you will be surprised how much pasture and habitat you will have!

I drove in unannounced about 11am to check cows yesterday.....they had just finished grazing and were content just to stay put as we drove by. That tells me there was a week more of grazing for the native stuff. Zoomed in but not the best pic.

Those NWSG needed more impact for regeneration before 2018 burn. But, some of cows are getting close to calving and owner was wanting to sort them to start moving....so I opened up the lane today and walked behind them 1/4 mile to lot as they followed his truck. For a week, they will go where weaned calves were to even out the grazing on that paddock....then out so the paddock can 'cleanse' for 70 d before ours arrive in April. If what I was told is true then we will be 35 reasons closer to Independence Day by next weekend.

A friend of mine runs a local sale barn and is picking up some spring cows which should fit our needs. That will give me an opportunity twice a week to set up some polywire and offer some range cubes under the wire.....should be able to get them bucket and Hotwire broke before arrival....that would be HUGE!





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[dgallow]

American Grassfed Association
http://www.americangrassfed.org/about-us/our-standards/


The link is for the AGA standards for grass fed and pastured raised cattle. This is the direction I want to take our herd for more marketing flexibility of livestock. If you open the detailed pdf link, then you will learn 'wildlife promotion' is an AGA standard!


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[deer patch]

That's some great news on the new herd coming this spring and I hope all goes well with the transition.

I found my first shed of the year this past weekend.

 

[dgallow]

I looked at a nice herd of commercial reds today which would work....5 frame avg.....some 4s...a few 5.5-6......should avg 1200 late term.....some have calved....some late bred....short type hair so should be heat tolerant....fleshy, good disposition, gutty type cows....3-5 yo....lower end didn't look too bad (prolly timid cows pushed off hay ring).....fed 1 bale per cow in winter at 2 bale per week with cubes....looks to be tubs offered in winter with avg consumption under 2lb/hd/d.....consider all that and they are low input type fairly efficient cows.....don't know price yet. They are up to date on health protocol. Will put a good 4 frame maternal bull on them (AI) then lease a clean-up bull...bull breed will depend on needs I see this summer in cattle.

. I have 3 other folks looking for cattle for me....will make decision in 2 weeks. Not many solid medium frame cows in today's market.....really have to watch out for shady traders !

As far as capital improvements will get a Qcatch 6100 chute and mount on Amston livestock scale.....its way less money than true test....that will allow me to bring in a welder to do some work on corral and lots....a few gates and temp Bud Box to improve cattle flow.

Things are getting real busy....time is precious commodity. Glad you dropped in to chat! Congrats on horn! BTW....sent ur teeth with mine to Matson last week....report will come in June.


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[dgallow]

Grand pup is growing....gmaw went down Wed to babysit as daddy has flu. They got the right colors on this kid...Go Pokes!

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[deer patch]

How big of a herd are you going to get? I didn't know you got into AI cattle which with the price of registered bulls I can understand why. I've actually been kicking around the ideal of selling what I have and buying some registered cows myself and and AI (which we've been doing for the last couple of years) to sell registered cattle. A lot more money to be had but also somewhat of a pain to keep weaned bulls since we are not set up the best for that.

Grandpup looks like he's growing like a weed!!

 

[dogghr]

Grand pup is growing....gmaw went down Wed to babysit as daddy has flu. They got the right colors on this kid...Go Pokes!

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Always have a smile when I'm reading your cattle analysis. Sounds like you have a good year ready to happen.
Grandpup pic is awesome. Kinda has my hair. I bet he learns the farm quick.