Ag-Visors

Horses need six basic nutrient categories to be met. Most commercial feeds will balance the diets. These diets will be made up of protein, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals and fats. Water should also be considered as a nutrient too. Enzymes are starting to gain popularity.

It’s the end of the year and we are in the midst of the holidays. Everyone’s mind is filled with thoughts of family, friends, food, gifts and parties. For the farmers and ranchers among us, those are joined by thoughts of harvest, winter planting, year-end stockyard sale days and new equipment discounts. We are making decisions on whether to sell the harvest now or later, to buy that new tractor or not, to cull that cow, to keep that heifer. Any and every decision we make, regardless of the time of year, has a lasting effect on our operations and the well-being of our families.

It’s the end of the year and we are in the midst of the holidays. Everyone’s mind is filled with thoughts of family, friends, food, gifts and parties. For the farmers and ranchers among us, those are joined by thoughts of harvest, winter planting, year-end stockyard sale days and new equipment discounts. We are making decisions on whether to sell the harvest now or later, to buy that new tractor or not, to cull that cow, to keep that heifer. Any and every decision we make, regardless of the time of year, has a lasting effect on our operations and the well-being of our families.

Fall is here and the federal government has implemented new rules for us to live by. Whether we like it or not VFD’s are here.

Over the next 14 months, people associated with production animal agriculture will be asking this question. A VFD is a veterinary feed directive. In layman’s terms, this is a veterinary prescription providing for the use of medically important antibiotics in feed provided to food producing animals.

This too shall pass is a proverb indicating that all material conditions, positive or negative, are temporary. How true for production agriculture.

Here in the Ozarks, we are proud to be known as cattle country. Everywhere you look, it seems as if everyone has at least a few head of cattle in the pasture. According to the 2012 Ag Census, cattle sales were second only to grains, and keep in mind that the census was completed during the worst drought we’d seen in years, driving up commodity prices and pressuring cattle values. Since 2012, the market has seen big advances, with fed cattle prices reaching into unheard of territory. And with the decrease in the national breeding herd during 2012, those of us who were able to stay in the cow/calf industry were placed straight into the driver’s seat.

Here in the Ozarks, we are proud to be known as cattle country. Everywhere you look, it seems as if everyone has at least a few head of cattle in the pasture. According to the 2012 Ag Census, cattle sales were second only to grains, and keep in mind that the census was completed during the worst drought we’d seen in years, driving up commodity prices and pressuring cattle values. Since 2012, the market has seen big advances, with fed cattle prices reaching into unheard of territory. And with the decrease in the national breeding herd during 2012, those of us who were able to stay in the cow/calf industry were placed straight into the driver’s seat.

It is being predicted we will have a very wet winter in the Ozarks.

The United States Department of Agriculture reports that there are more than 5 million feral pigs roaming in the country, and Arkansas and Oklahoma are among the states with the highest population.