Farm Help

When the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared most of Oklahoma a drought disaster area at the end of July, Arvest Bank provided information to its agricultural customers that could help them minimize losses.

The cash generated from selling off cattle may be counted as taxable income unless farmers take advantage of tax laws allowing up to a $500,000 deduction for qualifying equipment such as livestock handling equipment, hay trailers, fencing and corral materials. Currently, the $500,000 is scheduled to drop to $125,000 in 2012, thus it is important to act in 2011.

Have you ever dreamed of harvesting your own honey to drizzle on biscuits? Have you imagined seeing your garden pollinated by your own bees? Many farmers are turning their interests to beekeeping.

Sheep, like most farm animals, prefer cool weather that is not too wet. Dr. Jodie Pennington said, “Sheep generally do best at about 55 degrees, with a range from 40 to 75 degrees.” Dr. Pennington is the regional small ruminant educator with the Lincoln University Extension at the Newton County Extension Center in Neosho, Mo.

It’s been a rough year for area cattle producers, and many will have to make decisions this season to help keep their herds viable into 2012.

"Farmers are a huge partner for the Missouri Department of Conservation,” said Francis Skalicky, media specialist with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

Folks, there is a reason we use implants in our cattle. We want to provide the best product possible.

It seems that few questions in life have a clear right or wrong answer. Often, questions are tricky and the answer must be hedged and broken down depending on so many different variables that it muddies whatever clarity had been accomplished. Deciding if corn fed or grass fed beef is better is one of those tricky questions.    

The shoes have came off, the nutrition has been met, what can we expect now? I was my biggest skeptic. Being a farrier I came from shoeing horses to going barefoot. Before I would ever talk to anyone about natural hoof care I had to prove it to myself. I pulled the shoes and trimmed my own horses for about a year and watched them. Right in front of my eyes I saw the hooves transform from thin hoof walls, tender soles and shabby frogs to hard healthy hooves, thick hoof walls, healthy frogs and tough soles that can go everywhere with ease.

Folks, there is a reason we use implants in our cattle. We want to provide the best product possible.