Farm Help

These are tough times for cattle feeders, and particularly so for Ron Shortridge.

Some farmers will be keeping steers and heifers around longer this year. Whether they are to be sold in the spring, returned to the herd or sold at closer to 900 pounds it doesn’t really change the care they need to thrive through the fall and winter. The first need would be for sufficient feed to provide maximum growth without fattening.

Some farmers will be keeping steers and heifers around longer this year. Whether they are to be sold in the spring, returned to the herd or sold at closer to 900 pounds doesn’t really change the care they need to thrive through the fall and winter. The first need would be for sufficient feed to provide maximum growth without fattening.

While traditional southern tree farming calls to mind long lines of pine trees, closely spaced together, Ozarks farmers can also find ways to make money off the trees on their land, Steven LaVal, Resource Forester for the Department of Conservation, said.  “Most of the land in this part of the nation was clear cut by the railroads and then after that, people burned, overgrazed, and the dust bowl era came. It was the 1920’s when most of our stands of black and red oaks were established. They mature at about 80 years and that makes most of those stands in this area, to be the same age, mature, and ready for harvest. If people have those on their property or particularly valuable trees, like walnuts, then they have an extra source of income available. You usually need to have at least 20 acres in a stand to get a professional logger interested, but it’s definitely something to look into.  To ignore it or neglect it means that stand of timber will begin to die off. The choice is to harvest it or it’ll die. You can take it or nature will and that’s an income source that will be lost to disease, insects or age.”

Successful producers have always tried to raise high-quality, high-performing cattle, but may have felt compelled to choose one ideal over the other. That’s not necessary, according to a recent analysis of data from the Iowa Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity (TCSCF).

Creep feeding beef calves is a topic often addressed by Dan Faulkner, Extension Specialist in the Beef Department of Animal Science at the University of Illinois.

When it’s time to wean the spring calves, the most important thing we can do to keep them healthy is to minimize stress. Tom Troxel, Professor and Associate Department Head for Animal Science, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, is a believer in fence-line weaning. He said the calves will actually gain through the weaning process. Ideally the calves will stay in familiar pasture and still have the comfort of knowing Mama is just across the fence. He said they will wean themselves in three to four days.

Balancing profitable and efficient farming with water quality is a delicate act. Best management practices (BMPs) assist farmers in striking the right balance. Some BMPs are commonly known and used, while others are not as well known.

Steven LaVal, Resource Forester for the Missouri Department of Conservation, says while traditional southern tree farming calls to mind long lines of pine trees, closely spaced together, Ozark farmers can also find ways to make money off the trees on their land.  “Most of the land in this part of the state was clear cut by the railroads and then after that, people burned, overgrazed, and the dust bowl era came. It was the 1920’s when most of our stands of black and red oaks were established. They mature at about 80 years and that makes most of those stands in this area, to be the same age, mature, and ready for harvest. If people have those on their property or particularly valuable trees, like walnuts, then they have an extra source of income available. You usually need to have at least 20 acres in a stand to get a professional logger interested, but it’s definitely something to look into.  To ignore it or neglect it means that stand of timber will begin to die off. The choice is to harvest it or it’ll die. You can take it or nature will and that’s an income source that will be lost to disease, insects or age.”

Creep feeding beef calves was a topic addressed by Dan Faulkner, Extension Specialist in the Beef Department of Animal Science at the University of Illinois, when he presented at the MFA Beef Innovators conference July 22, 2008.