Land and Livestock Post

June 2018 – Issue I

LIME-AID

Tips on why and how to use limestone on your land.

PAGE 9

RECORD KEEPING

What you need when ICE comes calling.

PAGE 10

IN THE KNOW Producers need consistent cattle identification system.

PAGE 16

GO WITH THE GRAIN

A good marketing plan will benefit grain producers.

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June 2018 — Issue I

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The Land & Livestock Post

T

Photo courtesy of University of Georgia Extension

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 established seed cotton as a covered commodity enabling cotton farmers to receive assistance when prices are low. Seed cotton refers to unginned upland cotton including both lint and cottonseed.

Decision needed now for 2018 cotton crop

By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

AMARILLO — Decisions must be made for the 2018 cotton crop being planted now, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service farm bill expert.

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 established seed cotton as a covered commodity enabling cotton farmers to receive assistance when prices are low. Seed cotton refers to unginned upland cotton including both lint and cottonseed.

Joe Outlaw, AgriLife Extension economist and co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University in College Station, provided an update on what that means to cotton producers, bankers, crop insurance agents and crop advisers at five different meetings recently in the High Plains and South Plains.

Be ginning with the crop planted this year, seed cotton is a covered commodity just as

other crops and eligible for either Price Loss Coverage or Agricultural Risk Coverage. Failure to act results in Price Loss Coverage selected for an operation, Outlaw said.

“This is not about lint prices anymore, but rather a weighted average of lint and cottonseed prices,” he said.

Outlaw explained how the seed cotton prices were established.

The prices are reported by the U.S. Department of AgricultureNational Agricultural Statistics Service as the U.S. marketing year average for cotton lint and cottonseed. Pounds of production used are also reported as U.S. upland cotton lint and cottonseed production in pounds.

A producer wanting to figure the marketing year average price for seed cotton can take the upland cotton lint price multiplied by the upland lint production and add it to the cottonseed price multiplied by cottonseed production in pounds, Outlaw said. That

See COTTON, Page 4

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News From the General Manager

he city is building a park next to my house. I am probably one of the few people who actually is a little irked at the prospect of a park next door.

You see, there was a pasture and cows there before and I liked it that way. As many readers know, cows make pretty good neighbors.

Sure, they can be noisy at times, but they don’t party all night and they mind their business for the most part.

JESSE WRIGHT But, as far as things being built next to you go, I suppose there could be things much worse than a park.

Part of what sold us on this house in the first place was that we knew there were not going to be more houses or businesses built near us. It was zoned for a park when we moved in, but that was years ago, and I had thought maybe the city just forgot. Then it moved the cows, tore up the barbed-wire fence and started clearing the brush.

That’s when I thought that maybe the city remembered.

Now, I’ve pretty much accepted the fact that it is happening, although I am sad to see the cows go. I am holding out hope that the city will find the 100 or so golf balls that I’ve hit into that area and may declare it a sacred terrible golfer burial ground and halt production.

But that probably won’t happen, either.

I’ve seen the plans, and the park actually seems nice. I’m sure my kids will love it. I guess my biggest beef with it is that it is so close. It literally butts up to my property. With a place for children in that close of proximity to my property, I fear that I will soon be yelling a phrase

June 2018 — Issue I

that I am far too young to be yelling: Get off my lawn!

I mean, I’m not even 40 yet, but I know its inevitable. I would have liked to have stayed young forever. Always thought I would be, young and cool, with a well-manicured and fertilized lawn. But you can’t have both, not with a park a’coming.

Before the park is completed, I’ll try to make the best of my lawn before all those whippersnappers walk all over it with their high-top sneakers and their skateboards. While I worry about my grass, you can enjoy this issue, and then worry about another kind of grass: Bermudagrass. In our cover story we look at the importance of bermudagrass pastures and how you can utilize them

to supplement feeding costs throughout the winter.

In this issue we also have news from around the ag industry as well as information on upcoming sales and events.

Hope you enjoy it and, as alwyas, thanks for reading. ’Til next time,

z For more information about content or advertising, contact Jesse Wright at jesse.wright@theeagle.com.

3

News Cotton, from Page 3 figure is divided by the lint production plus the cottonseed production.

“The price would have been about 34-35 cents per pound for the 2016-17 marketing year,” he said. “So assuming a producer had chosen Price Loss Coverage with a 750-pound lint yield, the seed cotton payment per acre for the 2016-2017 crop would have been $32.70 per base acre.”

Producers can update their old counter-cyclical payments, lint yields using the same method as other crops used in the 2014 farm bill, then multiply by 2.4 to establish seed cotton program yields, Outlaw said.

“Beginning with the 2018 crop, generic base will be converted to seed cotton or other crop bases on the farm using specific rules,” he said.

If a farm has no recent history, 2009-2016 were the years identified, of planting a covered commodity, the owner will allocate generic base acres on the farm to unassigned crop base for which no payments may be made for Agricultural Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage.

If a farm has recent history of planting seed cotton, the producer has these two options: • Option 1 — Allocate generic base equal to the greater of 80 percent of the generic base acres on the farm or the average number of seed cotton acres planted or prevented-planted during the 2009-2012 crops years, not to exceed total generic base acres on the farm.

• Option 2 — Allocate generic base proportional to the planted and prevented-planted acres during the 2009-2012 crop years of seed cotton and other covered commodities.

“Any unconverted generic base becomes unassigned crop base and ineligible for Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage,” Outlaw said.

“Also, anyone who does not make

a selection will automatically get option 1.

“We know producers are just now planting and they need to make three decisions in the coming months,” he said. “The first decision is what are they going to do with their generic base acres; they need to allocate them to another crop they planted between the years 2009-2012.

“It’s a little bit complicated and there are some specific rules they are going to have to follow, but we have developed a decision aid to help them work through that process.”

The second decision is more of an opportunity, Outlaw said.

“If you have yields that will give you a higher payment yield, you have the opportunity to update or increase your payment yield, which will increase your payments down the road if you ever have them trigger.”

The third decision is picking between Agricultural Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage on the acres assigned to seed cotton.

“This decision is a life-of-thefarm-bill decision, so theoretically they could be picking between Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage after the 2014 farm bill comes to an end after the 2018 crop,” Outlaw said.

While he said he gets asked a lot about which is better — Agricultural Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage — Outlaw said it will depend on the yields the Farm Service Agency uses for Agricultural Risk Coverage.

“Because Agricultural Risk Coverage is a revenue plan, the big yields you have gotten the past few years would have reduced your payments resulting from low prices,” he said.

“Price Loss Coverage is only price protection, so if you don’t make a crop and prices are high, you will only have protection from crop insurance. With that said, most producers are going to be happy with Price Loss Coverage.”

Outlaw said across the state,

Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Kay Ledbetter

Joe Outlaw, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist and co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center in College Station, spoke in Amarillo on cotton program changes. many producers are asking how to get more help. He said economists at the AgriLife Extension centers will help, or producers can look at the decision aid tool online or call his office.

The Agricultural and Food Policy Center’s decision aid tool, which can be used to help producers understand the decisions they will need to make to sign up for the new seed cotton program, is located at www.afpc.tamu.edu/ tools/cotton-base.

For more information or to get help with the decision aid, call 979-845-5913.

Outlaw said his office is staffed with people who can answer questions on the tool and help walk producers through the process.

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June 2018 — Issue I

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The Land & Livestock Post

News

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Effective June 15, official bovine trichomoniasis (trich) test submissions that do not meet the Texas Animal Health Commission’s rules for an official test will not be processed by the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. It is critical to the integrity of trich test results that veterinarians and producers adhere to submission timeframes and expiration dates.

The Texas Animal Health Commission reminds veterinarians and producers of the following submission requirements for an official bovine trich test:

Identification, Record Requirements

All bulls tested for trichomoniasis must be identified officially at the time the initial test sample is collected and the official identification must be recorded on the commission’s approved test document prior to submittal.

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June 2018 — Issue I

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June 2018 — Issue I

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The Land & Livestock Post

The Land & Livestock Post

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June 2018 — Issue I

7

News LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT Anderson Results of the Mid Tex Livestock Commission’s May 17 sale.

Head: 1,070 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $138-$190; 300-400 lbs., $145-$200; 400-500 lbs., $135-$175; 500-600 lbs., $125-$155; 600-700 lbs., $110$138; 700-800 lbs., $105-$125 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $140$190; 300-400 lbs., $135-$170; 400-500 lbs., $130-$165; 500600 lbs., $120-$160; 600-700 lbs., $105-$148; 700-800 lbs., $100-$120 Slaughter bulls: $60-$78 Slaughter cows: $35-$65 Bred cows: $700-$1,450 Cow/calf pairs: $700-$1,450

Brazos Valley Results of the Brazos Vall ey L i v e s t o c k C o m m i s s i o n ’s May 15 sale.

Head: 942 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $165-$205; 300-400 lbs., $155-$185; 400-500 lbs., $150-$170; 500-600 lbs., $135-$157; 600-700 lbs., $128$142; 700-800 lbs., $129-$133 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $148$175; 300-400 lbs., $138-$157; 400-500 lbs., $130-$154; 500600 lbs., $122-$140; 600-700 lbs., $118-$134; 700-800 lbs., $112-$122 Slaughter bulls: $70-$76 Slaughter cows: $42-$64.50 Bred cows: $674-$1,100 Cow/calf pairs: $750-$1,100

Brenham Results of the Cattleman’s Brenham Livestock Auction’s May 11 sale.

Head: 905 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $170-$217; 300-400 lbs., $150-$184; 400-500 lbs., $145-$298; 500-600 lbs., $130-$161; 600-700 lbs., $125$146; 700-800 lbs., $112-$141 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $170$217; 300-400 lbs., $150-$184;

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400-500 lbs., $145-$295; 500600 lbs., $130-$161; 600-700 lbs., $125-$146; 700-800 lbs., $112-$141 Slaughter bulls: $56-$77 Slaughter cows: $22-$56 Bred cows: $650-$1,400 Cow/calf pairs: $1,000-$3,150

Buffalo Results of the Buffalo Livestock Commission’s May 12 sale.

Head: 1,748 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $160$202; 300-400 lbs., $155-$190; 400-500 lbs., $145-$185; 500600 lbs., $135-$177; 600-700 lbs., $130-$167; 700-800 lbs., $120-$150 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $140$190; 300-400 lbs., $135-$180; 400-500 lbs., $125-$175; 500-

600 lbs., $120-$165; 600-700 lbs.,$115-$141; 700-800 lbs., $105-$130 Slaughter bulls: $65-$100 Slaughter cows: $35-$61 Bred cows: $750-$1,400 Cow/calf pairs: $1,050-$1,700

Caldwell Results of the Caldwell L i v e s t o c k C o m m i s s i o n ’s May 16 sale.

Head: 654 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $160-$176; 300-400 lbs., $155-$171; 400-500 lbs., $148-$167; 500-600 lbs., $137-$150; 600-700 lbs., $135$142; 700-800 lbs., $130-$140 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $155$230; 300-400 lbs., $142-$195; 400-500 lbs., $140-$160; 500600 lbs., $130-$157; 600-700

lbs., $125-$135; 700-800 lbs., $100-$120 Slaughter bulls: $70-$84 Slaughter cows: $42-$64 Bred cows: $675-$1,100 Cow/calf pairs: $850-$1,300

Groesbeck Results of the Groesbeck Auction and Livestock Company’s May 17 sale.

Head: 417 Steers: 300-400 lbs., $175$200; 400-500 lbs., $165-$185; 500-600 lbs., $157-$180; 600-700 lbs., $135-$165 Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $155$185; 400-500 lbs., $145-$175; 500-600 lbs., $135-$160; 600-700 lbs., $125-$145 Slaughter bulls: $76-$89 Slaughter cows: $34-$65

Bred cows: $800-$1,300 Cow/calf pairs: $900-$1,600

Navasota

Results of the Navasot a L i v e s t o c k C o m m i s s i o n ’s May 12 sale.

Head: 1,096 Steers: 200-300 lbs., $115$220; 300-400 lbs., $115-$202.50; 400-500 lbs., $115-$180; 500-600 lbs., $110-$160; 600-700 lbs., $110-$150 Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $115$205; 300-400 lbs., $115-$177.50; 400-500 lbs., $115-$165; 500-600 lbs., $110-$155; 600-700 lbs., $105-$141 Slaughter bulls: $55-$71 Slaughter cows: $35-$657 Bred cows: $750-$950 Cow/calf pairs: N/A — Special to The Post

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June 2018 — Issue I

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The Land & Livestock Post

News

Limestone: Who, what, when, why & how to use soluble aluminum increases and becomes toxic to plant root growth. Below pH 5.2, the concentration of manganese also increases and can become toxic. Optimum nutrient uptake by most crops occurs at a soil pH near 7.0. For specific crop recommendations contact your local county Extension agent.

The availability of fertilizer nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium generally is reduced as soil pH decreases. Reduced fertilizer use efficiency and crop performance can be expected when soil acidity is not properly controlled.

By Vanessa CORRIHeR-OLsOn Special to The Post

W

ho Needs Limestone?

Many Texas soils are acid soils — that is, the soil pH is less than 7.0.

Soil acidity is caused by various environmental, climatic, and cultural factors. The most common of these factors are: • Parent material from which the soil is derived.

• Leaching by rainfall or irrigation that removes basic eleCORRIHER-OLSON ments such as calcium, magnesium and sodium from the soil profile leaving acidic hydrogen, aluminum and manganese.

• Cultural practices such as nitrogen fertilization, removal of harvested crops and associated basic elements, and soil erosion, which results in a loss of basic elements.

Some plants are more sensitive to acid soil conditions than others. It is important to understand which species are more sensitive to soil acidity so limestone inputs may be made at the appropriate time.

Soil pH is a measure of hydrogen ion (H+) concentration in the soil solution and is used to indicate whether a soil needs any limestone. A lime-requirement test (buffer-pH test) is recommended more accurately to predict the amount of limestone needed to raise soil pH to a desired level.

What is limestone?

Limestone is primarily composed of calcium carbonate, but some contain small amounts of clay, silt and dolomite. Do-

When should you apply limestone?

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension photo

Lime spreading truck may be a good option because many Texas soils are acid soils — that is, the soil pH is less than 7.0. Soil acidity is caused by various environmental, climatic, and cultural factors. lomitic limestones come from natural deposits that contain both calcium and magnesium carbonates. The magnesium content of limestone is important especially where soils are deficient in this essential plant nutrient. If a soil test indicates low magnesium, dolomitic limestone can be used to correct both the nutrient deficiency and pH. The value of limestone is in its ability to neutralize soil acidity. Limestone’s properties differ considerably, and these differences influence the limestone’s ability to neutralize soil acidity. Effectiveness depends on the purity of the liming

The Land & Livestock Post

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material and how finely it is ground. Pure limestone has a calcium carbonate equivalence, or neutralizing value, of 100 percent. All other liming materials are compared with this standard. The calcium carbonate equivalence of commercial limestone products should be available through the vendor.

Agricultural limestones used in crop production systems are mainly ground calcium carbonate. Impurities contained in some limestones lower the neutralizing value.

Why should you apply limestone?

June 2018 — Issue I

Soil acidity reduces plant nutrient availability and increases aluminum and manganese toxicities. As pH drops below 5.5, the concentration of

Timely soil sampling is important because limestone requires both soil moisture and time to neutralize soil acidity.

Early sampling and limestone application several months in advance of crop growth provide time for pH adjustment. Soil pH fluctuates during the year becoming lowest in the fall, in part because of fertilizer applications and plant removal.

Under intense grass production using high rates of nitrogen fertilizer, sandy soils rapidly will increase in acidity. Sampling at

See LIME, Page 11

3390 Winbrook Dr. Memphis, TN 38116

9

News The importance of dairy workforce training, documentation

By Kay LedBetter Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

AMARILLO — After a number of U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, audits of dairies in New Mexico and Texas last year, Ellen Jordan, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service dairy specialist in Dallas, said the industry is working to help dairies get laborers properly documented.

Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist in Amarillo, led an employee immigration panel discussion on “Navigating the Dairy Workforce Crisis” recently at the High Plains Dairy Conference in Amarillo.

“Immigration is an important issue for all of agriculture, but particularly for the dairy industry,” Lashmet said.

“The vast majority of dairy owners want to comply with the law when hiring employees, so ensuring they know exactly how the law works and are educated on what their rights and responsibilities are is critical.”

Jordan and Lashmet recently wrote a publication, “The Difference between an ICE Raid and an ICE Audit: Are You Prepared?” which can be downloaded from the AgriLife Bookstore at bit.ly/2iEwwLc. “What we are trying to do is identify laborers and get them employed according to U.S. regulations, with an emphasis on what should be done to make sure they have proper documentation,” Jordan said.

“Traditionally a large portion of our workforce has been immigrants,” she said.

“So producers need to know the changes in immigration policy and procedures.”

Jordan said the human resources panel was designed to address not only how to deal with ICE, but how to bring new employees on board with proper training so they are effective at doing their job and integrated into the farm team.

Sarah Thomas, a lawyer with Noble and Vrapi Immigration Attorneys in Albuquerque, New Mexico, said during the panel discussion that I-9 forms are required for every employee, regardless of race or status.

She said when the subpoena for an audit or notice of inspection is served at the dairy, there are several things all employees should know and the dairy should have trained them on.

“Designate who will talk to the agents and who will sign for the subpoena,” Thomas said. “You don’t want someone who doesn’t know what is going on or the

10

Texas A&M AgriLife photos by Kay Ledbetter

Right, U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, audits of laborer paperwork on dairies has increased in New Mexico andTexas in the past few years. Bottom right,SarahThomas,a lawyer, participated on an employee immigration panel at the High Plains Dairy Conference in Amarillo. time frame they have to comply.”

She said the employer has 72 hours from the time he or she receives the subpoena to gather data, during which time an employer should consider consulting an attorney and thoroughly reviewing all of the I-9 documents. Once the documents are turned over, the dairy generally will receive a letter of technical violations and have 10 days to show good faith and try to comply.

“We recommend you have a uniform policy with regard to copying documents presented by an employee completing an I-9 form by either taking or not taking copies of supporting documents,” Thomas said. “What you do for one employee, do for all employees.”

If an employer has taken all documents in good faith and complied with the record-keeping rules, she said, they are not liable. But in the end, if a worker is not able to be documented accurately, his or her employment must be terminated as it is illegal knowingly to employ someone who is not authorized to work in the U.S. Thomas offered some suggestions on how to prepare and respond to an ICE visit: • Have a procedure in place and employees trained on what to do if ICE shows up at the dairy.

• Obtain a copy of any subpoena or search warrant and send it to an attorney for review.

• Do not voluntarily waive the 72-hour time period for producing I-9 documents.

• Don’t allow officers into non-public areas without a search warrant granting them such access.

• Don’t overtly share information that is not required.

• Mark areas “Employees Only.”

• Do your own audits internally to ensure I-9 documentation is in order.

Jordan said the number of on-farm employees in the dairy industry generally is figured at one for every 100 cows. So, in Texas, there’s an estimated workforce of 4,000, she said, and that doesn’t include the allied industries, such as veterinarians, technicians, nutritionists, milk truck haulers and others.

She said the labor force on dairies continually is changing, which equates to constant processing of paperwork.

While Jordan said the pay is good and that is what attracts the workers, it is physical labor and that sometimes can be the reason for the revolving door.

“The work is outdoors, and workers have to adjust and decide if they want to do that,” she said. “Many new employees start in the milking parlor and that is repetitive work. Also many workers have not done farm work at all, so they have to

June 2018 — Issue I

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decide if that is a culture they want to be involved in.”

Also, if the owners and managers are able to engage the workers and help them learn their position to become a team member, it is more effective, Jordan said.

“Communication and building trust are key points of workforce management,” she said. “Most of our workers are coming without skills and those skills need to be developed on the farm. We need effective training so the workers are comfortable at their job and want to stay.”

The Land & Livestock Post

News Lime, from Page 9 least every other year is recommended.

Although limestone can be applied at any time, several factors should be considered when planning an application. Soil moisture is critical to the reaction of limestone, therefore rainfall patterns in the area should be used as a guide. Coarse limestone reacts more slowly and, as with all limestones, is most effective when incorporated into the soil. When a more rapid and longer lasting pH adjustment is needed, the use of finely ground limestone is available.

How should you apply limestone?

Liming materials differ in their ability to neutralize acid soils. Pure calcium carbonate

is the standard against which other liming materials are measured and its neutralizing value or calcium carbonate equivalence is considered 100 percent. Fine limestone neutralizes much more acidity than coarser material. Anything larger than a BB pellet is too large a particle.

Dry bulk limestone is typically applied using fertilizer spreader trucks.

The amount of limestone recommended to neutralize an acid soil is based on applying effective calcium carbonate equivalent 100 percent limestone. If one ton of limestone is recommended per acre, and the cost of the effective calcium carbonate equivalent 62 percent coarse limestone is $48/ton applied in the field, the actual cost of one ton of the coarse limestone is $77.42: 62 percent divided by 100 =

0.62 x 2,000 lbs/ton = 1,240 lbs of effective lime material so you will need more of the 62 percent effective calcium carbonate equivalent coarse limestone to equate to 1 ton or 2,000 pounds of effective lime material.

2,000 pounds effective lime material/ton divided by 1,240 pounds effective lime material/ ton = 1.61 x $48/ton = $77.42.

Compare this to the cost of a ton of the fine limestone (effective calcium carbonate equivalent 100percent) selling for $50.

2,000 pounds effective lime material/ton divided by 2,000 pounds effective lime material/ ton = 1 x $50/ton = $50.

Liquid lime is a combination of very fine limestone in water with 1 percent to 2 percent clay to form a suspension that is about 50 percent to 60 percent solids. The material typically is spread using a tank truck equipped with a boom and high-

volume nozzles. Liquid lime usually is more expensive per ton than limestone applied dry due to increased costs for finely ground materials, freight and product application.

Soil pH should be monitored routinely as part of annual soil testing to determine crop nutrient needs.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Soil, Water,

Rural Land Loans Country Home Loans Farm & Ranch Loans

and Forage Testing Laboratory in College Station evaluates soil pH and provides a limestone recommendation, where appropriate, as part of a routine soil test (soiltesting.tamu.edu). z Vanessa Corriher-Olson is associate professor and forage Extension specialist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center at Overton. Email her at vacorriher@ ag.tamu.edu.

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June 2018 — Issue I

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News

Good grass Using bermudagrass to meet cow nutrient requirements

By ROBERT WELLS Noble Research Institute

W

inter supplementation for a cow can account for anywhere between 40 and 60 percent of the annual cost of maintaining the cow. Therefore, producers should plan their winter supplementation strategies during the growing season to allow for more options and to reduce winter feed costs when utilizing bermudagrass pastures.

It is important to remember that a bermudagrass grazing system will be dependent on hay feeding once stockpiled forages have been depleted.

Bermudagrass is a dominant, introduced forage type in the Southern Great Plains and along the Gulf Coast.

This grass species is an excellent warmseason perennial grass that stands up to

12

grazing pressure and responds well to fertility and moisture.

Cows can meet their nutrient requirements on bermudagrass during the growing season and with stockpiled forage in the fall, if calving timing is correct. Graphs 1 and 2 demonstrate the relationship of grass quality and the cow’s nutrient requirements to time of year, for crude protein and total digestible nutrients of the forage, respectively.

In general, it is preferred to time the beginning of the calving season about one month prior to the start of the growing season. In doing so, the producer can time the cow’s highest nutrient requirements when forage is at its best quality and sufficient quantity. This allows the cow to meet her nutritional demand solely from the pasture with no additional supplementation required. Additionally, in a controlled 60-day calving sea-

son, all cows will be done calving before pasture quality diminishes to the point where the cow cannot meet her nutrient requirements while in peak lactation.

Peak lactation occurs about 60 days post-calving, which coincides with the highest nutritional demand of the cow’s physiological year.

During the hottest part of the summer, when bermudagrass may go into a summer dormancy, the grass quality may taper off to a point that it may not meet the cow’s requirements for either crude protein or total digestible nutrients (Graphs 1 and 2). However, the cow may be selective enough to continue to meet her requirement or she may slip slightly in body condition. If a producer anticipates an extended time period of high temperatures or decreased moisture that would be sufficient sufficient enough to affect affect the forage quality, he or she could feed a small amount (less than 0.5 pound) of a high protein supple-

June 2018 — Issue I



ment to the cow during the summer months. This would stimulate forage intake and allow the cow to meet her requirements.

It is important to remember that a bermudagrass grazing system will be dependent on hay feeding once stockpiled forages have been depleted during the winter months. In most areas, hay feeding will start around December and continue until green-up next spring, around April. Careful consideration should be given to the hay quality that either is baled on the farm or bought. It is easy to have hay that can satisfy the cow’s nutritional requirements while also supplying supplemental forage. If high-enough hay quality, both in terms of crude protein and total digestible nutrients, can be fed free-choice, then

See Grass, Page 13

The Land & Livestock Post

News

Grass, from Page 12 additional feed supplementation would not be necessary.

Typically, high-quality hay can be purchased at a lower price than any purchased feed on a ton basis.

Table 1 lists the amount of

the nutrients in pounds rather than percent deficient each month during the typical winter feeding months. Many producers only think in terms of percent of a nutrient required for the cow. However, the correct

See COWS, Page 15

The Land & Livestock Post

ď‚Ť

June 2018 — Issue I

13

News AgriLife Extension conducting custom agricultural rates survey to their operation,” Klose said.

“Hard copies of the survey will be mailed to a limited group, however anyone with knowledge of custom farm and ranch operations is encouraged to participate online at agecoext.tamu.edu/ crs2018. We need broad participation to produce an accurate

By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is conducting a survey to collect rates charged for custom agricultural operations and services across Texas.

Steven Klose, AgriLife Extension economist in College Station, encourages farmers, ranchers, landowners and custom service providers to respond.

“We receive a number of inquiries each year for custom rates for a variety of agricultural operations and services,” Klose said.

“The information collected in this survey is the only source for market and pricing data related to custom-hire activities in Texas.”

He encoura g ed f ar mers, ranchers, landowners and cus-

and reliable publication of this market information.”

Survey collection will run through June and the publication will be available shortly after.

For more information and previous custom rate publications, go to agecoext.tamu.edu/crs.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin

TheTexasA&MAgriLife Extension Service is conducting a survey to collect rates charged for custom agricultural operations and services across Texas. tom service providers to respond to the survey, which accounts for activities such as tractor rental, tillage operations, planting operations, chemical and fertilizer application, custom harvesting, hay baling, land preparation, brush control and other miscel-

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The resulting price publication provides a baseline of regional and statewide average rates.

“The survey should only take 10-15 minutes for most people because we only want them to answer the questions that pertain

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June 2018 — Issue I



The Land & Livestock Post

News

Not always is the cheapest feed on a price-per-ton baProducers should plan their winter supple- sis the best feed to use. This mentation strategies during the growing demonstrates that a producer season to allow for more options and to should determine the correct reduce winter feed costs when utilizing amount of feed necessary to bermudagrass pastures. meet a cow’s requirements then calculate the cost of each feed.

Additional consideration should be given to special handling and trough requirements of each feed type. Byproduct feeds will have about a 10 percent greater amount of waste than cubes when fed on the ground, which needs to be accounted for so the cow is not shorted on the feed amount she actually consumes.

Ultimately, a producer should have a diversity of forage types on the ranch to allow for season-long grazing. Utilization of native grasses as a standing hay crop during the winter can eliminate the cost of hay, but the producer may still have to supplement additional protein to the cow. However, for those each cell is the cost on a daily producers who are locked into a basis for that feed. The last line bermudagrass-only grazing sysof Table 2 is the cost of feeding tem, care should be exercised to each feed for the winter feeding reduce winter feeding costs. period assuming the following costs for each feed: Byproduct feed ($192.50 per ton), 38 percent cubes ($403 per ton) and 20 percent cubes ($220 per ton).

Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo

by Monte Rouquette

Cows, from Page 13 method is to consider the actual amount supplied by the pasture and the cow’s requirements.

The cow and rumen microbes need a set quantity of each nutrient, not a percentage. Nutrient quality or percentage is

only necessary to determine the amount that the cow is getting from the pasture and how much is needed in the supplement, if any. Which feed is the right one to use will depend on the supplement cost on a quantityper-day basis after a calculation has been made to determine the

The Land & Livestock Post



correct amount for each potential supplement.

Table 2 lists three example feeds that commonly are available for producers and the amount that would be fed on a daily basis (top value in each cell) to meet cow requirements.

The value in parenthesis in

June 2018 — Issue I

15

News Producers need a consistent cattle identification system

By DR, BRANDON J. DOMINGUEZ bdominguez@tamu.edu

M

y grandpa, a cattle rancher all of his life, could recognize the red mottled-faced cow that didn’t have a calf and separate her from the red mottle-faced cow that raised a nice bull calf, though to the untrained eye, they could be twins. Maybe you can identify, filing your animals in your mind: “Socks,” the Maine-Anjou cross with white legs or “Bob,” the cow that had her tail shortened in a calfhood accident. Others may have their pet names to go with personality of the herd.

Regardless of what you call your cattle, and we won’t ask you to confess here, there should be an identification system to maintain consistency from person to person and observation to observation. The benefits of accurately identifying your stock are multidimensional.

Proper identification allows accurate record keeping of vaccinations, medical treatments, calving, breeding, body condition scores and other observations. Records of such can aid in figuring out a problem or finding ways to better the herd.

Identification is necessary in the movement of animals and in the testing for diseases.

Adequate records of calving dates, genetics and vaccination programs may open marketing programs to provide a premium to the calves produced.

The options for identification are many. Personal choices into which method or combination of methods suits your operation should be based on the ability to initiate and maintain the identification. A primary and backup system provides a fail-safe given one form of identification be-

16

Vet’s Voice

Photo courtesy of National Animal Identification System

comes indecipherable.

Brands

One of the classic images of the Old West is dragging calves to the fire for branding. In some locales, this is still performed, though modernizations such as squeeze chutes and electric branding irons have enriched the experience for man and beast. Often a ranch’s brand is applied to all of the cattle to identify that they belong to that ranch, so the addition of number or letter brands are necessary to individually identify animals.

Efforts to lessen the stress and improve the readability of brands has introduced freeze branding. In this procedure, brands, often brass rather than iron, are placed in liquid nitrogen prior to being applied to the animal’s body. The brand appears weeks after application as the hairs grow back white.

With both types of brands, there is an art to applying the brand for the proper amount of time based on the size of the animal, location of the brand and type of brand being applied.

Brands are not considered official identification for the sake of regulatory testing in many states unless they are representative of a registry number of a purebred animal.

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June 2018 — Issue I

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The Land & Livestock Post

News ID, from Page 16 are those that can be found at any livestock supply store.

They may come in a variety of colors and sizes. Some come pre-numbered while others are blank allowing you to write or engrave individual identification information.

This identification system is excellent for keeping track of which cow is which, though it does not suffice for official identification alone.

Radio Frequency ID tags, if they are “840” series, are suitable for official identification.

These tags have a 15-digit Animal Identification Number that uniquely identifies the animal, and they can be combined with visual tags for an even greater benefit.

With the proper receiving device, animals can be scanned and their data automatically

transferred to a computer for easy record keeping.

USDA National Uniform Eartagging System tags and related Official Calfhood Vaccination tags are metal clip tags with a 9-digit alphanumeric identification.

The Official Calfhood Vaccination tags, which are orange, have to be applied by a veterinarian at the time of the heifer’s brucellosis vaccination.

The National Uniform Eartagging System tags can be applied by a veterinarian, or in Texas, be obtained from the Texas Animal Health Commission Regional Offices.

USDA Scrapie Program tags are allowable for sheep and goats, and Premises Identification Number tags are permissible for swine going to slaughter.

Other forms of identification

Tattoos are placed in the ears of cattle, particularly registered cattle, to identify them permanently. One has to know to check the bovid’s ear to find the identification, so it does not work for easy, routine ID. Ear notches are popular in pigs to identify individually animals and litters.

Historically, cattle producers have used ear marks to identify their cattle, though the practice has fallen out of style with better identification methods.

Neck chains and leg bands are used in dairy cattle. They are not used often in beef cattle because of the risk of entanglement in the pasture.

Microchipping, though common in our pets, is not used in food producing animals due to the concern of a foreign object (e.g. microchip) ending up in the food supply.

Additionally, someone would

have to know to scan the animal in search of the microchip.

Radio Frequency ID tags are a much better solution.

The method you choose to

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June 2018 — Issue I

17

News Marketing plans can help Central Texas farmers capitalize on grain markets potential repercussions of tariffs on exports to China could have big impacts, Welch said.

“All of this highlights the fact that these trade implications really do matter to production agriculture,” he said.

Currently, wheat farmers projecting 45-acre bushel yields at $5

By Blair Fannin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

McGREGOR — The impacts of potential trade tariffs on crops such as soybeans would send ripple effects through other agricultural commodities, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist.

Mark Welch, grains marketing economist in College Station, told farmers at the Central Texas Small Grain Field Day at the McGregor Research Center that a Purdue University study recently projected a 25 percent import tariff by China soybeans would result in a 37 percent decline in U.S. exports.

Consequently, a decline in U.S. soybean exports would lead to fewer soybean acres.

“Where are those acres go-

per bushel can cover their costs and make some profit.

“That works,” he said. “But if you cut that yield by 25 percent, you’ll need $6.50 a bushel to make it work. That’s why we need to pay more attention to marketing

See MARKET, Page 19

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin

TexasA&MAgriLife Extension Service’s Brent Batchelor,Lyle Zoeller and Shane McLellan go over the program agenda at the 2018 Central Texas Small Grain Field Day. ing to go? They will go to corn,” Welch said. “Given where our corn prices are, we don’t really

want any more corn acres.”

From decreased land values to lessening farm net worth, the

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June 2018 — Issue I



The Land & Livestock Post

News Market, from Page 18 activities.”

Welch said to mitigate potential price risks, producers can integrate cash marketing with other marketing tools and crop insurance.

“What we need to do is sit down and develop a map, a marketing plan based on production and price objectives,” he said. “This approach widens the marketing horizon from pre-plant to postharvest, providing guidelines that manage marketing opportunities. Run the numbers. What if I sell some grain, but don’t have a crop in the ground? What will my revenue projection be?”

Welch proposed a couple of scenarios that stabilize farm revenue, even the ability to hedge

Trich, from Page 5 submitted to arrive at the laboratory within 96 hours of collection.

The InPouch must not be expired on the day the diagnostic laboratory conducts the PCR test.

OR The Direct Smegma PCR sample, collected in phosphate buffered saline, must be received by the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in good condition within 96 hours of collection.

crop insurance indemnities in the face of downward price risk and poor production prospects.

“This gives you the opportunity to protect increased farm revenue in a low-price, low-yield environment,” he said.

Welch said his marketing newsletter outlines strategies producers might consider. To receive the newsletter, email Welch at JMWelch@tamu.edu.

“We all know production and prices are going to impact your farms this year,” he said. “We are not hopeless, just sitting back and watching the markets. We can be proactive in developing plans.”

Meanwhile, Scott Nolte, AgriLife Extension state weed specialist in College Station, advised

ews n g A t n e rr u c st o em Searching for th ox? b in il a m e r u o y delivered right to st o P k c to s e iv L & nd Sign up for the La er tt le s w e n ic n o tr elec

See GRAIN, Page 20

• Official culture test The sample collected in an InPouch must be received by the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in good condition within 48 hours of collection.

The InPouch must not be expired on the day the final testing of the sample is conducted by the diagnostic laboratory.

For additional questions concerning InPouch expiration contact the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory.

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June 2018 — Issue I

19

News Grain, from Page 19 farmers on using Dicamba and proper spray tank sanitation.

Nolte said farmers pay a considerable amount for herbicides and it’s important they hit their targets and are used efficiently.

Sprayer contamination also can be an issue. “Regardless of what product you are using, most product labels will tell you to triple rinse,�

he said. “Use a tank cleaner and remove end caps. Clean the tops and screens to make sure everything has been thoroughly rinsed and removed. Things accumulate over time, so it’s important to thoroughly clean these pieces of equipment.�

Nolte said even the smallest amounts of Dicamba can affect sensitive crops.

See DRIFT, Page 23

SALE EACH SATURDAY Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin Clark Neely,AgriLife Extension small grains specialist, said the Central Texas wheat crop yields should be close to average this year.

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June 2018 — Issue I

ď‚Ť

The Land & Livestock Post

News Cow disposition affects its pregnancy rate

By Glenn Selk Oklahoma State University

Now we have another good excuse to cull cows due to bad temperament. Producers who routinely breed cows artificially realize that cows that are unruly and nervous are less likely to conceive through artificial insemination. Presumably the lowered conception rates were because they have been stressed as they are passed through the working facilities and restrained while being synchronized and inseminated.

Elevated core body temperature could be one reason that conception rates of agitated cows after artificial insemination are lowered. Now it seems that, even in the serenity of a natural breeding pasture, cows with bad dispositions are less likely to conceive when mated with bulls.

University of Florida animal scientists recorded disposition scores over two years on 160 Braford and 235 Brahman x British crossbred cows. They wanted to evaluate the effects of cow temperament and energy status on the probability to become pregnant during a 90-day natural breeding season.

Cows were scored as 1 = calm, no movement to 5 = violent and continuous struggling while in the working chute. Also, a pen score assessment was assigned as 1 = unalarmed and unexcited to 5 = very excited and aggressive toward technician. An exit velocity speed score was measured as the cows exited the working chute as 1 = slowest and 5 = fastest.

An overall temperament index score was calculated by averaging the chute score, pen score and exit velocity score. Blood samples were analyzed for cortisol concentrations. Cortisol is a hormone released when mam-

mals are stressed or excited. Increased cow temperament score and elevated plasma cortisol concentrations both were associated with decreased probability of pregnancy.

These results suggest that excitable temperament and the consequent elevated cortisol concentrations are detrimental to the reproductive function of cows.

The authors concluded that management strategies that improve cow disposition, enhance their immune status, and maintain the cow herd at adequate levels of nutrition are required for optimal reproductive performance.

(Source: Cooke and co-workers.

2009 Florida Beef Research Report.)

In addition to the danger that wild, crazy cows create for cattle producers, the wear and tear on equipment and fences, reduced likelihood of reproductive success is another good reason to cull poor disposition from the herd.

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June 2018 — Issue I

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June 2018 — Issue I

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The Land & Livestock Post

News Drift, from Page 20 “From vineyards to gardens, physical drift can severely harm these crops,” he said. “It’s important that we make sure our sprayers are performing efficiently and we are being good stewards.”

Earlier in the day, Clark Neely, AgriLife Extension small grains specialist in College Station, discussed a number of wheat varieties under testing. Overall, he said the Central Texas wheat crop yields should be close to average this year.

“We are anticipating 45 bushels to 50 bushels per acre in the Central Texas region,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see some 60 bushel yields in some areas.

I would say 45-50 bushels per acre is fairly typical for this region of the Blacklands.”

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin

A UAV demonstration was part of the Central Texas Small Grain Field Day at McGregor.

The field day also featured a UAV demonstration

by John Otwell, unmanned aerial vehicle product specialist with RDO Equipment in Pflugerville. Experts discussed a range of emerging UAV field uses.

“UAVs are an excellent tool to scout fields and monitor crop conditions,” Neely said. “You can tell when a crop is stressed, but we are not quite there yet in the ability to always determine what the cause actually is.”

The day’s program was hosted by the AgriLife Extension crop committees in Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Hamilton, Johnson, Falls, Limestone and McLennan counties.

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June 2018 — Issue I

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