1.15.11 issue of land and livestock post
DESCRIPTION
The January 15, 2011 issue of Land and Livestock Post.TRANSCRIPT
Drying upDrying up
DIGGING THE COUNTRY LIFEAppliations being take for rural internships.PAGE 4
YOU GOTTA NIP IT IN THE BUDControl volunteer cotton in its early stages.PAGE 6
CONSUMER INFORMATIONPackaged meats to have nutrition labels.PAGE 16
BEASTLY PROBLEMStruggling to keep up with demand for bison.PAGE 18
J anua r y 15 , 2 011
HOW BAD IS THEDROUGHT AND HOW
TO SURVIVE IT
PAGE 12
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TheLand
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January15,2011
3
News
From the General ManagerFor those of you wondering, yes, I did
put up Christmas lights this year. Imanaged to get them up without any
serious injury, and they added a festiveglow to the Wright house-hold. However, I have yetto take them down.When I was a bachelor, I
put Christmas lights up onmy porch one year, andliked them so much I leftthem up year-round. Ofcourse, I did live in a 30-year-old trailer house, andI think it might have been against somecode — either zoning or ethical— to takeChristmas lights off a trailer home.I guess Groundhog Day is the next holi-
day coming up, and I just don’t think I canconvince my wife or my neighbors thatsuch an event is light-worthy. So, I sup-pose I’ll take them down, but I think I’lltangle them up in knots myself as I do so,just so I’ll know next year how they gotthat way.
Like my Christmas lights, drought isanother thing that has long overstayed itswelcome. Beverly Moseley, public affairaffairaff sspecialist for the Natural ResourcesConservation Service, shares an articleabout how drought has affected our area,and provides some methods ranchers canuse to fight it.Grain producers are also experiencing a
problem due to the dry conditions, and wehave a story from the Texas AgrilifeExtension explaining what it is, and howit should be dealt with.We have a lot more news and informa-
tion for you in these pages, as well asupcoming sales and events. Hope youenjoy it, and maybe learn somethingalong the way.’Til next time,
JESSE WRIGHT
Making thedesert bloomwith color
By KATHLEEN PHILLIPSTexas AgriLife Communications
EL PASO — Frustratedgreen thumbs in the desert, bepatient. The days of grovelingin gravel may be nearing anend, according to a TexasAgriLife Research horticul-ture scientist.“Be positive. We can find
plants that can tolerate diffi-cult weather and climate situ-ations like in El Paso,” saidGenhua Niu.As a researcher at the Texas
AgriLife Research and Exten-sion Center in El Paso, Niuhas been putting everythingfrom petunias to rosesthrough heat, drought andsalty water tests that wouldwither the stoutest of humansmuch less a helpless plant. It’sa project aimed at bringingmore color to yards withoutsacrificing precious water andother natural resources.“My research project is on
landscape water conserva-tion,” Niu said. “In El Paso, we
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Special to The Post
AUSTIN — AgricultureCommissioner Todd Stapleson Dec. 30 announced that theTexas Department of Agri-culture is accepting proposalsfrom communities interestedin participating in the TexasRural Internship Program.This is the third year of theinnovative project.
The program introducesurban college students torural Texas by inviting themto live and work in a smallcommunity for five to 10weeks.
The Department of Agri-culture works with partici-pating institutions of highereducation to pair studentswith rural communities. Thisyear, Sam Houston StateUniversity and Texas Techare taking part in the pro-gram. The deadline for pro-posals is Jan. 31.
“The Texas Rural Intern-ship Program works to im-prove our economy by givingurban studentsa unique oppor-tunity to expe-rience the pro-ductivity foundin rural Tex-as,” Commis-sioner Staplessaid. “Comun-ities that par-ticipate notonly bring in a fresh set ofeyes to help fill their needs,but also develop the leader-ship skills of talented youngstudents.”
Texas Rural InternshipProgram interns participatein a variety of projects thatbenefit the host community.They also offer fresh newideas and updated skills insuch areas as computer profi-ciency, technical abilities andsocial networking.
Interns stay with a hostfamily and receive a $1,000stipend for a five-week intern-ship.
The following are testimo-nials from host communityofficials and former interns:
• “This is a great programmade available by TDA and Ihighly recommend it. Theintern was delightful and theentire community benefitedfrom her presence. Not onlywere we able to tackle extraprojects, but the charities andservice groups benefited from
her additional service.”— Jan Crouch, Hamilton
economic development direc-tor
• “While in Brady, theTexas Rural Internship Pro-gram was a tremendous expe-rience for our community. Itmade us stop and honestlyanalyze the perception othershave of our community andidentify ways to improve ourimage. In addition, it created
another avenue for us toshare our story with individ-uals in other parts of ourgreat state.”
— Wendy Ellis, formereconomic development direc-
tor for Brady and currenteconomic development direc-
tor for Palestine• “The community was
great and made me feel likefamily from the beginning. Ilearned so much. I would
encourage anyone to do thisinternship. You can learn somuch about yourself, thecommunity and how itworks.”
— Lindsay Byrd,Levelland intern and Food
Service Management majorat Sam Houston State
UniversityThis is the third year for
the program.Interested parties may
access the Request ForProposals at www.TexasAgri-culture.gov by clicking on theEconomic Development link.
For more information a-bout the Texas Rural Intern-ship Program, contact yourTexas Department of Agricul-ture rural economic develop-ment regional representativeor Catherine Regan at 512-475-0885, or [email protected].
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Applications being taken for rural internships
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By ROBERT BURNSTexas AgriLife Communications
COLLEGE STATION – Thestate continued to dry outduring the last weeks of 2010,with more than 20 countiesnow classified as being under“extreme” drought condi-tions, according to the U.S.Drought Monitor.According to the monitor,
more than 50 other countieswere under “severe” droughtby the end of December.Most of the state’s other 254
counties were experiencing“moderate” drought condi-tions or were “abnormallydry.”Only the top tier of
Panhandle counties had whatwas considered normal mois-ture conditions.By the Drought Monitor’s
definitions, “extreme”drought conditions result inmajor crop and pasture loss-es and widespread watershortages or restrictions.“Severe drought” means thatcrop or pasture losses arelikely, water shortages arecommon, with water-userestrictions apt to beimposed. And “moderatedrought” means there will besome damage to crops andpastures, streams, reservoirsand well water levels will below, with some water short-ages developing or imminent.AgriLife Extension district
reporters compiled the fol-lowing summaries:
Central: Recent rains stimu-
lated the growth of wintergrains, but the crops still need-ed significant moisture. Pecancrop was in excellent conditionand prices were holding. Feralhog damage remained a majorbattle in pecan orchards.Producers were heavily supple-menting all livestock.
Coastal Bend: For four of thelast five months of 2010, theregion was extremely dry, mak-ing this fall and winter one ofthe driest in recent years. Soilmoisture was becoming critical.The potential for wildfire poten-tial was high. Winter crops weresuffering and dry soils prevent-ed growers from planting springwheat. Livestock producers con-tinued to provide cattle with hayand supplemental protein.
East: Drought conditions pre-vailed across the area as rain-
fall was as much as 13 inchesbelow normal 2010. Most coun-ties received scattered showersthat helped winter forages. Insome counties, the rain cametoo late; forage stands hadalready died. Creek- and pond-water levels continued to drop,and some producers moved live-stock to areas with water. Haysupplies were short, and pro-ducers continued to provide sup-plemental feed. Cattle were infair to good condition, and win-ter calving was in progress.Feral hog damage continued tobe reported throughout thearea.
Far West: The regionremained very dry. Some coun-ties had not received rain formore than 90 days by the firstweek of 2011. Extremely highwinds, with gusts of up to 80mph and sustained winds of 50mph, further dried out soils and
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January15,2011
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News
Most of Texas in a drought
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•Ways to manage your land duringa drought/Pdrought/Pdrought ag/Pag/P eageag 12•DroughtMonitor/Page 14
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By BLAIR FANNINAgriLife Communications
COLLEGE STATION –Though frustrating but man-ageable, some Texas grainproducers are expecting tohave Roundup-resistant vol-unteer cotton pop up in theircorn and sorghum fields thiscoming season due to a dryfall and winter, according to aTexas AgriLife ExtensionService expert.“We are facing a similar sit-
uation to the 2009 season,when volunteer cotton was aproblem in corn,” said GaylonMorgan, AgriLife Extensioncotton special-ist. “Volunteercotton in non-cotton fields ise s p e c i a l l yimportant toproducers inSouth and Cen-tral Texas whoare activelyinvolved in theBoll WeevilEradication program.”Though a problem, Morgan
said it’s important for produc-ers not to get discouraged andtreat volunteer cotton duringthe early stages. If left untillater, treatment options beginto be limited.“We’ve found only four
products that were effectiveat the five-to six-leaf stage,”he said.Attendees at the recent
Texas Plant Protection Asso-ciation Conference heard thelatest research efforts led bythe AgriLife Extension teamof Danny Fromme, Morgan,Matt Matocha, Paul Baumannand Dale Mott.Research trials were fund-
ed by the Texas Corn Pro-duc-ers Board and the TexasCotton Producers.The problem began during
the drought of 2009 and hascontinued to escalate, Morgansaid.“The key is to manage the
volunteer cotton while it issmall and while more herbi-cides are effective,” he said.“If the volunteer cotton is notdestroyed early in the season,the cotton plants persistunder the corn canopy, thenfollowing harvest the cottonplants will flourish and willbe an excellent host for theboll weevil.”
AgriLife Extension trials
were conducted at four loca-tions across the state from thePanhandle region, SouthCentral Texas and SouthTexas.Status (5 ounces), Laudis (3
ounces), and Halex GT +Atrazine (58 + 32 ounces)were the only over-the-topproducts that provided 99 per-cent control at the one/two-leaf stage with greater than 1percent volunteer plants at 65days after treatment.“Other products, such as
Ignite 280 and Sharpen, werehighly effective but must beapplied through hoods orpost-directed,” Morgan said.At the five-leaf stage,
Starane Ultra (6.4 ounces),Status (5 ounces-10 ounces)and 2,4-D Amine (16 ounces)over-the-top provided greaterthan 90 percent control of vol-unteer cotton, Morgan said,but none completely prevent-ed volunteer plants whichranged from 4 percent to 11
percent at 70 days after treat-ment.Producer costs per acre
were minimized when appli-cations were applied duringearly plant growth. At theone/two-leaf stage, the costper acre for Status was $13.25;Ignite 280, $11.33 per acre;Laudis, $13.59 per acre. Someless expensive products wereevaluated, like 2,4-D andatrazine, but they were slight-ly less effeeffeef ctive in this trial.“Looking ahead to next
growing season, the problemis waiting to happen as manyof the cotton seeds left overfrom pickers/stripper are inthe ground, but it’s been toodry for germination,” Morgansaid.“Based on the current
weather patterns, producerswill need to make plans todeal with volunteer cottonthis spring. Additionally, pro-ducers will need to pay atten-tion in post-harvest of corn
because any surviving cottonplants tend to flourish oncecorn begins to mature,”Morgan said.“After corn harvest, pro-
ducers need to be take care ofany volunteer cotton plants ina timely manner with chemi-cal or mechanical methods,”he said.“Volunteer cotton is a con-
cern both from the front endand after-harvest of the grain
crops. In a producer’s de-fense, they are juggling appli-cation timings and the eco-nomics of management op-tions,” Morgan said.Volunteer cotton is a chal-
lenge to manage.This is an important issue,
however, since it ties directlyinto the boll weevil eradica-tion efforts and is enforced bythe Texas Department ofAgriculture.”
6
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It’s best to nip volunteer cotton in early stages
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January15,2011
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Special to The Post
ARDMORE, Okla. —Scientists at The SamuelRoberts Noble Foundationhave uncovered a gene re-sponsible for controlling thedensity of biomass in twomodel plants. The outcome ofthe research could increasethe amount of biofuels pro-duced from an individualplant or improve the yields offorage crops.“This is a significant break-
through for those studyingplant-based biofuels,” saidRichard Dixon, director of theNoble Foundation’s PlantBiology Division. “This dis-covery opens up new possibil-ities for producing plants thathave been specifically engi-neered for biofuel produc-tion.”Huanzhong Wang, a post-
doctoral fellow in Dixon’s lab,found a gene that controls theproduction of lignin in the
central portions of the stemsof Arabidopsis and Medicagotruncatula, species common-ly used as models for thestudy of plant genetic process-es. Lignin is a compound thathelps provide strength toplant cell walls, basically giv-ing the plant the ability tostand upright. When thenewly discovered gene isremoved, there is a dramaticincrease in the production ofbiomass throughout the stem.Lignin is difficult for graz-
ing animals to digest, so themajority of research on ligninmodification looks at reduc-ing its production within theplant. Increasing lignin inbioenergy crops, such asswitchgrass, however, may bedesirable for increasing thedensity of the biomassthroughout the stem, particu-larly if the biomass is to beconverted to gas.“In switchgrass, as the
plant matures, the stem
becomes hollow like bam-boo,” Dixon said. “Imagine ifyou knock out this gene andthat hollow portion is thenfilled in with lignin. The
potential increase in biomassin these new plants could bedramatic. We are looking for-ward to doing these experi-ments.”
Further research by collab-orators at the University ofGeorgia revealed thatremoval of the gene alsoincreased the production ofcellulose and hemicellulosesin the central portions of thestem of the plant. These arethe components of the bio-mass that are converted tosugars for fermentation to liq-uid biofueofueof ls such as ethanolor butanol.“Science often progresses
in increments,” Dixon said.“Every once in a while,though, you have a signifi-cant breakthrough that helpsredefine the research. This iscertainly one of thosemoments for our biofuels pro-gram.”The project, which is sup-
ported by the United StatesDepartment of Energy andthe Oklahoma Bioenergy
Research may lead to greater biofuel yields
The image on the left shows a normal cross section of a stem asviewed under ultraviolet light. The areas in red are chlorophyll. Theblue areas are lignin, a compound that helps provide strength to thecell walls. The image on the right is a cross section of stem fromthe model plant, Arabidopsis, in which a newly discovered gene hasbeen removed. Noble Foundation scientists have proven that theplant without this gene produces dramatically more lignin, celluloseand hemicelluloses, increasing its density and biomass production.
Photo courtesy ofof the SamuelSamuel Roberts Noble FoundationFoundation
• See LIGNIN/PageLIGNIN/PageLIGNIN 23
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Imagine the header cling-ing to the rack on theback of a flat-bed, chasing
a cow across the high plainsof Colorado with the hazerbanging along beside him ina quarter-ton Ranger with avet-box in the bed. Cowboystories are about wrecks:horse wrecks, cow wrecks,dog wrecks, financialwrecks, Tyranosaurus Wrex,and flat-bed, mad cow,Ranger-with-a-vet-box-in-the-bed, wrecks!Rancher Tom had Dr.
Stan-the-Man out to hisplace. While there, they spot-ted a cow with a big lump onher jaw.“Better lance it,” suggest-
ed Doc to Tom, “Ya neverknow.”It was getting late, no way
to gather the bunch. “Justrope her” said Doc.Tom put his son, Junior,
in the back of the flat-bed.Son had been roping sincehigh school and Dad figuredmaybe he could reap somepayback for all the miles,horses and entry fees it hadcost haulin’ him to juniorrodeos sincehe was 12.Tom got
the cow run-nin’ downthe tracks ofthe feedwagon.Junior wasleanin’ outlike a flagpole on the Titanic. The deckrocked violently as Tomswerved and slid to stay onthe left side of the cow. Inone wild lunge, when theflat-bed hit a dip and cameoff the ground, Junior threwhis loop. “A beeyootifulcatch!” thought Tom, as he
turned off and watched theslack go out of the rope.Back on the deck Junior
realized he had about asmuch control of the situa-tion as he would have ropin’a doggin’ steer off a bare-back bronc … no place todally!They regrouped. “I’ll try
and run over the draggin’rope with a tire!” said Tom.Junior clambered back on
the flat-bed and Dr. Stanlined up on Tom’s right side.Across the plains they flew!Tom chased that rope,duckin’ and divin’, sluicingand careening in hot pursuitlike a pinball machine gonehaywire!The cow reached a cross
fence and turned in front ofthe flat-bed. Tom’s rightfront tire caught the rope atthe same time that Dr. Stan,who was hazing, hit the
fence, cutting off her escape!It took several minutes to
heel the cow, restrain herand untangle Doc’s wind-shield wipers, side mirrorsand antennae from the bobwire. They congratulatedthemselves for the great job,as only cowboys would doafter such a successfulwreck. Oh, and the abscesspopped itself in the collision,
so lancing was not neces-sary. Talk about efficient!They all took credit, ofcourse, and Doc sent’em abill for consulting and navi-gation.
• Baxter Black is a formerlarge animal veterinarian whoappears regularly on NationalPublic Radio. His website iswww.baxterblack.com.
TheLand
&Livestock
Post✪
January15,2011
9
Commentary
Trying to act ‘wreck-less’ in chasing a stray cow
BAXTER BLACK
P.O. Box 920, Gainesville, TX 762401-800-523-74771-800-523-7477 oror 940-665-6872940-665-6872
www.liquidcattlefeed.com.liquidcattlefeed.com.liquidcattlefeed.comwww.liquidcattlefeed.comwww
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LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORTS
BryanResults of Brazos Valley Live-
stock Commission’s Dec. 14sale:
Head: 1,123Steers: 200-300 lbs., $110-
$172.50; 300-400 lbs., $103-$157.50; 400-500 lbs., $100-$142.50; 500-600 lbs., $95-$125; 600-700 lbs., $90-$115;700-800 lbs., $100-$109.
Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $100-$127; 300-400 lbs., $105-$132; 400-500 lbs., $93-$121;500-600 lbs., $90-$108; 600-700 lbs., $90-$102.50; 700-800 lbs., $95-$100.
Slaughter cows: $31-$62.50.Slaughter bulls: $52-$71.50.Bred cows: $480-$910.Cow/calf pairs: $760-$940.
BuffaloResults of Buffalo Livestock
Commission’s Dec. 18 sale:Head: 1,369Steers: 150-200 lbs., $125-
$210; 200-300 lbs., $125-$185; 300-400 lbs., $140-$178; 400-500 lbs., $118-$155; 500-600 lbs., $107-$127; 600-700 lbs., $106-$116; 700-800 lbs., $101-$111.
Heifers: 150-200 lbs., $120-$185; 200-300 lbs., $115-$165; 300-400 lbs., $109-$129; 400-500 lbs., $107-$127; 500-600 lbs., $102-$123; 600-700 lbs., $92-$106; 700-800 lbs., $95-$96.
Slaughter cows: $42-$66.50.
Slaughter bulls: $62-$73.50.Bred cows: $550-$1,010.Cow/calf pairs: $710-
$1,160.
GroesbeckResults of Groesbeck Auction
& Livestock Co.’s Dec. 16 sale:Head: 1,116Steers: 300-400 lbs., $140-
$155; 400-500 lbs., $125-$139; 500-600 lbs., $117-$128; 600-700 lbs., $110-$120; 700-800 lbs., $105-$109.
Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $120-$132; 400-500 lbs., $110-$125; 500-600 lbs., $105-$115; 600-700 lbs., $95-$107.
Slaughter cows: $40-$68.50.
Slaughter bulls: $60-$71.
Bred stocker cows: $560-$1,000.
Cow/calf pairs: $700-$1,100.
JordanResults of Jordan Cattle Auc-
tion’s Dec. 16 sale:Head: 2.465Steers: 200-300 lbs., $140-
$165; 300-400 lbs., $130-$151; 400-500 lbs., $120-$138; 500-600 lbs., $114-$126; 600-700 lbs., $108-$118; 700-800 lbs., $103-$109.
Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $120-$137; 300-400 lbs., $115-$124; 400-500 lbs., $110-$122; 500-600 lbs., $105-$115; 600-700 lbs., $97-$108;700-800 lbs., $92-$96.50.
Slaughter cows: $43-$66.Slaughter bulls: $52-$67.50.Stocker cows: $570-$1,090.Cow/calf pairs: $700-
$1,090.
MilanoResults of Milano Livestock
Exchange’s Jan. 4 sale:Head: 807Steers: 300-400 lbs., $125-
$155; 400-500 lbs., $115-$135; 500-600 lbs., $107.50-$130; 600-700 lbs., $99-$116;700-800 lbs., $104-$110.
Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $115-$136; 400-500 lbs., $110-$125; 500-600 lbs., $100-$121; 600-650 lbs., $105-$111.
Slaughter cows: $47.50-$71.Slaughter bulls: $68-$79.50.Stocker cows: $700-$810.Cow/calf pairs: $940-
$1,025.
NavasotaResults of Navasota
Livestock Auction Co.’s Dec. 18sale:
Head: 1,762Steers: 150-300 lbs., $110-
$195; 300-400 lbs., $110-$175; 400-500 lbs., $105-$152.50; 500-600 lbs., $95-$140; 600-700 lbs., $92-$117.
Heifers: 150-300 lbs., $100-$180; 300-400 lbs., $100-$140; 400-500 lbs., $95-$127.50; 500-600 lbs., $90-$111; 600-700 lbs., $88-$107.
Slaughter cows: $38-$66.50.Slaughter bulls: $55-$77.Stocker cows: $550-$1,075.Cow/calf pairs: $850-$975.
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rangeland. Burn bans were stillin effect. The pecan harvestwas nearly completed.Producers were preparing fieldsfor the planting of annual crops.Fall-planted onions had goodstands but are now dormant.Winter wheat stands lookedgood in some areas.
North: The year ended withrainfall accumulations severalinches less than average. Soil-moisture levels ranged fromshort to adequate. Stock-watertanks were low. Rains helpedwheat and winter pastures, butcrops are behind in growth.Many pastures were in poor con-dition due to overgrazing andoverstocking. Livestock were infair to good condition, with pro-ducers feeding hay and supple-ments daily. There was somegrazing in winter pastures. Beefproducers reported feeling opti-mistic, while dairy producershoped to make it through anoth-
er year. The mild fall and winterweather, including the drier con-ditions, allowed producers tocut back on supplemental feedand hay. The pecan harvest wasnearly over, but yields were terri-ble. Feral hogs continued to bea major problem. Rangeland andpasture conditions ranged frompoor to fair.
Panhandle: The region haddry and windy weather.Temperatures held near thelong-term norm for most of thelast week in December until acold front dropped temperaturesto below average. Soil-moisturelevels varied from very short toadequate with most areasreporting short. The cotton har-vest was almost completed.Wheat varied from very poor togood with most reporting fair topoor. Rangeland and pasturesvaried from very poor to goodwith most reporting poor. Cattlewere in good condition, with pro-ducers providing supplementalfeed. The danger of wildfire washigh.
Rolling Plains: The regionneeded moisture. Some areasreported receiving 0.5-0.7 inch-es the last week of 2010, but
high winds during the first daysof 2011 evaporated most of themoisture. Foard and Motleycounties were under burn bans.Dry conditions continued todecrease the value of the wheatcrop. The cotton harvest nearedcompletion. However, many cot-ton modules remained in thefields, waiting to be hauled tothe gin. Cotton producersreported average to a littleabove average yields. Althoughsome producers expressed aconcern about contract and poolprices, most were pleased withthe high current prices com-pared to previous years. Winterwheat was in poor to very poorcondition. Rangeland and pas-tures were in poor condition aswinter grasses and foragesstruggled to emerge and growunder the dry conditions. Cattleproducers reported decent bodyconditions going into wintergood supplies of hay. With thepoor grazing conditions, produc-ers increased supplementalfeeding to livestock.
South: Cold days, near freez-ing nighttime temperatures andlack of rain took their toll onrangeland and pastures. Most
all counties reported short tovery short topsoil moisture lev-els. Supplemental feeding wasat a high level because ofdeclining forage quality andquantity. Body condition scoresof cattle also declined, but over-all, livestock were in fair condi-tion. In the northern part of theregion, producers were balinghay, mostly peanut hay. In theeastern part of the region, win-ter failed to become establishedbecause of the lack of rain. Inthe southern part of the region,growers continued to harvestsugarcane, soybeans and corn.
South Plains: Weather across
the region was very cold and drywith nighttime temperatures aslow as 11 degrees. High windscontinued to deplete soil mois-ture levels, which were alreadyshort. Producers finished har-vesting cotton during theChristmas holidays and severalgins completed their ginningseason as well. Field activitiesincluded stalk shredding,reshaping beds and applying fer-tilizer for spring crops. Winterwheat was in fair to good condi-tion but needed moisture.
TheLand
&Livestock
Post✪
January15,2011
11
News
CropsFrom 5
• See DRY/PageY/PageY 23
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TheLand
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PARCHEDTexas facing below-normal precipitation
By BEVERLY MOSELEYNatural Resources Conservation Service
As 2010 drew to a close, extremeweather besieged much of thecountry. On the West Coast,
California was inundated with floodwaters. On the East Coast, frigid tem-peratures and snow blizzards blanket-ed states. Nestled in between theseforces of nature was drought-strickenTexas.Across much of Texas, landowners
approached the New Year with awatchfulhfulhf eye to the sky hopeful forrainfall that would slack the drought’sthirst. Many ranchers are faced onceagain with watching their watersources, soil and winter forages dryup, with not much relief in sight.“We already have a strong La Niña
set up in the Pacific. That usuallymeans dry, warm weather for Texas,”said John Nielsen-Gammon, Texasstate climatologist in College Station.“Through March, we’ll be looking atabove normal temperatures and belownormal precipitation.”According to the U.S. Drought
Monitor, extreme drought conditionshave reached across 13 counties inSoutheast Texas as of Dec. 23. Eightcounties in the Big Bend area alsowere suffering under extreme drought.Abnormally dry to severe drought con-ditions covered almost all of the state’s254 counties due to rainfall deficitsthat reached upwards of 20 inches insome areas.On Sammy Catalena’s Brazos
County ranch in late December, thedrought could be measured in the drystock ponds and brittle winter pas-tures with soils as hard as concrete.“It’s unbelievable. I’ve never seen it
like this before,” said Catalena, as heapproached a dry stock pond that adozer operator was cleaning out andenlarging. “I can’t remember when it’sbeen this bad.”Catalena’s 2,400-acre ranch is home
to Catalena Rodeo Company’s numer-ous bucking bulls and horses, alongwith his commercial cattle operation.The drought has depleted his existingforage of valuable nutrients so he’sbeen providing hay to his livestocksince early November — a month ear-
lier than in 2009.Many farmers and ranchers tried
no-tilling winter pastures for oats andrye. This conservation practice canprove beneficial during droughtbecause it helps to conserve soil mois-ture.In 2009, Catalena no-tilled 150 acres
with oats and rye for his commercialheifers to forage on through the win-ter. In 2010, with no rain in sight, whatland he did no-till, fertilize and plantin oats and rye for his livestock, laybarren by late December.Catalena knows about managing
through a drought. He knows whenthis one breaks, there will be another.He works to manage his land and for-ages productively so his weakenedlandscape will have the best opportu-nity to recover when the drought doesbreak.
He keeps a close eye on his range-land’s livestock carrying capacity orstocking rate, culling when necessary,and he strives not to overgraze his pas-tures.These are management practices
experts say can help land and foragesweather a drought better.
“When it comes to stocking rates,they must be flexible and balancedwith the forage inventory that theranch is capable of supporting,” saidKent Ferguson, Texas’ rangeland man-agement specialist for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation
Service.“In the state of Texas, there are
more dry years than normal or wetyears. You have to stock your ranchfor a dry year and keep your base herdstocked for a dry year,” Ferguson said.Ferguson recommended stocking
ranch’s at 75 percent of the carrycapacity of the land.“That will allow for a 25 percent
buffbuffbu erfferff to take you throughughug the badtimes,” he added.Ranchers also should take into
account all animals making a demandon forages, such as deer or horses.“A real common mistake producers
make is not taking into account every-thing in the pasture,” Ferguson said.He also recommended ranchers:
Debris hanging on the fence shows how low the water level hasdropped in one livestock tank on Sammy Catalena’s drought-
stricken Brazos County ranch. Catalena said some levels havedropped 10 to 12 feet and steadily are shrinking.
Photo by StuarStuart ViVillanueva
• www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/• drought.unl.edu/dm/• animalscience.tamu.edu/
academics/beef/index.htm• atmo.tamu.edu/osc/
ON THE WEB
• See DROUGHT/PageDROUGHT/PageDROUGHT 13
• Utilize local experts, alongwith evaluation tools such asa web-based drought monitorand indexes to assist in assess-ing the situation.
• Inventory and monitor for-ages.
• Take into considerationground coverage.
• Monitor stocking rates.• Keep in mind that it can
take some drought-strickenland up to two years to fullyrecover.
A drought will drive hometo a rancher just how criticalit is to know their forages andwhat their land is capable ofproducing.
“You’ve got to know yourplants and the requirementsfor those plants to be healthy,sustainable and productive,”Ferguson said. “If you do notknow your crop, it’s real hard
TheLand
&Livestock
Post✪
January15,2011
13
News
DroughtFrom 12
• See WATER/PageTER/PageTER 14
Sammy Catalena surveys a dried up stock tankthat he’s having cleaned out and enlarged.Catalena’s 2,400-acre ranch is home to Catalena
Rodeo Company’s numerous bucking bulls andhorses, along with his commercial cattle opera-tion.
Photo by StuarStuart ViVillanueva
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to manage because you don’tknow the requirements.
That’s why it’s so critical tokeep your animal numbers inbalance with the actual on theground forage production.”
• Beverly Moseley is a publicaffairs specialist with the NaturalResources Conservation Service.
WaterFrom 13
The face of drought can be seen in the dried up stock ponds andbrittle winter pastures with soils as hard as concrete. SammyCatalena said some water slews on his Brazos County ranch thathave always held water now are dry.
Photo by Stuart Villanueva
It should happen moreoften, but none the less,every few years the fami-
ly gathers for a holiday orsome other reason for every-one to come home.
Besides the copiousamounts of food and latenight chats, the best part ofthese gatherings is the sto-ries.
We are always entertainedhow the memories varyamong people of assortedages who were all there atthe same time at any givenevent.
Mothers always have theirown version of the story andthen there is what reallyhappened. I am the older sis-ter with three youngerbrothers.
Although “young” nolonger applies to any of us,we all can remember some-thing unique of a similarmemory.
That night’s story wasabout our Dad’s clear anddirect instructions to theboys to stay away from thecreek in the early springwhen it was running high,fast and cold. Of course,they didn’t.
With a piece of an old steelrod, they began caving the
bank of the creek off. Noreason, just boy stuff andbecause they could. Theheavy industrial distractionwas sufficient enough thatthey didn’t see Dad arrive,cut a willow switch andhead theirdirection.
Both boyswere bare-foot so as towade in thecreek theyweren’t sup-posed to beanywherenear. Theyounger onecould run like a deer acrossthe pasture, shoes or noshoes, and so he did. Theother one, a true tenderfoot,gimped and hobbled his waytoward the house fueled bythe sting of the willowbranch on his backside.Willow-switch momentshave no rank and privilege.
The early spring waters ofMuddy Creek hold manymemories for us all. Mineare similar to the boys inthat I couldn’t resist thetemptation of wading in thesharply cold waters after along winter of deep snowand long days indoors.
As promised by Dad if Iwere so bold as to disobeyhis warning to stay out ofthe creek, I also made theyipping and skipping tripback to the house with a wil-low switch encouraging myevery step.
The generation that fol-lowed found different waysto turn parental hair gray.Now in their 20s and 30s,these young adults find thefreedom to share their closecalls with discipline, deathand worse yet, having to callhome for bail money.
While the latter didn’thappen it could have, withthe borrowing of herdaddy’s pickup to drive afew blocks. The youngblonde driver not only didn’thave permission, she didn’thave a driver’s license.
The acronym GTA (GrandTheft Auto) has been tagged
to her name for life, or atleast as long as her sisterlives.
For a family with strongroots in rural America, hav-ing evolved from a world ofwood cook stoves, coal oillanterns, crank telephonesand living off the land,we’ve evolved with the restof the world.
Part of the original Etch-a-
Sketch crowd, we now jugglelaptops, iPhones, iPads, GPSequipment, e-mail, texts,voice mail, Skype, Revueand Google TV.
George Jetson always wasa family favorite. In a way,he’s now part of our familygathering.
• E-mail Julie Carter atjcar [email protected].
TheLand
&Livestock
Post✪
January15,2011
15
Commentary
Rural folks are juggling modern technologies
JULIE CARTER
COWGIRL SASS
AND SAVVY
Buyers & Sellers of Quality Replacement CattleBull Leasing - Auctioneers - Registered Brahman Breeders
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171 fairway RidgeBeeville, TX 78102
Web: www.casascattle.come-mail: [email protected]
mobile: 361.362.5863 bus.: 361.362-2697 (CoWS)
Questions AboutCattle Health?
Ask the Vet!
P.O. Box 3000 Bryan, TX 77805or [email protected]
Submit your questions to:
StSteveeveev WiWiksekse - ReRetirtireded DVDVMMDVMDVDVMDV LargeLarge AnimalAnimal ClinicalClinical SciencesSciencesCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University
WIKSE
By P.J. HUFFSTUTTERLos Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES — Comingsoon to a grocery store nearyou: Those nutrition labelsslapped on everything fromcereal to soda pop will soon berequired on packages of meat.The U.S. Department of
Agriculture announced Dec.29 morning that the new rule— slated to go into effect Jan.1, 2012 — requires that 40 ofthe most common cuts ofpoultry, pork, beef and lambinclude labels that disclose toconsumers the total numberof calories, the number ofcalories from fat and the totalgrams of fat and saturated fat.The labels also must
include details about protein,cholesterol, sodium and vita-mins in the product, accord-ing to federal officials.The rule will apply to whole
cuts of meat and poultry,including boneless chicken
breast, tenderloin steak andground or chopped meat suchas hamburger or turkey, saidofficials for USDA’s FoodSafety and InspectionService.The new nutrition labels
will either need to be attachedto the package itself or beavailable to shoppers at retailstores and grocers, officialssaid.USDA officials say the new
rule is designed to help
American consumers be bet-ter informed about the healthbenefits and drawbacks of themeats they buy. All thiscomes as consumer advocatesand lawmakers alike rail
against the obesity problemamong American children,and the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention hasreported that American menconsume 7 percent more calo-
ries — and women 18 percentmore — than they did in 1971.These “nutrition facts”
labels were revised in theearly 1990s to give consumersuniform information aboutserving sizes and nutrientsand became mandatory onvirtually all processed food by1994. But meat was, exceptunder a voluntary measure,left out of the labeling over-haul. Now, federal officialssay they are taking the firststep to making such labelsmandatory for meat.“More and more, busy
American families wantnutrition information thatthey can quickly and easilyunderstand,” AgricultureSecretary Tom Vilsack saidin a statement released Dec.29.“We need to do all we can to
provide nutrition labels thatwill help consumers makeinformed decisions,” Vilsacksaid.
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Packaged meats to carry nutrition labels by 2012
Starting Jan. 1, 2012, the government will require packaged meatsto carry labels listing nutrition information.
The rule will apply towhole cuts of meat and
poultry, includingboneless chicken breast,
tenderloin steak andground or chopped
meat such as hamburgeror turkey, said officials.
Hereford WeekendSouthwesternExposition andLivestock ShowJan. 29-31, 2011
Our 42nd Annual sale
will be greatly improved.
The demand for Hereford
females is at an all-time
high and this should be the
source for some of the best
Hereford genetics offered in
the State of Texas.
Make “Super Hereford
Weekend” an educational
and entertaining event
by attending the Annual
Meeting and social of Texas
Hereford Association, and
the National Hereford Show.
42ndAnnual Premium Whiteface
Replacement Female Show & SaleSunday, January 30, 2011
1:00 PM • West ArenaFort Worth Stock Show Grounds
Bar J Bar Hereford Ranch, El PasoBowling Herefords, Blackwell, OKBrainard Cattle Co., CanadianDangelmayr Brothers, MuensterDiamond S Cattle Co., WeatherfordHogg, Nelson, LubbockJackson Hereford Ranch, RangerMilligan Herefords, Kings, ILMK Ranch, Era
MW Herefords, BrownwoodPied Piper Farms, HamlinRocker B Ranch, BarnhartSchlegel, Ronald, OlneySjolander Ranches,RieselSummerour Ranch, DalhartTDCJ, HuntsvilleW4 Ranch, Morgan
CONSIGNORS SPONSORED BYThe Texas Hereford Association
4609 Airport FreewayFort Worth, Texas 76117Jack Chastain, Manager
DON’T MISS THE COWTOWNSELECT SALE AT 3:00 PM
200 Herefords • 90 Baldies
LubbockLubbock
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TheLand
&Livestock
Post✪
January15,2011
17
By STEVE KARNOWSKIAssociated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — The deepsnow blanketing the Midwestprairie didn’t bother thebison on Ed Eichten’s ranchone bit. The animals evolvedto survive — even thrive —year-round on the open range,and with their big heads, theycan plow right through drifts5-feet tall or more.
The majemajema stic beasts are ahot commodity these days, asconsumer demand for healthymeat has sent prices soaring.But although bison are whatone rancher calls “a self-careanimal,” most farmers arestruggling to increase theirherds and keep up withdemand.
Bison grow slower thanother livestock, and a heifercan’t have her first calf untilshe’s 3, said Dave Carter,executive director of theNational Bison Association in
Westminster, Colo. Beef cowscan have calves at 2. Also,many producers are findingheifers more valuable forbreeding than eating, whichmeans fewer bison going to
market — at least temporari-ly, he said.
The tight supply comesafter bison farmers spentmuch of the past decadeaggressively courting con-
sumers by touting the healthbenefits of the low-fat, low-cholesterol meat.
“Now our challenge is keep-ing up with that demand,”Carter said.
Eichten’s family has about250 head near Center City,about 40 miles north ofMinneapolis. He sells meat atfarmers markets, over theInternet and through the fam-ily’s retail store and restau-
rant. Eichten’s Hidden Acresalso supplies local restau-rants and co-op grocers.
Aaron Nytroe, meat andseafood manager at TheWedge co-op grocery inMinneapolis, said he can’t getenough bison meat. He sellsout deliveries from Eichten’smost weeks, and with demand
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Bison producers struggle to keep up with demand
Ed Eichten checks some of the 250 bison he raises on his family’sfarm near Center City,City,City Minn. Despite soaring prices, Eichten does-does-n’t see a slowdown in consumer demand for the lean meat.
AP photo/Jimphoto/Jim Mone
• See BISON/PageBISON/PageBISON 19
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Every decision we make in breeding and acquiringgenetics is based on our goal (Cajun Typical Perfection).
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Ranch: 979-921-990828820 FM 1736 Road • Hempstead, Texas 77445-7204Hicks Baker-44 and Oscar line
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Malonson RS Deer Ranch has teamed up with Dr. James C. Kroll (aka Dr. Deer) - widely acknowledged as thefather of modern deer breeding and co-founder of the Texas Deer Association - to help you apply THE DR. DEERSTOCKING SYSTEM on your land. The Dr. Deer System™ combines selection of proper genetics to meet yourgoals with development of an environment favorable to receiving your new genetics, assuring high survival rates.
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“growing exponentially,” hesaid he might even look atfinding a second supplier tokeep up.
Bison fans say the meatdoesn’t taste gamy — it has arich, beefy flavor but is a littlesweeter. Since it’s so lean,chefs say preparing it proper-ly requires slower cookingover lower heat than beef.
While retail prices vary,
ground bison has been sellingfor about $7 a pound, com-pared with a little over $5 ayear ago, Carter said.
But it’s still a niche prod-uct. About 92,000 head ofbison were processed lastyear in North America,according to the association.That’s less than one day’s beefproduction in the U.S. alone.
“It will take us five-plusyears to ramp up and keep aconsistent supply,” said GailGriffin, who’s been raising
TheLand
&Livestock
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January15,2011
19
News
BisonFrom 18
Bison brave the Minnesota winter on Ed Eichten’sfamily farm north of Minneapolis on ChristmasEve. The bull at left weighs about 2,200 pounds
and is between 7 and 8 years old. Bison growowmore slowly than beef cattle, making it harder forforproducers to keep up with the booming demand.
AP photo/Jimphoto/Jim Mone
• See DEMAND/PageDEMAND/PageDEMAND 20
SALE EACH SATURDAY
bison for 20 years and is theexecutive director of theMinnesota Buffalo Associa--tion and immediate past pres-ident of the national group.“But there’s every indication,for sure this year and indica-tions over the last three actu-ally, that people are shiftingto larger herds or creatingnew herds.”South Dakota, Montana,
North Dakota, Nebraska andColorado are the top bisonstates, but the animals areraised in all 50, Carter said,including a herd on the BigIsland of Hawaii and one onLong Island in New York.The U.S. Department of
Agriculture counted about4,500 ranches and farms withnearly 200,000 bison in theU.S. in its 2007 Census ofAgriculture. The total NorthAmerican herd, which in-cludes animals in state andnational parks, is estimated
at 450,000, compared withfewer than 1,000 a little over acentury ago.CNN founder Ted Turner is
the world’s largest bisonrancher with about 55,000head. He co-founded the Ted’sMontana Grill chain in 2002 tohelp popularize the meat, andit now sells about 1.5 millionpounds of bison a year, about40 percent of its annual salesof about $100 million, chiefexecutive and co-founder
George McKerrow Jr. said.The chain’s bison burgers
typically run $12 to $15, or $3more than the same burgersmade from beef. When thecompany raised prices by $1earlier this year, customerskept forking it out.“Right now the consumer
loves the product enough topay for it,” McKerrow said.But, he added, steak prices
have hit a ceiling at $30 for abison filet.
Eichten, who has been rais-ing bison for 22 years, said hedoesn’t see demand falling offas it does with many foodfads. People “want that fresh,locally grown product andthey’re willing to pay a premi-um for it,” he said.He and other producers say
bison can be easier to raisethan cattle, but there are
some unique challenges. It’stough to keep them fenced,Eichten said.And, he never walks
through his herd; he alwaysuses a vehicle.“The animal is pretty wild,”
he said. “You have to watchyour butt around them. ... I’veclocked them at 40 miles anhour. They can rock and roll.”
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DemandFrom 20
Bison run through the snow on Ed Eichten’s Minnesota farm. Theanimals evolved to thrive on the open range and can plow throughsnow drifts 5-feet tall or more.
APAP photo/Jimphoto/Jim MoneMone
CALDWELL LIVESTOCK COMMISSION
Carl Herrmann(979)820-5349
Hwy 36 South, P.O. Box 542, Caldwell, TX 77836Sale Barn Phone: (979) 567-4119
REGULAR SALE EVERY
WEDNESDAY, 1:00 PM
A u c t i o n
YOYO RMRMRM& R& R& R& RANANANANCHCHCHCHSUPERSUPERMAMAMAMARKERKERKERKERKETTT
FARM, RANCH & CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENTt. Jan 29th, 2011 at 10 am
PortPort
979-865-5468
Conveniently located 50 mi. W ofHouston, Tx off Ioff Iof H-10 on Hwy 36N
BuyBuyBuyBuyBuyBuy
We will be accepting equipment for this sale daily. Fdaily. Fdaily or your convenience, we will be open the weekend before the sale.Sat Jan
acceptiJanaccepti
22nd,accepti
22nd,accepting
22nd,ng
8 aequipment8 aequipment
m to 5 pequipment
o 5 pequipment
m & Sun. Jandaily
Jandaily23rd,
daily23rd,
daily1 pyour
1 pyourm to 5 pyour
o 5 pyour
m. We can assist you withopenwith
openyour hauling needs.
SALE DAY ANNOUNCEMENTS TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER PRINTED MATERIAL. Cash or check w/Bank Ltr of Guarantee. 10% BP on purchases of $500 or less.
www.switzerauction.net TXS 7342
Serving ourcustomers& fri& fri& f endssince 1986!!
Join our EMAIL BLASTS!!Send an email to [email protected] to be added to our list!
Area Farmers & Ranchers, Estates, Farm Service Agency, Counties, Municipalities, Schools, Businesses & IndividualsExpecExpecting Eg Eting Etin arlyarly ConsignmentsConsignments fromfrom
JD 567RD Balerw/NetWrapWrap
1991 Sooner 20’ GN Stock Trlr Cat D6D Bulldozer 5,782 hrs
2000 Ford F250 7.3 Diesel
5 speed with overdrive246,600
peed246,600
peedmi
peedmi
peed- One Owner !!!
McCormickCX95 90 hp
Sells with Great Bend Loader Sells with Monitor
ESTATE SALE
2007 Fair West 25’ GN FB
CM 1 ton Utility Bed
also selling CM 1 ton FlatbedSwitzer Auction Services of Bellville, Tx
conducted their 18th Annual Stockman’s SpecialAll Breed Bull & Female Sale at 4 CountyAuction Center in Industry, TIndustry, TIndustry x on Dec 4th.20 consignors brought 73 registered bulls
representing Angus, Brangus, Red Brangus,Charolais, Hereford and Ultra Black breeds. The bulls were graded by Lee Compton of Bellville,Texas and Scott Jones of Bleiblerville, Texas. Grand Champion bull was a Charolais from Run-ning 4 Charolais Unit 2, Whitney, TWhitney, TWhitney x and the Reserve Champion was a Hereford consigned byMimm’s Herefords, Lorenzo, Tx.173 bidders realized that again Switzer Auction Services had put together another high quality
bull sale and the auction was on!8 Angus bulls averaged $2,150. with the highest Angus selling for $3,000. 7 Brangus bulls
averaged $2,493 with the highest Brangus selling for $3,500. 20 Charolais bulls averaged $3,297with the highest Charolais selling for $3,400.15 Horned Hereford Bulls averaged $2,369 with the highest Horned Hereford selling for $3,100.
19 Polled Hereford Bulls averaged $2,098 with the highest Polled Hereford selling for $2,600.3 Red Brangus bulls averaged $1,467 with the highest Red Brangus selling for $2,000. 1 Ultra
Black bull sold for $3,500.Switzer Auction Services’ website is www.switzerauwww.switzerauwww ction.net. Contact them to be involved
in their upcoming Spring 2011 Bull Sale. 979-865-5468
Switzer Auction Services18th Stockmans SpecialAll Breed Bull & Female SaleFinishes 2010 Strong
Mark Switzer of Switzer Auction Services shownwith Mr & Mrs T LMcCoy of Running 4Charolais, Blum, Tx. Running 4 Charolaishad the Grand Champion Grading Bull at theStockman’s Special All Breed Bull Sale held inDecember. The Charolais bulls averaged $3,297
with Running 4’s bull selling for $3,400.
Mark Switzer of Switzer Auction Services shownwith Ryan &Ashley Mimms of Mimms Herefords,Lorenzo, Tx. Mimms Herefords had the ReserveChampion Grading Bull at the Stockman’s SpecialAll Breed Bull Sale held in December. The HornedHereford bulls averaged $2,369 with MimmsHerefords bull selling for $3,100.
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YOYO RMRMRM&& RRRANCHANCHANCHANCHANCHANCHANCHANCHSUPERMARSUPERMARSUPERMARSUPERMARSUPERMARSUPERMARKEKEKEKETTT
FAFAFAFARM,RM,RM,RM, RANRANRANRANCHCHCH && COCOCONSTNSTNSTNSTRURURUCTICTICTICTIONONON EQUIEQUIEQUIEQUIEQUIPMEPMEPMEPMENTNTNTNTt.t.t. JanJanJanJan 29th,29th,29th,29th,29th, 20120120120111 atatat 10101010
EQUI10EQUIEQUI10EQUI1010EQUI10EQUIEQUI10EQUI10101010 amamam
PortPort
979-865-5468
Conveniently located 50 mi. W ofHouston, Tx offoffof IH-10 on Hwy 36N
BuyBuyBuyBuyBuyBuyBuyBuyBuy
WeWe willwill bebe acceptiaccepting equipmentequipment for this sale daily. For your convenience, we will be open the weekend before the sale.Sat Jan
acceptiJanaccepti
22nd,accepti
22nd,accepting
22nd,ng
8equipment8equipmentam to 5
equipment5
equipmentpm & Sun. Jan
dailyJandaily23rd,
daily23rd,
daily1 pm to 5 pm. We can assist you with
openwith
openyour hauling needs.
SALE DAY ANNOUNCEMENTS TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER PRINTED MATERIAL. Cash or check w/Bank Ltr of Guarantee. 10% BP on purchases of $500 or less.
www.switzerauction.net TXS 7342
Servingcustomers& friendssince 1986!!
Join our EMAIL BLASTS!!Send an email to [email protected] to be added to our list!
equipmentequipment for this sale daily Forequipment dailythisequipment for dailysalethisequipment For
ving ourving ourving ourourving ourving
Area Farmers & Ranchers, Estates, Farm Service Agency, Counties, Municipalities, Schools, Businesses & Individuals
For conveniedaily ForForFor convenieForForFordaily ForForForForFor
ExpecExpectinggtingtin EarlyyEarlyEarl ConsConsignignments frofrom
JD 567RD Balerw/NetWrapWrap
1991 Sooner 20’ GN Stock Trlr Cat D6D Bulldozer 5,782 hrs
2000 Ford F250 7.3 Diesel
5 speed with overdrive246,600
speed246,600
speedmi
speedmi
speed- One Owner !!!
McCormickCX95 90 hp
Sells with Great Bend Loader Sells with Monitor
will be the weekendwill thebewill the
ESTATE SALE
2007 Fair West 25’ GN FB
weekend befor the sale.weekend befor sale.thebeforweekend theweekendweekendweekend
CM 1 ton Utility Bed
also selling CM 1 ton FlatbedSwitzer Auction Services of Bellville, Tx
conducted their 18th Annual Stockman’s SpecialAll Breed Bull & Female Sale at 4 CountyAuction Center in Industry, Tx on Dec 4th.20 consignors brought 73 registered bulls
representing Angus, Brangus, Red Brangus,Charolais, Hereford and Ultra Black breeds. The bulls were graded by Lee Compton of Bellville,Texas and Scott Jones of Bleiblerville, Texas. Grand Champion bull was a Charolais from Run-ning 4 Charolais Unit 2, Whitney,Whitney,Whitney Tx and the Reserve Champion was a Hereford consigned byMimm’s Herefords, Lorenzo, Tx.173 bidders realized that again Switzer Auction Services had put together another high quality
bull sale and the auction was on!8 Angus bulls averaged $2,150. with the highest Angus selling for $3,000. 7 Brangus bulls
averaged $2,493 with the highest Brangus selling for $3,500. 20 Charolais bulls averaged $3,297with the highest Charolais selling for $3,400.15 Horned Hereford Bulls averaged $2,369 with the highest Horned Hereford selling for $3,100.
19 Polled Hereford Bulls averaged $2,098 with the highest Polled Hereford selling for $2,600.3 Red Brangus bulls averaged $1,467 with the highest Red Brangus selling for $2,000. 1 Ultra
Black bull sold for $3,500.Switzer Auction Services’ website is www.switzerauction.net.www.switzerauction.net.www Contact them to be involved
in their upcoming Spring 2011 Bull Sale. 979-865-5468
Switzer Auction Services18th Stockmans SpecialAll Breed Bull & Female SaleFinishes 2010 Strong
Mark Switzer of Switzer Auction Services shownwith Mr & Mrs T LMcCoy of Running 4Charolais, Blum, Tx. Running 4 Charolaishad the Grand Champion Grading Bull at theStockman’s Special All Breed Bull Sale held inDecember. The Charolais bulls averaged $3,297
with Running 4’s bull selling for $3,400.
Mark Switzer of Switzer Auction Services shownwith Ryan &Ashley Mimms of Mimms Herefords,Lorenzo, Tx. Mimms Herefords had the ReserveChampion Grading Bull at the Stockman’s SpecialAll Breed Bull Sale held in December. The HornedHereford bulls averaged $2,369 with MimmsHerefords bull selling for $3,100.
TheLand
&Livestock
Post✪
January15,2011
21
News
Disaster program expandedSpecial to The Post
COLLEGE STATION —USDA Texas Farm ServiceAgency Executive DirectorJuan M. Garcia, announcedDec. 30 that eight additionalcounties have met the triggerrequirements for theLivestock Forage DisasterProgram. Counties recentlydetermined eligible for pro-gram benefits for native andimproved grasses are Ander-son, Brewster, Burleson, Fay-ette, Lee, Pecos, Waller andWashington.Those counties also were
granted a sign-up extensionuntil March 1.The Livestock Forage
Disaster Program providespayments to eligible livestockproducers who have sufferedlivestock grazing losses due toqualifying drought or fire.Fire losses apply only to fed-erally managed rangeland.Eligible livestock under the
program include beef cattle,alpacas, buffalo, beefalo,dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus,equine, goats, llamas, poultry,reindeer, sheep and swine.“It is imperative that live-
stock producers meet theirdeadline for disaster assis-tance as there are no late fileprovisions for LivestockForage Disaster Program,”said Garcia. “To ensure asmooth application process,producers should have allrequired supporting docu-mentation with them at thetime they visit our office toapply for benefits.”In order for an Livestock
Forage Disaster Program ap-plicant to qualify for programbenefits, the applicant musthave purchased insurancecoverage through Farm Ser-vice Agency’s NoninsuredCrop Disaster Assistance Pro-gram or the Pasture, Range-land and Forage Insurance-Rainfall Index for Grazing
program offered through theRisk Management Agency.Producers who meet the
requirements of a socially dis-advantaged, limited resource,or beginning farmers orranchers, as defined in theFood, Agriculture, Conserva-tion, and Trade Act of 1990,Section 2501 (e) (7 U.S.C.2279(e)), do not have to meetthis Risk Management pur-chase requirement.Livestock Forage Disaster
Program applicants shouldnote that in addition to riskmanagement provisions, cer-tain payment limitation andadjusted gross income eligi-bility requirements must bemet in order to qualify forlivestock disaster benefits.For more information or to
apply for Livestock ForageDis-aster Program, visit yourlocal Farm Service Agencyoffice. Information also maybe obtained online at www.fsa.usda.gov
have limited water, so weneed to try to use landscapeplants that do not use a lot ofwater or that can be irrigatedless frequently. And anotherthing is to (be able to) use thesaline water or the recycledwater to irrigate the land-scape plants.”Her research plots in El
Paso include numerousEarthKind and other rosesthat are potentially droughttolerant, heat tolerant andsalt tolerant for West Texasand the whole southwestregion, she said. The plotsalso include many beddingplants which have not beenstudied for their tolerance ofheat, salt or drought.“In some gardens, (in other
areas) you see so many beauti-ful, different varieties ofroses,” she said. “They cangrow well in certain places,but what if they are irrigatedwith saline water or recycled
water? Can they toleratethat?” Niu said. “And also inEl Paso when the weatherwould be much drier, andwith much heat you need toirrigate. But not every gardenhas a good irrigation system,and some people forget.”Her goal is to find roses and
other garden plants toughenough to take the naturaland human-made “abuse.”“People want to have beau-
tiful roses of different colorsand fragrances,” Niu said.“Many people think that in ElPaso, they can just plantshrubs and trees and have alot of gravel in their yard. Butactually there are manypotentials. In the past fewyears, we’ve found many bed-ding plants that can conformvery well in El Paso’s climate.Some are tolerant to salt,some are tolerant to drought.“But for those that can tol-
erate drought it is not neces-sarily that they can toleratesalinity. So we need researchto find out if they are tolerantto salt, to drought and toheat.”
PlantsFrom 3
Even
tsCa
lenda
r
Do you have a sale or event you’d
like listed? Call Jesse Wright at
(979) 731-4721 or email
JanuaryJan. 15: AQHA Best of the Remuda Sale,FWSSR, Fort Worth, Texas.Jan. 21: Best of the West Angus FemaleSale, FWSSR, Fort Worth, Texas.Jan. 22: Stars of Texas Angus FemaleSale, FWSSR, Fort Worth, Texas.Jan 28: Cowtown Cattle Drive CharolaisSale, FWSSR, Fort Worth, Texas.Jan 28: The Cowtown Classic LimousinSale, FWSSR, Fort Worth, Texas.Jan. 29: Farm & Ranch EquipmentAuction - Port City Stockyards, Sealy, TX.(979) 865-5468Jan 29: Fort Worth Red Angus ShowcaseSale, FWSSR, Fort Worth, Texas.Jan 30: 42nd Annual CommercialHereford Sale, FWSSR, Fort Worth,Texas.Jan 30: Dennis Charolais BeefgeneCharolais Bull Sale, Sulphur Springs,Texas.Jan 30: Fort Worth National “CowtownSelect” Hereford and Polled HerefordSale, FWSSR, Fort Worth, Texas.
FebruaryFeb. 2-5: 2011 Cattle IndustryConvention and NCBA Trade Show,Denver, CO.Feb. 5: Double Creek Farms 3rd AnnualAngus Bull Sale. Bryan, TX. 254-435-2988Feb. 10: Land & Livestock Postadvertising DeadlineFeb. 12: Bradley 3 Ranch Angus BullSale, Memphis, Texas.Feb. 23: Thomas Charolais 5th AnnualSpring Bull Sale, Raymondville, TX. 956-689-5162Feb. 24: Land & livestock Postadvertising DeadlineFeb. 26: 44 Farms Prime Cut Spring BullSale. Cameron, TX. (254) 697-4401
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Center, also holds the poten-tial to increase both biomassand digestibility in agricultur-al crops.Through decades of re-
search, Dixon’s group hasalready demonstrated the abil-ity to remove lignin fromplants. If he can now combinethat work with the recent genediscovery, then presumablynew plants can be producedwith both reduced lignin andmore biomass from the addi-tional cellulose and hemicellu-lose.This research was recently
published in Proceedings of theNational Academyemyem of Sciences,es,esone of the world’s most citedmultidisciplinary scientificserials. Since its establish-ment in 1914, Proceedings con-tinues to publish cutting-edgeresearch reports, commen-taries, reviews and perspec-tives.
LigninFrom 8
Pastures and rangeland were infair to good condition but alsoneeded moisture. The threat ofwildfire was high. Livestock werein good condition with producersproviding supplemental feed oncolder days.
Southwest: After threemonths without rain, the regionreceived from 0.5 to 0.75 inch-es during the last week of2010. However, Decemberended with less than a third ofthe long-term average for month.The recent rain may have helpedsettled loose topsoil, but drygrass along roadways continuedto pose a high risk of roadsidefires. Cold weather helped con-serve the limited moisture.Fields were prepared for earlyspring crops, but producers willneed more rain soon to makepossible dryland planting.Pastures and rangelandremained in winter dormancy,forage availability was below
average. Winter vegetablesmade excellent progress underheavy irrigation. The harvestingof cabbage, spinach and lettucewas ongoing.
West Central: Temperatureswere slightly warmer than nor-mal for the season. Smallamounts of rain were reportedin a few areas. Burn bansremained in effect in most coun-ties. The cotton harvest waswrapping up, and ginning wasnearly finished. Some cottonmodules remained in the fields,but it was expected they wouldbe moved to gins soon. Dry con-ditions delayed small-graingrowth and development. Smallgrains crops were a completefailure in some areas.Rangeland and pasture condi-tions continued to decline dueto lack of rainfall. Livestockremained in fair condition.Producers increased supplemen-tal feeding of livestock duringthe last few weeks. Pecan yieldswere good, and the harvest wasexpected to be completed in thenext few weeks. Prices havebeen excellent where quality isgood.
DryFrom 11
NATIONAL FINALS RODEO
Head over heels
Bull fighter Darrell Diefenbach is flipped by bull Big Iron during thethird go-round of National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas Dec. 4.
AP photo/Isaac Brekken
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