land and livestock post, dec. 1, 2012
DESCRIPTION
The Eagle's Dec. 1, 2012 Land and Livestock Post issueTRANSCRIPT
PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE
PAIDBRYAN, TX 77802PERMIT # 23
JAMES THOMPSONStraight from the horse's mouth.PAGE 3
JAMES THOMPSONStraight from the horse's mouth.PAGE 3
JAMES THOMPSONStraight from the horse's mouth.PAGE 3
JAMES THOMPSONStraight from the horse's mouth.PAGE 3
December 1, 2012
To apply ornot to apply?XXXXXXXXXXXXXXPAGE 12
PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE
PAIDBRYAN, TX 77802PERMIT # 23
HIGH COTTONCutting-edge techniques boost Texas cotton crop.PAGE 5
QUAIL-ITY CAREDrought hurts efforts to protect quail.PAGE 16
IN SYNCHTechnique may increase insemination rates.PAGE 18
CLASSICAL GASFeedlot methane, nitrous oxide emissions studied.PAGE 21
December 1, 2012
Bullishon the herd
How tomakesure bulls are
ready and ablePAGE 12
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NewsFrom theGeneralManager
In college, I had a roommatewho had seven differentjobs in onemonth.I have
had four jobs inmy life.I’m notquitting thisone anytimesoon, unlessI get a call onmy applicationfor water-slidetester or there is an openingfor beer-coldness assessor. Ihad thought of pursuing bikiniinspector, but then I thoughttheremay be some bikinis outthere that just should not beinspected, (the thing aboutthat industry: when it’s goodit’s really good, andwhen it’sbad, it’s really, really bad).So in themeantime, I’ll be
here as your general ganagerof the Land& Livestock Post.It’s a good job, and I like it,but as I mentioned, I could belured away if the right careeropportunity presented itself.
But it seems those dream jobsare few and far between.When it comes to your cow
herd, your bull has aboutthe best gig around. But, youshouldmake sure he’s notslacking off and actually doingthe work he’s supposed to. Inour cover story, we take a lookat how you canmanage yourbull tomake sure you get themost out of him.We also have some news
from the Noble Foundationabout tax provisions as wellas a few stories fromTexasAgriLife on beef, cotton andother ag news.Hope you enjoy this issue,
and as always, thanks for read-ing.’Til next time,
Dec. 7HighPlains AgConference inLubbock to cover awide range of topics
By Steve ByrnSTexas A&MAgriLife Extension
Service
LUBBOCK—Agriculturaltopics from traditional cropsto strawberries will greetparticipants at this year’sHigh Plains Ag Conference.The conference will run
from from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.Dec. 7 at the Texas A&MAgriLifeResearchandExten-sionCenter, 1102 E. F.M. 1294in Lubbock.
“This year’s conferencewilladdress traditionalcropsforourarea suchas cornandgrainsorghum,butwe’ll alsobe taking a look at strawber-ry production and pigweedcontrol,” said Robert Scott,Texas A&M AgriLife Exten-sion Service agent in Lub-bockCounty. “The topics aretimely and I think it will be adaywell-spentforthosewant-
ing to catch up on the latestdevelopments inHigh Plainsagriculture.”The program conducted
by AgriLife Extension willoffer five Texas Departmentof Agriculture continuingeducationunits:one lawsandregulations, one integratedpest management and threegeneral. Inaddition, itwillof-fer five Texas Certified CropAdviser continuing educa-tion units: three crop man-agement and two pest man-agement.The program’s topics and
speakers will include:•GrowingStrawberries on
the High Plains Using HighTunnels, Russell Wallace,AgriLifeExtensionvegetablespecialist, Lubbock.• Corn Production and
Drought Tolerant Varieties,Jake Becker, Texas A&MAgriLife Research assistant,Amarillo.
•CornProducersBoardAs-sociation Update, David Gib-son, Texas Corn Producersexecutive director, Lubbock• Sorghum And Wheat
Production, Calvin Trostle,AgriLife Extension agrono-mist, Lubbock.• AgriLife program up-
dates,RobertScott andMarkBrown, AgriLife Extensionagents, Lubbock County.• Pesticide Laws and Regu-
lations,DebbieSlocum,TexasDepartment of Agriculturepesticide inspector.• Pigweed Resistance and
Lessons From 2012, PeterDotray, AgriLife Research,Lubbock.Individual registration is
$35 by Dec. 3 and $45 there-after. The fees include lunch.For more information and
to register contact Scott at806-775-1680 or [email protected].
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Brazos Valley Livestock Commission15th Annual Fall Stocker Cow Sale
Highway 21 East • Bryan, Texas • Saturday December 1, 2012 • 11:00 AM
All cattle are young and screened for quality. Call us to consign your quality femalesREGULAR CATTLE SALES TUESDAYS 12:00 NOON
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: (979) 778-0904
43 HEAVY BRED BRANGUS HEIFERS 50% PAIR BY SIDETHESE HEIFERS ARE ALL ONE RAISING BRED LBW ANGUS BULLS25 HEAVY BRED BRANGUS HEIFERS BRED TO LBW ANGUS BULLS
20 HEAVY BRED BEEFMASTER CROSS HEIFERS BRED TO BLACK BULLS50 CROSSBRED COWS HEAVY BRED 3-5 YEAR OLD
10 CROSSBRED HEIFERS 4-6 MONTH BRED40 CROSSBRED COWS 4-6 YEARS OLD BRED ANGUS COWS AND CHAROLAIS
5 BRAFORD HEIFERSBRED TO LBW RED ANGUS20 BRAFORD COWS 5-6 YEAR OLD HEAVY BRED
8 BRANGUS COWS 3-4 YEAR OLD BRED 7-8 MONTHS35 ANGUS PAIR 3-5 YEAR OLD WITH ANGUS CALVES
10 OPEN BRAHMAN HEIFERS
11 OPEN BRANGUS HEIFERS24 OPEN BRANGUS HEIFERS4 OPEN BRAFORD HEIFERS5 OPEN F-1 BLACK HEIFERS
20 OPEN RED MOTLEY FACE HEIFERSOUT OF BRAFORD COWSAND RED ANGUS BULLS
20 OPEN BRANGUS HEIFERS BIG AND READY TO BREEDSOME OF THESE OPEN HEIFERS WILL BE SORTED INTO UNIFORMED PENS
GREAT FOR 4H SHOW HEIFERS10 DOUBLE CREEK ANGUS BULLS
10 PAT GRISWOLD CHAROLAIS BULLS COMING 2 YEAR OLDS5 PAT GRISWOLD REGISTERED HEREFORD BULLS
Scott ScarmardoHome (979) 272-0667
Mobile (979) 224-3764
PETE SCARMARDOOFFICE (979) 272-3109HOME (979)272-8476
EARLY CONSIGNMENTS INCLUDE:
News
Expiring taxprovisionsaffectproducersBy Dan ChilDs
The Samuel Roberts NobleFoundation
Agricultural producersmakedecisionseachdayusingassumptionsthatarebasedonuncertaintiessuchasweather,prices and government regu-lations. The summer of 2012wasfilledwithsuchdilemmas.Ournationissufferingfrom
the worst drought since the1950s, with grain and oilseedmarketsspiralingupwardandlivestock markets adjustingdownward. Our governmenthas not produced a farm billandthe2007FarmBillexpiredonSept. 30. Inaddition to this,important tax legislation isscheduled to expire on Dec.31. This article will discuss afew of the expiring tax provi-sions that aremost importantto producers.TheamountspecifiedinIRS
Code Section 179 (referred toas the election to expense) isscheduled to be reduced sub-
stantially.Thiselectionallowsan agricultural producer tochoose to deduct an amountof the purchase price of abusiness asset rather than re-cover the purchase price overa period of years through an-nual depreciation. It is a goodtax-management feature. In2010 and 2011, the maximumamountof theelectionwassetat $500,000, with a phase outbeginning when total pur-chases exceeded $2million.In 2012, the maximum elec-
tionamount is$139,000,withaphase out beginningwhen to-talpurchasesexceed$560,000.In2013, themaximumelectionis scheduled to be reduced to$25,000, with a phase out be-ginningwhen totalpurchasesexceed $200,000. The amountof the deduction elected islimited to the net businessincome. However, the IRS al-lows W-2 wages to count asbusiness income.IRS Code Section 168 is
another provision that deals
withdepreciation,specificallywithadditional50percent/100percent (bonus) first-year de-preciation. In 2008 through2010, a taxpayerwas requiredto deduct an additional 50percent of the cost of certainqualified assets, after the Sec-tion 179 deduction if elected,for assets placed in serviceduring the year unless theyspecifically elected out of it.Congress changed the law in2010 and added 100 percentbonus depreciation for assetspurchased after Sept. 8, 2010,and placed in service beforeJan. 1, 2012. The same law al-so provided for assets placedin service in 2012 to use only50 percent bonus deprecia-tion. No bonus depreciationis available for 2013, however.The gain on certain capi-
tal assets that are sold aftera minimum holding periodis taxed at a lower rate com-pared to typical income taxrates. Most qualified capitalassets have a minimum hold-
ingperiodof 12months.Cattlehave a minimum holding pe-riodof 24months. Individualsfiling jointly in2012whoare inthe 10 percent and 15 percentbrackets (taxable incomeslessthan $70,700)will not owe anytax on the gain of qualifiedcapital assets sold during theyear.If taxable income is above
$70,700, the income tax rate is25 percent or higher depend-ing on the level, up to amaxi-mum of 35 percent. For thesetaxpayers, thecapital gain taxrate is15percent.However, for2013, the capital gain tax rateis scheduled to go from 0 to 10percent for taxpayers in the10 and 15 percent income taxbracketsand from15 to20per-cent for taxpayers in incometaxbracketsof 25percentandabove.One other tax item related
to estate taxes is set to expireat the end of 2012. This is the$5.12 million exemption, themaximum tax rate of 35 per-
cent on estates and the porta-bility of any unused exemp-tion to the surviving spouse.The exemption amount isscheduled to be reduced to$1 million, the maximum taxrate increased to 55 percentand the portability of the un-used exemption will not beavailable.Congress has the ability
to extend a portion or all ofthese tax regulations plusmany others. All we knowfor certain, however, is thelawas it currently stands andits implications for taxes forthe remainder of 2012. WhatCongresswilldorelated to taxregulations in future years isuncertain.
•DanChilds isaseniorconsultantandagriculturaleconomist forTheSamuelRoberts Noble Foundation.
Berrycropscanbeprofitable inTexasBy KaThlEEn PhilliPsTexas A&MAgriLife Extension
Service
Be they black or blue, ber-riescanbeaprofitablebusinessprovidedgrowersplantsuitablevarieties and manage the chal-lenges of these crops, an expertwith the Texas A&M AgriLifeExtension Service said.“Berries are a great crop in
Texas,” said Monte Nesbitt,AgriLifeExtensionhorticultureprogram specialist. “They canbegrownfor funor forcommer-cial purposes.”Nesbitt addressed about 100
peopleat therecentTexasFruitandNutOrchardConference inBryan.Blackberries can be a profit-
able business in Texas — pro-vided growers plant suitablevarieties and manage the chal-lenges of this crop.Blackberries, a typeof bram-
bleorcaneberry,dowell inTex-as because they are improvedvarieties from wild dewber-ries that grow along roadsidesin more southern areas of thestate.
“Blackberries come into fullproduction within two years ofplanting,”hesaid. “Theybloomlater in the spring and have along harvest season that maylast into the fall.”The horticulturist estimated
that about 70 percent of the ex-penses associated with grow-ing blackberries are for har-vest labor. The berries must bepicked when ripe since they donotcontinuetoripenafterbeingpluckedfromthevine,sohavingavailable labor throughout theharvest season is essential.He said blackberry plants
can produce for more than 20
yearsandmayyieldup to10,000poundsperacrewhenwellman-aged. A pint basketmay sell for$2.50-$4.95 each.Blueberry farms also can be
profitable,Nesbitt added, yield-ing 15 pounds per plant or 9,000pounds an acre.Nesbitt and AgriLife Exten-
sionhorticulturistsJimKamasof Fredericksburg and LarrySteinof Uvaldehaveproducedaseries of “how-to” publicationsaimedathelpingpotentialgrow-ers learn how to produce morefruits and nuts in Texas. Theycan be found at aggie-horticul-ture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/.
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News
Texascottongettingagenetic ‘tune-up’By Kay LedBetter
Texas A&MAgriLife ExtensionService
COLLEGE STATION — Canyou imagine trying to build acompetitive race car with oldparts? Chances are, the entrywould not fare well at the Indy500. Very much the same thingmight be said about today’scrops, according to a TexasA&M AgriLife Research scien-tist.“Contemporary crops such
as Texas cotton are like finelytuned racing machines — theyneed high quality parts to per-form optimally,” said DavidStelly, Texas A&M AgriLifeResearch cotton geneticist inCollege Station. “And they con-stantlyneednewonestoreplaceonesthatarenolongerfunction-al, as well as those that are stilleffectivebutnolongerat thecut-ting edge of competition.”Stelly said his role in the
AgriLifeResearchcottonbreed-ing program is to infuse newgenes and gene combinationsinto the genetics and breedingresearch arena, “so thatwe canutilizenaturalgeneticresourcestohelpmeet themanychalleng-es breeding programs face.”Transferringgenes intoacul-
tivated crop fromawild species“is like swimming upstream,one is fighting all sorts of bio-logicalandgeneticbarriers,”hesaid. For years, he andhis long-timeresearchassistant,DwaineRaska, have been transferringthe alien genes by a special
Texas A&MAgriLife Research photo byDavid Stelly
David Stelly, Texas A&M AgriLife Re-search cotton scientist, operates hisstudies year-round, using a mixture ofthree greenhouses year-round and twosummer fields, one consisting of trans-planted seedlings and another fromdirect-seeding into the soil.
See COTTON, Page 7
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Newsbreeding process called “chro-mosome substitution.”“Usingchromosomesubstitu-
tion, we can target one pair ofcultivatedcottonchromosomesata time,andreplace itwith thecorresponding pair of chro-mosomes from a wild specieschosen as the donor. On aver-age, each substitution replacesabout 2,000 cotton genes withdonor genes,” Stelly said.Having already developed
chromosome substitution linesfor many chromosomes fromthree donor species, Stelly isworking in collaboration witha former graduate student, Su-kumar Saha, nowwith the U.S.Departmentof Agriculture-Ag-riculturalResearchServiceunitat Mississippi State University,andhisassociates, todocumenttheireffectsoncottonplantandfiber improvement.Stelly noted that the chromo-
somesubstitutionbreedingandresearchwasmadepossibleon-ly because of teamwork amongresearchers and research sup-porters, especiallyAgriLife Re-search, theTexasStateSupportCommittee,CottonInc., theTex-asDepartmentof Agriculture’sFood and Fiber Research Com-mission and the AgriculturalResearch Service.To significantly advance the
cotton industry’s “racing ma-chines,” breeders must shoparound to find the best parts,and figure out how to optimizetheir contributions to perfor-mance, he said.“Fortunately,natureprovides
aplethoraof geneticvariation,”Stelly said. “It’s up to us to findit, move it into agronomicallyuseful types, and to figure out
how to use it wisely. Whethermechanical or genetic, makingone change often requires thatothersbemade toachievesupe-riority.”Contemporaryproductionof
cotton in Texas and elsewhererequires cotton seed with su-perb genes, plus good produc-tioninfrastructureandtechnol-ogy, superbgrowers andagooddose of luck, he said.“If agrowersowscottonseeds
lacking a fantastic set of genesthat confer high production,high fiber quality, resilience tostresses, pests and pathogens,expectations for thecropwouldbe less than good from the out-set.”
Extreme challengeThe grower’s requirements
pose an extreme challenge forcotton breeding programs thatrelease cultivated varieties, be-cause producersmust buy elitegenetic types that are good-to-great for all traits, Stelly said.Because of the ever-present
pressure for rapid develop-ment of successful cultivars,U.S. breeding programs havehistorically relied heavily onpreviously developed cultivarsand closely related lines as par-ents, he said. This recycling ofgenes from relatively few his-toricallyeliteagricultural typesof cotton has created a genetic“bottleneck.”“We have excellent genetic
types of cotton and excellentcotton breeders, but we need‘newblood’ornewcottongenes,
to create lots of new geneticcombinations, of which a feware likely to yield significantimprovements,” Stelly said.While Texas leads the U.S. in
cottonproduction—producingabout 25 percent of the nation’scroponabout 6millionacres—there is competition to this No.1 cash crop for the state, Stellysaid.“Industrial technologies and
competition from synthetic pe-troleum-based fibers demandsignificant modifications andenhancements to cotton fiberphysical and chemical proper-ties, especially those that affectdying and high-speed process-ing,” he said.Also, ongoing climate chang-
eswill alter the scope and scaleof the challenges found in cur-rent production areas, andprobably lead to production innew areas with new sets of bi-oticandabioticproblems,Stellysaid.“We canuse genes to address
these challenges and competi-tion in the field,” he said.Genetic improvements or
modifications can help keeppests and pathogens at bay,fight off abiotic stresses suchascold,heat,waterdeficiencies,salt and nutrient deficiencies,Stelly said.Stelly sees the opportunities
for genetic improvements asalmost unlimited — and veryexciting.“A key ingredient, in almost
all scenarios, is the availabilityof ample amounts of geneticvariation that isavailable to the
breeder tomold new, improvedgenetic types using the combi-natorial ‘magic’ of Mendelianheredity,” Stelly said. “Weare concomitantly developinghigh-throughput DNAmarkermethods for cotton to expeditethat follow-through work withthe chromosome substitutionlines.”
Traditional methodsTraditional breeding meth-
ods are not very effective forinfusing wild germplasm intocotton, he said, because dur-ing the back-crossing process,“we think that the alien genesget eliminated very quickly.”Stelly uses a modified methodfor chromosome substitutionto avoid those problems almostcompletely.Theeffectsdifferamongeach
alien chromosome, he said, ul-timately depending on whichgenes are present on that sub-stituted chromosome, and howthey interactwith the other ap-proximate58,000genes found inUpland cotton.Stellysaid theyarebeginning
toapplygenomics tools todeter-mine which genes are present,
which are expressed and howthey interact. Once developed,the lines produced by the proj-ect can be screened and “usedbyanyone…andforessentiallyany trait subject to genetic con-trol,” he said.“The resulting advances will
enablethebaselineperformanc-es of cotton to be elevated, andcould lead to unforeseen revo-lutionary advances.”Stelly said one of the group’s
main activities at present is torecruit partners — breeders,physiologists, pathologists —in studying these new chromo-some substitution lines.“Weareactivelyseekingpart-
ners tohelpbreedderived typesthat canhelp the research com-munity pinpoint single-geneand multi-gene effects in man-ners complementary to othermeans of genetic analysis,” hesaid. “My expectation is thatwith the aid of marker-basedselection, the cotton breedingcommunity will be able to usethese new kinds of wild germ-plasm resources far, far moreeffectively than in the past. Itjust keeps getting more andmore exciting.”
Cotton, from Page 5
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News
Cowclinicaddresses feralhogcontrol,weedcropBy Blair Fannin
Texas A&MAgriLife ExtensionService
BRENHAM—Thisyear’sedi-tion of the SouthCentral TexasCow Calf Clinic in Brenhamfeatured a lot of optimism andinterest in the outlook for beefcattle production in themonthsahead—astarkcontrast to2011when ranchers in WashingtonCounty and surrounding areasweredevastatedbydroughtcon-ditions.“When it rains, we all look
smart,”saidJasonCleere,TexasA&M AgriLife Extension Ser-vice beef cattlespecialist fromCollege Station,who mode r -ated the event.“There’s quite abit of differencebetween lastyear and thisyear.”What’s different is a bum-
per crop of weeds across partsof Texas, and the trick to fendthem off is to get to them early,said Paul Baumann, AgriLifeExtension state weed specialistin College Station.“From here to Dallas, there
are anumber of fields you can’tsee a sprig of Bermudabecauseof all of the dove weed,” Bau-mann said.When these weeds are at this
growth stage, Baumann saidthey form an umbrella and notonly “are they sucking up wa-ter, they are also interceptingsunlight which is critical forBermuda grass growth.”Baumann said to keep in
mind“foreverypoundof weedsyou control, you gain at least apound of forage in return.”“The key is to get the job
done early on annual broadleafweeds,”Baumannsaid. “Annu-al weeds have limited root sys-tems and are easier to control
than perennial weeds.”Baumann said this time of
year is not the time to controlwarm season annual broadleafweeds, such as doveweed orbroomweed.“By the time they have flow-
ered, they have picked yourpocket,” he said.Products such as 2,4-D and
Grazon P+D can provide con-trol.Mechanicalshreddingisanoption, but hasto be done earlyandexpensehasto be factored,Baumann said.“The longer
you let weedscompete withforage grass,the longer theyare going todetract from forageproduction,” he said.For annual weeds, Baumann
suggests spraying at 4 to 6 inch-es in height. “If they get larger,they will require more herbi-cide and will have detractedmore from forage production,”he said.Regarding perennial weeds,
mechanical shredding will getonly a top kill, Baumann said.Herbicides are much more
effective on perennial weedssuch as silverleaf nightshadeor Carolina horsenettle.Meanwhile, Doug Pierce,
division chair for agricultureat Blinn College, provided tipson basic beef cattle selection.He said skeletal soundness andbodyvolumearekeybasiccrite-ria tobeused inprofitablecattleselection.As a side note, Pierce noted
that an often overlooked “real-
BAUMANNCLEERE
Texas A&MAgriLife Extension Servicephoto by Blair Fannin
DougPierce,division chair for agricultureat Blinn College, provided tips on basicbeef cattle selection.
See CLINIC, Page 10
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Newsworld” criteria is width of muzzle or“wide-mouthed cattle.” Pierce said heprefers wide-mouthed cows that are ca-pable of consuming large amounts offorage like a machine.
“A cow is nothing more than MotherNature’s hay baler,” he said. “The kidsalways laughatmeatBlinnwhenI say Ilike a cow with a wide mouth. She’s likea machine and width of muzzle always(allows)hertoharvestandprocessmoreforage in a day — like a hay baler.”
Pierce said a cow must have the cor-rect typeof muscleor“beef” surround-ing this sound skeleton.
“Muscle is what we sell in the beefindustry,” said Pierce, but this musclehas to be designed in a way to facilitatefluidmovementof thecow,not inhibit it.
“A good cow with skeletal soundnessandproperbodydepthiscapableof con-suminglargevolumesof forage(if avail-able) daily and produce beef,” he said.
In a live cattle demonstration, Piercediscussed in great detail what ranchersshould be looking for when purchasingreplacementcattle.Somepoints tokeepin mind include evaluating how a cowstands, whether or not they are post-legged or buck-kneed, and the lengthof neck.
“Shoulderangularityand itseffectonneck length is a good indicator of skel-
etal soundness,” he said.Feral hog biology and control meth-
ods also were discussed by Jim Cathey,AgriLife Extension wildlife special-ist and associate department head forwildlife and fisheries sciences at A&M.
Cathey told attendees that female fe-ral hogs are prolific breeders, cyclingevery 18 to 24 days if not already bred.
“They are just built to get little pigsout there in the wild,” he said.
Males average 180 pounds, while fe-males average 150 pounds. Feral hogsgenerallyrun ingroupswith the femaleadult hogs called “sounders.” Catheysaid it’s estimated there are 2.6 millionferal hogs in Texas.
“Imagine how much more beef cattleor Bobwhite quail we could have if wedidn’t have this many feral hogs in ourstate,” he said. “We’ve got too many ofthem, and we need to (get) rid of them.”
Texas A&MAgriLife Extension Service photo byBlair Fannin
The feral hog,a nemesis toTexas ranchers,was oneof the featured topics at this year’s South CentralTexas Cow Calf Clinic in Brenham.
Clinic, from Page 9
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Do you have a sale or eventyou’d like listed?
Call Jesse Wright at(979) 731-4721 or email
Events Calendar
Coming up in theDecember 15thIssue of the
Land & Livestock Post:
• AnnualHoliday Issue
call todayfor your Christmas greeting ad.
• AnnualAg Directory
DecemberDec. 1: Farm, Ranch &Construction Equipment Auction.Sealy, TX. (979) 885-2400Dec. 1: Jordan Cattle AuctionSpecial Replacement Female Sale.San Saba, TX.Dec. 6: Jordan Cattle AuctionSpecial Texas Brangus BreedersAssociation Bull Offering. San Saba,TXDec. 8: 8th Annual Fall Female &Bull Replacement Sale. Navasota,TX. 936-825-6545Dec. 8: 20th Annual Stockman’sSpecial All Breed Bull & FemaleSale. Industry, TX. 979-885-2400
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11On Texas Avenue in Bryan | 979.778.6000 | www.producerscooperative.com
A Special One-Day Priefert Sale!Saturday, Dec. 8th PRODUCERS EXPO 2012
Everything Ag!
Be sure to stop by the Priefert booth during EXPO 2012 for ademonstration and answers to all your equipment questions.
Save on Chutes, Headgates and HandlingSystems, Cattle and Horse Panels, Horse Stallsand Feeders, and much more!
News
Git-R-DoneMake sure bulls are up to the task
By RoBeRt FeaRsSpecial to The Post
Bull power was discussed inthe Oct. 1 issue of Land&Livestock Postwith an ex-planation of its importance.A bull contributes 50 per-
cent of the genetics in calves born from15 to 50 cows and the sire’s genetics be-comemore concentrated if he is bredto his daughters and granddaughters.Suggestions from several experts on
how to select the right bull also werepresented in the article. Once the rightbull is selected and purchased, hemustbemanaged so that he has every op-portunity to produce at his potential.A bull must bemonitored to ascertainthat he is performing as expected.“In order for a sire to be a genetic as-
set under natural service conditions,hemust find, travel to and successfullyimpregnate females in heat (estrusfemales),” said Bruce Carpenter ofTexas A&MAgriLife Extension at FortStockton.“It is not unreasonable to expect
an extremely fertile bull to sire 60 ormore calves in a short breeding season;whereas a truly infertile bull mightsire none, even in a long breedingseason. Fertility of most bulls is prob-ably somewhere in themiddle of theseextremes.“Fertile bulls are of greater econom-
ic value, not only because of the num-ber of calves they can sire, but alsobecause they tend to settle cows earlierin the breeding season, resulting inolder and heavier calves at weaning.Properlymanaging any given bullfromweaning throughmaturity willmaximize his inherent fertility andboost his contribution to overall herdproductivity,” Carpenter said.
Herd healthBothmale and female breeding
animalsmust be kept healthy formaximum calf production. It is impor-tant for producers to workwith theirveterinarians to draft and execute aherd health plan that includes good bi-osecuritymeasures. Diseases affectingboth young andmature bulls are essen-tially the same that occur in breedingfemales.
“A biosecurity plan to prevent intro-duction of diseases from outside theranch is invaluable and should includeoptions such as proper quarantine, dis-ease testing and vaccinations,” said Dr.TomHairgrove of Texas A&MAgriLifeExtension at College Station. “Be fa-miliar with your neighbors’ operationsand their management practices. De-termine if there is a chance that theirherds can transmit disease to yourcattle.“Good fences are one of the best
disease preventativemeasures. If yourcows and bulls comingle with yourneighbor’s cattle even for a short pe-riod, costly diseases can be introducedinto your herd,” Hairgrove said.“A good vaccination program is an
essential part of a biosecurity pro-gram,” Hairgrove said. “Males and
females should be vaccinated for dis-eases that put your herd at risk. Typi-cally vaccinations include leptospirosis(Lepto), Campylobacter (vibria), bo-vine herpes virius (IBR), bovine viraldiarrhea (BVD) and possibly bovinetrichomonas (trich). Designing an ef-fective vaccination program beginswith your herd veterinarian.”
NutritionBulls have to be fed well to perform
well. There is a tendency to feed bullsthe sameway cows are fed, eventhough their functions are different. Abull may be expected to breed 15 to 50ormore females by walking long dis-tances over rough terrain. A nutrition-ally deficient bull will not deliver thistype of performance.“The first step in providing adequate
nutrition is determining the desiredlevel of performance,” said GlennSelk, professor of Animal Science andExtension Animal Reproduction Spe-cialist at Oklahoma State Universityin Stillwater. “Typically, young bullshave 160 days to grow fromweaning toyearling age. Because of the growth po-tential of our current beef population,yearling bulls are heavier than 1,000pounds. Young bulls need to have gainsof 2.5 pounds daily. Moderate energydiets (those with grain) are needed toattain these performance levels.”For young bulls not intended for gain
testing, rations should include con-centrates fed at aminimum of about2 percent of body weight. Six hundredpound calves easily can consumeabout 10 to 12 pounds of grain with al-
Photo by Robert FearsProducers shouldn’t feed bulls the same way they feed cows. Bulls sometimes must walk long distances to service a cow and mustbe able to do so easily.
See BULLS, Page 13
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News
falfa hay or grass hay fed freechoice. This will promote rapidgrowth without excessive fat-tening. Start the grain feedinggradually to allow rumen bac-teria development.
As bulls increase in size, theamount of grain must increaseto maintain the 2 percent ofbody weight level unless it isobvious that they need morehigh-energy feed. At this age,the bulls should grow rapidly,so they need 12 to 13 percenttotal protein in their diet. De-pending on the kind and quali-ty of roughage and grain beingfed, a protein supplement maybe needed in the ration to meetprotein requirements.
“Yearling bulls should bewell-grown, but not too fat,”Selk said. “Reduce the energycontent of a ration if bulls aregetting too fat. Semen produc-tion by a young bull largelydepends on his overall growthas well as development of histesticles and other reproduc-tive organs.
“Two-year-old bulls shouldhave more of their mature sizeby breeding season, so theirration is not quite so critical.A 1,300-pound 2-year-old willprobably need to gain only onepound per day at this stage inhis life. Active bulls may need35 pounds of feed or more withfive to seven pounds of grainin the ration. Continue to mon-itor total protein content of the
diet and keep protein concen-tration near 12 percent.”
For older bulls the idealenergy level during the pre-breeding conditioning perioddepends on their body condi-tion. If bulls wintered in goodcondition, five to seven poundsof grain may be adequateto build the desired energyreserve. If the bulls are thin,than they may need to receive20 pounds or more of grain perhead per day. Start the grainfeeding gradually.
“Adequate levels of vitaminA are necessary for optimumsemen production,” Selk said.“Green-growing forages arehigh in vitamin A and cattlecan store this vitamin for aslong as seven months. Greencolor of hay is a good indica-tor of vitamin A. Because ofits importance and reasonablecost, add a natural or syntheticsource to supplemental feed orminerals to insure adequatelevels.
“Bulls should also haveaccess to free choice sourcesupplemental phosphorusyear round if they are grazingwarm season pastures. A min-eral supplement that containsone-half trace mineralized saltand one-half dicalcium phos-phate is a good mixture.
“Adding 5 percent soybeanmeal to the mix will encouragegreater consumption. Bullsgrazing lush green winter pas-
Photo by Robert FearsSelecting the right bull and taking proper care of him will pay big divi-dends in herd reproduction.
Bulls, from Page 12
See HEALTH, Page 14
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News
tures such as wheat will needa mineral program designedfor small grains. Bulls on smallgrains pastures may needsupplemental calcium andmagnesium.”
Ability to breed“Whether in young or ma-
ture bulls, a fertility assess-ment is required before breed-ing performance can be pre-dicted,” Carpenter said. “For abull to impregnate females, therequirements are more com-plicated than expected. Bullsin good overall health muststill have enough libido (sexualurge or instinct) to pursue,mount and serve a female inheat. This involves travel overshort or long distances in vary-ing terrain, requiring soundfeet and legs. Copulation re-quires a functional reproduc-tive tract free of abnormalities.Finally, quality sperm must bedeposited.”
A good quality test for deter-mining if a bull has the ability
to produce calves is a breed-ing soundness examination(BSE), best administered by aveterinarian. A BSE includesa structural correctness evalu-ation, physical examinationof the reproductive tract andsemen analysis. Conduct theseexaminations on young bullsbefore they are used for thefirst time and on all bulls about60 days before the breedingseason starts.
A structural correctnessevaluation includes a generalassessment of the skeleton,particularly the feet and legs.Can the bull walk and getaround OK? Mouth and teethusually are evaluated becausea bull must be able to eat ifhe is to meet performanceexpectations. Good eyes espe-cially are important for bulls.Research indicates that theprimary stimulus for a bullto seek estrus females is hisability first to visually locategroups of sexually active fe-males. Cows or heifers usually
Health, from Page 13
See INVEST, Page 15
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TheLand
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14For a free weekly market report log on to
www.navasotalivestock.com
8thANNUALFALLFEMALE&BULLREPLACEMENTSALE
Early Consignments Include:50 3-5 yr. old Brangus Pairs•
50 4-6 yr. old Crossbred Pairs•
75 3-5 yr. old Brangus Bred•
Cows
200 3-5 yr. old Crossbred Bred•
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10 Braford Open Heifers•
Charolais, Angus Bulls &•
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All consignments mustbe received no
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FOR INFORMATIONCall 936-825-6545 or Greg Goudeau 936-661-8432
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All consignmentswill be screenedupon arrival.
News________________________________________________________________________Table 1. Scrotal scoring system and recommended scrotal circumference in centimetersfor bulls of various ages. ( bulls without any Brahman genetics.)
Age Very Good Good Poor12-14 months >34 30-34 <3015-20 months >36 31-36 <3121-30 months >38 32-38 <32Over 30 months >39 34-39 <34
________________________________________________________________________Adapted from the Society of Theriogenology
Table 2. Scrotal scoring system and recommended scrotal circumference in centimetersfor Braham and Brahman crossbred bulls.
Age Very Good Good Poor12 months >22 18-22 <1813 months >24 20-24 <2014 months >26 21-26 <2115 months >30 26-30 <26
16-20 months >31 28-31 <2821-24 months >32 29-32 <2925-31 months >35 31-35 <31Over 31 months >39 34-39 <34
Adapted from the Society of Theriogenology
are sexually active when theyare beingmounted by otheranimals in the herd.“Physical examination of
the reproductive tract includesa determination of whetherthere is normal extension ofthe penis and if it is free ofadhesions,” Selk said. “Theejaculate is observed for ab-sence of pus.”“Both testicles are observed
for normal size and descensioninto the scrotum,” Carpentersaid.“The testicles are palpated
for texture and the sheath,prepuce and accessory glandsare evaluated. Finally, scrotalcircumference is measured.Bulls with larger testiclesproducemore sperm cells,reach puberty sooner and siredaughters that reach pubertyat earlier ages.”Scoring systems and recom-
mended scrotal circumferencefor bulls of various ages areshown in Tables 1 and 2.“Semen evaluation usually
consists of microscopic exami-nation of sperm formotility,concentration and normality,”Carpenter said. “Test kits,containing reducible dyes, canbe used to test spermmotilityand concentration by colorchanges. Computerized digi-
tal photographic lab systemsare also available to evaluatespermmotility.Following the BSE, bulls are
classified either as satisfactoryor unsatisfactory as potentialbreeders. Any bull classifiedas unsatisfactory probablyshould be re-tested before he isculled.Libido is a vital part of bull
fertility and has little or noassociation with results froma breeding soundness exam.Extension specialists recom-mend exposing yearling bullsto a few cycling females priorto turning them inwith thecow herd.“Shy breeders, fighters, bulls
that form a bondwith one par-ticular cowwhile ignoring oth-ers in heat and bulls that havepoormounting orientationwill sire few calves and thus bequite costly,” Selk said.It is highly recommended by
experts in the cow-calf busi-ness that the necessarymoneybe spent to buy good bulls thatwill produce top-of-the-marketcalves.To protect this investment
bulls must be fed properly,kept healthy and routinelymonitored for performancethrough annual evaluationsprior to exposing them to cowsand observed visually duringthe breeding season.
Invest, from Page 14
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News
Drought hurt Texas quail preservation effortsBy NormaN martiNTexas Tech University
Three years into a five-year projectaimed at stemming amassive decline ofquail in Texas, researchers with a con-servation alliance based at Texas TechUniversity are finding that last year’sblistering drought didn’t help that res-cue effort one bit.“Even though we’ve seen improve-
ment in this year’s reproductive efforts,it’s important to look at reality,” saidBrad Dabbert, Quail-Tech Alliance re-search project director and associateprofessor inTexasTech’sdepartmentofnatural resourcesmanagement. “We’recoming off one of theworst droughts onrecordandwe’reseeingacorrespondingreproductive failure.Whileenvironmen-tal conditions improved during winterand spring, we can’t expect populationsto rebound in a single year.”Starting in 2009, Quail-Tech Alliance
and Texas Tech designated a 38-countyresearcharea inwest central andnorth-west Texas, an area that encompassesmore than 22 million acres or roughly10 times thesizeof YellowstoneNationalPark. Within each of the counties, oneranch is designated as an anchor ranchtoserveasafieldresearchordemonstra-tion site.Amongthehistoric ranchesonthe list
attemptingtosavethesmallbird,knownas a northern bobwhite quail, are the6666 Ranch, Guthrie’s Pitchfork Ranch,Vernon’sW.T.Waggoner Ranch, Collin-gsworth County’s Mill Iron Ranch andArcher County’s Circle A Ranch.While the Lone Star state’s historic
drought inhibited reproduction overmost of the Rolling Plains last summer—exasperatingbirddeathsoverthewin-ter—researchers are encouraged to seemany birds in reproductive conditionthis nesting season.“It’s amazingwhat a little timely rain
can do,” Dabbert said. “We’ve had re-ports of broods in many areas of theRolling Plains.”Meanwhile, this fall the teamis taking
a closer look at another factor affectingquail longevity: predators. It has initi-ated an ongoing program to monitorpredator activity using cameras on theanchor ranches in the Quail-Tech Alli-anceprogram.Theinitialresultsstillarebeingexamined, but among theanimalscaught on camera are skunks, coyotes,raccoons and a bobcat.Separately, the research team is clos-
ing rapidly itsmost recent constructionphase, which includes a Lubbock re-search facility with indoor work areasand outdoor pens. So far, the team hasbeen focusingon theproductionof wild-strain, parent-reared chicks.“Chick releases on anchor ranches
Photo courtesyTexas Parks &Wildlife DepartmentThe extended drought of 2011 hurt efforts to protect and restore Texas bobwhite quail.
SeeQUAIL, Page 17
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Newsbegan in August and ended inOctober,” Dabbert said.
Some of the released chicksare fitted with radio transmit-ters to monitor their survivaland movements during the falland winter. The goal is to placebirds on the ground where habi-tat has been modified to be suit-able forquail,butwheredroughtorisolationhaspreventedtimelycolonization by wild popula-tions.
The Quail-Tech Alliance, apartnership between Tech’snatural resources managementdepartment and Quail First, aDallas-based non-profit organi-zation, is conducting researchand demonstration projects onan array of topics, including:• Investigating the potential
benefitsordetrimentsof supple-mental feeding.• Understanding the factors
that influence over-winter sur-vival of adults and summer-to-fall survival of the brood.• Refining the way prescribed
burning, brush modificationand livestock grazing are usedas tools of habitat management.
Quail, from Page 16
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News
BeeSynchcanboostbeefquality, ranchers’profitsBy Blair Fannin
Texas A&MAgriLife Extension Service
BEEVILLE — With national beefcattle inventory at lows not seen sincethe1950s, the timecouldberight forpro-ducers of Brahman-influenced cattle toadoptafixed-timeartificial inseminationmethod that couldadd thousandsof dol-lars innetvalue toacalf crop,accordingto researchers.Gary Williams, a reproductive physi-
ologist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Re-search Station-Beeville, said the short-age of cattle nationwide has resulted inan increased demand for feedlot calvesandashortageof high-qualitybeef.Thishas created the perfect opportunity forbeef cattle producers to consider adopt-ing technologies that may improve pro-duction efficiency and profits.“Bee Synch, a synchronization of
ovulation technique developed for Bosindicus-influenced beef cows, yieldsfixed-time artificial insemination preg-nancy rates of up to 55 percent andmakes the use of AI more feasible for agreaternumberof producers interested
inusing superior sires in their breedingprogram,”Williams said.Theresearchtodeveloptheprocedure
was conducted in collaboration withRandy Stanko of Texas A&M Universi-ty-Kingsville and Marcel Amstalden ofTexas A&M University in College Sta-tion, and supported by Pfizer AnimalHealth and Select Sires.“If you have the right genetic back-
ground in feedlot-destined calves, andretain ownership through the feedlot,the difference in price at slaughter be-tween those and the average South Tex-as-sired calf canbe asmuchas $350,” hesaid.“Multiply thatoutbyhundredsandyouaremakingsomeseriousmoney.Weare seeing some of the national steak-house chains having problems gettinghigh-quality certified beef. This syn-chronizationmethodcouldbealucrativeoption for some beef cattle producers toconsider.”Thesynchronizationprocessisamodi-
fied five-day protocol developed previ-ously atOhioStateUniversity,Williamssaid. That procedure, known as “5-dayCo-Synch+CIDR”hasbeenshowntobe“highlyeffective” forsynchronizationof
ovulation inBos taurus beef cows (Eng-lish and Continental-derived breeds),yielding fixed-time artificial insemina-tion pregnancy rates of 60 percent orgreater.This and similar procedures, how-
ever, have not worked well in the Bosindicus-influenced composite breedsand crossbreeds used commonly acrossthesouthernU.S.TheBeeSynchprocess
Texas A&MAgriLife Research photoBee Synch, a synchronization of ovulation technique developed for Bos indicus-influenced beef cows,yields fixed-time artificial insemination pregnancy rates of up to 55 percent.
See CATTLE, Page 19
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that Williams developed callsfor an additional injection ofprostaglandinat thestartof thefive-daysynchronizationproto-col, which reduces the lifespanof a hormone-producing struc-ture on the ovary.“This improves synchrony
and boosts pregnancy rates,”Williamssaid.“Importantly, themodifiedproceduredoesnot in-volveadditionalcattlehandlingand utilizes synchronizationproductsalreadyavailable fromPfizer Animal Health.”Williamssaidoneof themain
concerns fromranchersconsid-eringadoptionof these typesoftechnologies is the number oftimes required to pen cattle,labor costs and stress-relatedconditions associated withcattle handling. TheBee Synchprocess, however, requires thatthecowcomethroughthechuteonly three times, includingarti-ficial insemination.“This is more attractive to
ranchers wanting to use AI toimproveherdgeneticsandmar-ketability, but also wanting to
limit the amount of cattle han-dling required toachieve it,”hesaid.Synchronizationof ovulation
andfixed-timeartificial insemi-nation is becoming an increas-ingly prominent choice for as-tute cattlemen,Williams said.“Althoughit isunlikely inthe
near future forsuchtechnologyto overtake traditional South
Texas management that usesnatural service, the expansionof thenationaland internation-al market for quality beef, andthecurrentshortage, iscreatingincreasedopportunities forpro-ducers,”Williams said.Natural service sires repre-
senting Angus, Hereford andother similar breeds noted formeat quality are already being
used extensively in southernbeef herds. Using semen fromsuperiorartificial inseminationsires from these breeds is thenext logical step. Alternatively,Brahman-influencedcompositebreeds carrying genes for in-creased meat quality can alsobe used.“If Brahman-influencedcows
arehandled inaminimal-stressenvironment, are in good bodycondition (a minimum bodycondition score of 5, on a 1-9scale), and are at least 45 dayspost-calving, you can routinelyget 50-55 percent of these cowspregnant with a single insemi-
nation.”Williams said cleanup bulls,
turned in seven to 10 days later,canbeused to service thosenotconceiving beginning aboutthree weeks after artificial in-semination as they will still besynchronized. Alternatively,another round of artificial in-semination can be used beforebulls are turned in.“UsingBeeSynch, theability
to infuse highly-desirable ge-netic traits formeatquality intocommercial beef cattle produc-tion in thesouthernU.S. shouldbecome an increasing reality,”he said.
Cattle, from Page 18
Texas A&MAgriLife Research photoOne of the main concerns from ranchers considering adoption of artificial insemi-nation types of technologies is the number of times required to pen cattle, laborcosts and stress-related conditions associated with cattle handling.The Bee Synchprocess, however, requires that the cow come through the chute only three times,including artificial insemination.
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NewsLivestockMarket Reports
Brazos ValleyResults of the Brazos Valley
Livestock Commission’s Nov. 6sale:Head: 688Steers: 200-300 lbs., $190-
$240; 300-400 lbs., $185-$215;400-500 lbs., $184-$194; 500-600 lbs., $164-$164; 600-700lbs., $140-$143; 700-800 lbs.,$120-$135.Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $171-
$195, 300-400 lbs., $146-$175;400-500 lbs., $135-$164; 500-600 lbs., $122-$144; 600-700lbs., $116-$130 700-800 lbs.,$117-$123.Slaughter bulls: $82-$90.Slaughter cows: $60-$83.50.Bred cows: $990-$1,475.Cow/calf pairs: $1,400-
$1,460.
BuffaloResults of the Buffalo Live-
stock Marketing’s Nov. 3 sale:Head: 1,243Steers: 150-200 lbs., $225-
$260; 200-300 lbs., $190-$220;300-400 lbs., $185-$218; 400-
500 lbs., $165-$205; 500-600lbs., $135-$180; 600-700 lbs.,$125-$160; 700-800 lbs., $120-$134.Heifers: 150-200 lbs., $175-
$230; 200-300 lbs., $155-$225;300-400 lbs., $150-$212; 400-500 lbs., $135-$182; 500-600lbs., $120-$170; 600-700 lbs.,$118-$155; 700-800 lbs., $110-$126.Slaughter bulls: $75-$90.Slaughter cows: $55-$82.Bred cows: $975-$1,690.Cow/calf pairs: $1,000-
$1,690.
CaldwellResults of the Caldwell Live-
stock Commission’s Nov. 7 sale:Head: 355Steers: 200-300 lbs., $200-
$225; 300-400 lbs., $180-$215;400-500 lbs., $150-$200; 500-600 lbs., $140-$155; 600-700lbs., $125-$140; 700-800 lbs.,$117-$125.Heifers: 200-300 lbs., $190-
$210; 300-400 lbs., $150-$180;400-500 lbs., $140-$175; 500-
600 lbs., $128-$160; 600-700lbs., $124-$145; 700-800 lbs.,N/A.Slaughter bulls: $73-$83.Slaughter cows: $55-$78.Stocker cows: $1,010-$1,380.Cow/calf pairs: N/A.
GroesbeckResults of the Groesbeck Auc-
tion and Livestock Exchange’sNov. 8 sale:Head: 916.Steers: 300-400 lbs., $185-
$225; 400-500 lbs., $180-$210;500-600 lbs., $145-$180; 600-700 lbs., $125-$160.Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $160-
$215; 400-500 lbs., $140-$200;500-600 lbs., $125-$175; 600-700 lbs., $120-$160.Slaughter bulls: $87-$97.Slaughter cows: $62-$81.Stocker cows: $800-$1,600.Cow/calf pairs: $950-$1,700.
MilanoResults of the Milano Live-
stock Exchange’s Nov. 6 sale:Head: 429.Steers: 300-400 lbs., $152-
$205; 400-500 lbs., $150-$193;500-600 lbs., $129-$167.50;600-700 lbs., $110-$150.
Heifers: 300-400 lbs., $130-$190; 400-500 lbs., $125-$180;500-600 lbs., $117-$153; 600-700 lbs., $111-$136.Slaughter bulls: $87-$92.Slaughter cows: $62-$74.Stocker cows: $800-$840.Cow/calf pairs: $1,080-
$1,110
NavasotaResults of the Navasota Live-
stock Auction Co.’s Nov. 3 sale:
Head: 1,271.Steers: 150-300 lbs., $150-
$280; 300-400 lbs., $150-$235;400-500 lbs., $125-$215; 500-600 lbs., $120-$182.50; 600-700 lbs., $115-$155.Heifers: 150-300 lbs.,
$135-$260; 300-400 lbs.,$130-$187.50; 400-500 lbs.,$120-$172.50; 500-600 lbs.,$115-$157.50; 600-700 lbs.,$115-$139.Slaughter bulls: $80-$97.Slaughter cows: $50-$80.Stocker cows: $850-$1,425.
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532 Ac, Little MS Cemetery Rd, Franklinto be divided into three tracts of 112, 170 & 250Ac; lots of CR Rd. frontage; electricity, RC water,wooded & coastal, water wells, 50% new fence,3 bed, 2 bath brick home on 170 ac tract, waterwells; Franklin ISD; $3,496/ac
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NewsClimate-relatedemissions fromfeedyardsmonitored
By Kay LedBetterTexas A&MAgriLife Extension
Service
AMARILLO — An accurateestimationof nitrousoxideandmethane emissions from beefcattle feedlots is an increasingconcern given the current andpotential future reporting re-quirements for greenhouse gasemissions.Ken Casey, Texas A&M
AgriLife Research air qualityengineer in Amarillo, is work-ing on an ongoing study toquantify the nitrous oxide andmethane emission rates frompensurfacesat twocommercialbeef cattle feedlots in Texas.This researchwas supported
in part by an Agriculture andFood Research Initiative Com-petitive Grant from the U.S.Department of AgricultureNational Institute of Food andAgriculture,AgriLifeResearchandTexas Cattle FeedersAsso-ciation.To put these in perspective,
nitrous oxide and methanehaveglobalwarmingpotentialsof 310 times and 21 times thatof carbon dioxide, respectively,Casey said. This means thesegases trap more heat withinthe atmosphere than carbondioxide per unit weight.“These greenhouse gases
contributemoretowardclimatechangebutarenotconcerns forhuman or animal health at theconcentrations that exist inandaround feedyards,”hesaid.“But they need to be studiedbecause we need to know howmuch is being emitted beforewe can accurately determinewhat contribution feedyardsare making to the national and
global inventoryof greenhousegases.”Caseysaiddeterminingthese
numbers now also will helpmake sure any future regula-tions that might be imposedarebasedonscientificfindings.“But little research has been
conducted into the emissionsof these greenhouse gasesfrom beef cattle feedyards andparticularly as it applies forthe climatic conditions, rationformulationsandmanagementpractices of Texas High Plainsfeedlots,” he said.His AgriLife Research study
was set up to determine therange of nitrous oxide andmethane emission rates fromfeedlot pen surfaces; to obtainan understanding of seasonal,temporalandspatialvariabilityof emission rates within pens;and to gain insight into the fac-
tors that influence and controlemission rates, such as mois-turecontent,dayssincerainfalland nitrogen content.In his study, the emissions
fromthepensurfacesweremea-suredon20 samplingdays fromJune to October 2011, Caseysaid. The air samples were col-lectedfromthechambers’head-space at 0, 10, 20 and 30minutesusing syringes, transferred toevacuated vials and analyzedwith a gas chromatograph.From the nitrous oxide and
methane concentrations, emis-sion fluxes were calculated.Casey said the study showed
nitrous oxide and methaneflux generally increased withincreasing manure pack tem-perature. Following a rain, ni-trousoxidefluxwouldspikeandthen was followed by a declineto pre-event levels over three tosix days.The nitrous oxide flux in-
crease due to a rain was ap-proximately 100 times greaterthanthe temperatureresponse,he said.While this study is quantify-
ing nitrous oxide and methaneemission rates from pen sur-faces in cattle feedlots, further
work is needed to investigatefactors that influence emissionrates, Casey said.Knowing the production and
release mechanisms that influ-ence these emissions will helptheindustrytodevelopmanage-mentsystemsthatcouldreducethe emissions, he said.For instance, if reduced stor-
age of manure in pens lessensanaerobicconditions, thatcouldresult in lower methane emis-sions, Casey said. And reducednitrogen excretion – possiblythrough feeding less nitrogen –could reduce the nitrous oxideemitted.Accurate and well-designed
emission measurements fromwell-characterized types ofmanure and manure manage-ment systems will be neededto reduce the uncertainties,he said. These measurementsmust account for temperature,moisture conditions, aeration,manure nitrogen content, me-tabolizablecarbonanddurationof storage.
Texas A&MAgriLife Research photoKenCasey,TexasA&MAgriLife Research air quality engineer in Amarillo,takes a sample from a non-flow-through non-steady-state chamber totest for nitrous oxide and methane emissions.
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NewsWheatgrowers faceharddecisions thiswinter
By RoBeRt BuRnsTexas A&MAgriLife Extension
Service
COLLEGE STATION — Tex-as wheat growers may havesome hard decisions to makethis winter because of marketand weather uncertainties,according to a Texas A&MAgriLife Extension Servicemarketing expert.
Much of the uncertainty inprices stems from the drought.Most of the state’s wheat gota boost from late-summer,early fall rains, with much ofthe crop emerged, and somealready grazeable, said MarkWaller, AgriLife Extensioneconomist in grain marketingand policy in College Station.
“From a traditional stand-point, grain prices are high,”he said. “We’ve been tradingin a kind of sideways patternsince June, if you look at fu-ture market prices. A lot ofthat is because grain suppliesare tight, and not only wheatsupplies. If you look at whathappened with the drought inthe Midwest, we’re likely to seepressure for more wheat to gotoward feeding because thereis a shorter corn crop.
“Some of those look likerelatively profitable decisionsnow,” Waller said. “Withprices at these levels they at
least have something to con-sider — it’s better than havinglow prices, but there’s a lot ofuncertainty right now.”
And there’s continued un-certainty when it comes towinter weather. As recentlyas late August, forecasters,including those at the NationalOceanic Atmospheric Admin-istration’s Climate Predic-tion Center, were expecting astronger-than-average El Niñoto develop in the tropical Pa-cific. A strong El Niño wouldhave increased the chances fora wetter than average winter,which is exactly what the cropneeds, Waller said.
Most experts agree, he said,that because soil-moisturelevels were severely depletedduring the 2011 drought, thisyear’s crop will need greater-that-average rainfall to showan average performance.
“The markets by this timewould usually start to de-cline, but we’re still looking atenough uncertainty, especiallywith changes in the weatherforecast, that we may not seeas much rainfall as earlier ex-pected this year,” he said.
More information on thecurrent Texas drought andwildfire alerts can be found onthe AgriLife Extension Agri-cultural Drought Task Forcewebsite at agrilife.tamu.edu/drought/.
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