Grazing Management

 More than half the population of Texas lives in the urban centers, yet many yearn to return to a somewhat rural lifestyle.  Almost every city and town in Texas including the towns in Wise County is surrounded by small acreage tracts of land (5 to 100 acres) owned by individuals who work in the city but use their land as their principal or weekend residence.  Collectively, these small acreage landowners own hundreds of thousands of acres of forest land, pastureland and rangeland in Texas.  Unfortunately, small acreage tracts can be easily abused if not managed properly.

The number one abuse of these small acreage tracts in Wise County is overgrazing.  Properly grazed acreages are more stable and experience less soil loss from erosion.  Most livestock are grazed all year long or continuously on these small tracts which results in more bare ground, poor quality grasses and invasion of less desirable plants.  These improperly managed acreages can indirectly cause contamination of water by damaging vegetation to the extent that erosion takes place.  This can allow non-point source pollution to enter streams and waterways adjacent to the mis-managed tracts.

It has been my observation that most small acreage landowners have little understanding of just how much forage livestock need to survive each month and each year.  Forage is what an animal consumes by grazing.  Feed is what you supply in the form of hay or supplement.  Forage production is measured in pounds per acre or in animal unit months (AUM’s).  One AUM is equivalent to the amount of forage consumed by a 1000 pound animal in one month.  Most classes of livestock will consume about 3% of their body weight in forage each day if it is available.  Therefore one 1000 pound cow will need about 10,000 pounds of forage per year. 

There are four main components in a successful grazing program:

1.      Eliminate continuous grazing;

2.      Divide pastures into smaller units and rotate livestock;

3.      Let plants recover before allowing animals to graze it again;

4.      Provide a water source in each pasture.

Good grazing management will promote a healthier landscape, happier livestock and provide a more rewarding land ownership experience for the small acreage landowner.

Pasture Bloat

          Normally this is the time of year that our winter small grain pastures are getting ready make significant growth and bloat should be on our minds from a management stand point.  Of course, now days what is normal.  Let’s keep an open mind and pray a lot, so in the near future I can be writing articles that reflect, due to recent rains and favorable growing conditions producers need to be aware of the potential for bloat in cattle.  To top it off because of the rains producers are actually getting excited about putting out fertilizer.  All of these things are very good but at the same time be prepared for your pastures to become too high of quality and cause some potential for bloat in your cattle.  The following information can be very useful for Wise County beef producers about bloat from Ted McCollum III, PhD, PAS-ACAN, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Amarillo, Texas If we receive the favorable weather we need. 

Foamy or frothy bloat reduces performance and can potentially lead to death of cattle.  Frothy bloat occurs when the gases normally produced during ruminal fermentation cannot be expelled from the rumen by eructation (belching).   At the onset of bloat, cattle may cease eating and the bloat may dissipate.  As the severity of bloat increases, the rumen becomes more distended and the level of discomfort increases.  If no intervention occurs, death can result from respiratory distress and heart failure. 

            Anytime cattle are consuming highly digestible feedstuffs and forages the potential for frothy bloat exists.  Carbohydrates and soluble proteins from these feeds are rapidly degraded and fermented in the rumen. Slime-producing bacteria that degrade soluble proteins and small feed particles produce a slime that can develop into a stable, proteinaceous foam.  Mineral composition of the forage may also affect the stability (surface tension) of the foam.  Bloat occurs when the gases produced by the fermentation become trapped in this foam and cannot be expelled.

Frothy bloat on pasture is usually associated with actively growing, highly digestible forages that contain low fiber and relatively high crude protein (and soluble protein) levels.  Among these forages are small grain forages and legumes such as alfalfa and red and white clover. 

The occurrence of bloat is affected by a number of factors – soil fertility, climatic conditions, stage of plant development, grazing management, and animal predisposition – among others.  Because of the multiple factors, reducing or preventing bloat may require multiple management approaches on a single operation and, the success, or lack thereof, of a preventative measure can vary from year-to-year and operation-to-operation.

Soil fertility practices may influence the incidence of bloat on small grains pastures.  Work in the Rolling Plains suggests that high, single applications of N on wheat increases the potential for bloat.  This and management history on fields may partially explain why bloat outbreaks may occur on some fields but not on others in the locale.

Stage of plant development affects the concentration of carbohydrates and soluble proteins that can provoke bloat.  This again may partially explain why bloat outbreaks may occur on some fields but not on others in the locale.  The forage may be at different stages of development as influenced by planting dates, moisture conditions and other factors affecting growth.

Small grains bloat is typically a problem in the late winter/early spring when the forage is coming out of winter dormancy.  Occasionally fall/winter bloat can be a problem.  With legumes, bloat risk changes with stage of plant development.  For instance, bloat risk on alfalfa decreases as the plant matures and blooms.  Knowing when bloat risk increases and subsides during the grazing season aids the timely application of prevention practices.

For pastures containing bloat-provocative legumes, it is recommended that the legumes comprise no more than 50% of the forage mix.  An alternative is to plant adapted legumes that are less bloat provocative. 

Grazing programs should focus on turn-out practices and forage availability.  Prior to turning cattle onto pasture ensure that the cattle are full.  This will tend to limit immediate grazing activity and forage consumption.  Likewise, if cattle are managed under a rotational grazing scheme, judiciously manage forage availability.  Moving cattle from pastures with a limited forage supply (and hence limited consumption) to fresh paddocks with an abundant supply (and hence increased consumption) may predispose the cattle to bloat.  Adjust the rotation so cattle are not rotated from a limited forage supply to an abundant forage supply.

During bloat risk periods, providing access to hay or other forages may reduce the occurrence of bloat.  Assuming the cattle will consume the hay/forage, consumption of the bloat-provocative forage may be reduced and hence reduce the risk of bloat. 

Poloxalene (Bloatguard) is a mild detergent that reduces the foam in the rumen and hence can reduce the incidence of bloat.  The product is available in different forms – blocks, mineral supplements, liquids, top dresses.  To be effective, the cattle must consume a sufficient amount of poloxalene daily.  Poloxalene in a self-fed form will probably never totally prevent bloat because of the variation in daily consumption by individual animals.  Hand feeding poloxalene in a larger volume of feed will increase the consistency of daily intake.

Surfactants, anti-foaming agents, have been used successfully in some grazing situations. In order for surfactants to be effective, they must be consumed on a daily basis. Water treatments are effective as long as the treated water is the only source of water and the surfactant concentrations are maintained.

Ionophore feed additives may also aid in bloat prevention.  Microbial gas production in the rumen is reduced by ionophore consumption. Studies on irrigated wheat in New Mexico demonstrated that Rumensin dramatically reduced the incidence and severity of bloat.  Ionophores can be delivered in blocks, mineral supplements, pelleted supplements and mixed feeds.  As noted with poloxalene, these feed additives will not totally eliminate bloat.  In addition to aiding with bloat prevention, the ionophores will improve daily weight gain.

Anecdotal data suggests that salt (sodium) consumption may reduce incidence of bloat.  A survey of Oklahoma producers indicated that bloat incidence was lower when salt was available to cattle.  Remember that complete mineral supplements for cattle contain salt.  Oklahoma data has also shown that cattle grazing wheat and consuming a complete mineral balanced for wheat pasture gain more rapidly than cattle consuming salt alone and inclusion of Rumensin further improved gains.  So offering a mineral supplement provides a means of delivering salt as well as an ionophore, both of which may help reduce bloat prevalence, as well as improving performance.

Some cattle are predisposed to bloat.  This may reflect physiological differences, differences in ruminal microbial populations, differences in forage selection and forage intake, or other factors.  If animals are chronic bloaters, the best approach is to remove them from the group.

The only 100% effective means of stopping bloat is to remove the cattle from the bloat provocative pasture. 

Several factors, acting in combination or individually, can lead to a bloat problem.  No one single management practice will be completely effective all of the time.  Knowledge of when bloat occurs and why it occurs can help in developing and implementing a management plan to reduce the occurrence.

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course set for Aug.1-3

After a historic run in beef cattle prices, producers are left with many decisions regarding the future of the cattle market, consumer demand and long-term weather projections, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service beef cattle expert.

These topics and more will be discussed at the 62nd Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course Aug. 1-3 at Texas A&M University in College Station.  The 62nd Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course is scheduled Aug. 1-3 at Texas A&M University in College Station. “We’ve had quite a run over the past two years with regards to high cattle prices,” said Dr. Jason Cleere, conference coordinator. “Cattle prices fell considerably last fall and ranchers are concerned with where they will go in the future. While a lot of folks have enjoyed healthy bottom lines over the past few years because of high prices, margins are smaller this year and producers will have to manage costs to maintain profitability.  This year’s short course will focus on controlling costs while improving productivity of the ranch.”

The short course is the premier beef educational event in Texas, attracting more than 1,400 attendees annually, Cleere said. It features 20 sessions covering basic practices, new technologies and other important industry topics.  These sessions provide participants with an opportunity to choose workshops based on their level of production experience and the needs of their ranch.  “Concurrent workshops will feature information on forage and beef cattle management, nutrition and reproduction, record keeping, genetics, purebred cattle and much more,” he said.  In addition to classroom instruction, participants can attend one of the program’s popular demonstrations on the morning of Aug. 3, Cleere said.

“There will be demonstrations on brush control, chute-side calf working, cattle handling, bull fertility testing, brush management and beef carcass value determination,” Cleere said.  “The goal of the short course each year is to provide the most cutting-edge information needed by beef cattle producers. We think we have information for everyone to take home and apply to their operations.”  Participants can earn seven Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide continuing education units if they are already licensed, Cleere added.

An industry trade show, featuring more than 120 agricultural businesses and service exhibits, will be held during the event.

“And the famous Texas Aggie Prime Rib Dinner is always a highlight of the short course,” Cleere said.  Registration is $180 per person before July 25 and $220 afterwards. It includes educational materials, a copy of the 600-page short course proceedings, trade show admittance, admission to the prime rib dinner, lunches, breakfasts and daily refreshments.

*****Registration information and a tentative schedule can be found on the short course website at

www.beefcattleshortcourse.com.  Producers can also register on the website or by contacting Cleere’s office at 979-845-6931.

Ranchers Gathering

The 2015 Ranchers Gathering has been set for Thursday, August 13, 2015 at the First Baptist Church in Decatur.  Doors will open around 5:30 p.m. for everyone to visit booths at the trade show.  The trade show will feature over 20 agriculture related businesses offering the newest in technology for beef cattle producers.  Dinner is set for 6:00 p.m.  The $10.00 registration fee covers the meal and makes you eligible for one of the many door prizes given away during the program.

Jason Cleere, Associate Professor and Extension Beef Cattle Specialist will speak on “Top 10 Ways to Generate Dollars in the Cattle Business”. 

      

This year’s event is being sponsored by the Wise County Extension Livestock and Forage Committee.  The registration deadline is Tuesday, August 11, 2015.  To register, come by the Wise County Extension office at 206 S. State Street.  Checks can be made to:  Extension Livestock Committee.