Navarro County Hay Testing Drive Set for October 1st

Each year brings about its own set of challenges and 2009 has been no different. A dry fall/winter, a late April freeze and sporadic rainfall have presented challenges to producing hay. However, one tool we can use year-in and year-out is testing our hay for quality. Knowing the quality of our hay will enable ranchers to make wise decisions in supplementing their livestock herds this winter. To address this issue the Navarro County Extension Livestock Committee will sponsor the Navarro County Hay Testing Drive and Fall Forage Seminar.

Any livestock producer in the county may submit up to two samples of any type of hay for a crude protein analysis at no charge. Additional samples may be submitted for analysis at a cost of $5.00 per sample for coastal or a legume or $10.00 for sudan, johnsongrass or cool season annuals. Sampling of the hay will be conducted by members of the Extension Livestock Forage subcommittee and sent to the Extension Forage Testing Laboratory in College Station for analysis. Samples will be received at the Precinct 1 County barn located at the intersection of W. Hwy 31 and FM 2555 on Thursday, October 1 from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon. Prior to October 1, samples may be left @ Williams Gin and Grain in Frost, the Kerens Grain and Elevator in Kerens or at JPM Co. in Dawson.

Samples may be submitted from any type of hay or bale. Samples should weigh at least 10-15 pounds whether taken from square bales, large round bales or other types of bales. Samples should be put in large plastic trash bags and tied. Each sample should include the following information: the producer name, sample identification number, mailing address, telephone number, type of hay and which cutting the sample is from. The forms which may be used for your entries are on the back of this letter.

Results of the crude protein analysis and feed value will be on display at the Fall Forage Seminar on Tuesday, October 29, 2009. Speakers and topics for the program will include Dr. Larry Redmon, Texas AgriLife Research Scientist to discuss Nutrient Availability and the Economics of Grazing and Haying Systems and a speaker representing Fort Dodge Animal Health to discuss their Trichomoniasis vaccine. Additional information will be provided on results from a pasture shredding and renovating/harrowing demonstration.

The program will be held in the Fannie Mae Vernon Room of the Navarro County Expo Center beginning at 6:00 p.m. with a chili supper and 2 CEU’s will be offered. This is an excellent opportunity to get your hay tested and design your supplemental feeding system. Please RSVP at 903-654-3075 by Oct 21 so arrangements for meal and seating can be made.

Contact me at 903-654-3075 or jdscasta@ag.tamu.edu.

Grazing Management and Stockmanship Workshop Set for September 25 in Corsicana, TX

When it comes to beef cattle production, reducing animal stress can increase animal performance and the profitability of an operation. With that in mind, a Grazing Management and Stockmanship Workshop will be held in Corsicana at the Navarro County Exposition Center on Friday, September 25. The program will start at 8:30 am and run until 3:30 pm and cost is $10 per person to cover the steak lunch and materials. If you are a ranch owner or manager, day worker, horse owner or have any interest in working cattle and beef production you will want to make plans to attend this program.

Presenters and topics for the day include the following: Dr. Dennis Sigler, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Equine Specialist, will kick the program off by discussing grazing strategies and impacts of horses and the unique nutritional needs of horses. Mark Moseley, Texas State Grazing Land Conservation Initiative Coordinator and Range Management Specialist with USDA-NRCS, will then cover grazing management for beef cattle operations. Stacy Fox, Members Program Managers for Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, will then discuss Trichomoniasis in Texas and regulations that producers need to be aware of. This is a timely issue as this bovine disease may be more prevalent in the state of Texas than previously thought and compliance will be critical. At 11:15am, the program will then break for a Trade Show and a steak lunch cooked by Third Avenue Meat Market - Corsicana.

Following lunch, the program will move to the enclosed livestock arena and receive hands-on instruction from Curt Pate and Dr. Ron Gill on effective stockmanship and low stress cattle handling. Curt Pate is a stockmanship instructor, lifelong rancher and was selected three years in a row as the AQHA Clinician of the year. Dr. Ron Gill serves as a Livestock Specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service and is a lifelong cattleman. Demonstrations will be conducted horseback using live cattle. Wrapping up the day we will have a chute side demonstration and focus on tips and methods to reduce stress when working cattle through a chute and headgate.

Sponsors for the program include: Texas AgriLife Extension Service, United States Department of Agriculture - Natural Resource Conservation Service, Texas State Grazing Land Conservation Initiative, Blackland Prairie GLCI, Central Texas Quarter Horse Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers, Bluebonnet RC&D and Leon-Bosque RC&D, Purina, Midcontinent Livestock Supplements, Miraco, Merial, Tru-Test, Priefert, AQHA, Livestock Marketing Association, National Cattleman’s Beef Association and the Beef Checkoff. If you are interested please RSVP by 9/21 at 903-654-3075 or jdscasta@ag.tamu.edu. For the full flier, information about presenters and map/directions to the facility go to http://navarro-tx.tamu.edu -> "Grazing & Stockmanship Workshop". More information about Curt Pate and Ron Gill is also available at www.effectivestockmanship.com.