Ag News and Views: August 2009 Table of Contents

August, 2009 Table of Contents News and Views Archive Issues

Economics
Feeder Cattle Market Volatility by Dan Childs
Many producers in the stocker business have said that the profit is made when the calf is purchased. If correct decisions are made when the calf is bought, then the rest of the job is much easier.

Events
Southern Plains and Other 2009 Events by Shan Ingram
It's hard to believe that 2009 is more than half gone and it's time for the 19th annual Southern Plains Beef Symposium. Each year, we work to improve the symposium, so each event brings a new standard and addresses new challenges.

Livestock
Oklahoma Gold: Benefits and Costs by Clay Wright
When I was attending the TCU Ranch Management Program in the 1970s, Mr. John Merrill referred to basic facts or truths about production biology as "hitching posts" because they don't change.

Pasture and Range
Valuing Hay by James Rogers
When shopping for hay, a list of its features such as crude protein or pounds in a bale may or may not be available, making valuation of hay difficult, if not impossible. This can be easily remedied by asking for a hay analysis and a bale weight, or testing and weighing it yourself prior to purchase.

Research
Managing Cull Cows at the Noble Foundation by Jon Biermacher and Billy Cook
Cull cows represent between 15 and 30 percent of a cow-calf herd's revenue, but relatively little attention is given to cull cow marketing. Most cow-calf producers traditionally sort and sell cull cows in the fall when prices are at or near the seasonal low.

Soils
Keys to Tall Fescue Establishment by James Locke
There has been a great deal of interest over the last several years in the novel or "friendly" endophyte-infected tall fescue varieties. These varieties have the potential to provide quality cool-season perennial forage without the negative attributes of the older toxic endophyte-infected tall fescues.

Wildlife
Succession in Plant Communities and Soils by Mike Porter
Succession is a relatively predictable process of change that occurs in plant communities and soils. It is an important concept when managing native plant communities for wildlife, livestock grazing, timber production or other goals.