Ag News and Views: August 2008 Table of Contents

August, 2008 Table of Contents News & Views Archive Issues

Economics
Determining Pecan Tree Values by Job Springer
How much is a pecan tree worth? This question comes up often in Oklahoma and Texas, and can arise for several reasons. To help fill this information gap, several agricultural consultants at the Noble Foundation created a pecan valuation fact sheet entitled "Assessing the Value of Pecan Trees."

Events
Beef Quality Assurance by Shan Ingram
Beef Quality Assurance has been around for a long time, the program raises consumer confidence through offering proper management techniques and a commitment to quality within every segment of the beef industry.

Horticulture
Turf Management for Professional Results by Dooly Barlow
I'm confident that any yard can look as good as a golf course if careful consideration is given to a few key turf management factors. With fall approaching, the following tips can help finish this growing season strongly and prepare you for next year.

Livestock
Creep Feeding Before Weaning by Clay Wright
Historically, feeder calf prices decline as weight increases. That relationship of price to weight still exists, but it has narrowed considerably due to the high price of corn and feedlot cost of gain. Feedlots and the market are telling us to make calves heavier at home before selling them as feeder calves.

Pasture and Range
Don't Overlook Johnsongrass in Your Pasture by Chan Glidewell
Livestock producers in the southern Great Plains should not overlook johnsongrass in their pastures. For one thing, under certain conditions it can kill your cattle. Another reason not to overlook johnsongrass is that it is excellent forage - if you can get over the fact that it can kill your cattle!

Soils
Is Winter Small Grain Production for You? by James Locke
With winter small grain (wheat, rye, triticale) prices near or above all-time highs, producers need to consider adding these crops to their enterprise. Before they try to enter this market, they must be sure they can produce the crop and get it to a profitable market.

Wildlife
Basic Wildlife Habitat Management Makes "Cents" by Russell Stevens
Food plots and feeders are intensive management practices and, while widely used, they are not real habitat improvement practices in most cases. Usually, they only work as supplemental feeding to concentrate wildlife populations for improved harvest success or observation.