Ag News and Views: November 1996

A new bermudagrass variety test was established on May 14, 1996 at the Headquarters Farm. Included in the trial are four newer commercial varieties, three promising experimental strains, and four older commercially adapted varieties in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is estimated to produce 10 million pounds in 1996, down from last year's crop of 19 million pounds. Texas is estimated to produce 40 million pounds compared to 75 million pounds last year.

Those of you that have attended an NF Grazing School or New Cooperator Seminar have heard a discussion about doing a soil inventory. A soil inventory is simply an organized method of collecting and listing selected properties and potentials of the different soils contained within the boundaries of your farm or ranch.

A rock weir is a reasonable approach to stabilizing a small to medium sized overfall. Correctly placed rock can provide long-term erosion control

Sericea lespedeza is a deep rooted drought tolerant perennial legume that was introduced in the upper south region of the United States from Japan in the late 1890's. Sericea became important as a low quality forage plant in the 1920's and 1930's when it was used for pasture and erosion control.

Tending to business must be done for a different purpose than just to satisfy government. It must be done to provide us as farm managers with much needed information to use in making good management decisions.

Like it or not, that time is upon us! One thing we should remember during this difficult time in the cattle production cycle - nutritional needs of cattle have not changed even though the economic...