Farm Help

Having a good winter pasture can reduce or eliminate the need to feed hay and, additionally, is a source of animal nutrition which is generally better than that of hay or ensilage. However, a good winter grazing pasture can be obtained if the right steps are taken during the summer.

Most southern growers don’t apply hay preservation chemicals to their forage crops; it’s generally not cost effective, Darren Redfearn, Oklahoma State University professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and forage specialist for Oklahoma Cooperative Extension, told Ozarks Farm & Neighbor. However, there are times when the antimicrobials can help save a crop.

Though “cutting back” has a distinct economic connotation these days, the focus of this practice needs to shift to another relevant problem, noxious weeds. It’s that time of year when your pasture could be overgrown with many of the weeds considered noxious by the Missouri Legislature. Taking care of these weedy pests should be a high priority to ensure the health of your pasture and crops.

Stroke is the No. 3 killer in the United States, but acting quickly could change that fact. Stroke is also a leading cause of serious long-term disability. 

Heat related illnesses are avoidable if the right actions are taken before, during and after working in either indoor or outdoor hot conditions. High temperatures and humidity can stress the body's ability to cool itself, making heat illness a big concern during hot-weather months. Anyone who works or plays outdoors – farmers definitely included – during summer months is exposed to elevated heat conditions and therefore is susceptible to heat illness.

For a farmer or rancher, health insurance can be expensive.  And it can be hard to get.  And after health care reform kicks in – well, it should all get easier, and may get less expensive up front. But there remains a lot of uncertainty over who, ultimately, will pay the bills.

It’s been eight years since Jerry Gill’s ATV accident – eight years of constant pain and endless doses of medication. Jerry still walks very stiffly, and the trauma of his injury shows every time he stands up or sits down.

Considering the attention reproduction gets in the cattle business, many people seem so transfixed by the cows and heifers that they end up overlooking an equally important part of the equation:  The bull. Given that sperm provided by the bull contains half of the genetic material required to make the calves, more attention should be given to the ins and outs of the masculine element and how it is maintained.

When it comes to feed limiters, Gary Naylor, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist, claimed, “Salt is the best limiter that we have; it’s the mainstay and it’s reasonably priced.” If it's less feed intake producers want in their herd, salt is a good option, he said.

The common protocol using “4-way” viral inoculations is used on calves by many Arkansas and Missouri  farmers, but veterinarians say that it fails to cover some other widespread cattle ailments.