FORAGE INSURANCE A USEFUL RISK MANAGEMENT TOOL

    An insurance tool that was introduced a few years ago to help manage risk associated with drought or a lack of rainfall in pastures and rangeland has had the sales closing dates for the upcoming year moved up to September 30, 2010.
    Pasture Rangeland Forage (PRF) crop insurance is a group risk policy that covers livestock grazing and forage land, and in Texas, it is based on a Rainfall Index. The Rainfall Index (RI) uses National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data and the index reflects how much precipitation is received relative to the long-term average for a specified area or grid and time frame.
    Each grid covers an approximate 12 x 12 mile grid. You must select at least two, 2-month time slots, where rain is important to your operation in your area. These time slots are called index intervals. Your insurance payments will be calculated based on the actual rainfall in the grid and how it differs from normal rainfall within the  grid and index interval(s) you have chosen to insure. When the final grid index falls below your “trigger grid index” (coverage level multiplied by the expected grid index), you will receive a loss payment. This insurance coverage is for a single peril—lack of rain. Coverage is based on the experience of the entire grid. It is NOT based on individual farms or ranches or specific weather stations in the general area.
    PRF insurance was designed for maximum flexibility.  You are not required to insure all your acres, but you cannot exceed the total number of grazing or haying acres you operate. This allows you to insure only those acres that are important to your grazing program or hay operation. By selecting a Productivity Factor, you can establish a value between 60 and 150 percent of the County Base Value and match the amount of your protection to the value of forage that best represents your specific grazing or hay operation, as well as the productivity of your land.
    You will be asked to make several choices when insuring your grazingland or hayland production, including coverage level, index intervals, productivity factor, and number of acres. You should work with your crop insurance agent to view the map and index grids for your area, and assign acreage to one or more grids based on the location and use of the acreage that is to be insured.  It is critical that producers review the historical indices for their grid ID to determine how well the past results correspond to their past observations.  Remember the sales closing date  for 2011 crop is September 30, 2010.
    The web site with more information on this program and grid locations and can be found at:  http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/pasturerangeforage/

DEER MANAGEMENT 101

    The Welder Wildlife Foundation is hosting a Deer Management 101: Enhancing Deer Habitat workshop on Saturday, September 11, 2010.  Assisting with the workshop will be Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas Parks & Wildlife, Nature Conservancy, and Texas Agrilife Extension.   The purpose of the workshop is to provide information on the nutritional needs of deer for body growth and antler development and the important native plants available on rangelands to meet these needs.  Discussions will provide information on tools such as mechanical, chemical, grazing, and fire to enhance deer habitat.  We will also discuss how to manage hunters to increase deer antler size and to reach deer management goals.  Cost is $20 and will include lunch, breaks, and handouts.  There will be at least 2 CEU’s available for this workshop.  The workshop will be at the Welder Wildlife Foundation , seven miles north of Sinton, on U.S. Hwy 77,  from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Interested individuals should RSVP by sending your name, contact information, and fee to: Dr. Terry Blankenship, Welder Wildlife Foundation, P.O. Box 1400, Sinton, Texas, 78387.

BELT TIGHTENING IN THE COW BUSINESS

    In today’s tough economy, improving efficiency of an operation is the key to success.   The same is true on the ranch.  Despite improving cattle markets, watching the bottom line in an operation is more important than ever in the cattle business, and there’s not much room for equipment-related purchases that aren’t absolutely necessary, according to Dr. Ron Gill, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist and associate department head for the department of animal science at Texas A&M.
    Recently at the 2010 Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course in College Station, ranchers were reminded not to get carried away with buying too much equipment to run an operation.
On average, cow-calf producers operate on something around a $40 per calf profit margin, said Gill.  The bottom line is to be practical, he said.
    "A lot of people in the cattle business die of heavy metal disease," he told producers, meaning too many people buy too much equipment and don't pay enough attention to purchasing equipment that is essential for a ranch.  "What are the basic requirements for a ranching operation?" Gill asked. "If we really look at the ones who are making a lot of money in the cattle business, they don't have a lot of metal lying around (i.e., farm equipment, implements, etc.)."
    The average herd size in Texas is between 30 and 40 head of cows, which produces half of the beef statewide. Gill said these small operators can easily get carried away with buying unnecessary equipment rather than making sound business decisions. A case in point is buying a trailer to haul cows and calves. "This is a big-ticket item," he said. "How many times a year are you going to use one of these?"
    Gill showed the audience a photo of a Gooseneck-style cattle trailer. "It's nice to have one of them, but economically for a small cow-calf operator it's not feasible if you are using it once or twice a year," he said. "At $40 a head profit for that calf, how many would it take to pay for that trailer? There's plenty of people that haul cattle for a living and can be recommended at the auction barn. Give them a chance." Same goes for tractor and pickup purchases. He said some producers go overboard with these purchases and incur unnecessary expenses.
    Gill spoke of a man in the stocker business with more than 1,000 head, but operated out of an S-10 pickup with two hammers and a set of panels.  "He's been successful for many years," Gill said. “I'm trying to get everybody to think how many calves it's going to take to pay for it. It’s very disturbing math. You can get in so deep sometimes; it's very difficult to get out."
    Currently there is a lot of optimism in the cattle business with fewer numbers of cattle across the United States, in fact the U.S. cattle inventory is one of the smallest since 1959. While rainfall this year has been welcomed by Texas cattle producers, ranchers should not to get carried away with overstocking pastures with cattle that have been through long periods of dry weather. Allowing ample time for recovery and managing new growth of forage can help protect further damage to a pasture.
    Forage in pastures, be it improved grasses or native forage, needs to be monitored.  The old theory of “take half and leave half,” has some real merit.  If one sees that 50% of the available forage has been removed from a pasture, it is time to move those cattle out and into another pasture, allowing enough time for that pasture to recover.
    Stocking rate decisions made before, during and after a drought will determine how your forage stand will survive and if it will remain productive.  Flexibility should be built into your stocking rates, especially here in South Texas, where droughts are common.  Here you might consider your breeding herd of no more than 50 to 70 percent of the total carrying capacity of the ranch, while the remainder of your animal units be made up of yearlings or stocker animals.  If and when a drought returns, your initial stock reductions could then come from the yearlings or stockers.
    Bottom line, your forage supply must exceed the livestock demand, and that takes some planning.  If livestock consume that critical forage residue, resulting in plants and soils not being  protected, your long-term carrying capacity of the ranch can be severely reduced, even long after that drought has ended.

COTTON STALK DESTRUCTION KEY TO BOLL WEEVIL REMOVAL

    As the cotton harvest continues, it is important not to forget about destroying those cotton stalks as soon as the crop has been removed from the field to aid in reducing costs for the Boll Weevil Eradication Program (BWEP).  This year there has been a 90% reduction in the number of boll weevils caught in the local area as compared to last year. Good progress has been made on this front, so lets keep the weevils on the march and out of town for good!
    The Chairman of the Zone 2 Cotton Producer Advisory Committee has sent a request to TDA to extend the cotton stalk destruction deadline for Zone 2, Areas 1, 2 & 3. Citing weather conditions that delayed cotton planting at the beginning of the season, along with seasonal weather that delayed crop maturation, the committee chairman is requesting the deadline for these areas with a September 1st  and September 15th  deadline be extended to September 22, 2010. This change in deadline will be in effect for the 2010 crop year only.
    Counties affected by the extension include: Jim Wells, Kleberg, Nueces, San Patricio, Duval, Webb and the southern portions of Bee, Live Oak and Aransas counties.
    In its native habitat cotton is a perennial shrub that may survive for many years. The perennial habit of cotton allows it to regrow following harvest, providing the potential for development of hostable fruit (squares and bolls) for boll weevil feeding and reproduction. Under good environmental conditions, cotton plants can generate hostable fruit in three to four weeks.
    When field conditions and weather are favorable for tillage, stalks can be shredded and then disked to destroy the intact plant. Stubble stalk pullers can also be used to uproot the stalk. These mechanical methods are generally successful, but some stalks may survive these operations. Also, many growers are implementing reduced tillage systems which do not allow for primary tillage operations, causing producers to evaluate new methods for stalk destruction.
    There has been much interest in alternative cotton stalk destruction throughout the South Texas area in recent years. While many producers still use various tillage methods to destroy their cotton stubble, be aware that there are other choices available. Regardless of the method chosen, the primary purpose of destroying cotton stalks remains the same and that is the removal of both feeding and fruiting sites that may be used by the boll weevil to reproduce.
    Several herbicides have been registered for cotton stalk destruction. Herbicides available include, but are not limited to 2,4-D (ester and salt formulations), several dicamba products (Weedmaster, Clarity, Banvel), and Harmony Extra (thifensulfuron-methyl + tribenuron-methyl). For these products to be legal for cotton stalk destruction, the label must contain a section addressing “crop stubble” or specify cotton as the target pest following harvest.
    Based on most recent field research, it appears the low-volatile, amine salt formulations are equally as effective as the ester formulations for cotton stalk destruction, and minimize problems associated with off-target drift. The first application should be at the rate of one pound of active ingredient/acre (eg. 1 qt. of a 4 lbs. a.i./gal. formulation). Generally, a second application of 0.5 to 1.0 lb. a.i./acre will be necessary for control of any live stalks and emerged cotton seedlings.
    To obtain optimum results, cotton stalks should be shredded (6 to 8 inch height) and the spray application should be made soon after shredding. Best results are achieved if the herbicide is applied the same day as the shredding operation. To achieve optimum effectiveness, some growers have mounted spray booms directly on their flail shredders and are banding their herbicide during the shredding operation, and achieving excellent results. Note that thorough coverage is essential, and should be in the range of 5 to 10 gallons water/acre. Also, the addition of surfactant at the rate of 0.5% v/v (2 qts./100 gals. water) is recommended.   In a recnet study conducted at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, there was essentially no difference in killing regrowing cotton plants with 2,4-D between treating shredded or left standing stalks,
    If one uses a hormone herbicide like 2,4-D, remember that there is always that potential for off-target drift that might affect other susceptible crops in the area, so be careful and monitor local environmental conditions that could promote the off-target movement of the product.
As we work to wrap up another cotton harvest, it is important to remember that without an effective cotton stalk destruction program here in South Texas, boll weevil eradication cannot be accomplished!

Remote Sensing Cameras - A Valuable Wildlife Management Tool

    It seems that things are getting high tech now when comes to watching those deer out at the deer blind or out in the fields.  Digital cameras have been a big hit out in the field and are proving to be a valuable tool.
    The majority of the camera systems available to the public today which are
suitable for unattended wildlife observation are infrared-activated.  These camera systems can be a valuable tool used for wildlife management.  A special webinar to discuss this very topic will be held on August 19, 2010 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. (Central), presented by Billy Higginbotham -Wildlife & Fisheries Specialist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service and hosted by Eric Taylor - Forestry Specialist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
    Ok, so you say what is a webinar?  A webinar is an acronym for web-based seminar. Instead of traveling somewhere to attend a seminar, you meet in a virtual conference room on the internet.  Webinars are free from eXtension, provide current research and answer today's pressing questions.  If you have not yet participated in an Elluminate webinar then please go to www.elluminate.com/support for instructions on setting up your computer. You should do this at least 24 hours in advance of a live  webinar.  If you  have any hardware or software issues, you can call Elluminate Support at 1- 866- 388- 8674.
    It’s Easy! Just point your computer browser too  http://forestrywebinars.net
on the day of the webinar and click on “Wildlife for Lunch - Pond Management” in the “Upcoming Webinars” section.  All you need is a modern computer with a quality Internet connection and a bag lunch. The webinar series provides sound, science-based wildlife management options delivered by experts to you in the comfort of your own home or office. Each web-based seminar is fully interactive and allows you to engage the experts, make comments, and ask questions.
    Scheduled time doesn’t work for you or want to view a Webinar you missed, there is a good chance that it has been archived for you to access at a more convenient time.