Pasture Management

Southern Plains Bison Pointers February 2018

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  Pasture Management   February in the south can be hard to set your planning calendar by. We can have lots of moisture cycle extremes and the best plan is to be ready for anything. Much of the drought-stricken areas have experienced relief, while some are still waiting. This reality can make it hard to know how to plan your AU’s (Animal Units) for the habitat/ farm/ ranch. Personally, I suggest to folks that you plan for what you have, intentionally under-stock, and keep track of that balance. The equation that will serve you well is; (Land first) /( bison … Read more

Southern Plains Bison Pointers Dec 2017

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Funky Fall = Management Curve Ball   The southern plains can be lush and green this time of year for those that get busy in the fall with planting winter feed and providing a normally very happy November for their herds. I always say that the buffalo in the Dakotas surely must pace the fence this time of year and ask, ‘how are we supposed to get to Texas?’ Not this year! We missed all the rain with timing to yield winter grazing, and when it finally came – too late – the daylight hours were wrong for causing germination.  … Read more

Southern Plains Bison Pointers Nov 2017

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What ‘the heck’ happening Out There!   This is a normal question in the southern plains this time of year. Everything has been so green and the bison living has been easy all summer long. All at once the rain stopped, and just in time to stop the growth of planted winter feed and/or native cool season plants. The other factor in many southern plains operations is the exotic grasses (warm season) like Coastal Bermuda, which once brown goes completely ineffective as nutrition. So – what (is) going on out there? As I wrote in my last blog,  this is the time … Read more

Southern Plains Bison Pointers Oct 2017

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Bizy-bizy-bizy!    November is fast and busy with the business of planning for winter, marketing, and herd health management strategies. If you missed the fall planting season in the southern plains, you will need to plan for hay and other nutritional supplementation for bison herds. If you (did) plant during the fall ‘dust-in’ season – you’re probably either waiting for a rain or re-planting because of armyworms. It’s nature and there are no victims, only outcomes – and no ‘crying’ in baseball. That being said, and painfully true, the more native habitats are likely emerging for the cool season with … Read more