Natural Resources RANCHING


We cannot make it rain, but we can control how much rain we keep on the property.


soil moisture is available. Goodwin says that on closer inspection, greenup can sometimes even be seen on individual plants within a few days. The key to suffi cient soil moisture is not the amount


of rain received, but instead, how the rain is managed once it lands in the pasture. “Soil moisture is not governed by us adding mois-


ture to the ground,” says Goodwin. “We can’t control rainfall and we cannot make it rain, but we can control how much rain we keep on the property.” Moisture can be maintained in the soil by minimiz-


ing bare ground in a pasture. Goodwin recommends managing with a proper stocking rate and rotating to leave enough cover to provide shade and build organic matter. “The temperature differences between bare ground


soil and soil that’s covered can be 40 to 50 degrees at times,” says Goodwin. “The hotter the soil is, the more it is losing soil moisture, so you want to keep it cool and you want to keep good soil structure.”


As organic matter grows, it adds to the soil structure


and porosity, which ensures that when it does rain, the rain infi ltrates into the soil and less is lost to runoff. Goodwin recommends rest and rotation to build


adequate rangeland health, but also advises that the timing of a prescribed fi re can aid with soil moisture issues. In Texas, most grasses are warm-season peren- nials, which have a growth curve that begins in about March and ends around November. Burning closer to spring greenup will benefi t the grass stand and create a quicker response. Conversely, burning earlier will benefi t forbs and other plants, but the pasture will remain black longer. “If we can time our fi res within the window of when


we expect that annual precipitation with those months where we actually get most of our precipitation, we are hedging our bets to the positive side,” says Goodwin. However, he notes that rainfall is not an issue if


the pasture has proper soil moisture. In his recent work with the Noble Foundation, Goodwin burned a hot fi re on a pasture in June, but the pasture had ad- equate soil moisture. Within 3 weeks, the pasture had 8 inches of growth on his deep rooted, warm-season perennial grasses.


For information 800-884-3779 ÊÜiL\ÊV>ÌÌiiÀ>°VÊ Ê}V>ÌiÃJV>ÌÌiiÀ>°VÊ


Texas Range Minerals, Inc.


How much will this bring at sale?


"ÕÀÊ >ÌÊ iÀ>ÃÊfor your stockers on wheat reduce bloat and increase gains. Available in all natural bloat prevention or Rumensin Medicated or Poloxalene.


"ÕÀÊ,iViÛ}Ê iÀ>ÃÊget your calves on feed faster and pro- vide the soluble nutrients that jump start your calves immune system. This means vaccines and treatments are more effective, day one.


“The Receiving Mineral I use on light sale barn calves has helped me greatly reduce my death loss and get calves straightened out faster and healthier with better gains. The calves really start eating the Receiving Mineral as soon as they are unloaded...Calves eat the mineral good even when wet and rained on. I never have to dump out any mineral... and over the years have just had almost no bloat when there is a lot of bloat around me. Calves will also gain better on Texas Range Minerals. Without a doubt this mineral has helped my operation. Better health and better gains.”


q,>`>Ê LÀÕ}]ÊVÕÃÌiÀ]Ê6iÀ>]Ê/iÝ>ÃÊ Abilene, Texas • phone 325-672-9899 • 800-884-3779 • mobile 325-668-6775 • gcates@cattlemineral.com 102 The Cattleman October 2016 thecattlemanmagazine.com


¥


4EXAS2ANGE-INERALS )NC


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172