Page 4 - MWC 9-14-2023s

The Midwest Cattleman · September 14, 2023 · P4

that this danger is
not something to
take lightly. I have
been shredding
it with a mower
and spreading it
out and in some
cases putting up
a hot wire to keep
them completely
away from it. The
last thing we need
is to lose a nice
It’s almost like someone big, bred heifer
flipped a switch – several of because of prus-
them. sic acid poisoning.
Summer is over, but not the Even in the cases
drought. where there’s a
Where have we been? Des- single small bunch In our grazing system, we move animals nearly every day.
ert, garden, now we’re back to growing in the
desert. It’s summer 2023. middle of a pasture, I will go Tread in Posts out of the ground. How hard
out and shred it down low so In our grazing system, we has the ground been this sea-
Cooler weather is here to no one heifer can stand there move animals nearly every son? I recently realized that
stay and I’m enjoying it. So and get her fill. I also try to day. Our most used tool in the I had a ‘stress fracture’ in my
are the cattle. It’s been quite time it so there’s no regrowth system is a simple tread-in right ankle and it became
a while since cattle have been when they’re turned into that ‘pig-tail’ post. The ones I have very painful. I could not think
comfortable lying out in the part of the pasture. I want to on hand are getting old - I hate for the life of me what I might
open in the middle of the af- make it really hard for one to think how old. They have have done to cause it. It just
ternoon. But it’s not like they animal to get very much of it. been in and out of the ground didn’t make any sense. That
have a choice - I closed off So far, so good. hundreds of times. I guess I is, not until the next morn-
the shaded areas yesterday. shouldn’t be surprised if some ing when I went to ‘tread-in’
I am betting that they won’t Ponds are bent or starting to look a the very first post. Then it
be needing any more shade, I can’t remember the last little ragged. They have only all became very clear how I
at least until next summer, so time we actually had a real been in service every graz- had done it. The ground, as
they can stop leaving all that rain where we had pond ‘run- ing season since Ronald Rea- it turns out, is like the season,
plant food underneath trees off’. I am grateful to have gan was president. I’m not which is like our industry –
where it is an absolute waste. water in every pasture other making that up. I guess you there are times when it can
When you view it that way than a pond. I do have some could say they were a good in- just be hard.
and calculate the value of it, ‘hot slots’ where cattle can ac- vestment. They have made it Hope your Fall is cool, wet,
it changes your perspective. cess a pond on gravel in some through several seasons like and very profitable!
I don’t agree with the expert areas, but ponds are so low this one where it has been a
that I heard say once that this season that those have challenge getting them in and KwC
cattle in Missouri don’t need been un-workable. Water
shade, but I sure agree that quality has also been a con-
they should not be left fer- cern, so ponds have been
tilizing a single tree one day ‘off-limits’ since last Spring. I
longer than necessary. see many people cleaning out
ponds, and just today I saw
Prussic Acid where one landowner spent a
I’m not taking any chances. lot of time and money to com-
Normally I turn cattle into pletely fill in a large pond and
pastures containing quite a is now planting grass over the
bit of Johnson grass without top. That’s not something you
any concern, but this year is see every day!
another story. This season,
some producers are finding

JUDD RANCH IS HIRING

Judd Ranch, a progressive seedstock
operation in eastern Kansas, is seeking a
full time employee. Responsibilities include
checking, doctoring, and feeding cattle,
and general ranch work. Salary, housing,
insurance, 401(k), and other benefits. Apply
at www.juddranch.com/employment or call
(785) 241-0676 or (785) 566-8371. Keeping cattle completely away from Johnson grass in a fence row.
Our most used tool in our grazing system is a simple tread-in post.