How to Set Up a Fail-Proof Temporary Waterer for Farm Animals
To build a temporary watering system on his ranch, Greg Judy, Green Pastures Farm, Rucker, Missouri, uses 3/4-inch polyethylene tubing and high-quality hoses to bring the water from the source to the tank in the pasture. Fiberglass posts hold the tank in place and keep cattle from knocking it over. Sidewalls from earth moving tires […]
How to Train Animals to an Electric Fence
Properly training animals to an electric fence can mean all the difference before using the fence to contain them. Don Ashford, a rancher in Ethel, Louisiana, and the National Grazing Lands Coalition offer some tips for training animals properly. Watch the Wallace Center’s Guide to Training Animals to an Energized Fence as part of The […]
How to Successfully Set Up a Solar Electric Fence
Since there isn’t electrical power at Dean Schneider’s ranch, solar was his only option for an electric fence. As the manager of Bell Rule Genetics, a family ranching operation in northeast Oklahoma, solar electric fencing has been a very cost-effective and trouble-free part of his rotational grazing system. While solar can be tricky, Schneider figured […]
Electric Fence Tips for Ranchers
Electric fences can actually provide ranchers with cost-effective land management possibilities. The goal is to create a strong perimeter fence with temporary or modest interior fencing, according to the National Grazing Lands Coalition. Then, by training animals to the fence before putting them in, ranchers find the most success. The National Grazing Lands Coalition recommends […]
Looking for Maximum Regrowth on a Pasture? Try these Recovery Tips
The biggest mistake ranchers make in pasture management is not giving their pastures enough rest, explains Dave Pratt, CEO emeritus of Ranch Management Consultants. A plant’s recovery period must be based on its growth rate. Slower growth means longer rest is needed and vice-versa. But how can a rancher define longer rest? It depends on […]
Top Signs That Can Mean an Animal is Sick
Ranchers can’t always tell if they have a sick animal in their herd. That’s because, as prey animals, they don’t want predators to know they’re sick, so they’ve become pretty good at masking symptoms. That means you have to know what normal looks like so you can watch for small differences in behavior. Luckily, there […]