Category: Ag News

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 08:13:15 CDT

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) praised the credentials of Alexis Taylor today and encouraged the Senate to act quickly to confirm her as undersecretary for trade and U.S. agricultural affairs a…

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 08:10:22 CDT

744± acre state-of-the-art equine breeding facility, cattle, and recreational ranch lists for $22.5 million.

The beloved working ranch, home, and showcase of NFL legend and Fox Sportscaster Terry Bradshaw and his wife Tammy, which was also the filming location for the E Television series “The Bradshaw Bunch,” has been listed as back on the open market with the Icon Global Group, after a buyer failed to close a prior transaction.

Icon Global’s Bernard Uechtritz stated, “Unfortunately, despite a series of contract extensions after repeated assurances and promises from the buyer, as well as his agents and other representatives, the buyer sadly failed to follow through, perform, fund, and close the transaction. So as of today, the entire ranch is back on the market, and it’s now, not a matter of if it will sell, but to whom. The property and facilities are a turnkey-ready proposition for a major equestrian player in the horse business or continued use as a cattle or private recreational ranch. The ranch is an hour from Dallas and Fort Worth.

Over time Terry and I have long been inundated with requests to sell and we have received offers from any number of buyers, and we have had some great offers – however, it has taken Terry & Tammy some time to finally make the decision to let go of their much-loved ranch which Terry built over decades from the ground up.”

Augmenting the finality of Bradshaw’s decision to absolutely sell and move their operation, they have already moved to their new home on a smaller farm in Texas, where they will continue the Bradshaw Quarter horse business utilizing prized stallions along with about 30 mares.

Terry Bradshaw stated – “Tammy and I are both sad to leave this great big ranch and our wonderful home which has been our idyllic retreat of so many years, however, it is time that we slowed down a little, freeing us up to travel more, as well as enjoy new grandchildren, family, and other interests.”

One hundred and fifty (150) world-class and award-winning Bradshaw Quarter Horses are also scheduled to be sold to the highest bidders on October 22nd this year. The dispersal sale will be facilitated via the Superior Livestock Auction Co.

The state-of-the-art equine breeding facility, cattle, and recreational ranch in Thackerville, OK will continue operating until sold. The pristine property includes paved roads, a large estate home, and several stocked fishing lakes and ponds. It is highly improved with breeding sales horse care and livestock infrastructure as well as significant and recent improvement investments such as new managerial and staff housing, new fencing, reproduction laboratory, and other capital assets

Terry Bradshaw Quarter Horse Ranch

For photos, click here.

For video, click here.

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 03:27:28 CDT

Woodward Livestock Auction
Thu Sep 22, 2022

AUCTION
This Week               2,640
Last Reported &nb…

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 16:05:20 CDT

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) released the following statement in response to a Notice to Trade published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Mark…

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 15:19:15 CDT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture are now putting the Daily Cash Grain Report into a PDF format – we are saving that PDF and archiving them for today’s specific report. To see today’s update, click on the PDF report link at the bottom of this story.

In addition to the PDF of the daily report, you can also listen to the Cash Grain Report by calling 405-621-5533. Push 2 for the grain report.

Click here:

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 14:26:38 CDT

Click here to listen to audio

Listen to today’s report with Justin Lewis, by clicking or tapping on the LISTEN bar

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 13:08:12 CDT

Click here to listen to audio

At the National Farmers Union Legislative Fly-In this past week in Washington, DC, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network intern, Cheyenne Leach, had the chance to visit with the CEO of…

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 12:10:30 CDT

By Gail Ellis

The effects of drought are devastating, but agricultural data collected during such challenging times is a valuable teaching tool.

Oklahoma State University Extension specialists have some retrospective on the historic drought that swept through the plains a decade ago and are learning how it can benefit producers in today’s similar climate.

Cattle and livestock

OSU Extension livestock marketing specialist Derrell Peel offered the following takeaways on drought response:

• Abusing pastures, especially native range, slows recovery when the drought is over and may impact productivity for years.

• Pasture and grazing management is even more critical during drought, not only to maintain forage resources, but also to avoid problems with prussic acid, nitrates and toxic plant consumption by cattle.

• Keeping more cows than ranchers can reasonably manage leads to delayed losses in reproductive performance and extends drought costs beyond the dry years.

• Bringing in hay from multiple locations can lead to weed issues in pastures.

• When cattle numbers decline, the market will respond with dramatic and volatile price signals that prompt producer action.

• The 2011-2014 drought resulted in record high breeding animal and feeder cattle prices followed by a dramatic price crash.

Dave Lalman, OSU Extension beef cattle specialist, said even though cattle numbers dropped significantly in Oklahoma and Texas during the last drought, liquidation improved the overall quality of the national cow herd.

“The drought led to aggressive culling, resulting in more rapid progress in some traits, such as temperament, udder structure and productivity,” Lalman said.

“At the same time, severe drought conditions stimulated widespread interest in creating a cow herd that is a better match to local ranch conditions.”

Those conditions, in terms of precipitation, have been well above average since about 1983. From the consumer perspective, cattle are a lot better than they were 30 years ago.

“The industry had successfully selected for cattle with increased growth, carcass weight and marbling, but it wasn’t as focused on matching cattle to their forage resources. The 2011 drought changed all that,” he said.

Keeping cows that can adapt to their environment, particularly a dry climate, is important in tough years, Lalman said. Other takeaways from the last severe drought period include:

• For a commercial cow/calf operation, purchasing seedstock that excel in fertility and fleshing ability without requiring a lot of expensive supplemental feed is critical.

“I don’t care how much genetic potential their calves have for growth, carcass yield or marbling, if a cow doesn’t raise a calf, you don’t have a carcass to sell,” Lalman said.

• A cow herd developed with the fundamental principles of moderate mature size, moderate genetic potential for milk production, good fleshing ability on grass and good feet has a much higher probability of thriving in tough environments and through drought periods.

• Reduce the stocking rate and work to develop a grazing system less reliant on purchased or harvested hay. In 1980, Oklahoma produced about three-fourths ton of hay for every beef cow. Today, the state produces two-and-a-half tons of hay for every beef cow. The system exposes cow/calf producers to more risk and forces excessive destocking when it doesn’t rain.

“I think 2011 and 2012 made an impression that will last,” Lalman said. “A lot of serious producers took note and are better prepared today with cows that are a better match to their environment, improved grazing systems, a lower stocking rate and an emergency fund of good quality hay stored in a barn. There’s just a lot more people taking precautions.”

Wheat varieties

Brett Carver, OSU regents professor and wheat genetics chair, said it’s a survival of the fittest as he and the OSU Wheat Improvement Team sift through thousands of wheat genetic lines every year to develop new varieties. OSU research showed the germplasm Showdown stood out during its formative years when drought was a major factor.

“From 2011 to 2014, Showdown as an experimental line was drought resistant by nature, and those genetics are fixed. They don’t change,” he said. “Showdown packs a punch against drought.”

While Showdown shows potential as a drought-friendly wheat variety, Carver said wheat breeding involves studying varieties that can withstand a range of intense weather patterns, including the wetter years in which disease epidemics can be equally devastating as chronic drought stress.

“There’s no model genotype for what we’ll need 10 years from now,” he said. “We give a variety five years of testing once it’s been identified and look for maturity and adaptation patterns that fit both extremes.”

OSU Extension uses research-based information to help all Oklahomans solve local issues and concerns, promote leadership and manage resources wisely throughout the state’s 77 counties. Most information is available at little to no cost.

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 11:04:08 CDT

Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) urged the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry to confirm key nominees for Under Secretary for Food Safety and Under Secretar…