Advice on bringing our pastures back

cdlvj130

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In need to recover our farm. Has gotten out of hand with mesquite and cedar. South Central Texas. Been running cattle for many years.
Want to clear all the land of crap trees, and get it back to producing. Growing up, we leased 15 acres to neighbor who planted, fertilized, baled Hygeria. We got 1 out of 3 square bales.
1. What do current lease agreements look like?
Everyone is doing Coastal Bermuda these days, one time cost to plant, and then fertilize and round bales. I know old hay was far superior, but if done right coastal does work.
:lan to sell all animals and let the land recover. Want to also plant something like Bahia or Jiggs on rest of farm for future grazing.
Also talking to other ranchers, is that buy young steers in early spring, and then get sell in Fall. Is much easier.
Comments?
 

farmerjan

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I do not know Texas weather or grasses. Have you checked out a forum "Cattle Today"... I also am a member on it and there are alot of cattlemen on there and many in Texas... they might be able to help you better....

Selling off the animals with the higher prices might be a good idea... but using cattle to rotational graze also helps the land to regenerate. There is a thread on CT about regenerative grazing... Also... magazines like Stockman Grass Farmer... Graze.... might be able to help you more...

By the way, welcome to BYH... glad to have you stick around but there are not too many on here with any numbers of cattle... I am one of the few that has any number of cows... but I also have sheep and chickens and do gardening and all that...

I answered your thread on buying in steers to graze and sell in the fall...
 

Baymule

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I’m in east Texas, between Crockett and Lufkin. I have Katahdin hair sheep. Just bought 25 acres out of a 3rd generation cattle farm, last July. It has decent grass, fences are crap.

Never heard of Hygeria. Can you explain it to me? My sheep love the weeds, Bahia and forbs. They don’t like Bermuda grass. Do you find that Bermuda needs irrigation in your area?
 

Ridgetop

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Suggest you contact the county agent for your area and talk to him about best type of hay to plant. If the pastures have not been in grass, and/or were overgrazed, etc. you will need to get the soil tested. The county agent can help with that too. In addition to removing all the cedar and mesquite, you will probably need to add some sort of soil supplement - lime, fertilizer, etc., to get good hay growing. There are several types of hay and the county agent can help you decide which to replant based on your rainfall, soil, and weather. It is possible that you actually have some type of grass hidden under the cedar and mesquite.

Getting rid of the mesquite and cedar if they are established will cost money and take a lot of work. Is your fencing good? Maybe run in goats to eat down the brush and cedar? Goats are bringing good money now. Predator control would be the big thing with goats. Make an appointment with the County Agent to see what he recommends.
 

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