Opinions on cattle manage

[jaimefloresh]

I have this dilemma. I have two very diferents kind of grass in my ranch, one very hard grass and the other real good grass. You leave the repleasements heifers since born on the hard grass to make the teeth get stronger and then can grass anywere or vice versa first on good grass to let the teeth grow real healty to be ready for the hard grass. Tanks i'm on North México

 

[DOC HARRIS]

I have this dilemma. I have two very diferents kind of grass in my ranch, one very hard grass and the other real good grass. You leave the repleasements heifers since born on the hard grass to make the teeth get stronger and then can grass anywere or vice versa first on good grass to let the teeth grow real healty to be ready for the hard grass. Tanks i'm on North México

I understand your dilemma, however I am of the opinion that you are stressing the "grass differences" in a manner that is giving too much importance to the physiological influences on the calves bodies (teeth) instead of concentrating on the soil upon which the grass grows, and the nutritional supplements which they may be requiring.

I would suggest that you have the various fields of grass soil tested, and determine if they contain adequate and sufficient Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium, and Trace Minerals to be capable of sustaining the requirements necessary for proper skeletal development and dental development.

What grass species are your cattle grazing? How recently have you fertilized the pastures with a complete fertilizer, and perhaps applied lime (Calcium Carbonate) to your pastures. to balance the pH of the soil?

It might be a good idea to expand your thinking to go beyond the "Hard grass - Good grass" philosophy and explore other methods of nutritional supplementation - such as a well balanced Mineral Supplementation to augment the differences in grass species you are grazing. Are they getting adequate salt and clean water daily? Also, do the Dams of the calves have sufficient nutrition while they are carrying the calves, and after birth while they are nursing and before weaning?

These are just some possibilities to think about.

DOC HARRIS

 

[jaimefloresh]

Tanks doc, is Great advice to add some lime to the soil and get the right PH and is a tópic i Will be intrested to work on, but it is not a Prairie, not sure i could do it, or how long Will take so until that what is your opinión, becouse some ranchers tell me to do one wey and some to do the other way, tanks a lot.

 

[jaimefloresh]

This is becouse some of my old cattle teeth last to 10 years and some last to 15 so is becouse they spend more time in the (good grass) part and i understand that so my question how to get the replacements ready for both parts of the ranch. I hipe can expleing right it is no my language

 

[DOC HARRIS]

Because I have not seen your ranch, I can't really help you much with the problems of geography - hills, flat lands and so forth. I can't tell you much more than what I have already suggested to you already. Are there Colleges or Universities near you in Mexico that could help you with your soil and grass growing problems? You might ask feed salesman to give you some advice. If one person tells you one thing, and another person tells you another thing - - maybe neither one of them is correct!

You might go in the Internet and do a [SEARCH] for "Grass and Soil Management in Chihuahua" or any of several other subjects relating to your problems with teeth and/or cattle.

Good luck with your seeking help.

DOC HARRIS