Some photos from my folks' winter range

[Turkey Track Bar]

These are some photos from my folks winter range in Northwestern New Mexico...

Their cows are wintered on the range with no supplement-they are lucky enough to have a couple of high protein shrubs that the cattle love that fix the need to supplement. Heck the water is so high in salt that they don't even eat mineral (we've tried every blend and brand and it just sits.)

Enjoy...

Rocky herding a little group of cows north back up the Glade

Cows by the pond

Herf cow out grazing

Herf snacking on a Four Wing Saltbrush...mmmm....that's good stuff!

Four Wing Saltbrush

Female (with seeds) and male (without seeds) Four Wing Saltbrush

My Dad has been trying to treat as much sagebrush with Spike as possible...this shows the where the sagebrush has been treated (dead sagebrush at the bottom of the picture) versus range that has not (the alive sagebrush at the top of the picture). We have significantly increased out stocking rate in a very dry, droughty period because of his range management.

Random range shots

Some of the interesting rock formations on our winter range

Cheers---

TTB :wink:

 

[Red Robin]

Nice bunch of old knob heads there TTB. They are functional looking moderate cows. Easy keepers it appears. What kind of stocking rate does one get in that part of the world? It's sure different out there than here or even your place.

 

[Turkey Track Bar]

Nice bunch of old knob heads there TTB. They are functional looking moderate cows. Easy keepers it appears. What kind of stocking rate does one get in that part of the world? It's sure different out there than here or even your place.

Thanks RR.

It's around 60 acres per cow, for a six month grazing period from Dec. 1 to June 1. Those cows are pretty low maintanence---not much babying there.

It is different country but good country. Prior to having this range, we fed hay for at least 6 months of the year, and some years a lot more. This range has allowed my folks to sell dairy quality hay rather than feed it to beef cows, in years of good moisture, and not put them in nearly as big of a bind for feed in years of drought.

This place is less than 20 miles from the home place, but it's almost a different world...amazing what the difference in elevation of around 1,500 feet does.

Cheers---

TTB :wink:

 

[Red Robin]

Interesting stuff. What is the elevation TTB? 6000 or 7000 ft?

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Some interesting steel formations along with the rock ones. :wink:



Is that cheat grass growing in among the dead sage?

 

[Turkey Track Bar]

Interesting stuff. What is the elevation TTB? 6000 or 7000 ft?

Without knowing an exact elevation between 6000 and 6500 ft. That Four Wing Saltbrush is good stuff...and will actually grow clear up here. If I remember correctly it is between 40-50% protein.

Cheers---

TTB :wink:

 

[Turkey Track Bar]

Some interesting steel formations along with the rock ones. :wink:



Is that cheat grass growing in among the dead sage?

Yep, there are lots of powerlines, gas lines, wells, etc. on the place. The oil and gas industry has been good neighbors, and have actually built quite a few ponds for us. It has helped improve our grazing coverage on the range.

And, yes that is probably cheat grass...it's just coming on in the late spring and provides good grazing then, and is certainly a better feed than sagebrush :wink:. The other predominant grass is Western Wheatgrass.

Cheers---

TTB :wink:

 

[Nicky]

Great pictures (both sets)! Thanks for sharing. I'd sure like to have some of that winter range[/code]

 

[leanin' H]

Herefords have put a lot of dollars in western ranchers pockets for lots of years. It's great to still see nice cattle. Nice range too!

 

[nenmrancher]

Hey TTB is that country near the Farmington area?

 

[CattleArmy]

When moving cattle on that type of country do people use dogs?

 

[Turkey Track Bar]

Thank you Nicky, and Leanin' H...welcome to ranchers too, Leanin' H!

Hey TTB is that country near the Farmington area

Yes, due north... :lol:

When moving cattle on that type of country do people use dogs?

Yes, dogs and horses. In the first photo, he's kinda hard to see, but my Dad's right hand dog Rocky is herding the cattle, moving them north, to a piece of range that has just gotten run off into a dam.

Cheers---

TTB :wink:

 

[Jassy]

I almost missed the dog sneakin behind that brush...lol That country is so rugged looking to me, but the cows don't seem to mind it at all. Since there's alot of salt in the water, do they have access to fresh water anytime? Or don't they need it? Thanks for this mini trip down south I enjoyed it..

 

[Soapweed]

Fun photo trip, TTB. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[bverellen]

My Dad has been trying to treat as much sagebrush with Spike as possible...this shows the where the sagebrush has been treated (dead sagebrush at the bottom of the picture) versus range that has not (the alive sagebrush at the top of the picture). We have significantly increased out stocking rate in a very dry, droughty period because of his range management.

What is "Spike"?

And couldn't a bunch of goats be used to clean up that sagebrush?

TIA

bart.

 

[Turkey Track Bar]

I almost missed the dog sneakin behind that brush...lol That country is so rugged looking to me, but the cows don't seem to mind it at all. Since there's alot of salt in the water, do they have access to fresh water anytime? Or don't they need it? Thanks for this mini trip down south I enjoyed it..

This is our cows favorite place...it is hard to get them gathered to head back to Colorado, and they almost run on the truck in the fall, as if they know they are headed south!!! They like the trees, ravines, and there is actually a lot of grass, plus they love eating Four Wing Saltbrush!

The water, I don't think the cows would drink it if it were bad, that is my experience with cows. In the bad drought years, we have hauled water and run an old windmill/pump. The cows don't seem to have a preference either way for the water. There doesn't seem to be any difference in calving ease between the type of water...they all calve easily, isn't a difference in conception, etc.

Quote:
My Dad has been trying to treat as much sagebrush with Spike as possible...this shows the where the sagebrush has been treated (dead sagebrush at the bottom of the picture) versus range that has not (the alive sagebrush at the top of the picture). We have significantly increased out stocking rate in a very dry, droughty period because of his range management.



What is "Spike"?

And couldn't a bunch of goats be used to clean up that sagebrush?

TIA

bart.

Spike is a herbicide developed by Dow for the control of brush species. Here is a link to the product:

http://www.dowagro.com/range/products/spike20P.htm

It comes in a small pellet and is laid on by a crop dusting plane.

I think goats could over time probably do the job, but there are lots and lots of acres of sagebrush on that place, and an equally high number of predators (the four-legged and two-legged varieties).

I can only imagine the number of goats and the amount of time it would take for goats to eliminate the sagebrush. Plus a portion of this ground is a BLM lease, and we would likely have to decrease the number of cows run to run the goats....AND MY DAD DOES NOT LIKE GOATS!!!

Cheers---

TTB :wink:

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

What do you mean your Dad doesn't like Goats. :!:


He let you marry one. :wink: :lol:




















I'm sorry.

It was just to good of an opening to pass on.

 

[lazy ace]

What do you mean your Dad doesn't like Goats. :!:


He let you marry one. :wink: :lol:




















I'm sorry.

It was just to good of an opening to pass on.

Big Muddy I will admit that is a pretty good one. :lol: :lol:

I'm sure glad donkeys and mules aren't known for eating sage brush because you might have called me an a$$ :wink:

have a cold one

lazy ace

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I figured that would make you put down the cold one and type. :lol:


Happy New Year

 

[Turkey Track Bar]

What do you mean your Dad doesn't like Goats. :!:


He let you marry one. :wink: :lol:




















I'm sorry.

It was just to good of an opening to pass on.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :clap: :clap: :clap: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: