Soil 4213 Precision Agriculture Derek Shephard

60,000 farms and ranches in Oklahoma with approximately 5.5million head of cattle Oklahoma ranks 5 th nationally #1 farm and ranch commodity Only 1 of 9 states where cattle out number people Bottom line is cattle are important for Oklahoma and with that dependency comes a need for precision

Cattle numbers increasing

Overall size and number of producers declining

Cattle prices going up in past years

Wheat represents the backbone of ranching in Oklahoma Wheat is grown in all 77 counties Approximately 6 million acres of Oklahoma’s farmable land is in wheat Oklahoma’s #2 farm and ranch commodity 60% of wheat is grazed 120 days on wheat * 2lbs gain/per day = $240 per head If cattle are pulled off by March 1 or better yet at first hollow stem wheat can still exceed 30 bushels an acre

Wheat Subsidies in Oklahoma $1,602,700, (63,090 recipients) Livestock subsidies (keep in mind this is all livestock) $190,831, (44,871 recipients) That is a difference of 1,411,868,479 that separates wheat and cattle subsidies. That is over 8 times more money that is being allowed to wheat producers. (Keep in mind that cattle producers and wheat producers are often one and the same.)

Past advances and downfalls Advances Barb Wire made it possible for ranchers to graze their own land and establish homesteads. Downfalls Overgrazing and improper cultivation techniques led to the Bust Bowl.

With the scare of BSE and other forms of cattle born diseases the need for an identification system to tell where cattle have been is rapidly becoming a necessity.

Software that combines different elements and displays need to know data. This makes it easier for record keeping. (Cattlemax) GPS location devices ( these maybe rolled into one with an ID System)

With the growing demand on land the need for better farming practices is a must. This deals with not only better fertilizer application methods but any element that deals with gain/per day.

Medication Programs Starting Programs Grazing Practices/ Crop usage Marketing Properly

Limiting Death Loss (In Oklahoma the average death loss for long haul cattle is 5%). Being aware of new vaccinations available. Consulting with a Veterinary Treating cattle at early stages of illness. Proper Diagnoses

Treatments to cattle before release on pasture ( Many of these treatments are combined into 1 shot) Clostridium chauvoei -Blackleg Clostridium septicum-Malignant edema Clostridium perfringens-Enterotoxemia(types B, C and D) Clostridum sordellii-Sudden Death Clostridium Novyi-Sudden Death Pasteurella hemolytica-IBR Pasteurella multtocida-BVD Ivomec Growth Hormone Castration Dehorning Some type of Id ( Ear Tag and Brand usually) Other Treatments and Procedures

Nuflor or Baytrol( 1 day or 5 day treatment) combined with Banimine and B-Complex Gentamicin and Naxell combined with Banimine and B-Complex Penicillin Treatments (Newest on market) Draxxon Things to consider when selecting sick cattle Amount of food consumed(often slow to come to the bunk) Their appearances early in the morning The general attitude of animal(head position and demeanor) Watering eyes and cleaning of nose

Some musts when starting new cattle Separating infected cattle from healthy cattle Immediate vaccination of sick cattle Proper Treatment Feeding ration Adequate weight for cattle on weight pasture is 320lbs Supplements should be given gradually A good pull man can easily be worth his weight in gold Key Components

The Type of cattle that are chosen can also effect death loss This is a chart from that shows the death loss significant in different genders and mixes of cattle.

Weight of cattle is important

Geographical location(Cold/Hot weather tolerance of breed) Disease tolerance of Breed(Brahma influence often have better disease tolerance but lag in cold weather tolerance) Cattle crosses that will offer the best gain/per day(In Oklahoma arguably the best cross is black baldie)

Better Stocking Rates Overgrazing can destroy farmable land Stocking rate should be managed temporally(depends on site) Better Fertilizer Application Methods Over application of N can lead to illness of cattle and unnecessary fertilizer bills. Better Dates Cattle are Pulled off of Wheat Grazing too long can lead to loss of grain yield (as much as 4 bushels a day)

Better methods than the local sale barn Cash Contact Things to consider are price of cattle market and the dependency of company cattle are being contracted. If the market is going up it may not be beneficial to contract cattle. If the company that cattle are contracted with goes bankrupt the contract may not be honored. However when a contract is figured properly it can insure a profit. Hedging This requires a closer watch on the cattle market. A broker almost has to be used to keep up with the ever changing market. The producer must have the necessary funds to cover margin calls.

(Vet Consultant Wayne Sizelove)