Sunday, October 26, 1997

Ranch "Buyer's Advantage" Bull Sale is Nov. 11 at Nolan

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

It may just be the highest-quality Angus cattle operation in Texas, if not the nation.

The RR Ranch "Buyer's Advantage" Bull Sale is Nov. 11 at the Nolan ranch. A noon lunch precedes the 1 p.m. sale.

Bob Petty put together the most complete information possible on his 75 bulls using the latest technology. From detailed computer records to the use of ultra-sound, Petty is probably the most meticulous cattleman you will ever meet.

Some ranch directions -- depending upon which direction you are approaching.

If you are traveling U.S. 277, you can take FM 89 at Coronado's Camp and then FM 126 onto the ranch. Or, if driving on Interstate 20, just go south from Merkel and stay on FM 126 until you get to the ranch sign. From Sweetwater, you can take Texas 70 south for 13 miles, then turn east on Texas 153 and continue on 7 miles to the ranch.

Finally, if coming from Winters, you can simply take Texas 153 directly to the ranch. (Just be careful crossing U.S. 277 because there's been a lot of construction activity buzzing at the intersection).

For more on this 28th annual sale, call (800) 734-2443 and Bob will be glad to send you a catalog.

Beef Marketing and Evaluation Clinic

Speaking of improving cattle, the Comanche County Extension Livestock and Range Committee has planned a Beef Marketing and Evaluation Clinic for Nov. 4 at McDougal Livestock Auction in Comanche on Highway 377.

Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the program starting at 9 a.m. and lasting through a sponsored barbecue lunch.

To pre-register, please call the Texas Agricultural Extension Service office in Comanche at (915) 356-2539.

The first part of the clinic will feature a panel discussion concerning calf marketing and evaluation. This panel will include an Extension livestock specialist, an order buyer and auction barn representative. This panel will evaluate calves as they enter the ring -- setting potential prices and giving reasons they would set those prices.

This segment of the program should help cow/calf producers to better understand the types of calves the market prefers and why they get the higher prices.

A second part will feature bull evaluation. Dr. Larry Boleman, Texas A&M Extension livestock specialist, will discuss bull confirmation, what to look for when buying a bull and care before breeding season.

Jody Henderson, special assistant with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, will discuss how to protect your livestock and ranch properties from theft and vandalism.

Henderson said the oncoming winter season is a "prime time" for thieves to work under the cover of darkness to steal livestock and other property from homesteads.

The TSCRA specialist will help producers learn more about to protect themselves and their property.

Texas cattle on feed up 16 percent

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter marlklet in Texas feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 2.5 million head as of October, up 16 percent from a year earlier.

The Texas Agricultural Statistics Service noted that the October level also was up 8 percent from the September number on cattle on feed.

It's clear that producers have placed more cattle in commercial feedlots during the past couple of months.

Have you thanked a cow today?

We all can appreciate fire departments -- including volunteer firefighters who often are called upon to fight grass fires in our part of the world.

But grazing cattle also help curb fires before they even start.

A Grazing on Public Lands report from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology found that cattle grazing reduces the amount of grass and other materials left on the ground, which provided the fuel for wildfires.

That would seem kind of self-evident to many of us.

But the study put it this way: "Removal of grazing (cattle) would influence 'fire-return' frequency because fire frequency, characteristics, timing and results are related to the amount of fuel that remains after grazing."

Makes sense to me.