8 Stockers per Acre in Texas High Pasture

Under irrigated, fertilized, planted stand of cold tolerant Bermudagrass in Northern Texas. Glenn Reagan, retired rangeland consultant for the Forest Service makes small acreage stockers ranch (120 acres) economically competitive with irrigated corn. High grass growth during spring allows for high stocking rates irregardless of irrigation (rains). This makes me wonder about Kastel's criticism of the Natural Prairie stocking rates in the Cornucopia article quoted earlier (as in it is hard to be a purist without be a zealot).


Obviously there are real problems with irrigation and the 800 lbs of N applied per acre on the Reagan ranch. However, when considering that the alternative to irrigated pasture is irrigated corn production then grass pasturing would seem to be the more responsible land use. On a social level, it is hard to dismiss the profits seen on the Regan ranch. Apparently net yield on the Reagan ranch are 120$ per acre as compared to barely 50$ per acre as seen with corn. Corn that would likely be shipped off to be fed to bovines anyway.

Thinking again on Cornucopia article- Is it possible for all dairy production to be grass fed. Is it possible for them all to be grass fed, unirrigated, and organic? Very likely not, at least not under our current production expectations. I remember reading that the recent droughts in Australia allowed Americans to overtake the international dairy market in powdered milk. I wonder how many tons of powdered milk wait in storage for another favorable market turn? Whatever the case, the solution is going to require an incorporation of organic wisdom into industrial ag to the benefit of producers; as opposed to the market of consumers and agribuisnesses, who have no interest in locally sensible and frugal organic practices.

clipped from www.stockmangrassfarmer.net "For most dryland ranchers getting their minds to realize that too much grass can be a very bad thing is a difficult task," he said. Over the whole season starting in early May, he said he averaged eight stockers per acre. He said the bermudagrass should not be allowed to get over six inches in height. With the extremely fast-growing, sod-forming grass, he said fewer paddocks were better than more.