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Forage Facts: Soil Health Important Factor in Forage Production

I was asked to write a small piece about the pros and cons of irrigation, its input costs and benefits and I have struggled with this topic because irrigation, though beneficial in the right circumstances, is not always the answer to the problems associated with forage production. I think of irrigation as an enhancement to an already good forage production program rather than a cure-all for survival-which it is not.

That being said, I think that soil condition is the most ignored and the most limiting factor to a productive click here stand, because how your soil interacts with nutrients, water, air and microbial activity is the basis for a better understanding of root development and plant growth.

The forage producer must have a basic knowledge of soil profiles, soil types, soil composition, soil fertility and soil tilth.

Soil tilth is defined as the "harmony" between the basic soil elements, which are: mineral, air, water, and organic matter. The correct balance of these elements boosts soil productivity by allowing the efficient interactions of all these soil systems. Plain and simple, air and water balance, in the soil profile, is the key to good root growth; the precursor to optimal forage production.

Before getting involved in irrigation; which is an enhancement to an already good program; I believe that by "fixing" known deficiencies, we can improve our productivity and spend less money, time and effort doing it. This is what we did, years ago, before getting into irrigation.

One other very important aspect of forage production improvement; and sadly, much overlooked, is the self-inflicted limitations brought on by soil compaction.We can have soils with an optimum pH, N; P, K and micro-nutrients, but if compaction exists, many detrimental scenarios arise.

Soil specialists are in agreement that the physical condition of the soil is a key factor in this biological and chemical harmony, which further determines the amount of biomass our forage plants can produce. Compaction stresses our forage plants by removing air and water from the soil profile. The biological and chemical system that depends on this interaction becomes constrained; root growth weakens and production suffers.

Compaction affects both wet and dry soil conditions, equally; as it reduces the water holding capacity making drought conditions worse and inhibits drainage to make wet conditions more difficult. Correcting compaction makes a dramatic improvement in soil tilth. By fracturing the soil both vertically and laterally; air infiltration increases, root development improves, water and nutrient holding capacities improve and microbial activity increases.

After aerating our pastures and hay meadows, for two years, we could see a 40% increase in the biomass produced in the perennial warm season grasses. This made a huge difference and we were able to increase our stocking rates and/or bale more hay.

Three Main Causes of Compaction

Tractors and farm equipment break down soil particles and they bind together, which reduces the space needed for air and water movement within the soil profile. In wet conditions this is made worse, because soil particles move unrestricted.

There has been much confusion about livestock traffic; it is true that the grazing of livestock can break up the soil surface crusting, but deep soil compaction does develop over time, which is highly detrimental to air and water movement.

Heavy rainfall disturbs the smallest particles (clayey soils) on the surface and forces them together, creating layers of crust increasing run-off.

The Solution: Aerated Soils

Since soil compaction is a physical problem, the best solution is mechanical aeration. We aerate our pastures every 90 days from March until October.

The Benefits

Increased pore space in the soil profile for air movement

Efficient nutrient and water infiltration

Improved root penetration

Improves drainage and reduces erosion

Increased microbial activity within the soil profile

Less nutrient leaching due to less run-off

Rapid crop emergence and better crop stands

Well developed plants with better root systems

Better drought tolerance and an improved soil-borne disease resistance

Increased yields

Fix the land, first; then enhance it with irrigation.

Here, we strive to produce the best possible forage, year-round, in order to limit those costs associated with supplementation. Optimal forages begin with the "land" (soils) and is the first building block of the cattle business. Productive soils are proving that an optimal forage base and health program is increasing cattle performance:

- In '08 - '09, cows and first-calf heifers bred back in a 58-day season.

- In '09 - '10, cows and first-calf heifers bred back in a 36-day season.

- In '10 - '11, cows and first calf heifers bred back in a 36-day season.

Pasture Maintenance and Management

- Our pastures are aerated 3 times per growing season

- Aeration invigorates the growth of warm season perennials like Bermuda grass

- The tools, we use in land management practices, are simple, inexpensive, yet effective

- Air and water balance is the key to good root growth

- Rotational grazing, Limit Grazing, Creep grazing

For more articles related to soils, hay, forages, cattle, ranching and the ranchlife; read them through these reliable authors:

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Camping Sleeping Bags - How to Choose the Best Sleeping Bag For You?

Camping used to be about bulky sleeping bags. Other times, when you are really lucky, you do not have any sleeping bags to sleep on at all because you ended up carrying heaps of other things and sleeping bags are just not a priority (thinking that you can just find a nice person to share with). For many people, camping before means being at a state wherein you are uncomfortable. But now, gone are those days! Camping nowadays means feeling just like home with the best sleeping bag with you.

As camping sleeping bags vary in shapes and sizes, it is a must that you know what sleeping bag in the market suits you best. Here are my strongest suggestions on how you can choose the best click here that can make you feel just like home:

a. There is a common type of camping sleeping bag called the Mummy Bag. If you are situated in a place or country with colder temperature and you are after the warmth of your sleeping bag, you better go and look for this type of sleeping bag. A Mummy Bag is made to confine warm air on your head as it provides a hood ensuring that heat will not escape even from your head. It takes off human body shape that is why it surely maintains heat better than those other shapes of sleeping bags. As the name suggest, it really feels like you have your Mum around wrapping you with her warm embrace all through the cold shivering night.

b. If you are living or camping in a place with warm weather, you must go for Rectangular type of camping sleeping bags. Although this is not specifically designed to trap heat as good as a Mummy Bag, this bag is roomier and absorbs more body heat to warm. Other things must be considered for this sleeping bag to perform at its best such as its fabric, construction, and fill.

c. Now that you have just enough appreciation of the two most common types of sleeping bags available in the market and you find yourself in a dilemma as to which one is better, check this out: You do not need to choose at all! If you want the warmth of a Mummy Sleeping Bag at the same time the softness and coziness of a Rectangular Sleeping Bag, producers can modify their versions of sleeping bags giving you the best sleeping bag ever!

I understand that you have to be aware of other accessories that you can suggest to the producers of camping sleeping bags that is why, for your convenience, I have listed down these things that you may want to add to your personally-modified and very unique sleeping bag. Here are your options:

1.Zippers - The main purpose of zippers is to permit ventilation. You can actually have a Two-way Zippers if you wish to so that you can unzip the other one to let ventilation of cooler air through the sleeping bag from your foot or head without having to unzip it especially on summer nights.

2.Hoods - A special part of Mummy Bags, hoods are your most effective option if you want to trap heat from your head keeping you warm from head to toe all through the night.

3.Multi sectioned Hoods - Compared to just hoods, multi sectioned is made from multiple panels. This fits your head better with less chance to compact insulation.

4.Chest Baffles - The use of this accessory, from the name itself, is to provide a barrier at the top of your chest to help you keep warm as it traps warm air from breaking out at the same time preventing cold air from coming in.

5.Foot Boxes - This is designed to keep your feet and toes warm. Also found in majority of Mummy bags, you can lay your foot naturally as it traps warmer air without reducing insulation.

6.Round and flat pull cords - Part of Hoods in Mummy Bags, these cords are ideal if you want to fine-tune your sleeping bag in the middle of the night.

7.Ground level seams - These are found on the side of your sleeping bag which are vulnerable to exposure specifically during windy conditions. The only way to minimize your risk of exposure is to have well insulated ground pads.

8.Ground Pads - Commonly known as sleeping pads, this accessory makes you feel warmer against the ground surface area as well as the ground level seams.

9.Staggered Seam - Also called as off set seams, this is another type of accessory that confines heat and blocks air from breaking in your sleeping bag.

10.Zip together compatibility - This is an amazing accessory if you want to sleep and be zipped together with another person. Most rectangular camping sleeping bags zip together but for Mummy Bags, you need to have this accessory to be compatible enough to zip with other sleeping bags.

11.Insulating and/or wind stop baffle behind the zipper - Simply known as Zipper Draft Tube, this option helps keep warm air inside your bag and cool air outside through the zipper of your bag.

12.Wallet and flashlight pockets - If you want your wallet and flashlights to be secured and close to you even when you are sleeping, you may want to look for these accessories.

With all these information already available to you, I hope that in your quest in looking for the perfect camping sleeping bag, you will find both enjoyment and excitement as you are just one step away from your wonderful time at the camp with your best sleeping bag with you! Definitely no need to worry because whatever the activities at the camp the following morning, you will surely make it because you are assured of your good night sleep that will keep you going all day, all night.

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Benefits of Hiring Tower Cranes

Every construction site is surrounded by a wide array of equipments. If a tall structure is being built at the construction site then you would definitely need tower cranes. Such cranes are generally fixed to the foundation but at times they can also be attached to the side of a structure for easy maneuverability. Any sort of crane is utilized in lifting heavy weights but with tower cranes you get the extra advantage of lifting weights to or from extremely high places. For all your construction purposes you definitely need a crane, which you can either buy or hire.

Construction sites and industrial sites definitely need tower cranes but since they are hugely expensive the other best option is to hire them. Big companies may even buy cranes as it would tremendously help them in their business but for small companies it is simply impossible to buy cranes. Hiring tower cranes eases your work and transporting such cranes from one location to another will not be too expensive. Such cranes are locally available for hire at several places and small companies can avail the hiring benefits of such cranes at very affordable prices. Sometimes even big companies opt for hiring cranes as they are much more convenient and easy to get when their work sites are located at considerable distances.

Renting companies of click here are professionals who take full responsibility for transferring or shipping and assembling of the cranes. Later, when the job is done, the shipping company will also dismantle the cranes and take it away with them. Hire charges include this assembling and dismantling charges but you don't have to worry about paying anything more.

The working mechanism of the tower cranes includes a central mast, attached to which is the slewing unit of the machine that acts as the motor of the unit. The slewing unit of the machine helps in movement of the arm part of the crane and lifts up objects by moving a full 360 degrees and lifting objects from one place and putting in down at another. The operation of cranes is quite easy but the movement of cranes is tedious and requires a lot of time. The mammoth weight of the cranes makes it next to impossible to shift cranes from one place to another; this is another reason why big companies prefer to hire tower cranes rather than to buy them.

Another advantage of hiring tower cranes is that it offers versatility to the business. Often at construction sites different types of cranes are required and because crane hire companies carry a wide variety of cranes it is always advisable to contact them for you are the specific type of crane that you need for your job. It saves costs of buying different types of cranes and it also means that you do not need to keep trained personnel for operating all these different types of cranes.

There are several companies who hire out tower cranes and you can easily search online to contact them for your construction needs. Lastly, these companies also provide safety measures and gear for using such cranes and also provide maximum protection to your construction workers.

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The Cotswolds: The Perfect Country Retreat?

What comes to mind when you think of a 'country retreat'? Quiet, calm and tranquillity? Green rolling hills and picturesque scenery? Luxury accommodation? A total break from the stresses of everyday life? Peace, serenity and security? Somewhere to 'get away from it all'?

Whatever it is you're after, the Cotswolds creates the perfect backdrop. With accommodation ranging from pretty Cotswold cottages to sumptuous boutique hotels and stunning eco homes built on the water's edge, the luxury self catering accommodation to be found in the area is of the highest standard. This creates the ideal base from which to explore the region with its vast lakes winding around woods and meadows, be it on foot, by bike or kayak. A click here in the Cotswolds means you can be sure that your family are able to make the most of exploring in these beautiful peaceful surroundings.

The Cotswolds region is home to a huge variety of leisure opportunities including an array of luxury spas, so you and your family can take time out to relax and rejuvenate in serene surrounds a world away from the daily grind. And if it's something a little bit more active you're after, there's also canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding and sailing on the many lakes, or why not explore the area by bike or on horseback and take in it's bountiful scenery and wildlife?

The Cotswolds is packed with pretty villages and lively market towns and family attractions including farms, wildlife parks and museums. There are festivals going on throughout the year with a wide range of cultural offerings including all kinds of music, literature, science, food and drink. And with the very best in local produce on your doorstep, eating well is a given. From food markets and tea rooms to gastro pubs and Michelin starred restaurants, everyone takes immense pride in serving the best seasonal food the local area has to offer.

With the ongoing rigours of daily life, keeping up with work, family and social commitments can take its toll. A country retreat is the perfect antidote. We all need some time out to rest, relax and recharge. What better way than in the beautiful English countryside, in a luxury home, with great food, drink and plentiful leisure opportunities on hand. Whatever you need from a country retreat, the Cotswolds has it. You can do as much or as little as you like.

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Local Handyman Services: Choosing the Right One for You

If you live in a larger town or city, there can be a number of local handyman services to choose from. The quality of work and of the customer service they deliver ultimately comes down to the individual who is in your home, be that person an employee, partner in a click here service, or a lone handy man. But there are differences you can anticipate in the many types of handyman businesses out there. Let's consider the likely candidates you will run into.

There are many handyman franchises that a business owner can buy. The most successful of these franchises are larger handyman companies with lots of glossy advertisements, trucks or vans with full-body graphics, and can have many employees. Like any franchise local handyman services, much of the work is done for the franchise owner, he or she simply plugs in the different marketing tools and advertisements that are supplied to them in their franchise package and get to work finding employees. This does make the job easier than starting a business from scratch, particularly in a field which they may not be that familiar with. The downside for them is they must pay for all of these bells and whistles, just as with any franchise. This leaves them with a lot of overhead and a small profit margin. In growing their company and employing more workers they start to make money, however the temptation is there to charge a lot for any and all home repairs. If you've ever gotten a number of bids for a given home maintenance project, you've probably been amazed at the range of prices. The handyman franchise will likely be at the higher end of the spectrum here.

The advantage to using large franchised home repair services is they are likely to be able to get to your project very quickly, if they have a number of employees. This can be a big deal if you have an emergency repair to be handled and relatives coming in for a visit. As a helpful tip, talk to the salesman or owner about their employees. Find out who the best guys are. Not all handyman are created equal, and with any given handy man service they will have a couple-three guys who are top-notch craftsman, the rest will be average to good, and one or two who you'd just as soon not have in your house. This is a generality of course, but is pretty consistent with many construction, property maintenance or home repair companies. A few quick questions will tell you who their best guys are, and when you can get them scheduled to do your home repair. If those guys are booked up, then it does defeat the purpose of going with a larger, multi-employee handyman service.

The next option you will find is the smaller company built up from scratch with the owner doing a lot of the work, or with maybe one or two workers. Or this may be the owner and a helper. The advantage to you here is there is a greater sense of accountability with these smaller home handyman services. If there is a problem you won't get 'lost in the shuffle' in getting things handled to your satisfaction. This may be as simple as a quick conversation to clear the air about any confusions, but with a larger company even this can turn into an ordeal.

With a smaller two or three-man operation, asking about their 'best guy' is no longer an issue. Handyman companies of this size either do good work or not. This is determined by the owner. If he is a quality-minded craftsman he will expect this level of work from his help. A handyman service of this size has nowhere near the overhead of a handyman franchise; chances are you will get a better price from them, however even with one employee this creates a drain from the income of the business owner. He has to keep his guy busy and keep him paid, or he'll be quitting, or finding jobs from other sources and thereby become difficult to schedule, so this will be a priority for the business owner. However he probably has a family to feed as well, so needs to make a solid income himself. His prices may be a bit higher.

Next we have the lone handyman. He is a one-man-show. You can get a real mixed bag here. At the low-end is the guy who just wants enough work to keep him in the bar every afternoon. At the top of the scale is the perfectionist craftsman who does not like working for or with others who don't share the same level of professionalism in doing home improvements, even with something as simple as cleaning up when they are done. As far as professional handyman services go, the individual handyman will have the lowest overhead and business expenses. If he is an expert home repair specialist he will probably charge a rate that matches his level of skill, however with probably very low operating costs, his handyman rates will be at the lower end of the scale.

In dealing with any handyman repair service it cannot be stressed often enough that you should get references from each business when you are trying to find a handyman, then call the people on that list. This little bit of homework need not be as difficult as it sounds and can save you from enormous potential headaches. The larger the home repair project, the more this factor applies. A call to your local BBB will weed out the bad eggs, but actually talking to the happy customers of a handy man service will give you a great deal of confidence that you are making a good decision, and talking to other customers may give you ideas of other remodeling or home repair projects you may want done around the house.

For a good many homeowners they must deal with having handyman repairs done over a long period of time. Ideally they want to find a handyman contractor who they can rely on again and again. Getting a job done right the first time for a lot of homeowners is equally or more so important than the handyman prices that are charged. By spending the time to check on the references offered by the companies on your handyman services list you are likely to find the handyman among all the local handyman services who you can rely on and are happy to act as a reference for yourself.