Grazing in Drought and Back-up Plans

by Roger W. Tacha, Resource Conservationist
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Colby, Kansas

It DID rain this year, and the range actually greened up and grew! We all hope the relief from the severe drought continues. However, we will not and should not soon forget the drastic conditions we experienced over the last five to seven years.

We obviously cannot make it rain or snow, but we CAN make back-up plans (contingency plans) for the NEXT YEAR if it does not rain. A contingency plan for drought comprises several factors--some are just normal range management topics, and some are specifically for the drought itself.

ANIMAL NUMBER (stocking rate) is the factor most commonly in the limelight. Most producers reduced animal numbers by 10 to100 percent during the recent drought! If it is not green, it is certainly not growing! Cull EARLY. Cull HEAVY. Good record keeping tells which animals go first.

Conservative stocking rates in both wet and dry times are a wise management tool to prepare for the very looming, long-term drought. It will likely take years for the range grasses to rebuild root systems and vigor after what they have been through. If your math and forward planning says you can maintain a certain stocking rate for the upcoming year, try it. But if things start looking bleak, reduce numbers quickly.

ANIMAL TYPE is another factor. Diversifying to run both stockers and cows gives a lot of flexibility for dealing with no rain. Stockers are readily “disposable.” However, adding stockers to a cow operation means initially reducing cow numbers, and this sort of move means planning for it months ahead. If this sort of “change” is a knee-jerk reaction to drought about one-third of the way through the grazing season, it is probably already too late.

WEANING TIME--another factor. Removing the half-grown youngsters from the range a month earlier than “normal” might mean the cows get two to four weeks more grazing before they’re out of groceries too. This is admittedly short term, but it adds a little cushion before you take the next step (which could be one of several things).

SUPPLEMENTAL FORAGE may be feasible--or it may be just “fooling yourself,” depending on what and where the feed is. If there is a nearby crop field with residue, volunteer, or weeds, it might be feasible. If it is about the end of the normal grazing season, even actual feeding might be absorbable. But if it is mid-summer, consider carefully!! This is an expensive quick fix.

TRANSPORTING the herd to “parts unknown” could be an option. It has been done, but this too will likely be very expensive.

GRAZING ROTATION SYSTEMS are certainly a valid and proven tool, both in and out of drought. Many are using them. They work! Predicted available grazing days for each individual pasture can easily be calculated PRIOR to the grazing season. Right along with this, the needed REST for each pasture is determined. THE REST BETWEEN GRAZING PERIODS IS WHAT MAKES THESE SYSTEMS WORK!

The grazing days and resting days hinge on a combination of all these things: stocking rate, length of grazing period, grass species, grass production, and number of grazing cycles during the season.

COMBINING HERDS might be another possibility. If adequate water is available to serve a higher stocking rate, this tool will automatically allow more REST to all pastures.

DEFERRED GRAZING is simply not grazing a certain pasture. This can be incorporated into a regular grazing system, whereby a different pasture is deferred each year. Potential benefits are winter grazing area, stock-piled forage for drought, improved wildlife habitat, and fuel-load buildup for prescribed burning. Obviously, this needs to be planned months in advance. It is feasible and a smart management option.

Monitoring climatic and ecological factors can provide TRIGGER POINTS which can help to predict the chance of whether or not to take contingency plan actions. Moisture received to date to “normal” amounts can then be tied to the amount of grazing period remaining. Seventy to 80 percent of grass growth has already occurred by mid-July. By making these moisture-production comparisons, if there is a serious forage deficit, it should be evident.

Again, with the exception of rain, all the factors listed above are ones people CAN control. Rather than reacting to drought with possible bad decisions, developing a contingency plan is a proactive way to start NEXT year’s grazing.

If you would like to learn more about contingency planning or would like help in developing a plan, please contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office or conservation district office located at your local county USDA Service Center.

For more information about natural resources conservation, visit the Kansas NRCS Web site at www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov.

This article is also available in Microsoft Word format.

Grazing in Drought and Back-up Plans (DOC; 54 KB)

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Last Modified: 08/05/2008