Drought: Livestock
All Drought: Livestock Content
Climate and Weather
View resources to predict, prepare and recover from weather-related events year-round, including the latest drought and flood information.
A Disaster-Ready Strategy for Cattle Operations
Cattle producers can minimize risk and maximize resilience. Having a written emergency action plan and routine exercise of the plan helps ensure animal welfare and business continuity.
Summer Pasture Report: Discussing Rain, Pasture Recovery, and Preparing for Fall
Drought conditions across northern South Dakota have seen some relief due to the precipitation received in the past few months. Despite some decent rainfall occurring, most of the state is still behind normal for the water year.
Spring Pasture Report: Dry Soil Conditions Threaten 2025 Grazing Season
As the grazing season inches closer, dry conditions have become very apparent, and producers should take time to assess resources and regularly monitor soil moisture and weather outlooks.
Supplementing Cows on Pasture to Stretch Forage Supplies
With dry conditions spreading quickly across the Dakota’s, producers are forced to make challenging decisions on how many cow/calf pairs to turn out to pasture, and then determine how long the pastures will even last if moisture doesn’t come soon. During the spring/summer months, supplementing grass with energy and protein can decrease forage dry matter consumption.
Combatting Drought Conditions With Early Weaning
Producers experiencing drought conditions should consider early weaning to reduce fall grazing pressure and facilitate some pasture recovery before dormancy.
Online Tools To Help With Rangeland Drought Planning
Learn about some free online tools that producers can use to assess drought conditions, evaluate forage resources, and manage herds through periods of abnormally dry weather.
Heat Stress in Small Ruminants
The Upper Midwest provides periods of extreme heat during summer and shorter periods of heat stress potential during spring and fall. Are your sheep and goats cool enough in their environment?
Cull Cows and Trichomoniasis
With increasing amounts of cows being sold at the sale barn with reproductive years left, there are some precautions to be aware of prior to bringing females home to re-breed.
Valuing Drought-Stressed Corn Silage
Salvaging failed crops as silage for livestock can be a “win-win” for both crop growers and livestock owners. Learn how you can use data to improve the odds of finding a value that is fair to both parties.