Drought: Livestock
All Drought: Livestock Content
Managing For Annual Swings in Forage Production
Being able to adapt your stocking rate and grazing intensity to fit forage conditions provides you with tangible management actions you can take to protect your pastures from overgrazing in any year.
Trigger Dates: Critical Decisions for Drought Management
Having a drought plan in place ensures that you can overcome the inhibitions surrounding a drought response, the basis of which is figuring out trigger dates.
Drought Planning
A drought plan will be an essential component to your overall grazing plan, as it provides guidance in making decisions during critical times when forage may be lacking.
How Important Is Water Quality to Livestock?
Water is the most important nutrient to all livestock animals and is sometimes overlooked. Poor quality water can have a negative effect on growth, reproduction, and general productivity of the animal.
Feed & Water Testing Laboratories
A partial listing of available feed testing laboratories.
Livestock Feed Assistance Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Farm Service Agency administers the Livestock Forage Disaster Program. The program assists producers who are dealing with drought and other grazing losses.
Importance of Pregnancy Detection During a Dry Year
With weaning wrapping up, pregnant cows should be identified and turned back out to pasture or crop residue. By removing open or even late cows from the herd, valuable feed resources are saved if drought conditions continue.
Considerations for Grazing Standing Corn
Grazing standing corn is a viable option to supply nutrients to livestock. However, mitigating risk is critical to ensure healthy animals and optimize crops.
2021 Fall and Early Winter Climate Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal climate outlooks were released Sept. 16, 2021 by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. Forecasters are pointing towards a warmer than average October, with odds leaning towards drier conditions for the last few months of the year.
Climate Resilience Toolkit for the Northern Plains Region
In September 2021, the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit announced the publication of a new Northern Great Plains Region section. The new section can help producers recognize climate hazards, assess vulnerabilities and confront risks.