It is not a matter of if a drought occurs, but when. View our drought planning resources to help develop your drought management plan to ensure that your operation is able to weather whatever mother nature throws at it.
Drought Planning
All Drought Planning Content
Culling Decisions Due to Drought
Learn some key considerations for developing culling strategies that align with the goals and objectives of your operation when facing potential prolonged drought conditions.
Planning Forage Needs
Inventorying and planning for hay and other forage feed needs is essential every year, especially when production is uncertain due to drought or excess moisture.
SDSU Extension Provides Drought Management Resources
June 08, 2022
The U.S. Drought Monitor continues to classify parts of South Dakota in some level of drought. SDSU Extension has a variety of tools and resources to assist producers with drought decision making.
Reading the Range: Range readiness, grazing timing and drought considerations
Grazing timing is key when managing rangelands during a drought. Learn how to determine grazing readiness for different plant communities found throughout pastures and rangelands.
Ranch Drought Planning
Fact sheet with general drought planning tips from the range and natural resource perspective.
Drought Considerations for Grazing Range Flocks
Having a drought plan in place to best manage pastures is critical in being prepared for next year’s grazing season. Make decisions that will manage risk and promote both flock and financial longevity.
Agronomic Considerations for Moisture Deficit Conditions
The current soil moisture stress in South Dakota could be more pronounced than we have seen in last few years. If this continues, cropping decisions may need to be adjusted for the upcoming growing season.
Herd Management: Keep or Cull During a Drought?
Drought forces unexpected changes so it’s critical to have a strategy to keep only the “right” females that will benefit the operation.
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.