As the warm wind of summer arrives in the High Plains, with it comes the concern of forage shortages. Between ravenous wildfires that devastated states like Kansas and Nebraska combined with growing drought conditions, optimizing pastures and forage supplies is critical this season.
As summer arrives, now is the time to assess hay stocks, strategize protecting pasture or turn to alternative feeds for your herd. Maybe you have an excess hay supply on hand, or maybe your hay burned in a fire. Maybe your ranch was blessed with spring rains, or maybe you spend each night praying for rain to save your pasture.
Pasture and forage management
As of May 28, the U.S. Drought Monitor lists nearly all of the High Plains states experiencing some level of drought. North Dakota is facing the least severe drought, with only the western-most edge experiencing moderate and severe drought. Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming are facing the worst conditions, with large swaths of extreme and exceptional drought.
Irrigating annual forages can provide a practical solution to both extend the grazing season and maintain feed supply, according to University of Nebraska Extension specialists. When grazing these forages, maintain best practices to keep forage quality, encourage regrowth and minimize waste.
Rotational grazing and a high stocking density can maintain forage quality while improving regrowth. Know what types of grass species are present in your pastures and rangeland. Warm-season species (blue grama, big bluestem, etc.) will put out growth later in the season when conditions are hotter and drier, while cool-season species (smooth bromegrass, crested wheatgrass, etc.) experience most of their growth in the spring and potentially again in the fall.
If pastures are pushed too hard in drought conditions, it could take multiple years of normal conditions to recover. As the season continues, plan to pull cattle off early to protect regrowth for next year.
Rotational grazing research from South Dakota State University showed that dividing a pasture into four sections increased the carrying capacity by 20.8%, while dividing it into eight sections increased it by 40.8%.
This means that implementing this practice allows you to reduce supplemental feed and reduce hay requirements by 60% to 80%. While some want to create formulas to know exactly when they’ll move cattle, others go by the look of the grass.
The particular plant species will let you know when to move. Taller species should be rested when they are to 2 to 3 inches high, and shorter grasses can be grazed until 1 to 2 inches high. No matter the species, leave enough plant material to allow recovery before grazing again.
Keep records and notes of when pasture pens are grazed and how they look. Jot down grazing dates, rest periods, forage high, average rainfall and animal performance. This will give you an idea in the next season how to improve or what worked well.
Alternative feeds an option
If supplies are short and pasture quality is waning in the hot and dry summers, consider alternative crops to feed cattle. Soybeans and sunflower seeds, canola, flax, distillers grain, field peas, lentils, alfalfa and clover are all options.
Bringing in feeds that provide energy and protein is a way to reduce pressure on pastures. Exact supplementation formulas will vary with the feed or grain being used, but a pound of grain will roughly substitute a half-pound of alfalfa depending on the quality.
North Dakota State University gives more advice for supplementing feed in the publication Alternative Feeds for Ruminants. Utilizing alternative feeds while supplementing hay can minimize the need to sell off cattle due to shortages and help your herd withstand drought.