“Don’t wait….”
by Chris Reinhardt, feedlot specialist
It has been a long winter for many ranchers throughout the plains, and many have grown weary of the seemingly relentless weather. However, many have not received adequate winter and spring precipitation to sustain normal grazing pressure throughout the coming summer grazing season.
A common wishful paradigm in ranching is that we’re only “one good rain away” from drought recovery. More often than not, that simply isn’t the case. The reality is that it takes a long time and a complex series of drought-related events to lead to damaged range, and it requires an equal if not longer time and series of management decisions before we can expect full recovery of pasture carrying capacity.
While ranchers in dry areas would always welcome even a minor rain event, even a large, brief rain cannot reverse the myriad effects of a long-term drought. To maintain a robust and productive range ecology, volume of moisture, timing of moisture, sustained moisture, and timing and intensity of grazing pressure and rest periods all play a role.
The astute rancher will recognize when a little late rain amounts to “too little, too late”. But effective long-term range management and an effective drought plan involve more than simply deciding sometime mid-summer that rain isn’t coming, declaring the grazing season “Over”, and weaning calves early. In order to protect and maintain the range ecology during ongoing drought conditions it is important to have critical dates marked on your calendar.
In a mixed grass range ecology, different grasses mature at different times of the year and respond differently to moisture, temperature, and grazing pressure. Ranchers who routinely maintain light or moderate grazing densities can better withstand a single year of lower than normal rainfall. However, even under moderate stocking density, multiple years of drought will lead to reduced plant populations.
The range ecology is complex, and a comprehensive drought monitoring plan will be also; however, a simple plan with timely intervention strategies is a good place to start. The Kansas Water Office (Topeka, KS, June, 2012) defines three stages of drought: (1) Watch, (2) Warning, and (3) Emergency. A Watch exists when the previous 3 month precipitation is £ 70% of normal; a Warning is when the previous 6 months precipitation is £ 65% of normal, and an Emergency exists when the previous 6 months precipitation is £ 60% of normal.
If the range is 30-40% behind “normal” or “optimum” for forage growth, it is obviously unlikely that a few rains will provide needed recovery in the short term. So if winter precipitation was below normal, and spring rains have not made up the difference, it’s time to take action by modifying stocking density. If late spring and early summer rains do not alleviate the situation, and the condition progresses further, plan to take more extreme cuts to stocking density.
Calves have the ability to thrive without their mothers, with appropriate management and nutrition, by 90 days of age. Producers should make plans for the possibility of early weaning now, not only after summer drought conditions demand it of them. The future quality and recovery of your pastures relies on your early and ongoing response to drought conditions. Be sure to consult your local extension specialist for drought monitoring guidelines specific for your geography. Develop a plan and stick to it; you’ll be rewarded in the long run.
