Managing through Drought
Eric Peterson, University Extension Agent, Sublette CountyDrought develops progressively and not overnight. Management of the ranch during a
drought depends on the balance between stocking density and the availability of feed and water.
Early decisions need to be based on what relief measures are potentially available on the ranch.
Among the important factors are guessing the expected duration of the drought, the current water
and feed inventories, the body condition of the cowherd and financial resources available.
Drought is a serious obstacle to successful range livestock management. Forage production is
decreased dramatically, but reductions are less on range in good and excellent ecological
condition. The ability of perennial plants to recover after drought is closely related to their vigor
before, and during the drought. Excessive grazing (more than 60 % of current year's growth)
decreases the ability of some plants to recover. Moderate use (25 - 55 %) does not seem to affect
the recovery rate. A drought may require that livestock numbers be reduced according to forage
supply. Retaining a rotational grazing system during drought is recommended over continuous
grazing because periodic rests help plants maintain vigor.
Concentrating more animals into a single herd is recommended over having several smaller
herds because by having more animals in a pasture, the entire pasture will be grazed more
uniformly, and more use will be made of the less-preferred plants. This requires, of course, the
implementation of a managed grazing system. Other options include grazing plants and range
sites which are most tolerant of grazing earlier and longer than normal. Another is keeping
cattle on irrigated sites longer than usual. Fertilizer could be used to increase forage production
on many of these sites. However, fertilizer is a cash cost, and soils should be tested before
fertilizer is applied. Fertilizer needs moisture to be available to the plant, and in times of extreme
drought this may not happen.
There are a number of livestock management options to consider during a drought. Some of
them include: Early weaning and calf marketing, which reduces the nutritional demand on cows
and total demand on forage resources. Selective reduction (heavy culling) of the cow herd,
especially the unproductive cows. Leasing of additional grazing ground and purchase of
supplemental feedstuffs are options. Some may consider moving the cow herd to a dry lot for
full feeding. In any instance, limit feed grain to meet nutrient requirements. Finally, there is the
option to sell all the livestock, or, there is always the option to do nothing.
Keep the following in mind with regard to cow management: Fertility of cows may decline
when their body condition drops below a 4; especially at time of calving and when they go into
the breeding season in poor condition. In the absence of sufficient nutrients, particularly energy,
cows lose considerable weight. When such weight losses occur, milk production decreases and
reproductive activity may cease. The end result is light-weight calves and open cows. To prevent
such undesirable effects, cows either must be provided sufficient nutrients to avoid weight losses
and maintain production requirements or they must be relieved totally or partially from body
stresses.