Grasses and Grazing

In Nebraska, the effects of the drought are prevalent. We have seen no April showers, instead wind and grass fires. These conditions are forecast to persist. So we are going to need to start making our forage plans early.

Researchers from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are working on a new way to use satellite imagery for rangeland management – using the grazing patterns to predict cattle weight gain over a period of time.

This might be a good time to reflect about one of the most useful tools in our grazier’s toolbox: stocking density.

Under the drought conditions of the 2021 growing season, I heard many concerns from livestock producers about forage supply shortages, low quality of the forages available and, of course, nitrate accumulation in those forages.

Adopting the ecologically sensitive, low-cost conservation management pasture-cropping practice could help landowners regain the health and resiliency of soils sustaining degradation over the years.

Single-statement truisms in the livestock feeding business are a rare occurrence. “If this occurs, then that will occur,” is usually prefaced by a disclaimer, “as long as Mother Nature cooperates.”