Securing Feed Supplies: Producers should plan now for dry conditions in 2025

If drought conditions continue, experts suggest it’s time to develop a drought plan for the upcoming growing season for those who desire to retain their cow herd. 

In the March edition of University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) BEEF Magazine, an article by UNL Beef Systems Extension Educator Aaron Berger explains, “Dry conditions have persisted across much of the state throughout the winter, and while there is still time to get significant precipitation this spring, many locations will need above average moisture between now and grass turnout to get back to a long-term average.” 

Even with sufficient spring moisture, ranges and pastures would benefit from delaying turnout, allowing stressed grasses to grow and develop root reserves before grazing, Berger says.

With corn, distillers’ grains and hay still available at prices below average compared to recent years across the Midwest, and cattle prices remaining stable, many cow/calf producers are eager to maintain their herds, capitalizing on expected strong prices for calves and feeder cattle which are anticipated to remain over the next couple of years.

Key considerations

According to Berger, should drought conditions persist, producers who consider options early and are prepared to act will be in the best position to utilize available opportunities.

It’s essential for producers to evaluate both the quantity and quality of feed inventory available, as this assessment will help ensure optimal feeding practices and ultimately enhance overall outcomes.

“Identify what will be needed for feed to delay grass turnout or to drylot cows in to the summer if adequate precipitation doesn’t occur,” he suggests.

Evaluating feeding options for the cow herd over a prolonged period of time enables producers to gather logistics to assess costs.

Berger notes producers should choose an area to sacrifice when feeding cows and/or pairs later in the spring and in to the summer, ensuring they stay off of drought-stressed pastures.

Producers are encouraged to proactively purchase or secure a portion of necessary feed supplies while they are readily available. 

They are also encouraged to plant annual forages in the spring on dryland or irrigated acres as a source of grazing or harvested feed.

Berger states, “Producers should identify cows who should be the first to leave if feed is short to reduce feed needs.”

Another option to reduce forage demands on pastures is to plan for early weaning and feed calves off site.

Plan now

In another March UNL article, UNL Extension Range and Forage Specialist Jerry Volesky writes, “We are a few weeks away from another growing season, and who knows how much moisture lies ahead. Drought is likely to be a problem again this summer.”

Since hay can be expensive when pastures are short, it’s important for producers to find ways to minimize damage to rangelands and pastures during periods of below-average rainfall. 

Luckily, early spring is an ideal time to implement strategies to help mitigate some of the issues caused by drought.

“For starters, prepare a strategy for using any remaining hay. One of the better options is to feed hay longer in to spring before turning cows out to permanent pasture,” he states.  “This action is exactly the opposite of the usual recommendation to graze more and feed less hay.”

Allowing pastures to grow more before grazing begins can lead to a greater total amount of forage available, especially if drought conditions limit regrowth later in the season. 

Additionally, any leftover hay can be utilized during the growing season to give pastures extra time to recover between grazing sessions.

Planting forages

Volesky suggests planting annual forages to provide additional pasture or hay. Annual cool-season forages are planted mid-March to early April. Oats are probably the most common cool-season annual forage to plant, especially in Nebraska. 

“Spring triticale or spring barley are two other small grain options which have been found to perform similarly to oats in terms of forage yield and quality,” Berger states.

He also mentions, with an early spring planting date of cool-season annuals, grazing can typically begin around the third or fourth week of May and last in to early July.

Volesky notes, “If grazing is a primary goal, Italian ryegrass could be included in a mix with cereal grains which will result in a longer grazing period. Field peas are another species that could be included to enhance forage quality for hay or silage and provide some nitrogen fixation.”

Warm-season or summer annual grasses are the other group of forages which could be seeded for grazing or cut for forage.

While producers have various options for securing feed solutions during drought conditions, it all depends on their specific circumstances and outcomes.

“There are seven different types of major summer annual forage grasses,” Volesky adds. “These include sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids, forage sorghum, foxtail millet, pearl millet, Japanese millet and teff, and each one has its own strengths and weaknesses.”

As an example, if a producer is looking to develop a pasture, sudangrass or pearl millet is suggested, as both are leafy and regrow rapidly.

However, Volesky reminds producers, if the rain doesn’t come, planning and acting now to make up for forage losses from pasture due to drought does pay off. 

Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.