Introduction
Creating a drought management plan before summer begins helps producers make proactive decisions, rather than reactive ones, when faced with the pressures of drought conditions.
1. Early Culling Decisions
-
Current Trends: The cull cow market is trending upwards and is favorable for cow-calf producers this season.
-
Identify Culling Candidates:
-
Older cows
-
Cows with poor udder health (bad quarters)
-
Low-performing cows (those producing lower-than-average calves)
-
Cows with disposition issues
-
-
Consideration for Pair Sales:
-
2-3 year-old cows with young calves may be sold as pairs to producers with more stable feed resources.
-
2. Stretching Pasture with Supplemental Feed
-
TMR Feeding on Pasture:
-
If equipped, mixing and feeding Total Mixed Rations (TMR) on pasture can help stretch available grass.
-
Research from the University of Nebraska shows mixing wet distillers grains with poor-quality roughage can replace up to 1 lb. of dry matter intake from pasture grass.
-
-
Important Considerations:
-
Supplemental protein (1-2 lbs.) increases digestion, but does not reduce overall forage intake; it can actually increase it.
-
This approach can delay grazing and help other pastures recover.
-
3. Confinement Feeding for Cow-Calf Pairs
-
Housing Options:
-
Drylot, pivot corners, fallow ground, or sacrifice pastures can house cow-calf pairs.
-
Feeding TMR or using alternative methods like hay rolling, bale processors, and supplementing with protein/energy sources (e.g., dried distillers, soybean meal, corn gluten feed) in bunks can be effective.
-
-
Key Considerations:
-
Lactating Cows: Need nearly double the protein and energy compared to cows in late gestation.
-
Nursing Calves: At 3 months, calves consume about 1.5% of their body weight in dry matter daily.
-
Space Requirements: Ensure about 2 feet of feeding space per cow and 1 foot per calf to reduce competition.
-
4. Early Weaning
-
Benefits of Early Weaning:
-
Reduces grazing pressure and lowers cow’s dry matter intake by ~20%.
-
Calves can be sold early or raised in a drylot until market-ready.
-
-
Financial Considerations:
-
Compare the value of calves sold early versus those sold later, factoring in feed and labor costs.
-
Conclusion
Drought mitigation is challenging, but planning ahead can lead to more favorable outcomes. By considering early culling, supplementing feed, managing confinement options, and exploring early weaning, producers can minimize drought impact and maintain livestock health and productivity.
