Drought Information: Economics • Horticulture • Livestock • Pasture and Range • Soils and Crops • Wildlife and Fisheries

Drought Information: Livestock

Wean Calves Early

Early weaning of calves will reduce nutrient and forage requirements for the cow as she stops lactation. Nutrient requirements can be decreased by more than 25 percent for the cow herd. The early weaned calf that is fed high level nutrition after weaning will gain more weight than it would if it was still suckling the cow and on drought pasture. Early weaning will also conserve pasture for later use.

For more information on early weaning read: Early Weaning in Drought Makes Sense.

Identify cows to sell

Selling early in a drought will result in more revenue per cull animal as well as allow limited forage to last longer. Identify bred animals early by using a blood test 28 days after the breeding season. If you have to cull deep into productive females, use records to help make tough culling decisions.

For more information on which animals to cull first, read Guidelines for Culling Cows.

For more information on pregnancy testing with blood, click on this link: BioTracking

Inventory forage resources

The first step in determining how deeply to cull your herd or how much hay you need to purchase is to calculate the number of cattle you can carry through to green-up next spring. Standing forage can be converted to reserve herd days using the tool on the Noble Foundation's website. Of course, existing hay supplies must be added to the formula. A rule of thumb is to allocate one round bale per cow per month.

Reserve Herd Days calculator

Acquire hay and feed

Deciding how much hay and feed you will need to provide adequate nutrition for your livestock is the easy part; locating it, especially hay, will be the challenge. Most states maintain a hay producer database. Links to such databases in Oklahoma, Texas and some surrounding states are listed under the "Other Sources of Drought-related Information" page.

Scout for toxic plants

As dry matter availability declines in a grazing situation, livestock are forced to consume plants and plant parts that would not ordinarily be a part of their diet. One danger in this scenario is their consumption of plants that are toxic. Toxic plant information is available from Texas A&M University and the USDA's Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory. Detailed photographs of many regional plants can be found in the Noble Foundation's Plant Image Gallery.

Monitor water quantity and quality

Water is one of the most important nutrients for livestock and can quickly become limiting in a drought. Monitor water sources at least weekly to be sure there is adequate water for all livestock. As ponds shrink, nutrients are concentrated and water can become unhealthy for livestock. If possible, supply fresh water when pond water is limited or poor in quality. If you notice a bad odor or suspect a blue-green algae bloom, provide fresh water or relocate animals.

For more information on water quality, read The Importance of Monitoring Livestock Water Quality and Livestock Water Guidelines.

Test Hay Before Purchase

It is always important to test hay to know the quality and develop a complementary supplementation program that is both efficient and economical. In times of drought, it can be even more important since hay costs more, and there are potential toxicity issues that could kill your cows if left undetected. Test sudan/sorghum-type forages for nitrates. Test corn stalk hay for nitrates and aflatoxin.

For more information on hay testing, read the following articles.

• Understanding and Interpreting Noble Foundation Forage Tests

• Understanding and Preventing Aflatoxin Poisoning

• Avoid Nitrate Poisoning in Cattle During Drought

• Nitrate Poisoning

Plan ahead

Have a management plan ready for the next step. Consider what you will do if you run out of pond water or if a well goes dry. Is it an option to fertilize bermudagrass this fall or plant ryegrass? Think about potential situations and solutions, and prepare now. Those that plan ahead and are prepared to act quickly will have the best results.

Drought-Induced Poisonings are Dangerous to Livestock
by Clay Wright

Cattle producers should be on the watch for nitrate and prussic acid poisoning during drought conditions.

Early Weaning During Drought Makes Sense
by Robert Wells

The drought of 2011 is turning out to be one of the worst on record. Most Texas and Oklahoma producers are looking for things that they can do to save what little forage they have and to conserve the amount of hay and feed they will need until green-up next spring.

Early Weaning is an Option
by John Wheeler

Above-average temperatures and low soil moisture have once again forced us to think about some drought management practices. Early weaning is one way to reduce the nutritional requirements of your cow herd and ultimately improve reproductive efficiency.

Feeding, Culling Are Main Drought Considerations
by Billy Cook

When you live in Oklahoma or Texas, drought management should never be far from your mind.

Guidelines for Culling Cows
by Deke Alkire

For most cattle producers, culling cows is not an easy task. However, some culling needs to be done each year to maintain optimal productivity.

Internal Cattle Parasites in 2012
by Clay Wright

Traditional internal parasite control in cow herds has often been in conjunction with other trips through the chute, such as first calf-working in the early summer and at weaning in the fall. In recent years, however, producers have trended away from the routine of convenient deworming in favor of a more deliberate, strategic approach.

Monitor and Manage Heat Stress
by Deke Alkire

Heat stress can greatly impact cattle producers through decreased milk production and subsequent calf growth, decreased reproductive performance in cows and bulls, and decreased stocker and feeder performance. It has been estimated that heat-related events in the Midwest have cost the cattle industry over $75 million in the past 10 years.

Supplementing and Stretching Forage Resources
by Deke Alkire and Bryan Nichols

During periods of limited forage supplies, managing these resources to best meet animal requirements is one of the most important things a cow-calf producer can do. It is critical that producers evaluate the best way to supplement and stretch their forage resources to remain viable in this industry.

The Importance of Monitoring Livestock Water Quality
by Deke Alkire

Rains in early 2008 have resulted in green pastures and full ponds for many cattle producers. This could ease your worries about water supplies for the summer, but will you have enough good quality water to get through the year?

Water is the Most Important Nutrient
by Ryan Reuter

Nutritionists and producers alike often take for granted the most important nutrient, the one required in the greatest amount by any class of livestock - water.

You Cannot Starve a Profit Into a Cow
by Robert Wells

Most producers are trying to survive the winter by stretching forage and feed resources. This can be accomplished with careful thought and consultation with a nutritionist to ensure that each cow's nutrient requirements are still being met for the stage of production it is in. If corners are cut to save money now, it can have long lasting repercussions.