Consideration for drought plan

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Here is a very good video that discusses how a lot of our native grasses work. This may play a role for some when considering to hold and feed vs sell. There is one part where he emphasizes pastures can be repaired with enough rest and describes how to do it. He also shows what happens with out the rest.

 
Very good article there Brute thanks for posting. This should remind us that we should be grass farmers instead of cattle raisers. Cattle are there to harvest the grass.
I feel faint. Hurley posted something with which I agree! Will wonders ever cease!?
 
We have gone many days without any rain. My lawn was dead looking about 1 inch of rain and crabgrass is up and running like carzy wish it was in the pasture.
 
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It's always tough to make the call to keep or sell.

It worked out for me that I was around guys who preached these methods and knew the stats like this guy. When we would burn and talk about pastures it went hand in hand. When I first started hearing this though we had quite a few cows, it was wet years, the scenario was not really pushing us to change. We were kind hanging our feet in the water and didn't see the need to go all in.

Last year and part the year before we had a bad run like this if no rain. I took that opportunity to cull hard. When it did rain the pastures went crazy and we were able to rest pastures that had probably not sat idle like that in who knows how long. It was very surprising to see how much grass actually came up.

For me, I would describe it as we pushed pause and allowed ourself to build up a savings account of grass.

Luckily that really helped us make it through this dry time, again. We still culled some cows and weaned early but we were doing it with a plan. We were matching mouths to our budgeted amount of grass.

Fast forward to the last 2 or 3 weeks. We have had a couple inches of rain and the grass is really coming back strong. The cows still look in good condition. It is night and day difference.

These droughts be a chance to hit the reset. You can try new genetics, maybe new ways to handle cattle, new grazing techniques, etc.

I have to admit it took these droughts to force my hand and sell cows that should have been culled years ago. The rains and low stocking rates were able to showcase what these guys are talking about. No doubt in my mind I probably would have been fighting the same cattle issues, same grass issues, etc. My post game assessment is we will be better for it long term and it has definitely turned a negative in to a positive.
 
It's always tough to make the call to keep or sell.

It worked out for me that I was around guys who preached these methods and knew the stats like this guy. When we would burn and talk about pastures it went hand in hand. When I first started hearing this though we had quite a few cows, it was wet years, the scenario was not really pushing us to change. We were kind hanging our feet in the water and didn't see the need to go all in.

Last year and part the year before we had a bad run like this if no rain. I took that opportunity to cull hard. When it did rain the pastures went crazy and we were able to rest pastures that had probably not sat idle like that in who knows how long. It was very surprising to see how much grass actually came up.

For me, I would describe it as we pushed pause and allowed ourself to build up a savings account of grass.

Luckily that really helped us make it through this dry time, again. We still culled some cows and weaned early but we were doing it with a plan. We were matching mouths to our budgeted amount of grass.

Fast forward to the last 2 or 3 weeks. We have had a couple inches of rain and the grass is really coming back strong. The cows still look in good condition. It is night and day difference.

These droughts be a chance to hit the reset. You can try new genetics, maybe new ways to handle cattle, new grazing techniques, etc.

I have to admit it took these droughts to force my hand and sell cows that should have been culled years ago. The rains and low stocking rates were able to showcase what these guys are talking about. No doubt in my mind I probably would have been fighting the same cattle issues, same grass issues, etc. My post game assessment is we will be better for it long term and it has definitely turned a negative in to a positive.
Thanks again for sharing that link.
I've been in almost the same situation as you. All be it, a whole lot less animals I'm sure. But the stocking rate is obviously a problem for me. Even while rotating.
On wet years, it has been no issue.

I've quite simply collected too many cows for my available grass. The lease place, on the other hand, will get me by til winter I think. "Understocking" it helped tremendously.

"Understocked" is subjective.

As much I hate it, I'll be biting the bullet. Going thru a "reset" of sorts. I just hope I can collect cows next time that do what is expected. What "I" expect.
 
Article on Allan Nation who was an advocate on extensive grazing for optimum production.


 

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