Our drought plan is a bit similar to how we survived 2011, and there were lessons learned....
We have two major areas of mixed timber beside the pastures. We are cutting down 10 or so small to medium sweet gum and elm trees daily. The fattie cows are chowing down on the leaves. The unreachable parts on the limbs sticking up too high are then flipped over with the tractor the next day, so that the cows can eat them. This is clearing back some areas that needed cleanup, and the cows come running when they hear the chainsaw. And by doing so I have avoided putting out the hay I have. I was never a fan of sweet gum and elm trees. But they are feeding my cows so I'm grateful to have them now.
Kept all of our first cutting hay. Then, have had no rain. We plan to bale our bermuda field again if it would just rain one more time. Hoping for rain this week. Please, Lord. Have a field that is more bahia and the bahia has burnt up to nothing. Going to put cows out on it next week. One more cutting on the bermuda field will be enough to feed them 2/3 of the winter, if I'm stingy with it and keep out lick tubs.
Planning to sow winter rye in two large pasture areas in the fall, and hope to have them turned out on it by February 1.
I have weaned a couple of groups of calves early, hauled 2 loads of big cows and crossbred calves that I wanted rid of to reduce the burden. Going to wean some more in another few weeks.
Had to sort cows according to needs: Fatties, Moderate conditioned, and Gotte be Fed's. Rearranged the fatties together and the moderate conditioned ones together to be supported. Fatties have lick tubs and have to scrounge for what can be eaten in the wooded areas plus the pasture they have. Moderate conditioned ones get a little feed every day plus lick tubs.
I have separated the thinner older cows that I don't want to sell (ie give away) to be fed in their own area. The marketable purebred bulls and F1 heifers are being fed for sales in 2023. Prices were so dirt cheap on the calves I got shed of, that I will just feed these good ones out and sell them next year. These skinnies and the calves gotta be fed daily.
I'm feeding every group "something" every day, except the fatties. In other words, the first calf-heifers, the weaned calves, and the special needs group of older thin cows are all being fed daily. The fatties are looking decent on what they can find.
I figure I will have to invest an extra 10-15k to feed them until spring, if need be. And it's looking pretty likely. But I also remember paying $2600 for a 6 year old 5 month bred crossbred cow after the last big drought. So I'm counting on decent prices in the spring. I have been breeding for this group of females that I have for over a decade. And I'm committed to retaining them. Most of my sales are private individuals, as I have Purebred Brahman, and F1 calves. I still have a few good crossbred cows, but they will be sold in the spring.
I read through the comments and I don't see anyone else cutting down trees for feed. I looked up the nutritional value of sweet gum leaves and its got some protein in it. Better protein levels in the spring but beggars cannot choose. I figure we can keep cutting small trees until October or so. At which point I will rotate the herds onto the hay meadow to clean it up.