Drought Management Planning
Drought is a common occurrence in Nebraska. Drought can be a management challenge for beef producers. This page is designed to help you design a drought management plan and to provide ideas to consider before and during a drought.
The National Drought Mitigation Center website has information that is valuable for beef producers, including Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch.
NOTE: Click on the map image to go to U.S. Drought Monitor website for detailed information on current drought conditions around the country (link opens in new window).
Articles
- Drought Resources for Ranchers
- Use the Feed Cost CowQLator to Compare Feed Options with Drought Conditions
Range/Pasture Management
- Drought Increases Toxic and Poisonous Plant Risk to Livestock
- Reducing pasture forage intake by feeding while grazing
Confining Cows
- Breeding Cows in Confinement
- Siting Considerations and Environmental Management for Temporary Feeding Areas
- Drylotting Beef Cows - A Drought Management Strategy
- Dry lot Beef Cow/Calf Enterprise
Cropland Forage Resources
- Forage Production with Limited Precipitation or Irrigation
- Managing Nitrates in Annual Forages
- Graze Drought Stressed Cornstalks CAREFULLY
- Ammoniating Crop Residues as a Feed Resource
- Grazing Drought-Stressed Standing Corn
- Options for Drought Damaged Corn Fields
- Drought Corn Silage in Beef Cow Diets
- The Use and Pricing of Drought-Stressed Corn, G1865 (PDF version)
Animal Management
- Managing Cow Herds During Drought
- Management Considerations When Relocating Beef Cows in Drought Conditions
- Beef Cow Herd Culling Strategies
- Early Weaning Beef Calves Sometimes Makes Cents
- Know the Cull Cow Grades Before You Sell
- Have a Drought Management Plan for Your Cow/Calf Enterprise
Governement Assistance and Tax Considerations
- The 2014 Farm Bill and Disaster Assistance for Livestock Producers
- Utilizing Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) for Grazing in Drought Conditions
- Options for Tax Planning for Livestock Producers Due to the 2012 Drought Disaster Designation
- Tax Consequences to Drought
- Pasture Rangeland Forage Insurance is a Risk Management Tool for Producers
Additional Resources
- Market Journal interview of Karla Jenkins, Developing a drought plan to manage cows and calves on pastures and ranges. (July 2017)
- Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch (January - May 2013)
Webinar Series offered by The National Drought Mitigation Center - Planning Ahead to Save AUMs and the Cow Herd in Times of Forage Shortage (PDF 267KB) (Range Beef Cow Symposium XXII, November 2011)
- Livestock and Vegetation Responses to Stocking Rate and Grazing System (PDF 98KB) (Range Beef Cow Symposium XXI, December 2009)
- Body Condition Scoring Beef Cows: A Tool for Managing the Nutrition Program for Beef Herds, EC281 (PDF 2MB)
- Skillful Grazing Management on Semiarid Rangelands, EC162
Describes grazing forages reproduction, the growth patterns of plant parts, and managing grazing and drought conditions. Cost: $1.00.