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

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.