Drought Cuts Pasture Growth; Farmers Face Culling Cow Herds

Drought Cuts Pasture Growth; Farmers Face Culling Cow Herds

In dry weather with short pastures, Missouri cow-herd owners face tough culling decisions. One way to match cows' needs to available grass is to sell cows.

Give careful thought to which grass eaters go first, says Eric Bailey, University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist. Under drought stress, identifying those cows becomes urgent.

The first cut is simple, Bailey says. Even the best herds have poor performers that need to be culled. Sell cows not pregnant or nursing. There is no feed for freeloaders when forage is short.

"Next, cull lactating cows with bad disposition, bad eyes, bad feet or bad udders," Bailey says. "Now's time to remove cows with blemishes or poor-doing calves."

"Everyone has a cull list," he adds. "But they hesitate to act if a cow has a calf." Some culling helps even in good years. Culling poor cows improves herd averages.

The goal: Keep best genetics in the herd as long as feasible. Finally, lack of feed or water forces a move, Bailey says.

Downsizing goes beyond simply getting rid of bad cows.

Early weaning and selling calves can cut feed demand. That provides needed cash but can hurt annual income.

Another strategy calls for splitting a herd into young and old females. Sell one of the groups. Two- to 4-year-olds may have superior genetics, but older cows show success in the farm's management.

Overall, culling depends on forage outlook for summer, fall and winter feeding.

Level of destocking can differ from farm to farm in the same neighborhood. Rainfall patterns vary greatly. At the recent spring sales of Show-Me-Select heifers, farmers frequently told how they received rain while farms a few miles away had none.

Bailey points out that in typical years, two-thirds of forage yield comes in spring growth. One-third comes in fall growth. That's when winter stockpiling should happen.

Missouri producers with cool-season grass always deal with summer slumps.

Bailey cautions: Even if rains return, forage yields in 2018 will likely be below normal. Farmers already see low yields following harsh winter and spring grazing seasons.

Most producers already face hay shortages. Many have no reserves. Also, hay growth this year falls well below normal.

A big long-term problem will be winter feed, Bailey says.

Many farms face severe destocking. "Initially consider a 25 percent cut," he says. "If normal rains don't return, consider another 25 percent later."

Selling calves early in spite of revenue loss may take care of downsizing needs.

A 50 percent cut ahead of fall forage growth may allow stockpiling pastures for winter grazing. That cuts feed buying but depends on a return of rainfall.

The main advice is to plan downsizing, Bailey says. Management improvements, such as shorter breeding seasons, not year-round calving, can benefit.

For optimists, drought-induced culls can be beneficial. It forces decisions and management.

To clarify thinking, Bailey offers a final thought: "Producers who last longest in cow-calf businesses are not those who make the most money in good years. They are those who lose the least in bad years."

MU Extension regional agronomy and livestock specialists can help plan.

 

Latest News

Biden Administration Restores Wildlife Protections
Biden Administration Restores Wildlife Protections

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to reinstate rules protecting endangered plants and animals, action that would reverse changes made during the Trump Administration that weakened the Endangered Species Act.

Across Breed EPD Adjustment Factors
Across Breed EPD Adjustment Factors

EPDs from multiple breeds can be compared by adding/subtracting the appropriate adjustment factors to the EPDs resulting from the most recent genetic evaluations for each of 18 breeds.

APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies
APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies

The livestock industry continues to grapple with the first confirmed cases of HPAI in cattle, while federal and state agencies continue to assure consumers there's no concern about the safety of the U.S. milk supply.

Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps
Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps

U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in ag. The AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey offers insights, data and trends to address skill development.

USDA Authorizes CRP Graze and Hay Donations to Wildfire Victims
USDA Authorizes CRP Graze and Hay Donations to Wildfire Victims

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants can donate emergency grazing authority to ranchers in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas impacted by recent wildfires.

New Guide Helps Producers Maximize Values of Cull Cows
New Guide Helps Producers Maximize Values of Cull Cows

A new resource developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and CattleFax helps cattle producers maximize profitability from their culling decisions.