Growing your own feed despite the cost of time and equipment can have many benefits. Having an inventory on hand can reduce some risks of short supplies. It can also help protect you from any seasonal price volatility. Both energy and protein production can better match your herd’s requirements for simple feed use.
However, despite all of this there is still the risk of the weather turning against you. Weather events in the weeks, days, and even hours leading up to the harvest can ruin your best efforts. It can transform a carefully raised feed source into a nutritional time bomb. If you are not careful it can not only reduce your production but can also endanger the lives of your animals.
Times of extreme stress, like currently with the drought, can cause a build-up of nitrates. While consuming some of them is not bad for your animals if they eat too much of it then it can become deadly. Here are some things to look for to prevent this from happening.
Destocking is a very common practice during a drought. They are rarely easy to make and will still cost you most of the time. However, because drought is a common consequence of ranching it will still need to be made. It is important to include plans for when droughts occur so producers are never caught unprepared.
Having a good summer pasture management plan in place can save you a lot of headaches later on. It will give you a chance to put out any potential fires, not literally, before they can occur.
Drought is one of those things that every cattle producer will have to deal with at some point. It ranks right up there with Death and Taxes. Just like those two though it is unavoidable it is also something that most producers find themselves unprepared for.
Seems every year Mother Nature wants to wreak havoc on some regions with drought. Drier than desirable conditions cause problems for livestock producers who depend on forages for grazing during the summer months. But on a positive note using proper planning both your cattle and your bank account can survive the drought.
