Livestock Management During Drought

Droughts are common in the Trans-Pecos, and there's a better chance than not that a given drought will last for consecutive years. Unfortunately, we usually can not predict when drought will occur, or how long a given one will last. Hence, flexibility in planning becomes crucial.

As we've said before, the crux of the problem lies in balancing forage supply to the animal's dry matter demand, as well as their ever-changing diet quality requirements. An initial step should probably involve some sort of a forage inventory. How long that inventory will last will be determined by season (probability of useful precipitation) and animal demand (numbers). This process allows you to reconcile current stocking rates against what current (not average) carrying capacity is. Remember that a 1,000-pound dry cow requires about 20 pounds per day of dry forage, or 2,400 pounds per month.

Obviously, targeting animal demands to perfectly meet forage supply is not possible; but we have to try. This means being able to "shoot" well enough to hit a moving target. A tenet that might help in "aiming" is this: run the fewest animals that will most effectively harvest the forage and protect the resource. Increasing numbers past this mark will increase risk and cost of gain, while decreasing net profit. Decreasing numbers past this mark protects the resource, but may not generate enough income to service fixed costs. Thus, any potential profit margin is narrowed.

To accomplish flexibility in stocking, consider using "stocker animals" as a percentage of average "year-in, year-out" carrying capacity. This allows "put and take" in both good and bad years. "Stockers" might be weanlings, purchased yearlings, a terminal-cross breeding herd, or old females; anything that is easily liquidated. This technique is not without its inherent risks. Seasonal swings between purchase and sale prices will probably require some luck, as well as skill, in marketing.

Cull all non-productive open cows, dry spring ewes, and females that fail to wean an offspring. Cull anything that is questionable as to future breeding success: that is, smooth mouths, poor body condition, etc. Sort the herd by production status, dry versus lactating animals, growing replacement females, first calf heifers, second calf heifers, mature females. This will help target scarce supplemental feed resources where they are most needed. Cull herd sires according to need.

Try and keep cattle in a body condition score of 5 prior to calving (no ribs showing). Rebreeding success will be low on thin cows and it's easier to maintain condition on a dry cow, than it is to "feed up" a thin cow that also is lactating. These objectives are greatly complemented by using controlled calving seasons, since, during a short time span, supplemental nutrients can be "targeted" for cattle in a given stage of production. Furthermore, short calving seasons allow one to feed a larger amount of supplement for a shorter period of time when compared to long calving seasons.

Short calving seasons also bring ease of management to other drought strategies such as 48-hour calf removal. The practice of 48-hour calf removal has been used successfully to enhance breed-back on cows that are in marginal body condition. It will not work on truly thin cows and should not be used on cows with calves less than 40 days of age. Separate calves from dams for 48 hours and provide clean feed and water. This practice does not require much in the way of cash expenditures.

If cows or ewes are in truly poor body condition, then early weaning with supplementation may be another option. Success will depend on how well the females gain after their offspring are weaned. Obviously ewes will have more time to accomplish this. Early weaning can be done with calves and lambs as young as two months of age. Provide clean water and creep feed possibly with milk replacer included. Try and select a pen or trap where dust will be minimized. Use a planning budget including feed costs, projected calf value and open verses pregnant female value.

In summary, here is a process one rancher has suggested for initial and worsening drought conditions: 1) move yearlings or replacement heifers to lease grass, or sell. 2) wean calves at lighter weights, 3) supplement weaned calves and the cow herd only as cash reserves will allow; borrowing money to purchase feed only increases risk, 4) cull cows, or 5) liquidate all cattle.