From Mitchell, S.D. to Electra, Texas, many ranchers were hit with snow and ice in the last week, putting a damper on winter grazing and forcing many cattlemen to feed hay until the winter weather subsides.
While market volatility is one of the most unpredictable aspects of the cattle business, it can also be argued that the weather ranks right up there with factors that are out of the control of the beef producer.
Because of the wide range of changing weather conditions ranchers must deal with, educators from Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, the Noble Foundation, University of Oklahoma and Tarleton State University teamed up to create a new series of eight videos designed to help beef producers adapt quickly to various grazing situations dictated by the ever-changing weather.
You can watch the eight videos here.
Topics include the following:
- Stocking rate decisions and pasture management considerations
- Evaluating options and response to drought
- Genetic trends and climate consideration
- Culling strategies for drought management
- Historical climate patterns in the Southern Great Plains
- Nutrition and management of early weaned calves
The videos address ways to adapt to unusually wet conditions, extreme heat or cold or other unexpected weather changes. The videos also introduce strategies for diversifying, early weaning and stories from successful ranches who have adapted to the recent multi-year drought in the Southwest.
If you’re not busy doing end-of-the-year book work, invest some time to watch this new series. It’s a compilation from many industry experts across the country, and there’s certainly a wealth of information to be gained from these videos.
The opinions of Amanda Radke are not necessarily those of beefmagazine.com or Penton Agriculture.
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