Plan for drought to continue

Proactive planning for drought conditions, including establishing key dates when actions will be taken if specific precipitation amounts have not been received, is important for making timely management decisions. Because forage production is highly correlated with available soil moisture and temperatures, trigger dates for drought management actions can be identified by understanding the average monthly precipitation and forage base composition (warm or cool season) for a specific rangeland area, according to University of Nebraska beef specialists.

When dry conditions reduce forage production, grazing animal demand must also be reduced accordingly. When determining the reduction in grazing demand, keep in mind the need for perennial grass plants to have adequate leaf area remaining after grazing to promote grassland resilience and support future plant health and vigor.

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