Managing Cattle Operations Proactively Through Drought

Drought conditions are tough on cattlemen and cattlewomen, even with proactive measures and a plan in place. Focusing on pasture readiness, adapting management strategies and maintaining an optimistic outlook can lessen the burden and help producers until the next rain comes.

Mike Weeks, a cattle producer near Scipio, Oklahoma, has experienced those challenges firsthand. A dedicated advocate for the industry, Weeks has served as president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and now serves on the Oklahoma Beef Council. He also co-owns an ag retail business with his brother in nearby Stuart, Oklahoma, called Stuart Farm & Ranch Supply. The business provides feed, fertilizer, chemical, seed and other farm supplies to the local agricultural community.

Weeks has been in the cattle business his entire life and has operated the retail store for more than 25 years. He’s seen droughts come and go. He’s learned from experience and fellow producers, and he knows how to get through until the next rain.

“Cattle are our harvesters out there turning grass into the best source of protein that we can put on the market. So being able to utilize those forages and help them survive through drought is instrumental to the bottom line of our business.”
—Mike Weeks, a cattle producer near Scipio, Oklahoma

“You try to prepare and have the tools available to you to weather through the drought,” Weeks said. “You know the saying, ‘It’ll rain right at the end of this dry spell; it always has.”

Reflecting on advice given to him from the previous store owner, he remembers the following: “He said, ‘No matter how much mud you’re wading, we’re always two weeks away from a drought,’ and there’s a lot of truth to that, because we’re not in a deep-soil area. Now, with the right moisture, we can grow a lot of grass fast. It will produce a lot of forage, but we must have timely moisture.”

Soil health emphasis

Weeks brings a unique perspective as a cattleman and ag retail business owner. He sees both sides when it comes to what producers need and how the fluctuation of input costs can affect their bottom line. He uses the pasture management products that he sells in his store on his own operation. He has firsthand knowledge of the efficacy of the products and how they work in his area.

He was one of the first producers in the region to apply herbicide-impregnated fertilizer using UltiGraz^℠ Pasture Weed & Feed and became confident he could recommend the products to his customers and fellow cattlemen.

“I don’t ever sell anything to my customers until I know for sure that it works for me,” Weeks said. “We saw phenomenal results using GrazonNext HL herbicide and now DuraCor herbicide with dry fertilizer.”

Backed by a certified retailer program, UltiGraz combines fertilizer and herbicide into one convenient application, saving time, labor and an extra pass across the pasture.

“I want to keep my soil fertility up and want to keep the pH right in the soil to where the fertilizer is working correctly to get deep root structure grown in there, so the plant is able to sustain dry conditions,” Weeks said. “If we do go into a drought, those roots are hardy and deep enough to where that plant’s going to survive.”

Weeks places his trust in Corteva™ pasture management products year after year.

“We don’t want those invasive species coming in, because they’re going to use up a lot of that moisture,” Weeks said. “If we can control the weeds and encroaching brush and not have those in our pastures, then what little moisture we do get can go to the usable forages.”

Improvements to sustain cattle during dry periods

Rotational grazing is another important strategy to improve the quality of grass in pastures, especially during dry weather conditions. At M-J Cattle Co., they rotate cattle from pasture to pasture to give adequate rest to drought-stressed forages.

“I like to keep cover on the pasture and not let it get down to a certain level,” Weeks said. “I just really try to keep a good healthy plant and a good healthy soil in order to help utilize the forages to the best of our abilities.”

Making strategic improvements to his operation has also helped Weeks sustain his herd through drought. He’s added water sources and cross fences to help during these weather events.

“These improvements have helped us not overgraze or overstock, to keep our herd numbers manageable to where we can move them around and rest the pastures when needed,” Weeks said.

When rain returns

When moisture finally returns, Weeks focuses on scouting pastures to stay ahead of any weed pressure. He knows the moisture and nutrients that are vital for grasses to come back strong are the same moisture and nutrients that weeds will rob from the soil.

“You don’t want to stress that desirable plant more than it’s already stressed,” Weeks said. “Weeds can sure put a damper on grasses and do just that.”

Reflecting on a trip to a fellow producer’s operation on the east side of the country, he notes a point that has stuck with him: Cattle producers are grass farmers. The importance of forage yield, weed management and soil fertility is parallel in many ways to row-crop farming.

“Cattle are our harvesters out there turning grass into the best source of protein that we can put on the market,” Weeks said. “So being able to utilize those forages and help them survive through drought is instrumental to the bottom line of our business.”

Weeks believes members of the farming and ranching community are eternal optimists. They do what they can to prepare and then, if needed, pivot to survive through weather conditions that are beyond their control.

“You just take the tools that God gave you and make it work to the best of your abilities, and that’s about all you can do,” Weeks said. “You just have to know that it’s going to get better and it’s going to rain.”

Under normal field conditions, DuraCor® is nonvolatile. DuraCor and GrazonNext® HL have no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor or GrazonNext HL to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. DuraCor and GrazonNext HL are not registered for sale or use in all states. GrazonNext HL is not for sale, distribution or use in New York state and San Luis Valley of Colorado. Consult the label for full details. UltiGraz^℠ with fertilizer is available for use with specific herbicides in the states of AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions.