Warm, dry conditions in the month of March have dried out the top soil in many parts of central and western Nebraska. While there is still adequate subsoil moisture in many locations, the pattern of above normal temperatures with below normal precipitation is concerning. In addition, below-average snowpack conditions are an ominous sign looking toward potential precipitation as spring continues.
Forage production from pasture and native range can vary significantly from year to year based on precipitation, temperatures, available nutrients and plant health. Primarily, the first limiting factor for grass production in the Sandhills and Nebraska panhandle is spring and early summer precipitation. Planning to adjust stocking rates by critical "trigger" dates can help producers take a proactive approach to manage for an expected deficit of forage production when precipitation and available soil moisture are below the long-term average.
From a rangeland and pasture production standpoint, it is good to remind ourselves of how critical available soil moisture is to plant growth. Cool- and warm-season grass species have "rapid-growth windows" when air temperature, day length and soil moisture all need to be present to allow plants to fully express their growth potential. Once the "window" of opportunity has passed for a particular grass species, even if it does rain, it is too late to get significant growth from those plants.
From a grassland manager standpoint, lack of precipitation means limited forage growth and less grass available for grazing, reducing the expected stocking rate for the grazing season.