Pasture and Forage Minute: Managing Pastures Through Weather Swings, Water Risks and Summer Pests

By Ben Beckman

Grazing With the Weather

Precipitation and temperature play major roles in pasture productivity, and knowing how to adjust grazing to match current conditions is key. Are you shifting your management to meet pasture conditions?

Stocking and grazing management are not static things. When production is limited, especially during a drought period, stretching forage resources is a high priority. In contrast, during wet years, grass growth can get ahead of our grazing rotation and lose quality.

By this point in the year, our pastures have produced the vast majority of forage that we will get. Using temporary electric fence to cross fence can increase utilization, slowing down a grazing rotation and stretching forage considerably during dry weather.

This is especially true when plants become dormant due to lack of precipitation or heat. Typically, utilization seeks to balance animal demand and plant health, but taking more of a dormant plant without damaging the crown has little impact on overall plant health.