Then it sleeted, and it seemed like winter and all its snow were never going to end.
“Because of it, we’ll get through the summer, and we might make it one more year, if the drought continues.
We’re better situated to handle drought than we’ve ever been before.” Many other producers are less fortunate, forced to sell cows because of no grass or because of stock dams either run dry or holding water gone bad.
“By year’s end, the cowherd in western North Dakota could be reduced by as much as 25% to 50%,” he says.
Cull Before Winter Before winter, Fast plans on selling cows, too, because of tight winter feed supplies.
period, we typically follow up by turning good herd sires with the cows.
“Producers might start looking at which grain crops could be harvested for feed,” says John Dhuyvetter, North Dakota State University livestock specialist.
And even sending cows away to feedlots for custom feeding could be a way to keep the base herd intact.” Fast believes in the resiliency of cattle people.
It can be a new beginning.” A Coping Strategy Severe drought hit Oklahoma in 2011 through 2013, causing a 17% liquidation of the state’s beef cowherd in 2011 and 2012.
“A strategy of just hanging on another week or month or trying to feed your way out of a drought without making other changes is a recipe for potential long-term damage to land, forage resources, and the financial health of the operation.” Develop a priority list for selling cattle.