HETTINGER, N.D. – Many producers in Adams and Hettinger Counties, both in the extreme drought category on the U.S. Drought Monitor, located in southwestern North Dakota, wanted to find out how to help their livestock and also find out what to do about crops at the NDSU Hettinger Research Extension Center’s drought meeting and afterward, the annual field day July 11.
Counties in North Dakota contiguous to the Natural Disaster Areas are Adams, Billings, Burke, Burleigh, Dickey, Emmons, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Kidder, LaMoure, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Stark, Stutsman, Ward and Williams counties.
Dave Franzen, NDSU Extension soil specialist, talked about how no-till and residue on the soil, helps producers in drought year.
If herbicide residues are significant, they may injure rotational crops in the following season.
There can also be restrictions on grazing, feeding and/or haying of crops treated with herbicides.
Janna Kincheloe, NDSU area Extension livestock specialist, said it has been dry in the region “since day one.” Plants may be adapting to the heat and moisture stress, and may not be accumulating nitrates, because they are “used to the stress.” Still, producers should check for nitrate levels before feeding to livestock.
– Analyze feeds and forages, especially when feeding small grains to replace forages.
When grazing, cattle will “pick and choose.” Grazing corn is best if water is not a limiting factor because the nitrate levels drop as it matures, but the levels increase if the crop is stressed.
“In drought, energy is the most limiting and needs to be supplemented,” she said.
Kincheloe talked about some unique, but old ways of increasing low-quality forages.