Successful beef producers maximize available pasture. Planting annual forages is a time-tested way to increase yield per acre for a grazing herd of cattle.

Following drought, stand damage is readily apparent – even on well-managed pastures. When drought occurs during active growth of warm-season grass pastures, it is almost certain that root growth will be restricted, in addition to the more obvious decline in forage yield.

Grazing cows isn’t only for dry cows, heifers or beef cattle anymore. An increasing number of dairy producers are pasture grazing the milking herd.

Extending the grazing season is a good goal for all graziers to have, and creating a forage chain is one way to make that happen, says Kent Solberg, senior technical adviser of the Sustainable Farming Association.

Silvopasture is a practice that integrates livestock, forage production and forestry on the same land management unit. It has the potential to be a great fit for producers looking to up their grazing game and add a revenue stream.

When a dry spell arrives, producers scramble to make the best decisions for grazing pastures, buying hay and caring for livestock. Running stockers as a drought safety valve could be a smart idea.

We need a new language when we talk sustainability in the arid West, or at least fine-tuned definition with an injection of reality.

Determining how much pasture is needed for summer grazing can be difficult. There are many factors that affect pasture productivity including last growing season’s conditions.