3 tips for drought pasture management 

By Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle breeding specialist

Most of us are wrapping up a cold winter of feeding cows and by this time of year we, (and the cows), look forward to green grass.

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Some parts of Oklahoma have received some much needed rain over the past few weeks, but a majority of the state remains in various degrees of drought. Hopefully, more moisture comes to the dry regions over the next few weeks as that will be critical to help warm season grass pastures (native or improved grasses) get off and running for the summer.

No matter of your current moisture situation, proper pasture management is critical. Farmers will need to resist the temptation caused by green grass, hold off on grazing pressure and manage their grazing eco-system of soil, plants and cattle for optimum, long-term benefit.

Below are three management tips based off our plan for the OSU Purebred Beef farm's warm season grass pastures this spring.

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Apply herbicides for weed control early

Drought stress (past and present) makes the timely application of herbicides critical in order to give the desired plant species the competitive advantage. Proper timing of herbicide application depends on the product used. Producers should read product labels to determine the right time for herbicide application.

Delay Grazing Until…

After or during drought stress, the most palatable plant species are negatively impacted by grazing pressure. Under continuous grazing pressure, cattle of all ages will graze the most palatable plants and their lush regrowth repeatedly.

Desirable forage plants will be grazed by cattle while rank weeds will grow to maturity untouched. The same holds true among desirable plants, for example crab grass is more palatable than switch grass.

So what can we do we do to give desirable grasses the competitive advantage this spring?

Resist the temptation of the first signs of green grass and delay grazing as long as your supply of hay and supplemental feed permits. Depending on the type of plants in your pasture, farmers are advised to wait until the grasses are four to eight inches tall before turning cattle out to graze. By delaying, you are giving your pasture plants a healthy start and will provide cover to bare soils. So, go ahead and permit your desired plant species to get ahead of your cattle grazing pressure this spring.

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Apply Fertilizer Early or Split Applications

This strategy in particular applies for producers looking to improve grasses like Bermuda. When considering getting your pasture grasses off to the competitive advantage this spring, producers should consider applying nitrogen fertilizer at a optimum time before rain or proper growing conditions happen.

If you are dealing with Bermudagrass pastures which should include cool season grasses, an extra level of management is needed to determine the best time to apply nitrogen in harmony with proper growing conditions for the Bermudagrass plants. In addition, with the uncertainty of moisture, it is best to split the amount of nitrogen fertilizer into at least two applications.

For example, if producers typically fertilize their Bermuda grass pastures with 100 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre in early May, then they could plan to apply 50 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre by the beginning of May and monitor growing conditions and rainfall to determine if or when to apply more nitrogen.

The goal is to give your drought stressed, yet desired grasses some time to heal, grow and get ahead of the weeds and grazing pressure this spring. If you fall short of this goal, the consequence is a weakened stand of desirable grasses, more weeds and more undesirable plant species in your pasture. Now is the time to plan ahead your grazing system for the long-term benefit of your beef operation.