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  • From: Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org, midwestpermaculture@yahoogroups.com
  • Subject: [permaculture] Fwd: [grazersedge] Drought Strategies for Dick
  • Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 10:04:49 -0500

Drought certainly is a problem this year in NA, thought this might be of interest to some of you.
Mark L

Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2002 12:25:58 -0400
From: Scott McKibbon <scomac@spectranet.ca>
Subject: [grazersedge] Drought Strategies for Dick
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Dick,

I spent some time this morning reviewing my files. It was
surprising just how much info. I've accumulated over the years. I'll
try and touch on the basics that others have covered on this topic over
the years. (Credits to Dan Vosberg, Vaughn Jones, Ann Clark, Les Vough
and Emily Carlson).

1. As Clay said, the mental part is the toughest. It will rain
sometime and I'd be very surprised if you didn't get some good grazing
in before the year is out.

2. It's best to introduce stored feed before you're out of grass. It's
easier on the pastures and cows and you will end up useing less stored
feed in the end. (I don't know whether we're too late for this.)

3. Slow down the rotation and DON'T chase grass that isn't big enough
for grazing. You'll do more damage later on than good now.

4. Leave a higher residual to help shade the soil and give the grass
more reserves to cope with the stress --- it will regrow quicker. 6"
residual was suggested for OG and other coarse grass species.

5. Reserve what grass you do have for the stock with the highest
nutritional needs -- ie. milkers. I guess this depends somewhat on what
quality of stored feed you've got. Dry lotting heifers and dry cows and
feeding med. quality hay will work well to conserve grass for the
milkers. If all you've got is dairy quality hay then it would be better
targeted at the milkers.

6. Half day grazing isn't a bad strategy. Keeping the milkers in the
barn during the heat of the day will conserve energy used in walking and
disapating heat.

7. Strategic use of N will help to spring pastures back to life when
some rain arrives. Even without rain (if the grass is not dormant)
there is a noticeable difference in DM accumulation where N was applied
vs. no N fertilization. The morning dews with this humid weather will
help to wash the N in. Use a non volatile form of N though.

8. Bring additional acres into the rotation if they are available.
Grazing corn is a possibility if it has been stressed by drought and may
not make a reasonable crop of silage.

9. Worst case scenario is to destock some if you are faced with buying
a lot of expensive feed, particularily if you will be short of feed for
the winter. You'll have to run the numbers to determine what the
payback will be at current feed and milk prices. This may be a good
time to cull a few of your bottom enders and/or sell a few heifers that
aren't up to your standards.

Most of what I have said will be irrelevant if you have nothing left
to graze. You will have no choice but to go to stored feed. But, I'm
hoping that you still have some grass left that you can maybe use some
of these strategies to help you get through this drought.

Last year, I had no real choice but to go to stored feed completely
for 6+ weeks in July and August. Saving the pastures did pay off as we
got some rain in late August, early September and I got some good
grazing in during the fall (half days). That really helped to conserve
feed for the winter and I got a nice boost in milk during the fall
period.

Drought conditions can certainly be trying, even for the most
experienced grazier. But, it is something we all have to learn how to
manage arround if we intend to be in this business for any length of
time. A good contingency plan is invaluable in dealing with this
situation. With the improvements in long range weather forecasting that
should help us to make plans ahead of time for dealing with extreme
weather events.

I hope that some of this is some value to you. Good luck and keep
us posted on what transpires.

Regards,

Scott McKibbon
Mt. Hope ON, CAN

scomac@spectranet.ca


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Mark P. Ludwig
Poultry Research Lab
University of Wisconsin -Madison
608-262-1730 WK
608-846-7125 HM




  • [permaculture] Fwd: [grazersedge] Drought Strategies for Dick, Mark, 08/19/2002

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