by Wayne Knight, HMI Executive Director
Dealing with drought is exhausting: the relentless heat, the worry and the fear of what might happen if we sell too many animals too soon. This fear of what might happen and the fear of financial loss leaves one feeling at the mercy of the elements. The constant worry during these physically and mentally draining times can lead to inertia in the face of calamity.
That is why I particularly appreciated a comment Tom Sidwell made at a recent Advanced Grazing Workshop HMI ran on his ranch near Tucumcari, New Mexico in June. He said, “I have been planning for drought and so far, everything is going according to plan”.
So, what does Tom mean when he says that and how does he plan for drought?
Besides all the work he has done to improve stock density and plant recovery time between successive grazing, he gets more water to infiltrate his soil because of the cover his animals knock onto the soil surface. There is the fertilizing effect of high concentrations of grazers defoliating most of the plants over a short period of time that induces anaerobic soil conditions which induce mineralization of organic compounds post grazing. These available minerals induce a growth spurt once air returns to the soil after the bacterial food source has been exhausted. By repeating the cycle of high animal density followed by long recovery for plants he has increased the carbon content in his soil, which translates to increased water infiltration and water holding capacity. This in turn means longer growing conditions and deeper root systems.
So, what does Tom mean when he says that, and how does he plan for drought?
Besides all the work he has done to improve stock density and plant recovery time between successive grazing, he gets more water to infiltrate his soil because of the cover his animals knock onto the soil surface. There is the fertilizing effect of high concentrations of grazers defoliating most of the plants over a short period of time that induces anaerobic soil conditions which induce mineralization of organic compounds post grazing. These available minerals induce a growth spurt once air returns to the soil after the bacterial food source has been exhausted. By repeating the cycle of high animal density followed by long recovery for plants he has increased the carbon content in his soil, which translates to increased water infiltration and water holding capacity. This in turn means longer growing conditions and deeper root systems.
One of the biggest benefits of Tom’s drought planning is the process he uses to measure his available forage at the end of each growing season. By knowing how much forage he has grown he adjusts his animal numbers to match his grazing until he will safely have growth again. If the rains arrive later than planned, he has “trigger dates” by which he reduces pre-planned classes of stock to ensure that he can retain the largest number of animals in productive condition until growing conditions return. Early destocking means he can carry more animals through the lean times than if he delayed the decision. By planning in this way Tom is able to achieve 3 key things:
He keeps the animals he retains in productive condition
He keeps the plants on his ranch healthy and resilient by adjusting stocking rates and plant recovery times to avoid the depletion of their root reserves. This means he can recover more quickly when the rains arrive.
He is reducing his exposure to business risk by acting early based on how much forage he has available, and by portioning it out based on records of when growing conditions have returned in the past.
In this way Tom is using information he has collected about rainfall cycles, animal grazing periods, and impact on plant growth combined with his real-time monitoring of available forage, animal condition, and productivity to make decisions about his risk exposure.
To learn more about the practical steps to drought planning consider attending HMI’s Advanced Grazing Workshop at the Dixon Water Foundation’s Mimms Ranch, near Marfa, Texas in September 2022 or our James Ranch Workshop near Durango, Colorado in August 2022.