See the strategies to take to reduce forage shortages and keep the herd healthy and the ranch productive.
Forages are an important part of any beef ranch operation. The health, performance, and production of the herd depend on an abundant supply of forage. So when forage shortages occur, they can cause problems for any ranching operation. An article on Southeast Ag Net shares information from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on steps to take to reduce forage shortages. Explore the topic below.
Strategies to Reduce Forage Shortages
Forage shortages can be caused by a number of factors, such as drought and livestock market complications. The NRCS recommends the following steps in order to guard against and reduce forage shortages:
Forage Stockpiling. This includes allowing forages to grow so that a pasture can hold one to two tons per acre of forage before allowing grazing.
Plant Cover Crops. Plant a cover crop to be used as forage after grain crop harvest or during fallow in a rotation. Cover crops can be grazed or harvested.
Utilize Cover Crops in Mixtures. Planting a mixture of cover crops together can provide the best of both worlds from each cover crop and can “improve both the quantity and quality of land and livestock needs,” according to the article.
The NRCS offers tools to help beef producers to choose the best cover crops. Also, the article maintains that “several conservation enhancements fall under the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), which encourages producers to comprehensively address resource concerns through additional conservation activities and improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities.”
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.