Month: September 2024

Caring for drought-stricken pastures

– Erika Lyon, OSU Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Jefferson and Harrison Counties (originally published in Farm and Dairy)

Drought conditions will likely cause damage well into the fall season.

Ohio’s southeastern region has been hit hard by drought this summer, with pastures and hayfields showing significant damage. At this point, many fields are in poor or very poor condition, with slow to no plant growth due to dry conditions and higher-than-normal temperatures.

Even with excellent management practices, drought conditions will cause visible damage to fields well into the fall season.

One of the emerging concerns from this summer’s drought is potential toxicity developing in forages. For example, the risk of Continue reading Caring for drought-stricken pastures →

When in Drought, Stay Flexible with the Plan

– Garth Ruff, Field Specialist Beef Cattle and Livestock Marketing, OSU Extension

Despite recent showers, drought management remains a priority.

For the second time in since I joined OSU Extension we are dealing with shortages of forage and livestock feed. The first time was in 2019 when planting was drastically delayed or didn’t happen at all due to one of the wettest springs across much of northern Ohio. Here in 2024, most of southern Ohio is dealing the most severe drought since the inception of the U.S Drought Monitor and likely the driest conditions in a couple of generations.

Recently we have been fielding several questions on how to best navigate dry conditions and while there are a handful of management strategies that can be used, the number one recommendation is to 1) be flexible and 2) consider the cost/returns of supplementing feed and hauling water.

With the severe D3 drought across portions of 22 counties as of writing this, pasture conditions across the area are mostly poor with nearly 40% of pasture in the state in the lowest pasture quality rating.

Second cutting hay crop was also short, at home it was roughly Continue reading When in Drought, Stay Flexible with the Plan →

Lessons from Drought Tolerant Weeds

– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County, OSU Extension

Because it’s deep rooted, wild carrot thrives in dry weather.

The Ohio State University’s State Climatologist, Aaron Wilson, has told me before- “The best way to end a drought is to talk about drought.”

I am hoping he is right. Maybe by the time you read this article we will have had some substantial rainfall. But as I write this in late August, my area of Ohio continues to suffer from the impacts of the summer drought. It is difficult to find inspiration for hope when the factors that cause this struggle feel beyond our control. However, the optimist in me is always looking for the bright side of any situation.

Beef Cattle Field Specialist, Garth Ruff, recently offered some inspirational points of view in an article looking back on a road trip through Texas that can remind us how blessed we are in Ohio to have ample rainfall in our normal growing seasons. Many cattle operations there create their annual management plans relying on half the rainfall we receive in a normal Ohio year. While they may be more conditioned to droughty conditions, how to stock cattle on dry ground, and how to offer supplemental feed to make up the difference, it is not out of reach for Ohioans to borrow tips from cattle producers in more arid climates to help cope with our abnormal year.

You can read more about tips for managing the herd during drought on Continue reading Lessons from Drought Tolerant Weeds →

Emergency Drought Water Development

Harvesting and conserving water for livestock in extremely dry times can be particularly challenging , especially when working with older water source developments. In the on-farm video embedded below and sourced by staff from Eastern Ohio NRCS and SWCD, see first hand how water developments slowed by age and/or drought might be enhanced in the emergency situations many across Ohio are presently experiencing. Also, see the OSU Extension Fact Sheet Livestock Water Development.

Emergency Haying and Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Acreage Available for 70 Ohio Counties

– David Marrison, OSU Extension Field Specialist, Farm Management

CRP is now available for haying and grazing in 70 Ohio counties.

Drought conditions continued to degrade across Ohio. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor report on September 17, 59.56% of Ohio is experiencing severe or greater drought conditions with 9.5% classified as D4 or exceptional drought conditions (Figure 1). It is important to remember that D4 conditions only occur once every 50 to 100 years. Approximately 98% of the state is experiencing at least abnormally dry conditions. One silver lining is the current seven-day forecast shows the potential for rain in many areas of Ohio next week which should help slow the progress of drought should it occur.

The drought conditions have impacted both pastures and hayfields across Ohio. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) administered under the USDA Farm Service Agency permits emergency haying and grazing on certain CRP practices in a county designated as D2 or higher on the U.S. Drought Monitor, or . . .

Continue reading Emergency Haying and Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Acreage Available for 70 Ohio Counties

Cattle on Feed and Record-High August Fed Cattle Weights

– Josh Maples, Assistant Professor & Extension Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University

The latest USDA Cattle on Feed report was released Friday and showed placements of cattle into feedlots during August were 1.4 percent lower than during August 2023. Marketings of fed cattle out of feedlots were down about 3.5 percent from a year ago, partially due to one less business day in August 2024 than in August 2023. Both of these numbers were within pre-report expectations and will likely not be big market movers.


Most of the decline in placements from a year ago occurred in placements of cattle weighing less than 800 pounds. Placements of cattle in this weight range were 3.4 percent lower while placements of cattle weighing more than 800 pounds were 1.4 percent higher. Placements in both Kansas and Nebraska were down about 3 percent while placements in Texas were Continue reading Cattle on Feed and Record-High August Fed Cattle Weights →

Assistance for Ohio Farms Impacted by Drought

– Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension

Drought conditions are not expected to ease soon.

The most recent release from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows more than 77% of Ohio is experiencing drought conditions with “extreme drought” in about a 25% of the state and 18 Ohio counties seeing D4, or “exceptional drought” conditions. Forecasts suggest these conditions are likely to worsen before getting better. In response, Ohio State University Extension, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Ohio Department of Agriculture are extending assistance to agricultural producers through a variety of programs and opportunities. Following is a partial listing of opportunities Cattlemen may explore.

Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP): This program provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have Continue reading Assistance for Ohio Farms Impacted by Drought →

Can I afford not to pregnancy check?

– Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator (originally published in Ohio Farmer on-line)

Preg check vs winter an open cow?!

Only 20% of cow calf producers in the Eastern United States pregnancy check beef cows, according to National Animal Health Monitoring System (NHAMS) Studies.  Over the years there have been improvements in pregnancy detection options but the adoption of these has been slow for many beef producers.  Maybe this year the question should change from “Is it worth the expense?” to “Can I afford not to pregnancy check?”

The cost of overwintering an open cow this year could be much higher than in recent years.  Much of Ohio and some surrounding states have been experiencing drought conditions this summer.  The hardest hit areas are also home to a high percent of Ohio’s cow/calf production.  The rolling pastures have stopped producing forage and many springs have dried up resulting in cattlemen hauling water and feeding hay much earlier than normal.  These conditions have led to Continue reading Can I afford not to pregnancy check? →

Manure Application to Parched Soil

– Glen Arnold, CCA, Field Specialist, Manure Nutrient Management, OSU Extension

12,000 gallons per acre of dairy manure applied prior to wheat planting.

Most of Ohio is very dry and there is no nearby forecast for substantial rainfall. Livestock producers applying manure to farm fields need to take extra caution to prevent liquid manure following soil cracks to field tile.

Preferential flow is when liquid manure follows soil cracks, worm holes, and crayfish holes to find field tile and escape into ditches and streams. Dry wheat stubble fields are notorious for soil cracks. In these instances, tillage is considered the best management practice before liquid manure is applied. Corn and soybean fields will also have more, and larger soil cracks than typical this fall. If you have tile control structures, they should be closed at the time of manure application.

While livestock producers and commercial manure applicators often inject manure to better capture the nutrients, the extremely dry soils will . . .

Continue reading Manure Application to Parched Soil

When is an Hour of Operator Labor, Not Just an Hour of Operator Labor?

– Dr. Kenny Burdine, Extension Professor, Livestock Marketing, University of Kentucky

How do you value time in the hay field?

As an Extension Economist, I regularly have the opportunity to talk about cow-calf profitability. I usually start with revenues, talking about calf prices and making assumptions about weaning weight and weaning rate. Then I walk through costs like winter feed (hay), pasture maintenance, breeding, vet / medicine, trucking, sale expenses, etc. While there is always room for discussion, most of these expenses can be estimated on a “per cow” basis by making some reasonable assumptions. At some point in the discussion, I bring up the topic of labor. Some cow-calf operations hire a significant amount of labor, but for a lot of these operations the majority of labor is unpaid operator labor.

The classic economist approach to valuing unpaid labor is to value it at its opportunity cost. By that I mean if the farmer could be making Continue reading When is an Hour of Operator Labor, Not Just an Hour of Operator Labor? →