As the heat and dry conditions continue in southern Wisconsin, producers with animals on pasture are considering their options as pasture quality and forage production declines.  The combination of high temperatures and moisture stress have placed our perennial pasture grasses and legumes into dormancy mode and little if any regrowth is occurring as plants try to conserve stored carbohydrates in root systems until moisture conditions improve.

An immediate concern is making sure that animals have sufficient feed/forage available. If pastures are already grazed down to 4″ or less, producers need to remove animals and begin feeding now. If ungrazed pasture is available, it can be rationed by subdividing into paddocks along with providing supplemental forage. Leaving a 4” stubble height is recommended to prevent overgrazing and enable plants to recover more quickly once the rains return.

When moisture conditions improve, producers will need to give pastures some time to grow before grazing can resume. A timely nitrogen application (40 lbs/acre) in conjunction with sufficient rains will also help pastures recover more quickly. Very depleted pastures may need to be rested through the fall, and evaluated for soil fertility levels and stand vigor to determine whether pasture renovation will be necessary for recovery.

Producers should start now to plan for their fall and winter forage needs to determine whether additional forages should be purchased and/or reductions in herd or flock numbers should be made. A Team Forage factsheet,  Managing Drought Stressed Pastures  authored by Dr. Dennis Cosgrove summarizes suggestions for managing pastures and livestock to minimize the effects of drought on future vigor of pasture plants.