Although the prospect of drought in a state like Florida may seem unlikely, in recent years—2014 to be exact—portions of northern Florida experienced abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions, according to the Florida Climate Center.
In late March of this year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast in its spring outlook that warmer-than-average temps, below-average precipitation, and low soil moisture could cause drought conditions in southern Florida.
Abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions can obviously have negative impacts on your cattle pastures. To be prepared for potential grass grazing shortages for the remainder of this summer, and in the future, consider these two important tips from the University of Minnesota Extension, which we’ve summarized for you here.
Creep-feed your calves
To conserve grass in your pastures in abnormally dry or drought conditions, creep-feeding your calves can be a viable option. Sustaining your calves with a low-to-moderate energy creep can lessen their grass intake by up to 20 percent.
Just to be clear, in non-drought conditions, creep-feeding is intended to increase the weight of calves as they are weaned of a mother’s milk. During this process suckling calves receive supplemental feed via a feeder that’s surrounded by a pen. The pen’s narrow openings only accommodate the calves, and restrict the access of older cattle.
Move your cattle temporarily, or haul water
Usually, surface water is the primary source of water for grazing cattle, but in abnormally dry or drought conditions it can dry up. This can be resolved if a live water tap is near fill tanks. If a live water tap isn’t available, consider temporarily moving your cattle out of the dry portions of your pastures.
Hauling water is another alternative. If you decide to haul water be aware that a single cow can drink 20 gallons a day, and a calf can consume 5 to 8 gallons in 24 hours.
