Drought Information

Bethany Johnston, Nebraska Extension Livestock Educator Author

04/23/2025 Added

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We are still waiting for spring rains, and the topic of drought lingers on. With dry conditions in 2024 and drier conditions forecasted for this year, spring is a good time to evaluate your level of drought and the impact it will have on your forage production.

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[00:00:00.340]Welcome to the Extension Minute, brought to you by Bethany Johnston,
[00:00:04.780]livestock educator for Nebraska Extension, where we
[00:00:08.120]bring university research directly to you, on your farm and ranch.
[00:00:13.171]Where can you go to find beef and grazing research?
[00:00:16.331]Visit to the beef.unl.edu website.
[00:00:21.651]While you are there, read through the most recent BeefWatch articles -
[00:00:26.491]these are timely articles that come out beginning of each month.
[00:00:31.006]You can also tune into the Beef Podcasts, while you are there.
[00:00:35.420]We are still waiting for spring rains, and the topic of drought lingers on.
[00:00:39.720]With dry conditions in 2024 and drier conditions forecasted for this year,
[00:00:45.900]spring is a good time to evaluate your level of drought
[00:00:49.820]and the impact it will have on your forage production.
[00:00:54.161]Start keep track of precipitation, and look back on your old records,
[00:00:58.401]which shouldn’t be that hard this year, because we haven’t had that many rains.
[00:01:02.801]According to BeefWatch article called “2025 Drought Planning Trigger Dates”
[00:01:08.881]by April 1st, if you didn’t receive timely rains on cool-season
[00:01:13.701]dominated pastures (like smooth bromegrass), try destocking by 10-20%.
[00:01:20.120]This would be a good place to start.
[00:01:22.393]From mid April to mid May, without normal or above normal precipitation,
[00:01:27.840]producers may need to reduce stocking rates again
[00:01:31.160]on the smooth bromegrass pastures by another 25-50%.
[00:01:36.600]So keep track of that precipitation and
[00:01:39.812]be checking your pastures to see how they are looking.
[00:01:43.240]Warmseasoned grasses trigger dates are later than cool season grasses.
[00:01:47.140]Keytrigger dates are in May, June, and July.
[00:01:50.320]Precipitation during this time will impact
[00:01:52.440]the production of these warm seasoned grasses.
[00:01:57.380]Eric Hunt, a UNL Meteorologist, stated in a recent webinar
[00:02:02.260]that there may be chances for rain at the end of April or first part of May.
[00:02:07.500]However, after that, the chances of precipitation
[00:02:10.900]drop off and the forecast calls for a dry summer.
[00:02:15.060]A drought meeting was recently hosted here last week,
[00:02:18.520]but you can listen to Eric’s outlook, and other livestock specialists
[00:02:22.380]sharing drought preparation tips by going to the
[00:02:25.660]beef.unl.edu website for a link to the recording.
[00:02:30.760]You can also call the Holt County Extension Office for more information.
[00:02:36.540]If you have hens for laying, you could join a webinar on May 3rd,
[00:02:42.140]so you can raise a healthy, egg-producing flock.
[00:02:45.260]There are scholarships available to local
[00:02:47.820]4-H members who would like to attend.
[00:02:50.020]Again, call the Holt County Extension office for more information.

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Drought Information

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