Category: Range/Pasture (Page 1 of 9)

Calculate Grazing Days Before Your Pasture Runs Short

September 1, 2026 / / 0 Comments
Calculate Grazing Days Before Your Pasture Runs ShortSeptember in West Texas can be misleading. Although the pasture still has brown grass, the cows are scattered about, and one rain may bring a bit of green to the low areas. It might look from the truck as though there is enough feed to carry on into the fall.
If October remains dry, the warm-season grass will stop growing, so the cattle have to go farther to get each mouthful, and the cows begin to lose weight. Hay becomes scarce, feed cubes cost more, and the sale barn ends up with cattle from ranches affected by drought.
It is in September that you have to work out how many grazing days are left. Although the rangeland won’t give you an exact figure, you can get close enough to make decisions while still having several options.
A forage inventory will show you how much dry forage is available, how much cattle can safely be fed, what your herd requires each day, and how much you should set aside for drought conditions. The figures thus assist you in deciding whether you need to rotate your pastures, wean your calves, cull your cows, buy hay, or modify your winter arrangements.

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What Your Pasture Weeds Are Really Telling You

July 31, 2026 /
What Your Pasture Weeds Are Really Telling YouIf you walk through a West Texas pasture in August, the grass will usually show you what is really happening, even if it is not what you want to see. Maybe the old bluestem is thin near the water lot. Maybe broomweed has popped up in a pasture that looked good back in the spring. Maybe ragweed is filling in bare spots, or silverleaf nightshade keeps returning, no matter how many times you thought you had it under control. Most ranchers see these plants and immediately ask, “What do I need to spray?” That is a reasonable question, but it should not be the first one. A better question is, “Why is this weed showing up here?”
Weeds in your pasture do not appear by chance. They show up because something in the pasture allowed them to take hold. It could be overgrazing, drought, bare ground, soil compaction near water, not enough recovery time, or weak forage. Some weeds are just annoying, but others are like warning lights on a dashboard. If you learn to read these signs, you can make better choices about grazing pressure, when to rotate cattle, when to control weeds, and whether your pasture needs rest more than another round of chemicals.

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July Weed Control: Spray, Wait, or Graze?

July 3, 2026 /
July Weed Control: Spray, Wait, or Graze?Every summer, ranchers look out over their pastures and see weeds rising above the grass and brush shading spots where forage should grow. That’s when the same question comes up: “Do I spray this now, or did I already miss my window?”
In West Texas and the Southern Plains, July makes brush and weed control tricky. Some plants keep growing if they get rain, while others are already tough, stressed, and waxy. Some weeds are going to seed. Some brush looks green on top but is too dry underneath for herbicide to work well. That’s when spraying can quickly get expensive.
Don’t let the calendar make the decision for you. July can be a good time to treat regrowth, spot-spray problem plants, or clean up patches after rain. But it’s often a bad time to spray the whole pasture just because weeds are annoying.
Herbicide is just a tool. It works best when plants are in the right condition, the weather cooperates, the product fits the target, and grazing management lets good forage recover. If these things don’t line up, you might spend money without getting more grass.
So before spraying in July, take a moment and ask yourself: “Is this the right treatment at the right time, or am I just trying to feel like I did something?”

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June Pasture Signs Ranchers Should Not Ignore

June 21, 2026 /
June Pasture Signs Ranchers Should Not IgnoreIn June, a pasture might look good from the road, but it could still be hiding problems.
In West Texas and the Southern Plains, early summer often hides problems until they become costly. You might see green grass, cattle spread out, and calves growing. But underneath, forage quality could be dropping, water needs are rising, flies are increasing, and the best grass might already be grazed more than you realize.
That’s why taking time for a real June pasture walk matters. Don’t just check from your truck or the gate. Get out, walk through the pasture, look at the grass, watch the cattle, check the water, and ask if your place is ready for the next two or three months of heat.
Summer rarely ruins a pasture overnight. It’s usually the small things that get overlooked: a slow-refilling trough, a mineral feeder in the wrong place, bare ground near the shade, a pasture that needed rotating last week, calves looking a bit thin, or cows losing condition even if they still look ‘fine.’
A good June pasture walk lets you spot these issues early, while you still have options.

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Why Your Pasture Has Weeds (And What to Do)

May 8, 2026 /
Why Your Pasture Has Weeds (And What to Do)If you want to really understand your pasture conditions right now, don’t just look at the grass, watch the weeds, too. In May, everything becomes more obvious across West Texas and the Southern Plains. You can see what grew well with early moisture, what got grazed too much, and what’s been slowly going downhill. This is one of your best chances to check pasture health before summer stress hits.
A common mistake is to go straight for weed control and think spraying is the answer. But weeds aren’t just a problem to remove; they’re feedback. They show where grazing has been too heavy, where good forage isn’t keeping up, and where your management might be off balance. Often, what you see now started months earlier.
If you ignore these signs, you’ll keep spraying the same weeds every year without fixing the real issue. But if you pay attention to what your pasture is telling you, you can make changes that actually boost forage and cattle performance. This is the time of year when being alert puts you ahead, and waiting too long sets you back.

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April Pasture Check: What Your Grass Is Telling You

April 22, 2026 /
April Pasture Check: What Your Grass Is Telling YouEvery April in West Texas, there’s a window where it feels like things are finally starting to work in your favor again. The grass is greening up, cattle are grazing aggressively, and after months of feeding hay, it looks like your pastures are ready to carry the load. You open the gate, turn cows out, and for a while, it seems like you’ve got more than enough forage to get through the spring. From the surface, everything points to a strong start.
This is also the time when some of the most important spring grazing management decisions are made, often without much thought.
The reality is that pasture conditions in April can be misleading. Early growth may look abundant, but those plants are still relying heavily on stored root energy to keep producing. If grazing pressure is too high or cattle stay too long, that energy gets depleted before the plant has a chance to recover. The problem is, you won’t see the impact right away. It shows up later as slower regrowth, weaker stands, and reduced forage production when you need it most.
That’s why checking your pastures in April is so important for cattle producers. It helps you spot issues early, protect your pasture’s carrying capacity, and manage feed costs. Watch for grass height, density, and unwanted weed growth. Addressing these early keeps you ahead all season.

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The Hidden Cost of Waiting to Rotate Pastures

April 10, 2026 /
The Hidden Cost of Waiting to Rotate PasturesEach spring in West Texas, there’s a brief period when everything comes together. Pastures turn green, cattle move to fresh grass, and after a long winter, it finally feels like the grass is pulling its weight again. Cows graze eagerly, the forage looks plentiful, and it seems like you’re ready for a great grazing season. Many producers feel this is the time to relax and let the pasture do the work.
But this is also when one of the most common spring grazing mistakes starts to appear.
It’s tempting to leave cattle on those early spring pastures a bit longer than you should. There’s still green grass, and nothing looks overgrazed. But below the surface, it’s a different story. At this stage, grasses depend on root energy reserves to keep growing. If cattle keep grazing without enough recovery time, those reserves get used up, even if the pasture still looks good from afar.
This is when the hidden cost of waiting too long to rotate pastures starts to add up. Over time, it can lower forage production, weaken plants, and reduce your pasture’s ability to support cattle later in the season. A small decision in April can end up costing you in June, July, and beyond.
Knowing how spring pasture management affects long-term productivity is one of the best ways to stay ahead of problems and get more from your grazing system all year. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at a common pitfall many producers face.

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Fertilizer Timing Myths That Cost You Forage

March 21, 2026 /
Fertilizer Timing Myths That Cost You ForageIf you ask ten ranchers when they typically fertilize their pasture, you’ll probably hear the same answer more than once:
“Usually sometime in March.” Or maybe: “Right before spring green-up.”
This is a common rule of thumb in pasture management. It makes sense at first: apply fertilizer just before the grass starts growing so nutrients are there when plants need them. For many producers, this timing has become routine, just another spring job like fixing fences or checking water troughs.
But things get tricky in places like West Texas and other semi-arid grazing areas. Relying only on the calendar for fertilizer timing is one of the most common ways producers waste money and miss out on better forage growth.
The reason is simple: grass doesn’t grow based on the calendar.
Pasture plants respond to environmental conditions, not dates. Their growth depends on factors like:
  • Soil moisture
  • Soil temperature
  • Day length
  • Plant growth stage
If fertilizer is applied before these conditions line up, several problems can occur:
  • Nutrients may sit unused in dry soil for weeks.
  • Nitrogen can be lost before plants absorb it.
  • Forage response may be weaker than expected.
  • Fertilizer costs rise without increasing yield.
In dryland systems, timing matters even more. One poorly timed fertilizer application can mean the difference between strong forage growth and disappointing results.
That’s why it’s important to take a closer look at fertilizer timing. Knowing when grass can actually use nutrients helps producers get more value from every pound of fertilizer.
Now that we see the limits of calendar-based fertilization, let’s look at why this method often fails in semi-arid grazing systems, what really affects fertilizer response, and how to better time applications for the best pasture results.

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The Hidden Cost of March Grazing Decisions

March 5, 2026 /
The Hidden Cost of March Grazing DecisionsWhen March arrives, it’s natural to feel hopeful about spring grazing. A few warm afternoons appear, the pasture starts to show a faint green tint, and cows begin pacing the fence line as if they sense turnout is near. After months of winter feeding and looking at dormant grass, those first green shoots seem like freedom and a sign of lower feed costs ahead.
But here’s the reality about March grazing: just because it’s green doesn’t mean it’s ready.
It means the grass is still vulnerable, despite its green color.
Early spring pasture growth is delicate. The first shoots rely on stored root energy, not on fully developed leaves or rebuilt carbohydrate reserves. If cattle are let out too soon and graze these tender plants heavily, it can slow regrowth, reduce root depth, and limit total forage for the whole season. The damage isn’t always clear right away. Sometimes, you won’t see the effects until June, when pastures should be thick and healthy but instead look thin, stressed, and patchy.
That’s why March is often the riskiest month for overgrazing. Our optimism can get ahead of how quickly plants recover. What seems like a head start can actually turn into a setback.
In the next sections, you’ll find out why early grazing is risky, what’s happening below the soil, and practical ways to manage spring turnout for the best forage and grazing all year. As you read, keep these key ideas in mind: timing, root health, and long-term yield.

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Spring Forage Planning Actually Starts Before Green-Up

February 21, 2026 /
Spring Forage Planning Actually Starts Before Green-UpSpring forage planning should begin before pastures turn green. Waiting until then is one of the costliest mistakes producers can make.
When grass greens up, it feels like winter feeding is ending and the cows are ready to graze. But many important grazing decisions are already set or missed by this point.
Early spring decisions have a big impact on pasture performance for the rest of the year. Overgrazing during the first growth can set forage back for months, even if it doesn’t look like a problem at first. Early spring grass is delicate. Roots are still recovering, energy reserves are low, and regrowth is slow if plants are grazed too much or too often.
This is why good spring forage planning starts weeks before green-up, while pastures still look dormant. This is the time to decide which fields will rest, where to focus grazing, and how to delay turnout to protect early growth.
If you wait until the grass is green, you end up reacting instead of planning. Starting early gives you more choices.
Next, we’ll look at why early spring is a vulnerable time for pastures and share clear strategies to protect your fields and get the most from grazing before green-up.

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