Although it is just February it is not too early to begin planning ahead for the upcoming grazing season. Your grazing plan should include the stocking rate, as well as the planned turn out dates. If you will be using multiple pastures a pasture sequence should also be planned out. Here are some things to consider when drawing out your plan.
Make a drought grazing plan
A drought plan is probably the most important part of your overall grazing or ranch plan. It is always a good idea to have something in place in case the worst happens. As the saying goes “It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it“. This plan can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be.
Some of these plans have a focus on a particular trigger event or date. This can be something like the rainfall total being below a certain amount by a set date. Whatever it is it should be something that works for you and your operation.
Additional details on setting up a drought plan can be found on “Rangeland Drought Management for Texas: Livestock Management” by Bruce Carpenter and Charles Hart.
If you would like to read about how you could improve pasture production during the hot and dry summer months you can read that article here.
Plan ahead on planting annual forages
If you are looking to plant any spring and summer forages for grazing now is the time to plan for that. The things to plan for are what types you will be planting, what pasture will be planted, and ordering the seeds. Whenever you are ordering something it is always a good idea to do it early just in case it is ever back ordered (you never know).
With different types also comes different planting conditions so you should also take that into account. Planning ahead for this will ensure you get the best results possible.
Design a fly and pest control plan
Flies and other parasites can rob your cattle of the nutrients that they are consuming. In order to most effectively control flies you should have the right plan in place.
You will want to begin your fly control program about 14 to 21 days prior to the start of fly season. Generally this occurs around the last freeze of the late winter/early spring season. This will help get them under control before they become an issue.
You should also continue using the products 14 days after the first freeze of the fall. Here in Texas your fly control program should run from about March to October.
