Predicting Peak Forage Production

By Laura Edwards

As spring arrives in South Dakota, plans for turning cattle out for grazing are being made across the state. Research has shown that April precipitation is one key predictor of growing season forage production in our region. The South Dakota Drought Tool from NRCS uses precipitation and temperature data with research results and is a great resource for assisting in your grazing management decisions.

The SD Drought Tool is somewhat of a misnomer, as it is actually more of a forage supply prediction tool. It can be found online at the state NRCS Pasture and Forage website. The maps of current drought condition and of estimated July 1 Forage Peak Production are available. These are updated at least monthly, and more often in the spring season.

SD Drought Tool: Estimating forage production

Another feature is the SD Drought Tool link on this website, which accesses an Excel sheet that producers can use to estimate forage production at their own location. The Tool is a research-based online calculator to assist producers in estimating forage production each season. It takes into account climatology of precipitation, the measured amount of monthly precipitation over the last 2 years, and other factors. Each month is weighted according to field research that has helped to determine critical months of precipitation for forage production in our state.

Through this Excel-based tool, producers can select a weather station near them, or enter their own monthly precipitation totals, for a local estimate of forage peak production and current drought status. The instructions provided on the website are easy to follow, giving step-by-step instructions with screen shots. The resulting summary page provides a color-coded drought status, and anticipated forage and hayland production, as a percent of average production. There are also tips for managing a potential drought situation and developing a contingency plan, if desired.

The SD Drought Tool is a great resource to help inform your planning decisions for each grazing season. There are multiple sources of data and information for planning grazing, and the SD Drought Tool is a great addition to your tool box.