Coping With Dwindling Summer Pastures

 

There are a number of things producers can do if dryness is affecting their pastures.

“Growing conditions are all over the map this year with some Alberta cattle producers dealing with too much rain and some with too little,” says Andrea Hanson, beef extension specialist, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF). “For those producers coping with summer pasture that is going backwards quickly, there are ways to manage what forage you have left. For some, it may even be that the forage in the pasture is holding up but the water source has dried up or is questionable and hauling water is too difficult.”

 

If pastures are affected, it’s likely the crops in the area are affected as well. “You may want to consider whether some of the crops’ quality and kernel weight will be sufficient to take it as grain or whether cutting it early and using it for livestock feed would make more sense. If your operation doesn’t grow grain crops, speak to your neighbours, as they may be considering alternative measures and could be open to crop sharing. Also, be aware of nitrate issues, as annual crops that are stressed can be high in nitrates.”

 

Another effective way to manage forage is by managing cattle. “Weaning early reduces the amount of feed, energy and protein required by the cow and allows her to increase or maintain her body condition which is vitally important for her fertility. However, early weaning does involve planning on your part. The younger the weaning age of the calf, the higher the energy and protein levels will need to be fed. Calves older than 120 days can be backgrounded on pasture and have comparable performance to normally weaned calves (200 days) as long as there is plenty of high quality forage available.” 

 

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.