Maintaining the health of small acreage pastures can be challenging, even in years with normal rainfall and snowpack. The semi-arid climate of Colorado prevents dryland pastures from achieving the same level of productivity observed in states that receive greater precipitation. As a result, small non-irrigated pastures are sensitive to grazing and hoof traffic.
Drought conditions further hamper pasture productivity. Lack of moisture suppresses plant growth and retards root development. Without adequate root structure, plants are unable to extract moisture and nutrients from the soil, which further limits plant growth. In order to survive, plants rely on the few leaves they have to capture solar energy and manufacture sugars through the process of photosynthesis. Those sugars, along with small amounts of stored reserves, are used to support basic life functions.
Allowing animals unlimited access to pastures during drought can further weaken plants. Grazing and hoof traffic remove leaves necessary for photosynthesis. With growth already limited by drought, the plant is forced to utilize more of its stored sugar to grow replacement leaves. Repeated use of the pasture can eventually deplete the plant’s energy reserves, resulting in death of the plant or severely reducing its chance for survival.
Minimize damage to pastures during drought
If pastures are managed properly during times of low moisture, the effects of drought will be less severe and pastures will rebound faster when precipitation is sufficient. In contrast, if pastures exit the drought in poor condition, the road to recovery is much longer. It is worthy to note that management practices that minimize damage to pastures during drought are also the same for maintaining healthy pastures in a normal year.
Most small acreage pastures in Colorado are overused. When animals are allowed continuous access to small pastures, grazing and excessive wear from hooves will destroy all vegetation, allowing weed invasions and erosion of topsoil. In addition to being an eyesore, those conditions are unhealthy for the environment and the dust and mud churned up from bare ground can pose health problems for animals.
Click here to see more...