Pasture Management During Severe Dry Conditions

Dec 21, 2023

Multiple years of drought can result in lower overall forage production on pastureland. Impacts of the prolonged drought not only reduce the amount of plant material available for livestock consumption but reduce the amount of plant material retained as carryover litter on the soil surface at the end of the grazing season.

Litter refers to the old plant material left over from previous years of grazing; it can be either standing, recently fallen to the ground or partially decomposing material. Litter benefits pastureland functioning through nutrient cycling, improved water infiltration and better moisture retention (i.e., snow trapping or slowing soil moisture evaporation by reducing direct solar energy). When moisture is scarce during a drought, rangelands with adequate litter will produce more forage than those with low to absent litter levels. On native pastureland in the southern prairies, litter is so important that approximately 50 per cent of the yield in any given year can be attributed to litter.

Click here to see more...

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.