Most of Texas’ rangelands remain under drought conditions, but timely spring rains in some areas have set the stage for recovery, according to Texas A&M AgriLife experts.
“Much of the Cross Timbers, Concho Valley and Hill Country are in pretty good shape this year in terms of forage production,” said Jeff Goodwin, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management and Texas A&M AgriLife Research assistant professor in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Bryan-College Station.
“This would be the year for those livestock producers to build in some recovery time for rangeland pastures that have been dealing with ongoing drought.”
Removing the stress of grazing while forages and plants are actively growing allows the plants to allocate their energy reserves into leaf growth and root development, said Morgan Treadwell, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service rangeland specialist and professor in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, San Angelo.
This rest period is critical for the health and overall resilience of the state’s roughly 92 million acres of native rangelands that support ecosystem services, including forage and browse for livestock. Vegetation recovery and diversity are also critical for wildlife that rely on rangelands for food and habitat—especially during critical periods like rearing young.
“At the end of the day, producers are in the business of stewarding rangeland resources,” Treadwell said. “Part of that is maintaining ground cover and building up organic material in the soil.”
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 81% of the state is in some form of drought. However, fewer areas are experiencing the extreme to exceptional drought conditions seen this time last year.
For regions experiencing pockets of extreme or exceptional drought, like South Texas, Northeast Texas and the Panhandle, Goodwin recommends producers continue strategically evaluating forage availability as a part of their drought contingency plan.
“Evaluate where you are on forage productivity compared to your projections,” Goodwin said. “Based on what you have available, you may need to begin thinking of next steps, such as adjusting stocking rates and prioritizing pastures with surface livestock water.”
He added that while it may not be the time for some producers to make stocking decisions just yet, the good news is the cattle market remains strong, even for older or cull cows.
While these decisions are not easy, Goodwin said adaptability is critical to maintaining the ecological resiliency of the land, which supports the economic sustainability of operations.
The National Weather Service predicts an El Niño weather pattern may emerge later this summer, potentially bringing wetter conditions for the southern U.S.
While the prospect of abundant precipitation is a great relief, the benefits of rain aren’t distributed equally. Goodwin and Treadwell said rangelands that have been managed well will benefit the most.
“When you have vegetative cover, you give the rain somewhere to go—it will infiltrate the soil profile and drive forage production instead of just running off,” Treadwell said.
Goodwin also stresses the prospect of rain does not translate to a management plan.
“As soon as some people hear, ‘Oh, it’s going to start raining in September,’ their drought management plan becomes hope—and hope is not a great management plan,” Goodwin said. “We see more success with folks focusing on managing and adapting to what’s in front of them than what might come in four or five months.”
Goodwin and Treadwell encourage producers struggling with drought conditions to stick to the core grazing principles that serve the land, and ultimately, their operation.
“It’s really easy to abandon those principles and practices when you’re in the thick of challenging times, but part of being a steward is knowing this is the time to really step in and actively manage your native pastures,” Treadwell said. “When we take care of that forage and soil resource, we give the pasture something to work with when rainfall is finally received.” — Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
