When the late Terry Gompert from Nebraska was here in 2009 he made the statement that four inches of moisture is capable of growing one ton of forage dry matter. Neither of us had met anyone who had gotten that much growth.

Maybe this is academic but the truth is that as the water cycle reaches a higher percentage of function the increases in forage dry matter production are dramatic.

“It takes grass to grow grass” is the answer to the often-asked question, “How do you grow grass when you don’t have any”?

Grass does not make any significant growth with a cow standing on top of the plant emptying out the root and crown reserves. Grass can make compensatory gains following stress periods such as drought but the compensation comes from the ability to make metabolism adjustments when needed, much of which comes from reserves. Adaptation requires nutrition.

Pastures and the billions of parts of the above-ground and underground life only move toward stabilization and maximums during complete forage recovery, followed by severe high-density grazing. The natural pulsing of "boom and bust" cycles removes laziness and excesses from the system and keeps everybody up and going. No gain without pain. Stress is required by the system for reproduction and functional increases. The key here is high-density grazing for short periods of time. Remember: Density and time.

The problem with a cow/calf operation is the necessity of the continual presence of cows. This will kill the land but not like complete, long-term removal of livestock. Neither system works. The same is true of "rotational" grazing in the form lots of folks teach and have been taught.   

Brittle and non-brittle environments and everything in between have a regular requirement for cattle. The problem is that there are zero environments where we can lock and key a cookbook program. The important rule is boom followed by bust followed by boom in a chaotic pattern.

The greater the normal weather swings the fewer mature cattle can be stocked on a continual basis. If a semi-arid location with brittle environment has a dry-matter yield of 10 tons every 20 years and the plants stand for long periods, the unfair advantage is the mineralization of the plants. Managing huge acreages with limited numbers and lack of water and the fencing requirements are the disadvantages. There are others.

Let’s do a little figuring and remember that figures can lie and liars can figure.

The good part of the planning is that only 30 to 40% (3,000 to 4,000 acres) in that environment needs to be managed with cows every year. This cuts the elephant into much smaller bites.

This planning also allows the natural model to function in its entirety, which should lead to annual profitability through the good and the bad years. This is drought proofing.

The result is we keep cows and cattle that fit the environment of the ranch and manage in front of and behind the cattle. We calve the cows four to eight weeks after the green up, when body condition scores are optimal. We average a 90% breed-back in 90 days after calving and we guard against early pregnancies.

The calf crop is our ace in the hole. We can market calves, weaned calves, or short yearlings depending on the weather and the moisture. We can retain replacement heifers and grass-feds in good years, but are not forced to destock our base herd.

The natural model works. The question is whether we will work the model.