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March BeefWatch webinars cover drought management

Producers can view presentations on strategies and research from Nebraska Extension specialists.

March 5, 2021

2 Min Read
Dry pasture due to drought
HIGH AND DRY: Drier-than-normal conditions offer special challenges to beef producers, including implementing range management strategies, as well as specific management practices to keep cows and calves fed and healthy. Curt Arens

The University of Nebraska BeefWatch webinar series has been highlighting beef management strategies and research over the past several months, covering everything from the breeding herd, bull management, cow nutrition, calving and stocker management.

In March, the webinar series turns to managing the herd through drought and dry conditions.

On March 2, the webinar covered “Preparing to Make Decisions During a Drought,” presented by Jay Parsons, Nebraska Extension biosystems economist. Parsons discussed decision-making and the importance of early planning. He outlined a process for being better prepared to make decisions in stressful situations, creating better alternatives and avoiding common pitfalls.

Looking at options when the forecast is hot and dry will be the topic of the next webinar, on March 9, presented by Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension beef systems educator. In this presentation, Berger will discuss management options such as feeding, shipping and selling, along with their potential repercussions.

On March 16, Mitchell Stephenson, Nebraska Extension range management specialist at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center, will cover “Pre-During-Post Drought Management of Rangelands.” Stephenson will walk participants through trigger dates and how to make decisions to manage rangelands, including how to use tools such as Grass-Cast, a grassland productivity forecasting tool.

On March 23, Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension range and forage specialist, will present about “Alternative Forage Options During a Drought.” Volesky will review different annual forages and how they might be used to increase grazing capacity or provide extra hay. Grazing management of these forages also will be discussed.

Finally, the March webinars conclude March 30, with Travis Mulliniks, Nebraska Extension beef cattle nutritionist, talking about “Stretching Forage to Meet Cow Requirements During a Drought.” Mulliniks will discuss the importance of proper nutrition for the cow during a drought and how producers can meet nutritional needs depending on forage availability.

Each webinar is free and begins at 8 p.m. CST. To register for upcoming webinars or to view previous webinars, visit beef.unl.edu.

Source: UNL BeefWatch, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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