Spring rains are bring relief from a dry winter and the right management strategy can help landowners take advantage of rainwater on their pastures.

Dirk Philipp, associate professor of animal science and forage researcher for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said a thoughtful pasture management scheme can prolong the time that grass can take up water from the soil.

Plants take up water mostly by transpiration — moving up from the roots, through the plant and evaporating from the leaves, Philipp said. It is used mostly for cooling and little is used for generating sugar compounds for food.

“Plants thrive when soil water is readily available without creating stress from drought or flooding,” Philipp said. “Farmers have no control over the amount of rain their land gets, but other factors can be influenced to take advantage of what you get.”

First, he said, evaluate how rainwater interacts with the landscape:

Because grassland agriculture largely uses perennial species, Philipp said, there are several good opportunities to maximize on-farm water use:

Philipp said proper animal management can also help maintain healthy, productive pastures: