Tips for Dairy Producers to Prepare for Drought Conditions

With unusual weather conditions affecting the Midwest in recent years, independent nutritionist Cory Colburn’s clients have shared recurring concerns about a shortage of rain and its potential effects on dairy rations. For producers who have endured droughts, the prospect of dry weather can stir up unshakeable memories of challenging and stressful periods for the agricultural industry. Luckily, Cory has developed a dry weather survival guide for dairy producers.

Keep reading for Cory’s expert tips on managing feed shortages and rising costs in case of dry weather.

Adapting Dairy Rations for Dry Weather Conditions

To combat potential feed shortages, producers might consider planting fall forages. Crops like forage oats and sorghum can deliver good tonnage and allow for harvest before winter. While these options help to ensure a reliable feed source, it’s still important to ensure animals receive dense, high-quality nutrients – especially high-producing cows.

Crops struggle to thrive without adequate rainfall. Forages, a key component in many dairy rations, are no exception, providing essential nutrients for dairy cows. While soybean meal, straight corn and other byproducts can be great substitutes for energy and protein, fiber is critical nutritional component that can be more difficult to substitute.

For producers looking to stretch forage supplies, keep fiber in their rations and optimize overall nutrition, gluten, soy hulls and whole cottonseed are great choices. Whole cottonseed, being a triple-nutrient feed ingredient, can make an especially valuable addition to dairy rations in challenging times.

Preparing to Protect Your Operation

Poor growing conditions, including dry weather, can squeeze margins from both sides of the balance sheet. Drought often increases feedstuff prices and leads to volatile commodity markets, causing milk prices to decrease.

Cody recommends these three proactive steps for producers to prepare and protect their operations:

1. Keep your eye on the markets. Work with your nutritionist to find a target price to book. Lock in your feedstuffs so you know you have the quantities you need and can budget accordingly.
2. Take note of inventories, quality and quantity, and plan for tonnages. This will help to determine the need for additional feed sources early on.
3. If you’re anticipating low-quality forage and fiber, consider adding whole cottonseed to your rations.

As Cory says, “When we fail to plan, we plan to fail.” Call your nutritionist for support in developing a plan for feed and forages and make keeping up to date with feed ingredient prices and suppliers simple with the Cottonseed Marketplace.

Want to connect with the qualified sellers that serve your area? Visit WholeCottonseed.com/Cottonseed-Marketplace.