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Heat and dryness pushing cattle off pastures

Hot, dry conditions could force some cattle producers to move livestock off pastures.

Iowa State University Extension livestock specialist Russ Euken says weather has been a challenge.

“We’re kind of on the tipping-point if we don’t get some more rain, certainly pastures are the first thing to suffer. So producers are probably to the point where they’re thinking about just pulling cattle off the pasture and doing some feeding in a dry lot situation or sacrifice paddock.”

Speaking to Brownfield during an Iowa Cattlemen’s Association meeting near Osage in north-central Iowa Thursday, he says pasture management will be key going forward.

“If we do get some more rain and they’ve got acres available, certainly some of the annual forages they could get planted now and provide some forage later on.”

Euken says another concern for cattle in a pasture situation is harmful blue algae growing in ponds because of persistent heat and dryness.