RANCHING Business


Pasture, Range and Forage


Insurance for


Good Range Management By John Walke, Texas A&M AgriLife Researh


John Walker, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, San Angelo


R


AIN IS ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR SUC- cessful ranching. While it is true that little can be done to affect the amount of rain that falls,


there is much that can be done to ensure the rain stays where it falls. The key to keeping as much of the rain where it


falls is to have adequate grass cover. Research at the Sonora AgriLife Research Station showed that infi l- tration doubled for each percentage unit increase in vegetative soil cover. This may seem like an odd introduction to an article


on Pasture, Range and Forage Insurance (PRFI), also known as rainfall insurance, but as a range scientist I


76 The Cattleman October 2013


believe it is important to put management decisions in the context of creating healthy sustainable rangelands. Used appropriately PRFI can provide the economic fl exibility to improve range condition and increase infi ltration of rainfall. A brief overview of precipitation patterns is in order


before considering rainfall insurance. Most will agree there is no such thing as an average year, but there is still a need for a standard to compare the current situation with the past. Median annual rainfall is the best estimate of normal


in the semi-arid ranch country. Take annual rainfall amounts for an odd number of years and arrange them


thecattlemanmagazine.com


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