Analyzing what types of forages are growing is part of the science of forage management. Some species are more palatable than others, and cattle tend to graze those areas more. NRCS Range Specialist Kent Ferguson looks for what varieties of grasses are growing in the pasture.
according to very recently retired NRCS State Range Management Specialist Kent Ferguson. Driving across the state, it’s easy to see those who practiced the science as well as those who have mastered the art. But then there are the rest. Barren pastures, many over-
grazed. Scant forage merely a few inches tall — if that — with no in- dication of regrowth. Looking out the window as you drive by, you might think it had to be leased land because of how it was overgrazed. After all, what owner would do this? But consider the possibility it could be the rancher whose eye was on history instead of what was beneath his feet. “There’s nothing like a historic
drought to cause people to take a closer look at their rangeland,” says Ferguson. “It forced operators to look at what they are doing. They’ve come to the realization that they can’t run a cow to 20 acres like in the past because conditions have changed.” For decades, ranchers relied
on county averages when it came to stocking their land. Yearly get- togethers such as the Cattle Rais- ers Convention, ranch gatherings or educational meetings often led to conversation about what your county stocking rate was, or how many cows you could run in your neck of the woods. The thinking seemed to be, “If my neighbor could stock 1 cow to 20 acres, then by golly, so can I.” Or perhaps it was historical
numbers that led them astray. “My grandpa ran 200 cows in that pasture for the last 30 years and it handled it just fi ne.” Well, grand- son, a lot has changed in 30 years.
What’s different? Ferguson says many segments
70 The Cattleman February 2014
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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