Forage specialist offers ideas on coping with drought
LINCOLN—With a drought as severe as last summer’s, the long-
lasting effects require long-term adaptations from producers who
are working with the limited water supply. As producers
throughout the region search for ways to deal with the
continuing drought, they can try to take advantage of the
limited water they can access. University of Nebraska-Lincoln
forage specialist Bruce Anderson suggests how they can do just
that. Many ponds and creeks dried up last year, leaving some
cattle producers with only unreliable water sources. “Maybe rain
will replenish them this spring, but this might be a good time
to develop more wells or pipelines to reliably put water into
tanks,” Anderson said. Tank water may be cooler and offer easier
access than ponds or creeks. It is often healthier for cattle,
and they usually prefer it. When cows walk into ponds and
creeks, they stir mud and sediments into the water and often
deposit waste. “No wonder calves consistently choose