Three cattlemen adjust to weather hardships The drought has had
lasting effects on farmers across the country. Cattlemen in
particular have dealt with low forage supplies and water
availability, and changed management practices to survive in
adverse conditions. During the 2013 Cattle Industry Convention
and NCBA Cattlemen’s College, three producers shared their tips
for surviving—and thriving through dry times. O.D. Cope of
Auroura, Mo., took advantage of near-bare pastures in August of
2012 to aerial-sow a variety of cover crop mixes for his 2,500
head cow herd. "We were desperate for forage, so we started
cleaning off some of the hilly sloops, aerial-seeding fescue and
turnips. I’ve never seeded turnips before in my life, but I’d
seen the dairy boys do it and the cows seemed to like it. At the
other farm, we no-tilled cereal rye with turnips." The drought
for him started in 2011, from the previous year holding on,
filled the barns with as much hay as possible and bagged 700
tons of corn silage in 2012, a fi