By James Rogers, Forage crops production specialist

NDSU Extension

North Dakota and surrounding states are experiencing abnormally dry to severe drought conditions. While livestock producers face many challenges during drought, there are also unique opportunities in the current climate to add to or improve operations for future years.

If you think of your operation as a series of links in a production chain, those weak links can be identified during times of adversity. Identify those weak links and make them stronger for the future. 

A few opportunities are available during drought to improve an operation in the future.

Make herds stronger and more resilient

Cull cow prices remain high, so take advantage of the market and add some immediate cash flow to the operation to invest in working facilities, water infrastructure and fencing equipment.

Critically evaluate herds for females that are less productive or require more labor. Evaluate temperament, feet, udders, eyes, calving records and calf performance to cull problem animals.

Reproductive efficiency is the largest driver of profitability in the cow herd — five to ten times that of calf growth potential.

Cull open females, and cull females that have routinely calved late in the calving season. Around 95% of mature cows should calve in the first 63 days of the calving season. Those that calve after that benchmark are more likely to wean lighter calves and come up open next year.

Consider early weaning of calves, and assume higher weaning weights than expected

Weaning calves early reduces demand on your pasture and range. This also gives cows a greater chance to improve body condition without the lactation demand of calves. Data has shown improved feeding and carcass quality when calves are weaned early.

Often, forage quality is higher during dry years due to greater nutrient density, leading to higher weaning weights.

Seize opportunities to make your operation drought tolerant

Evaluate stocking rates. There is always a balancing act between forage supply and forage demand. Long-term drought tolerance means keeping forage supply and demand in balance. Evaluating stocking rate during dry periods can give you a good baseline number for long-term sustainability.

Add water. Water is usually the most limiting factor to improving grazing management. Cost-share opportunities for water development may arise as a result of drought. If they do, be ready to take advantage of the opportunity.

Adding additional fencing can help you through dry weather and improve grazing management long-term. Poly wire fence can help you take advantage of grazing opportunities in crop residue. Give access to grazing in underutilized areas, and restrict grazing in overutilized areas.

Use resources available to help you through periods of adversity

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) provides compensation for livestock producers experiencing qualifying drought conditions. Payments are activated when a county is in D2 for four consecutive weeks (or any seven of eight consecutive weeks) or hits D3 or D4 at any time in the grazing season. More information on payments associated with drought is available at https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/FSA/Home.aspx.

NDSU Extension has also developed an LFP calculator (ndsu.ag/LFPcalculator26) where you can input your own figures.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish program provides financial assistance to producers who suffer losses due to specific adverse conditions. It includes assistance for hauling feed, water or livestock to feed. Payments are activated when a county is in D2 for eight consecutive weeks or hits D3 or D4 at any time in the grazing season.

NDSU Extension also offers additional decision support tools at ndsu.ag/crop-tools-26. There are several tools listed to help make cost-based decisions, including economics, grazing management and crop production.

Just remember: this is temporary. The conditions that we are currently facing won’t last forever. The northern Great Plains environment is challenging, and drought is part of the climate.

As a reflection of the optimism that cattle producers have across the state, North Dakota increased cow numbers in 2025 by 21,000 head and added 6,000 in replacement heifers.

Knowing that we will face dry weather from time to time, we have to manage during the good times to make it through the bad.

(James Rogers is a North Dakota State University Extension forage crops production specialist at the North Central Research Extension Center near Minot, North Dakota.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Aug. 25, 2026

Source: James Rogers, 701-857-7682, james.rogers.1@ndsu.edu

Source: Miranda Meehan, 701-219-9251, miranda.meehan@ndsu.edu

Source: Lacey Quail, 701-831-0414, lacey.quail@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu