By James Rogers, Forage crops production specialist

NDSU Extension

Several years ago, I wrote a column with the same headline. Weather conditions at that time were ideal, with favorable soil moisture and temperatures. Spring was in the air. Optimism for the coming spring and growing season was high.

This year, my feeling is a little different. While I have been in North Dakota a short time — March 1 marked my four-year anniversary in the state — I know that this winter was unusual. A grower told me shortly after I came to North Dakota that this country needs snow. While parts of the state saw significant snowfall, the winter has been mostly open. I do look forward to spring, warmer temperatures and a new growing season, but I am apprehensive about how good this growing season will be.

North Dakota State University Extension just released an excellent news release written by Miranda Meehan, livestock environmental stewardship specialist, and Kevin Sedivec, rangeland management specialist, on the upcoming grazing and haying season (ndsu.ag/grazingoutlook26). In this release, they provide several scenarios based on moisture received during the fall and spring, as well as the effect of grazing intensity during the fall of 2025 on 2026 forage production.

If we do experience a year with below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures, are you prepared? A large emphasis on the 2026 forage production outlook is placed on fall 2025 grazing management. If there are pasture and range areas that were grazed the previous fall to the point that developing tillers were consumed and limited leaf area remained before frost, these areas should be rested this spring to allow for plant recovery. Being prepared for unfavorable growing conditions is a management strategy for every year.

Texas famously experienced drought conditions from 1949 to 1954. A summary of conditions affecting the recovery, “The Effect of the 1949-1954 Drought on the Ranges of Texas” by Vernon A. Young, was published in 1956. The following is a quote from their summary:

“In general, ranges that were properly managed before and during the drought came through in fair to good condition; overstocked ranges were severely damaged and subsequent recovery has been limited. Thus ranchmen have evidence for the need for carrying out proper management practices year after year, not only to meet drought periods, but to build an economic unit by capitalizing on the years of favorable moisture. Thus the old rule still prevails that close grazing does not pay.”

These words from 70 years ago are still true today.

Are you prepared? As we move into spring, look back on past grazing management and anticipate how that will affect forage production moving forward. There are several monitoring tools and information sources available that can help refine how this year is shaping up: NDSU Extension, North Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service, North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network, National Drought Mitigation Center (home of the U.S. Drought Monitor), and Climate Prediction Center. Burn restrictions and fire danger maps can be found at ndresponse.gov.  

Unfavorable growing conditions this year can create plant stresses, leading to concerns about forage antiquality factors that need to be addressed. Nitrate can accumulate in plants that undergo periods of rapid growth followed by slow growth. Dry weather conditions can increase the risk for prussic acid accumulation in sorghums. Be aware of the potential for these conditions to develop, and test as needed. Monitor animal health and body condition during tough grazing times. Have a dry-weather response plan in place that includes a well-thought-out destocking plan if necessary.

Extended dry weather conditions can reduce plant vigor, leading to plant death. This often results in desirable plants being replaced by less desirable ones, such as an increase in Kentucky bluegrass. Practice good grazing management year in and year out to maintain healthy plants and healthy root systems, so when we do encounter dry years, the grazing resource is preserved. 

Springtime is go time: cows calving, breeding season underway, crops being planted and cattle being turned onto grass. Hopefully, we will experience knee-high grass with abundant water resources in 2026. Even if we do, it still pays to practice good grazing management as insurance for those years when we don’t.

(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 – March 26, 2026

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

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