As drought conditions persist across Virginia, livestock and forage specialists urge cattle producers to take immediate steps to protect pastures, conserve feed resources, and plan for long-term impacts on herd management.

This information was covered at a recent emergency drought management webinar hosted by Virginia Cooperative Extension with the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association. View a recording of the webinar here.

“This is one of the most severe spring drought situations we’ve seen,” said John Currin, Virginia Cooperative Extension dairy and beef cattle specialist. “Producers need to step back, look at the whole system, and make decisions early before resources become critically short.”

Conserve forage

Meredith Hoggatt, Virginia Cooperative Extension agent in Montgomery County and a member of the Graze 300 team, emphasized that protecting existing pasture is critical during drought conditions.

“If you still have hay, feed it now and protect your pastures,” Hoggatt said. “This is not the time to overgraze.”

Hoggatt recommends using sacrifice areas for feeding, reducing hay waste through proper feeding systems, and carefully evaluating whether current forage stands justify the cost of harvesting hay. In some cases, grazing hay fields or clipping forage to encourage regrowth may make more economic sense than baling low-yield fields.

“There’s no single right answer when deciding whether to cut hay or wait for rain,” Hoggatt said.

Managed grazing systems, such as rotational or strip grazing, can also improve forage efficiency and help stretch limited pasture resources. Hoggatt noted that continuous grazing often utilizes only 30% to 40% of available forage, while managed systems can increase utilization to as much as 70% to 80%.

She also advised producers to delay herbicide and fertilizer applications during drought conditions, as stressed plants are less responsive and input costs are more likely to be wasted.

Make herd management decisions

Currin said producers may need to make difficult herd management decisions sooner rather than waiting until feed shortages become severe.

Recommendations include culling unproductive cows early, considering early weaning to reduce pasture demand, and carefully evaluating whether replacement heifers should be retained given the high cost of rebuilding herds in the future.

For producers aiming to maintain herd numbers, Currin recommends supplementing cattle diets with highly digestible fiber feeds — such as soybean hulls, distillers grains, wheat middlings, and corn gluten feed — rather than high-starch grains. These feeds can help maintain animal health while reducing grazing pressure on drought-stressed pastures.

Currin noted that strong cattle prices may justify higher feed costs for some operations.

“We’re in profitability levels that most people never imagined five years ago,” he said. “That changes the economics of supplementation.”

Seek local guidance

Drought management decisions vary widely depending on each farm’s forage supply, financial situation, labor availability, and long-term goals.

Impacted producers are encouraged to explore available USDA disaster assistance programs, including the Livestock Forage Disaster Program and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program. Many Virginia counties already qualify for assistance based on current drought classifications.

Producers should also work closely with local Virginia Cooperative Extension agents and neighboring farmers to evaluate options and develop management plans before conditions worsen.

While some rainfall is forecast in portions of the state, recovery will take time even after meaningful precipitation returns.

“We all hope rain is coming soon,” Hoggatt said. “But how we manage our pastures and cattle now will determine how well we recover later.”

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