In the past three weeks I've actually been working in Malaysia. The work was a great opportunity to see tropical agriculture. After three weeks working in tropical conditions, in and around palm and rubber plantations, coming home to the dry of northern NSW was a big visual shock.
This shock got me thinking. Drought conditions can quickly become a feature of what we see, particularly this current season. We become so used to see the brown colours and the dry feed, we don't always move as quickly on drought planning as we should.
There is no doubt, Northern NSW is now under drought conditions. However I reckon many people have become so used to seeing the dry conditions over the last few months, they haven't adjusted their plans from a dry season to drought management.
Successful drought management is based on good planning. Plans need to be based on a realistic assessment of:
How much feed do you now have in your paddocks?
How many head of livestock do you have?
What is the production status of those livestock?
How much water is in your dams, or reserves?
What is the quality of that water?
The next questions need to be asked and answered honestly.
What will change if there is no rain in 4 weeks? What about in 6 weeks? What about in 12 weeks?
Finally, if it rains within the next 3 - 4 weeks will you actually get useful feed or water supplies?
These questions are the basis of all successful drought management plans. They provide the information that can help make effective and realistic short, medium and long term plans for your enterprise.
I reckon when you ask these questions, you can start to then identify some options. If you don't have enough paddock feed, what animals should you be selling first? Which are the high value animals and which are the ones which you shouldn't keep in the enterprise.
How good is your water? Water is a huge limitation to grazing programs. Cattle need up to 150lts of water a day, depending on their size, their production status and the temperature around them. Its almost impossible to truck enough water every day. Its better to realise this early and plan accordingly, rather than leave it too late.
Are your cattle wading into dames, fouling the water and wasting this resource? Can you put a temporary fence and trough system in place? These are all questions which you need to answer earlier rather than later.
Some other useful tips for droughts:
De-stock early to manage feed and to prevent long term destruction of your paddocks. When it does rain you want the pasture to come back quickly
Identify which cows to sell first. Older and non pregnant animals should be the first to go
Consider options to value add steers or cows to get them to weight and fatness to sell quickly. Weigh up this option as it sometimes works well for producers early in a drought
Review your finances and talk to your bank and accountant
Consider early weaning
Temporary electric fencing to divide paddocks helps manage grazing pressure and allow plants some recovery which is important
I reckon the two most important things producers need to remember is:
1) Make a plan and stick to it! Don't wait of become victim of the "what if" scenario. When you work on the "what if" it becomes an excuse not to be proactive. People who work to the "what if it rains next week" keep putting off decisions and never recover from a drought.
2) Seek advice and second opinions. When you look at your paddocks and cattle every day you get so used to what you see. Get someone you trust to look at your plan and help you stick to the plan.
By doing this, I reckon you can manage a drought with more confidence than by waiting on a "what if.."