When drought forces tough decisions or expanding herds find themselves without pasture availability, drylotting beef cows may be an option to consider.

While producers can’t change the weather, they can adjust management practices to help cattle stay cooler and maintain productivity.

The list of traits that make a good commercial cow may vary some by producer. However, there are several fundamental things every producer should keep in mind when evaluating commercial cows.

While cost is the primary factor, there are several reasons to choose buying hay or growing it.

Understanding and managing forage quality is important for cow-calf and stocker operations that rely on forage as the main component of the diet.

It is most effective to have a drought plan in place before lack of rainfall becomes a problem.

Whether you’re managing a cow-calf herd or running stockers, fencing should be included in long-term planning – not just added when cattle are ready to graze.

With low snowpack levels across much of the western U.S., cattle producers should begin preparing now for the possibility of drought conditions in 2026.

With poor profitability projections on most row-crop budgets, planting summer annual forages and using forage mixes for grazing should be considered on marginal acres.

This article will focus on the factors that affect forage quality to help producers improve animal performance and produce better-quality hay, which can reduce or eliminate winter supplementation needs.