Drought impacts land, animals, money and people.  In relatively minor droughts it usually has the greatest impact on the first three, but when times get really tough, it is the people drought hits hardest. 

Anytime I’m anywhere near North Platte, NE I make it a point to call up Marlene Moore.   In addition to being a Ranching For Profit School alum and a founding member of our Executive Link program, Marlene is a good friend.  We drove around the ranch several years ago when the region was deep in what Marlene referred to as a “300 year drought.” Marlene had completely destocked.  After visiting Marlene, I talked to another rancher a few miles away.  He asked if it was true that Marlene had destocked.  When I told him that she had, he responded with resignation, “Really?  Boy, I wish I could do that.”

Ranchers are often in denial about the severity of the situation, until all of the grass is gone. Even then it seems like many love their cows more than their grass.  When ranchers destock, they rarely destock severely enough.  If you only have half of your normal grass, you ought to destock down to half of your normal herd.  The abuse pastures suffer from overstocking during drought often results in a long term reduction in carrying capacity.

You can’t feed your way out of a drought.  As the drought continues the price of cattle drops and the price of feed goes up.  Even if it made short term economic sense to feed (which it doesn’t), the economic consequences of the long-term reduction in carrying capacity can be catastrophic.  If you knew that it was going to rain next week, next month, even next year, you might be able to make a case for feeding.  But we don’t know when the next soaking rains will come.  Most arguments for avoiding destocking center around wanting to preserve “special” genetics. But 9 times out of 10 the cost of maintaining those genetics on your ranch will lead you to the poor house. You can’t feed your way out of a drought. 

Too often we wait until we are in drought to think through our options.  The longer we wait, the fewer options we have.   Making matters worse, the emotions we experience in drought can be paralyzing.  This is why it is crucial to make a drought plan before things get dry.

Marlene and I took a tour around her ranch this summer.  With a big herd of healthy, rapidly growing heifers grazing belly deep in grass, I asked Marlene to talk about her experience with drought.  She said that by far the biggest impact of drought is emotional because your emotions “drive or inhibit everything else you do, whatever check you write out, whatever cattle you buy, whatever infrastructure you put in.” 

Looking at the Shamrock ranch today shows that making the right decisions during drought pays, especially when compared to ranches that remained overstocked.  Marlene’s experience reinforces that it isn’t the situation, but what you do about it that counts.

For a paper highlighting the Ranching For Profit drought principles <click here>.  To hear a brief conversation with Marlene Moore about the emotions of drought <click here>.