Drought & Forage Management

This Web site offers a compilation of drought-related forage management information written by crop experts from throughout the U.S. Corn Belt. The articles are organized by subject area. You can either scroll down the page to locate an area of interest or click on the list below to "jump" quickly to the topic area.

Purdue Animal Science Extension specialists also have a Web site devoted to drought and livestock issues located at https://ag.purdue.edu/ansc/Pages/Drought.aspx. Check out the information at that site for more forage-related topics.

Also check out Purdue's Forage Information Web site at http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forages for more information related to forage management.

Because this and the other drought-related crops pages may be updated frequently during times of drought, please "refresh" or "reload" your Web browser to force an update to the most current version.

When in doubt about the applicability of the information to your geographic area of the country, please contact the author(s) of the articles or consult with your own university Extension specialists.

URL verifiedThese links were last verified July 2012. The dates in parentheses following the publication titles refer to the year of publication. Please send comments or dead link alerts to R.L. (Bob) Nielsen (rnielsen at purdue.edu).


General forage or pasture management

Alfalfa management considerations in a drought (2012)
Ohio State Univ
Considering Your Grazing, Haying, and Silage Options for Herbicide-treated Corn and Soybean (2012)
Univ of Missouri
Drought and Residue Harvest through Grazing or Baling (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Drought Management to Get Through the Crisis (2007)
North Carolina State University
Forage harvest and re-crop considerations following these drought conditions (2012)
Univ of Wisconsin
Getting the Most from Drought Stressed Forages (2012)
Univ of Wisconsin
Management Tips for Drought-stressed Forages (2012
Iowa State Univ.
Managing alfalfa during drought (2009)
New Mexico State University
Managing Small Acreage Pastures During and After Drought (2003)
Colorado State Univ
Managing the Forage Shortage (2012)
Purdue Univ (Indiana)
Seedling Alfalfa Management During Drought (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Tips for Grazing Drought-Stressed Standing Corn (2012)
Univ of Nebraska

Silage issues

Chopping Soybean for Silage (2007)
Ohio State University
Corn Silage Value Calculator: An Excel™ Worksheet (2012)
Purdue Univ
Consider Herbicide Restrictions with Drought-Damaged Corn or Soybeans (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Consider Nutrient Removal and Ground Cover Costs When Harvesting Corn for Silage (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Determining a Value for Corn Silage (2012)
Purdue Univ.
Determining the Value of Drought-Stressed Corn (FS-483) (2000)
University of Maryland
Drought-Stressed Corn for Silage (2007)
Ohio State University
Estimating Preharvest Silage Yields (2009)
Ohio State University
Feeding Value and Pricing Drought-Stressed Corn Silage (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Harvesting and Feeding Drought-Stressed Corn (FS-433) (1992)
University of Maryland
Harvesting Corn for Silage under Drought Conditions (2005)
University of Kentucky
Harvesting drought-damaged corn for silage (2012)
Michigan State Univ
Making Silage from Drought-Damaged Corn (2012)
Univ of Missouri
Making Silage out of Dry Corn (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Management of Drought-Stressed Corn for Silage (2007)
Univ of Delaware
Managing Drought-Stressed Corn for Silage(1988)
University of Florida
Pre-harvest Intervals of Fungicide Applications for Crops Cut for Silage/Forage (2012)
Purdue Univ
Salvaging Soybeans as Hay or Silage (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Should You Hay or Cut Silage from Drought-Damaged Corn Fields? (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Take Precautions When Feeding Drought-Damaged Corn as Silage (2012)
Iowa State Univ
The Use and Pricing of Drought-Stressed Corn (2008)
Univ of Nebraska
Using Drought-Stressed Corn for Forage (2006)
University of Minnesota

Alternative feeds & feeding strategies

Considerations for Late Summer-planted Forage Crops (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Double Cropping for Forage Crop Production: How Much Soil Water is Needed Before you Sow? (2012)
Univ of Nebraska
Considerations for harvesting drought-stressed corn (2012)
Univ of Kentucky
Diverse Crops Provide Opportunity Following Corn Forage Harvest (2012)
Purdue Univ
Warm-season grass as a livestock feed during the drought (2012)
Michigan State Univ
Feeding Corn Stover to Ruminants (2007)
Ohio State University
Alternative Feeds for Cattle During a Drought (2009)
Colorado State Univ
Alternative Feeding Strategies for Cows and Calves Due to Drought Related Forage Shortages (2012)
Colorado State Univ
Drought Feeding Strategies (1998)
Clemson University (South Carolina)
Corn Stalks and Drought-Damaged Corn Hay as Emergency Feed for Beef Cattle (2007)
North Carolina State University
Culling the Cow Herd in Drought Situations (2007)
North Carolina State University
Current Status of Recycled Poultry Bedding(Poultry Litter) Feeding Regulations (2007)
North Carolina State University
Ten-point Plan for Winter Feeding Beef Cows (2007)
North Carolina State University
Feeding Potato Processing Wastes and Culls to Cattle (2007)
Ohio State University
Wheat Middlings - Another Alternative (2007)
Ohio State University
Feeding Whole Soybeans to Feedlot Cattle (2007)
Ohio State University
Feeding Options for Cattle Producers During A Summer Drought (2007)
Ohio State University
Nutritional Strategies for Receiving and Feeding Early-Weaned Calves (2007)
Ohio State University
Limit-Feeding Cows on a Corn-Based Diet (2007)
Ohio State University
Coping With a Short Forage Supply (2007)
Purdue University (Indiana)
Some Options for Supplementing Inadequate Forage Supply (2007)
Purdue University (Indiana)
Beef Cattle Management Alternatives for Coping with Short Pasture (2002)
Purdue University (Indiana)
Drought-Damaged Corn as Livestock Feed (2007)
Purdue University (Indiana)
Considerations for S T R E T C H I N G Forage Supplies (1996)
Purdue University (Indiana)
Producing Emergency or Supplemental Forage for Livestock (1988)
Purdue University (Indiana)
Incorporating High Nitrate Feeds Into Feeding Programs (2002)
South Dakota State Univ
Harvesting and Feeding Drought-Stressed Corn (2002)
South Dakota State Univ
Evaluating Hay Quality (FS-644)
University of Maryland

Utilizing soybean as forage

Harvesting drought-stressed soybeans for forage (2012)
Michigan State Univ
Harvesting Soybeans for Hay? Consider Prior Use of Chemicals (2007)
North Carolina State University
Soybeans as forage for grazing, hay or silage (2007)
North Carolina State University
Considerations When Using Soybeans as a Forage (1996)
Purdue University (Indiana)
Drought Damaged Soybean for Hay or Silage (2012)
Univ of Missouri

Production economics & tax management

Coping with Drought: Evaluating the Economics of Livestock Producers’ Options (2007)
North Carolina State University
Donation of Hay, a Charitable Tax Deduction? (2007)
North Carolina State University
Income Tax Issues of Weather-Related Sales of Livestock (2007)
North Carolina State University

Nitrate & prussic acid poisoning issues

Beware of Nitrates (2012)
Colorado State Univ
Nitrate-N distribution within drought-stressed corn plants (2012)
Michigan State Univ
Where to test forages for nitrates (2012)
Ohio State Univ
Nitrate accumulation in drought-stressed corn (2012)
Michigan State Univ.
Nitrate analysis is important for drought-stressed corn plants destined for forage (2012)
Purdue Univ (Indiana)
VIDEO: Instructions on Conducting a Quick Nitrate Toxicity Test (2012)
Purdue Univ
Animal Considerations for Nitrate Toxicity When Using Whole Plant Corn as a Feed (2012)
Purdue Univ
Nitrate toxicity in drought-stressed corn (2012)
Kansas State Univ
Nitrate Levels in Drought Damaged Forages (2012)
Univ of Kentucky
Guidelines for Nitrate Testing and Silage Options (2012)
Univ of Kentucky
Nitrate Poisoning (2011)
Colorado State Univ
Strategies to Minimize Nitrate Levels in Stressed Corn (2012)
Colorado State Univ
Common Poisoning Problems Under Drought Conditions (1998)
Clemson University (South Carolina)
Nitrate accumulation in drought stressed corn and forages: sampling and testing
Michigan State University
Mold and Mycotoxin Issues in Dairy Cattle: Effects, Prevention and Treatment (2007)
North Carolina State University
Nitrate Management in Beef Cattle (2007)
North Carolina State University
Evaluating Potential for Nitrate Problems in Corn (2007)
Ohio State University
Forage Nitrate Testing and Making Feeding Recommendations Based on the Results (2007)
Purdue University (Indiana)
Minimizing the Prussic Acid Poisoning Hazard in Forages (1983)
Purdue University (Indiana)
Forage Nitrate Poisoning (2011)
South Dakota State Univ
Nitrate Poisoning of Livestock (FS-426)
University of Maryland
Prussic Acid Poisoning of Livestock (FS-427)
University of Maryland

Aflatoxin and other mycotoxin issues

See "diseases & mycotoxin management" section of Row Crop page

Other drought information resources

Managing the Forage Shortage
A Purdue Univ Web site offering resources to help producers get through the winter on low forage resources.
Forage Finder
Purdue Univ.; an online tool to locate or offer sources of forage in times of need.
Beef Cattle and Forage Drought Information (2012)
Ohio State Univ
Drought survival guide for using drought-stricken corn for silage (2012)
Pennsylvania State University
Hay Net
USDA-Farm Services Agency developed this website for producers to list information concerning the need for hay or the availability of hay.
Coping with Drought
A comprehensive listing of on-line drought-related information available from North Dakota State University.
Agricultural Drought Task Force
Texas A&M Univ