Annual Forage Calendar for Ranches

A forage calendar lays out your year on one page: when grass grows, when it stops, and what the cattle need in between. It shows gaps while there is still time to fill them.

Key points

A forage calendar puts grass supply and cattle needs on one page.
Start with the calving, breeding and weaning dates.
Mark when your forages grow and when gaps usually appear.
List options and their costs for each gap.
Update it each year with notes on what happened.

What a forage calendar does

The calendar puts feed supply and herd needs side by side, month by month. You can see when pasture is plentiful, when it fades and when you will lean on hay or supplement. It also shows when work such as fertilizing, weed control and stockpiling needs to happen.

It works best as a living document that you update every year.

Many ranchers pin theirs to a wall or keep it in a binder, with a copy in the truck and the barn.

Start with the cattle year

Mark calving, breeding, weaning and any sale dates. The cow-calf year is built around one calf per cow per year, and the cow's needs change through it: highest after calving, lower in mid-gestation, then rising again before the next calf.

Add other groups such as replacement heifers, bulls and stockers if you have them.

Cows with calves at side need the most feed, so line up your best grass or hay with that period if you can.

Add the grass

Mark when each forage type grows in your area: cool-season grass, warm-season grass, legumes and any annual or cover crop. Growth timing depends on climate, so use local knowledge and ask your extension office.

Note the periods you usually find thin:

Local knowledge is the best guide. Older neighbors and extension agents know when grass starts and stops in your area.

Early spring, before grass has started to grow
Mid-summer slump for cool-season grasses
Late fall and winter, when grass is dormant
Dry spells that can cut growth in any season

Fill the gaps

For each gap, list options: stockpiled forage, hay, a different species for the slump, annual forages, crop residue or purchased feed. Weigh the cost and labor of each, and when you would have to act.

Calving timing can be moved to match grass, and some producers adjust it to the forage they have. That is a big decision, so talk it through with your advisers before changing.

Do not forget water. Ponds and tanks may dry or freeze at predictable times, and the calendar should show when you will check them. Write the cost and time needed for each option beside it so that you can compare them quickly when the pinch comes.

Add the work calendar

Mark soil sampling, fertilizer, weed control, fence repair, pasture rest, hay cutting and equipment service. Planning them ahead keeps them from piling up on top of calving or gathering.

Include safety tasks too: check tractors, ATVs, fuel and chemical storage and electric fence before the busy season. Follow manufacturer, OSHA and extension guidance.

Leave some slack in the schedule for weather. A plan that works only if everything goes right will not work.

Review and adjust every year

At year end, compare what happened with the calendar. Which months did you run short? Which pastures did better or worse than expected? Write notes right on the calendar so next year's version is better.

Weather will break the plan sometimes, and that is normal. Having the calendar means you notice earlier and have more choices.

Ask a friend or an extension agent to look over your calendar once a year. A fresh pair of eyes catches gaps you have stopped seeing. Keep old calendars so that you can see how many years a certain problem has repeated, which is often the best case for making a change.

Common mistakes and what to ask

Frequent mistakes are building a calendar once and never updating it, using someone else's climate, ignoring labor, and forgetting that cattle needs change by season. Ask your extension office and NRCS conservationist what grows when in your area, and ask your nutritionist when the cattle will need supplement. Your lender can help plan the cash flow that goes with each season's feed needs.

Keep it simple enough that you will actually use it. A plain page you update beats a fancy one you never open.

Share it with anyone who helps on the ranch, so that everyone knows what is coming and when.

When to get help: Ask your extension office or NRCS conservationist for local growth patterns and forage options, a nutritionist for supplement timing, and your lender about seasonal cash flow.

Sources and further reading

Organization homepages are linked so you can search them for current guidance on this topic.

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