To successfully manage in the face of drought, a producer needs to know how drought will affect plants, livestock, and management practices. Perennial pasture The management of a perennial pasture, both native range and tame pasture, is different than that of annuals. Perennial pasture offers some protection against the variation in production of annual plants. Past grazing practices have a large bearing on what happens to a perennial pasture during a drought. Moderate use develops deep rooted forage plants.
Heavy use develops plants with shallow roots.
Forage production dramatically decreases during a drought, and the shallow rooted plants are affected sooner and to a greater degree than the more deeply rooted ones. Moderate use may be indicated by the amount of carry over or litter left at the end of the grazing season. Rules of thumb indicate leaving approximately 50 per cent of the current growth for native range and approximately 25 per cent of the current growth for tame pastures, for proper use under continuous grazing system. Research has shown that litter reduces the soil surface temperature and therefore reduces evaporation. Although litter is low in nutrients and has low palatability, it can be used by livestock when forage is limited.