Irrigating pastures can provide livestock with nutrition long into summer. Learn to monitor soil moisture to determine when to irrigate and how much water to apply.
When normal range livestock water supplies are reduced, the results can be poor livestock performance and range damage due to both overuse and underuse. Learn to make the best use of available water.
Excessive summer irrigation of oak and madrone trees may promote fungal diseases such as the oak root fungus (aka armillaria root disease) and crown rot.
Inadequate water intake by beef cattle can limit growth and production, which can translate to narrower profit margins for producers. That's why it's important to understand water nutrition and quality for beef cattle.