REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- Pasture conditions in the Southeast U.S. have been variable throughout the second half of 2024, with some areas dealing with extreme drought conditions and others dealing with the leftover devastation of Hurricane Helene.
"Next year will be better," said southwest Georgia cattleman Phil Moshell. "Isn't that what we always say?"
Moshell said spring moisture helped them get hay made early on, but the rains didn't come throughout the summer. In July and August, his area received 0.2 inches of rain. September saw 16 inches of rain, and while they weren't directly affected by Hurricane Helene, some of the rain could have been residual from the storm.
PESTS, WEATHER HIT CATTLE PRODUCTION
Besides drought conditions, Moshell dealt with the worst armyworm invasion on his farm that he's ever seen. "They ate almost every blade of grass we had and cut down our hay production by one-third," he explained. "I'll have enough hay for my herd, but what inventory I would usually sell is just not there this year."
DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick said a lot of variability occurred in the weather throughout 2024 across the Southeast region. "Heavy rain, flooding, drought, severe weather and hurricanes all combined to make a mess of most of the region. The hurricanes were especially destructive, but did bring through needed rainfall to a lot of the region. If not for all the tropical activity, the region's soil moisture would be in much worse shape heading into winter," he said.
DROUGHT PERSISTS ACROSS THE REGION
Scattered drought spots continue across the region. Every state has some pockets of drought, though Kentucky has been much better off than the other states. "Still, it's a tenuous soil moisture profile throughout the region, one that will depend on timely rain over the winter and early spring to set off forages in good shape," Baranick explained.
The building La Nina tends to leave much of this region warm and dry, especially the south. However, La Nina will be weak through the winter and won't have a big influence on the weather pattern. Baranick said there could be some more variable conditions that could put through timely rains from systems. Snow could be seen if bursts of cold temperatures line up with some of the storm systems. "I would still favor northern areas of the region with better conditions heading into spring than the south," he concluded.
As for Moshell, he's optimistic about the coming year and said the winter moisture is needed to get a good start on spring forages. "I'm cutting back the herd. Not because of drought, but because of the amount of labor it takes to run the herd," he explained. "I'm 76, and it's time to have fewer cows. Plus, the cattle market is the bright spot for agriculture right now."
Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com
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