Wildfire can leave a ranching operation without forage, requiring a sudden and radical change in management to maintain animals immediately after the event.
Fortunately, the ruminant animal is resilient and can adapt to a wide range of diet composition and feeding management levels. David Lalman, Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle specialist, and Dana Zook, OSU Extension west district livestock specialist, suggest the stop-gap nutritional management strategies provided below. These alternatives are intended to minimize stress and weight loss in cases where standing forage or…