OMAHA (DTN) -- A stretch of extremely hot and dry weather is forecast for the Northern Plains this week, threatening to deepen drought conditions across the region. Because of this, livestock producers should consider supplemental forage for their herds, North Dakota State University Extension specialists say.

North Dakota grasslands are dominated by cool-season grasses, with roughly 80% of forage growth fueled by spring precipitation from April through June. That timing matters. Even producers who received normal to above-normal moisture this spring may still see reduced forage production, because much of that rain fell after cool-season forages had already reached their seedhead stage -- too late to meaningfully boost yields.

Once the grasses produce a seed head, there is limited potential for the plant to produce additional biomass. If plants were grazed in the vegetative stage, there is still potential for regrowth with recent precipitation.

Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist, said in a news release that forage producers who have grass pastures should expect to see at least a 25% reduction in production, regardless of where they are in the state.

"In the southwest, southeast and west-central regions, tame grass production will be 50% at best," said Meehan.

In certain regions, some producers may not have adequate production to even justify haying, she said.

Recent rains may benefit native rangeland, as some grass species were in the vegetive stage.

Producers in much of the state should expect 70% to 80% of normal production on native pastures. In the southwest, west-central and potentially southeastern parts of the state, forage production will be 50% of normal at best.

This reduction in forage production will shorten the grazing season, necessitating its end by mid- to late-summer unless livestock is destocked, according to Kevin Sedivec, NDSU Extension rangeland management specialist. To account for the deficit in forage production, producers will need to adjust their management plans to provide supplemental forage and/or reduce their herds' forage requirements.

"If you have a rotational grazing system in place, this negative impact could be much less," Sedivec said.

Annual forages could be a source of additional livestock feed if adequate moisture occurs to support growth. At this point in the growing season, the best options for hay are warm-season grasses.

"We recommend foxtail millet, if available, using Siberian millet to the west and German millet in the central and eastern regions," Meehan said.

The next best option is sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass. However, there is a higher potential for prussic acid toxicity under stress.

If the intent is to establish annual forage for grazing, both Meehan and Sedivec recommend planting a diverse cover crop mix that includes both cool-season and warm-season species.

"This will increase the chances of establishment and reduce the overall risk of a total crop failure," Sedivec said. "A diverse cover crop will also have the potential to produce a higher-quality forage with lower risk of toxicity."

In some areas, drought has adversely affected crops, resulting in thin stands or potentially low yields. If crops are not harvestable, there may be the opportunity to use them for hay or grazing. Caution is required, as drought-stressed crops can be toxic.

For more information on feeding livestock drought-stressed forages, refer to the NDSU publication "Managing Stressed or Damaged Crops for Livestock Feed" here: https://www.ndsu.edu/….

The most common toxicity is nitrate toxicity, which is common in most small grains and corn. Failed crops should be tested for nitrates before feeding to livestock.

For more information on nitrate toxicity, refer to the NDSU Extension publication "Nitrate Poisoning in Livestock" here: https://www.ndsu.edu/….

Given the severity of this drought in many areas, producers will likely need to combine these strategies while reducing stocking rates through culling and/or early weaning. Producers should visit with a local NDSU Extension agent to develop strategies to reduce livestock forage demand.

DTN wrote about the issue of annual forages in May of 2026: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Other sources of annual forage information are available from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension here: https://cropsandsoils.extension.wisc.edu/…, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension here: https://beef.unl.edu/….

Russ Quinn can be reached at Russ.Quinn@dtn.com

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