Other ranches are adopting new irrigation practices to boost efficiency. This change would help them use their water more efficiently and improve pasture quality, particularly in drier, semi-arid areas. In addition to contributing in important ways to extending often limited water allocations, these methodologies save labor to be used on other critical jobs. Ranchers are already adapting to precision ranching technologies such as soil moisture sensors and apps that track weather patterns. This saves water that would otherwise be lost and enhances their operational efficiency.
In an extraordinary feat, one participating ranch cut its water usage by almost 30 percent. That was all within one short season of adopting these new strategies and tactics. Ranchers are concerned about the impacts of drought and the loss of water availability during dry months. Now, implementing these types of systems has grown more critical than ever to their survival. The need for innovative, efficient water management practices has never been more urgent. Now, as climate change brings erratic weather patterns to much of the country, heavy downpours leave fields with saturated soils and excess runoff.
Enhanced Operational Efficiency
By deploying new smart, connected irrigation systems, ranching operations can use labor more efficiently. And with traditional irrigation methods often requiring considerable manual monitoring, many of these new technologies essentially automate the process. This subfactor productivity-enhancing automation allows these workers to move on to more value-added tasks, again raising aggregate productivity levels.
These systems don’t just reduce agricultural pollution by making irrigation practices more efficient, they better the state of pastures during drought periods. When water is an expensive or limited resource, efficient use of water resources can help ranchers promote healthier pasture conditions even during dry years. Restoring pasture health is key to increasing forage quality and quantity and improving livestock nutrition. This in turn increases growth rates and minimizes the need for costly supplemental feed purchases.
These techniques aid ranches in adapting to the vagaries that come with seasonal variability in climate patterns. Ranchers can’t know what the weather will be like one year to the next, so dynamic irrigation practices are increasingly necessary. Smart irrigation technologies provide ranchers with up-to-the-minute information. This knowledge gives them the confidence to make changes to their practices based on real-time changes in weather and soil moisture.
Addressing Water Scarcity
Water shortage is still an urgent issue for many ranchers, particularly in the west’s semi-arid climate, where precipitation can be scattered and unpredictable. The new irrigation practices being embraced successfully meet that challenge. By using soil sensors to monitor moisture levels, ranchers can apply water precisely where and when it is needed, significantly reducing waste.
Technology and strategic planning have come together to stretch available water allocations to the limit. Many operations are currently carrying their available water resources farther than they ever dreamed possible. By adjusting irrigation schedules and volumes based on accurate data, ranchers can ensure optimal pasture health without overusing their limited resources. This land and water-saving approach improves ranch resilience during extended dry spells, as well.
Additionally, reducing overdependence on expensive supplemental feed purchases is another core economic advantage for these ranching operations. By keeping their pastures healthy and irrigated, ranchers can dramatically reduce their feed costs. Maintaining a year-long rotation gives their livestock the highest quality nutrition available based on season and availability.
Navigating Unpredictable Weather
The unpredictability of changing weather patterns only adds to the challenge of managing a scarce resource for ranchers. Intense and unpredictable rains can quickly saturate soils, increasing runoff and erosion that can further degrade precious and often-scarce water resources. By integrating advanced weather-tracking software into their irrigation systems, ranchers can better anticipate these changes and adjust their practices accordingly.
These technological innovations help give ranchers the foresight needed to respond to dangerous and unpredictable weather events before they happen. For example, they can quickly turn down irrigation in advance of a forecasted rainstorm to prevent creating runoff and over-saturated soil. This proactive approach saves water and keeps pasture land healthy and intact.
With seasonal shifts in agriculture and widespread labor shortages, the need to adapt and scale quickly is even more crucial. Ranchers are returning to the trail days in innovative ways that protect their history. This new integration provides them better visibility into their resources. That knowledge is critical to figuring out the best investments we can make to help our communities be more sustainable.
