Grazing Alternatives in the Face of Declining Groundwater: A Case from the Southern High Plains of Texas

Abstract

In the Southern High Plains of Texas, current agricultural production primarily consists of cotton and grain production. However, with the depletion of the Ogallala aquifer and rising energy costs, other production systems are being considered. This study analyzed grazing scenarios with stocker steers grazing WW-B. Dahl bluestem pastures. The economic analysis included net returns from gain of grazing steers as a function of irrigation and fertilizer.  The highest returns were obtained when nitrogen fertilizer was applied on dryland WW-B. Dahl pasture.