Drought is back in much of cattle country. That has lots of implications, not the least of which is what calves will be worth this fall.
Here we go again, staring another drought in the face. And a quick look at the drought monitor map shows that the worst of the drought is in parts of the Southern Plains that have already seen its share of wildfires.
Friends from the Texas Panhandle, my long-time former home, say it’s been four months since they’ve seen any measurable moisture. While that seems to be the epicenter, a big chunk of the Great Plains, the West, Southwest and Southeast are in varying stages of drought.
That has a lot of implications; some yet to come, like wildfires, and others more recent, like increased movement of calves off wheat pasture and into feedyards.
For today’s purpose, let’s look at the cattle on feed implications. But it’s worth noting, for those of you looking at another dry spring and summer, that having a drought plan will help you deal with the inevitable and gut-wrenching decisions you may well have to make in the coming months.
READ: Spring weather could remain dry for much of the U.S.
According to the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC), it its most recent Livestock Monitor,