Agricultural News
Could the Lack of Lightweight Cattle in Latest Cattle on Feed Mean a Hole in the Supply of Cattle Early This Summer?
Tue, 01 Mar 2016 14:25:56
One of the numbers in the most recent cattle on feed report seemed a little "off" to me. The overall placement number seemed okay, but the number of lightweight cattle was well under what you would expect a month to month report would show- the placements of calves under 600 pounds was down seventeen percent from a year ago in the February first cattle on feed report. And it was not just me- in talking with Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel, that number stuck out to him as well.
Ron Hays(that's the me) and Derrell Peel look at that number in today's Beef Buzz. Peel tells us that it is not just well under the 2015 number- it is also well under the number for lightweight calves placed in January 2014 as well.
One of the possible explanations is that there is more good quality wheat pasture available this winter- and that younger animals are likely on wheat pasture instead of being pushed on into a feedlot. Peel adds that while the heavy weight placement number is a little higher than a year ago- but not like several months in 2015 when we saw much huge numbers in the 800 pound and heavier category.
Peel says that there are signs that we are back to what you might call a "normal" cattle market although "I'm not sure if we know what normal is at this point." Peel adds that the relationship across the cattle pipeline make more sense than they did at times in 2015.
Peel and Hays are talking these market related issues in this Beef Buzz. You can click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear this portion of a longer interview that they did this past Friday at the Texoma Cattlemen's Conference held in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network- but is also a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show- and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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