Oklahoma Farm Report masthead graphic with wheat on the left and cattle on the right.
Howdy Neighbors!
Ron Hays, Director of Farm and Ranch Programming, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network  |  2401 Exchange Ave, Suite F, Oklahoma City, Ok 73108  |  (405) 601-9211

advertisements
   
   
   
   
   

Agricultural News


Drought Weighing on Summer Cattle Markets

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 12:10:29 CDT

Drought Weighing on Summer Cattle Markets Mondays, Dr. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, offers his economic analysis of the beef cattle industry. This analysis is a part of the weekly series known as the "Cow Calf Corner" published electronically by Dr. Peel and Mark Johnson. Today, Dr. Peel talks about how the cattle markets have been impacted by the drought.

Drought advanced rapidly across Oklahoma in July. At the end of June, the Drought Monitor showed that 30.76 percent of the state was in some stage of drought (D1-D4) with another 15.15 percent abnormally dry (D0). Four weeks later, the July 26 Drought Monitor map showed that 100 percent of the state was dry with 99.81 percent in some stage of drought. In fact, 92.11 percent of the state was Severe drought (D2) or worse. The northern one-third of Oklahoma received good rains of up to three inches in the last week. This will briefly push back drought conditions in that region, but triple digit temperatures are forecast to return in August and little follow-up rain is in the forecast as far as forecasts reach into the first half of August. Cattle producers will continue to face tough decisions in the coming weeks.


Rapidly advancing drought conditions in July pushed Oklahoma auction volumes higher as more cows were culled and increased feeder cattle numbers indicated early weaning of calves and early marketings of summer grazing cattle. Calf prices dropped into July as increased volumes of early weaned calves accelerated seasonal price pressure. Calf prices recovered somewhat the last week of July as cattle markets generally firmed up. Large seasonal supplies of heavy feeder cattle were also likely augmented by drought-forced movement of cattle off summer grazing programs though heavy feeder prices are seasonally higher through the summer.


The July volume of slaughter cows and bulls was more than double last year in Oklahoma auctions. The cull cow market was overwhelmed with prices sharply lower. In Oklahoma City, boning cow prices decreased from $89.51/cwt. the last week of June to an average of $66.70/cwt. the last two weeks of July. Around the region, boning cow prices were similarly lower from Kansas south through Texas. Cull cow prices generally decreased around the country in July with the sharpest decreases in the central and southern plains. In some markets, cull cow prices recovered slightly the last week of July.


Nationally, beef cow slaughter continued a double-digit pace in July. Beef cow slaughter through mid-July is up 14.1 percent year over year for the year to date. Year over year percent increases in beef cow slaughter may be smaller in the last part of year (compared to increased slaughter last year). However, beef cow slaughter would have to drop to a level less than six percent higher year over year for the remainder of the year before the annual beef cow slaughter would not be double-digit higher for the entire year. Heifer slaughter, which represents decisions several months ago about reduced heifer retention, is up 3.9 percent year over year so far this year. The July 1 inventory of heifers in feedlots was up 2.9 percent over last year and confirms that heifers continue to be diverted into feeder channels rather being retained for breeding. The mid-year cattle inventory showed that the beef cow herd was down 2.4 percent year over year and the inventory of beef replacement heifers was down 3.5 percent from last year. The beef industry is poised to see the largest single year beef cow herd decrease in more than 35 years.       



   

 

WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI

 


Top Agricultural News

  • Oklahoma Youth Expo Sale of Champions Sale Order Available Here- Sale Set for 4 PM Friday  Fri, 17 Mar 2023 04:50:54 CDT
  • Rural Voters Dominated Vote to Defeat Recreational Marijuana March 7th  Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:13:05 CST
  • Ron Hays Talks to Israeli Ag Tour Guide Colin Lotzof About the Miraclel of Ag in Israel  Wed, 22 Feb 2023 22:11:04 CST
  • OALP Members Experience First Hand View of Cutting Edge Drip Irrigation Technology as Israel Travel Ends  Wed, 22 Feb 2023 10:51:49 CST
  • OALP Members Get First Hand View of Cutting Edge Drip Irrigation Technology as Israel Travel Ends  Wed, 22 Feb 2023 10:50:10 CST
  • Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Sees Fruit, Beef and Dairy Production North of the Sea of Galilee in Israel  Mon, 20 Feb 2023 21:56:02 CST
  • Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Sees Diverse Farm Operations in Jordan River Valley of Israel  Sun, 19 Feb 2023 21:17:30 CST
  • Israeli Tour Guide Mark Kedem Talks About The Cultural Aspects of What Class XX of OALP is Experiencing   Sat, 18 Feb 2023 22:17:23 CST

  • More Headlines...

       

    Ron salutes our daily email sponsors!

    Oklahoma Beef council Oklahoma Ag Credit Oklahoma Farm Bureau National Livestock Credit Ag Mediation Program P&K Equipment Oklahoma City Farm Show Union Mutual Stillwater Milling Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association KIS FUTURES, INC.
       
       
       
       
       

    Search OklahomaFarmReport.com

    © 2008-2024 Oklahoma Farm Report
    Email Ron   |   Newsletter Signup   |    Current Spots   |    Program Links

    WebReady powered by WireReady® Inc.