Farms.com Home   News

Drought-Busting Rain Means Bull Market for Cattle Producers

By C.J. Keene

After a few dry years, the states ag producers are finally getting some relief – but there’s still a hole to dig out of.

Visually, the difference in the cattle country landscape is striking year-over-year with far more green grass and full ponds across West River.

It’s in the data too. The latest drought monitor shows the best conditions in three years.

Stuart Schmidt owns the Cross-S Ranch near Keldron in Corson County. He said there’s more than just rain on his mind now.

“You gotta deal with other natural disasters like grasshoppers too," Schmidt said. "Some places have been very well off this year and other places not so well. We live on the Grand River, and it seemed like that was a hot spot for grasshoppers, so our hay production is down although we’ve had really good grass.”

Schmidt said producers are enjoying a friendly cattle market, but that’s being tamped by inflation.

“Right now, we’re seeing some close to record numbers as far as market prices for a lot of the cattle," Schmidt said. "However, there’s close to record prices for beef at the grocery stores. It’s all relative.”

Cattle prices are at a five-year high, well over 60 percent higher than the bottomed-out prices of 2020.

Schmidt said he wants consumers to consider locally produced beef as a more humane alternative to factory-farmed chicken or pork.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Dr. Levi Johnson: Advancing Swine Care | Ep. 96

Video: Dr. Levi Johnson: Advancing Swine Care | Ep. 96

In this continuation of "The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast," Dr. Levi Johnson explores the nuances of swine management, highlighting the critical importance of meticulous attention to finishing phases and the value of technology in remote monitoring. Discussing everything from basic husbandry, such as feed, air, and water, to advanced tools like feed scales and listening technologies, this episode provides valuable insights into optimizing swine health and productivity. An indispensable discussion for those looking to enhance their care and management practices in the swine industry, revealing significant opportunities for improvement.