Temperatures in Oklahoma are just now ramping up, and that has helped forage production to lag behind what is generally considered normal.
Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension livestock marketing specialist, explains recent rains across much of the state have resulted in green conditions in those areas; however, pasture and hay growth has been delayed, especially for warm season forages.
“Delayed hay production is a concern to cattle producers who have suffered through severely depleted hay supplies during the last two years of drought,” he said.
Recent U.S. Department of Agriculture reports indicate 69 percent of the first cutting of alfalfa hay was complete, compared to a 92 percent average for the same time period. For other hay, 30 percent of the first cutting was completed, with 47 percent being average. Approximately 33 percent of Oklahoma pasture and range conditions were rated poor to very poor, down slightly from 36 percent a week earlier.
“Warm weather will likely accelerate pasture and hay production in the coming weeks,” Peel said. “Unfortunately, delays thus far may impact total annual yields, and reduced hay production will limit the recovery of hay supplies.”
In Oklahoma, May 1 hay stocks increased from the dismal levels of the same time last year, but were still 28 percent below the 2002-2011 average for May 1. The difference between December 1 and May 1 hay stocks in Oklahoma was 2.2 million tons, compared to a 10-year average of 3.5 million tons.
“This represents the smallest hay use in Oklahoma since 1986,” Peel said. “Even with herd liquidation that last two years, this is a small level of hay use. On a per cow basis, hay use this past winter was 1.22 tons per cow from December to May, which implies 16.3 pounds of hay per day per cow.”
The average winter hay use from 2002-2011 was 1.67 tons per cow, or 22.3 pounds of hay per cow per day.
“This reduction in hay supplies probably contributed to observed increases in cow culling this spring in Oklahoma,” Peel said.
Similar effects occurred nationally, with U.S. hay disappearance from December to May down 25 percent from the 10-year average, resulting in per cow hay use of 21.6 pounds of hay per cow per day, compared to the 10-year average of 26.91 pounds of hay per cow per day.
“As in Oklahoma, this represents the smallest U.S. hay use per cow since 1986, and is likely a major contributor to increased U.S. beef cow slaughter since mid-March,” Peel said. “In the last 10 weeks, beef cow slaughter has averaged nearly 16 percent higher than last year, bringing the year-to-date total to a 3 percent increase.”
Peel added recent data may indicate that some heifers originally intended as herd replacements have been marketed as feeder heifers this spring.
“Though beef cow slaughter is expected to decline with improving pasture conditions, it would take a dramatic drop in beef cow slaughter for the remainder of the year, along with increased heifer retention, to avoid net liquidation for the year,” he said.
Cattle and calves represent the number one agricultural commodity produced in Oklahoma, accounting for 46 percent of total agricultural cash receipts, according to National Agricultural Statistics Service data.
Source: dasnr.okstate.edu