It's gettin real bad here

[Caustic Burno]

Helping the neighbor haul to the salebarn this morning. We both still have pasture, he just is not going to have the hay.
All the bermuda grass looks like death chewin on a cracker, the bahia is hanging in there for now.
Things are fixing to go downhill fast grass has stopped all growth due to lack of moisture, what a cow bites off now aint coming back.
Coontop branch has dried up and the springs are no longer running, Falls branch is about 4 inches wide and 1/2 inch deep, some of the springs are still running. Last time Falls Branch dried up was drought of 1910.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

So sorry to hear that. It's not fair. I sure wish we could SHARE the moisture. We had a week of total dry, hot weather (got all my hay done) and we've had showers since - raining as I type!
Good luck.

 

[Jogeephus]

I'm not far behind. Got three more gates I can open but without something from above I'm just stalling the inevitable. I will say that my cows have impressed me with how well they've been able to scratch a living out of what little grazing they do have. Most all are in really good shape but I don't think they are miracle workers either. My phylosophy with cattle has always been they earn their keep by eating the excess forage on the place. Looks like if it doesn't rain shortly they will be without a job and I'm surely not going to pay for the privelege of owning the stupid beasts.

 

[dun]

So sorry to hear that. It's not fair. I sure wish we could SHARE the moisture. We had a week of total dry, hot weather (got all my hay done) and we've had showers since - raining as I type!
Good luck.

We had 8.65 inches last month. So far this month almost a half of a tenth. The old joke around here is you're never more then 10 days away from a drought. That's a pretty accurate assessment

 

[spinandslide]

yep..

Ive been advised by more then one hay producer to buy all the hay I can get my hands on NOW..because come fall, it will be non-existant. Bull owner called me today and said he's hauling a bunch of his cattle to the salebarn..his pasture is gone..and I need to come and get my girls...I have pasture that hasnt been ate on in 5 years at my house that I feel MAY sustain them for afew months.it is irrigated too....he asked if I wanted him to haul our steer to the sale..we had planned to feed him out and put him in the freezer in the fall..but I am debating about selling him, with the situation as it is..

I was told the farmers almanac forcasts a wetter then normal July..I'd take a hurricane right now!

 

[bigbull338]

its hard when you decide to back the trailers in an start loading cattle out.but sometimes it just aint worth buying hay.but then for people like me its better to buy hay than sell out.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Walked the catwalk in the salebarn after dropping off the cows. There were a lot of mighty fine heavy bred cows in the barn that will end up at Mc Donalds. It is evident people are having to dump cows that there is no way would be in the salebarn otherwise. I am not far behind, have been irragating pasture but Fall's branch is about to dry up, when it does I am out of water and the cow business. I am not letting the cows destroy the pasture, I can buy cows in five minutes all it takes is a checkbook. Take years to get the pasture back. Used to not be a problem to run 35 on this place,I cut back to 12 last year and there running out of grass quick. Neighbor has cut back to 50 on 400 acres and is not going to make it either without some serious rain.

 

[cow pollinater]

We got all of our rain plus all of yours this year. I wish I had some way to share it with you guys. I abhor seeing heavy bred cows get killed...especially when it means somebody's going out of business.

 

[ROCKSPRINGS]

Nothing left around here but rocks and cedar. I refuse to buy hay for $95.00-$100.00 a roll, that is if you can find any. Everything is going to town real soon. Glad I don't raise cattle for a living.

 

[dun]

A couiple of years ago when the drought was at it's height out west, they were bringing cows from there and selling them here. Even with hauling them they ended up with more in their pockets then if they tried to sell them there. There was just one problem with the idea. The people that bought them, a fair price not cheap but not full price either, ended up being screwed. It seems that those cows couldn;t adapt to the fescue and ended up selling as killers for next to nothing. Next to nothing they still looked pretty bad.

 

[Caustic Burno]

yep..

Ive been advised by more then one hay producer to buy all the hay I can get my hands on NOW..because come fall, it will be non-existant. Bull owner called me today and said he's hauling a bunch of his cattle to the salebarn..his pasture is gone..and I need to come and get my girls...I have pasture that hasnt been ate on in 5 years at my house that I feel MAY sustain them for afew months.it is irrigated too....he asked if I wanted him to haul our steer to the sale..we had planned to feed him out and put him in the freezer in the fall..but I am debating about selling him, with the situation as it is..

I was told the farmers almanac forcasts a wetter then normal July..I'd take a hurricane right now!

I will take the drought over the hurricane, I can buy more cows. I have lost family in two hurricanes.
Wife lost her father in Carla.

 

[JSCATTLE]

i still have grass for now . But I'm not sure about hay . I have about 100 rolls in the barn and 200 acres to cut if it rains .2 good rains and I can make enough hay . Cb weather man said today there is a tropical wave down south America way . Suppose to move into the southern gulf by the first of the week . And possibly to us by a week from Thursday . Cross your fingers .and pray. I know I am

 

[kenny thomas]

Lots of new fires started up in TX and FL today. Our engines, F-450, have been sent to FL until a hurricane hits. We have lots of dozers ready to go but no one has ask for them.
Turned the cows in grass over their head tonight. If nothing happens I will not feed much next winter and will have 700 rolls in the barn. Hope it gets better for all that are dry.

 

[JSCATTLE]

We have had several fires here . One burned to my fence . There's no grass in that area because it was a clear cut and I had already dozed the fence line . Several houses were lost in the area. Everytime I see smoke I worry about losing everything .

 

[tsmaxx47]

Nothing left around here but rocks and cedar. I refuse to buy hay for $95.00-$100.00 a roll, that is if you can find any. Everything is going to town real soon. Glad I don't raise cattle for a living.

stopped by the local feed store today and i almost had a fit when they told me that round bales were $40 for praire hay. only about 800 pounders at that. i guess i should be glad i'm not down your way. i ordered my winter hay yesterday and by the sounds of things, i'm glad i did...

 

[bigbull338]

its going to get real bad before this drought is over.with each passing day the stress level goes up higher.with weigh cows topping out at .75 to .85 a lb most all cows will go to slaughter weather they are good or bad.i feel for the people that sell out completely.

 

[spinandslide]

yep..

Ive been advised by more then one hay producer to buy all the hay I can get my hands on NOW..because come fall, it will be non-existant. Bull owner called me today and said he's hauling a bunch of his cattle to the salebarn..his pasture is gone..and I need to come and get my girls...I have pasture that hasnt been ate on in 5 years at my house that I feel MAY sustain them for afew months.it is irrigated too....he asked if I wanted him to haul our steer to the sale..we had planned to feed him out and put him in the freezer in the fall..but I am debating about selling him, with the situation as it is..

I was told the farmers almanac forcasts a wetter then normal July..I'd take a hurricane right now!

I will take the drought over the hurricane, I can buy more cows. I have lost family in two hurricanes.
Wife lost her father in Carla.

sorry to hear about your FIL

Ive ridden out my share of hurricanes living on the east coast..you do get afew "bad" ones..but right now they are saying that is what we need to bust this drought..at least in my neck of Texas.

I ended up getting the jackwad steer..as much as I would have liked to see his arse at the sale and had a check in my hand..DH (who by the way said we are rivaling the temps he is seeing in Kuwait right now) said keep'em..but we wont be looking into buying the heifers we were wanting to get later this year...not unless we get some rain.

Ill be making another trip for another load of hay in the future to start stockpiling for my cattle.

On a "good" note..my hayfield looks good..we will be cutting another 2 weeks or so..heavily fertilized coastal..I hope we get 2-3 GOOD cuts this year.

 

[TexasBred]

Some "predator" on Craig's List had baled milo stalks leftover from last year listed for sale at $75 a roll yesterday. Was on I-35 yesterday and saw 5 loads of grass hay headed south. Probably will see much more soon.

 

[bigbull338]

i think i saw some milo stalk hay for $20 a bale,wich i thought was to cheap.i know we arnt going to have extra hay to sell this year.

 

[TexasBred]

i think i saw some milo stalk hay for $20 a bale,wich i thought was to cheap.i know we arnt going to have extra hay to sell this year.

Seems like in '09 they were around $35 a roll here...big and heavy roll. No way they could ever be worth $75 and depending on how they have been stored for the past 10 months the bottom half of the roll could be worthless.