needing rain, cow prices dropping?

[rc]

So far around here the price is staying up pretty good on beef. If we don't get rain soon I expect folks to start getting rid of cows as there's not going to be a hay crop this year. A fellow told me yesterday that he had msma'd his bermuda field and now wishes he hadn't as he could use the junk for hay. The old saying "better'n a snow ball" will probably ring true this year. I know we ain't got it as bad as yall out west tho' Our prayers are with ya.

 

[KMacGinley]

Rain aside, in a normal year why would you ever need to feed hay in Mississippi? In Indiana, we only need to feed about 3 months due to cornstalks. :)

 

[warpaint]

Went to a special sale Friday night. I could'nt believe how cheap the cattle were going for. 5 and 6 yr. olds heavy bred were only bringing on average $500 to $600. The highest seller was a 2 yr. old reg. angus bull. He went for $1,060. If I had the extra room, I'd have bought a trailer load.

 

[rc]

We are in North Mississippi. Typcially good grass is gone October and November. Some fescue and junk remains but I start putting hay out around then. I'm not able to plant winter grass so I feed hay till middle of March or so. Right now I still have grass but some others are feeding hay now. This year you'll see a lot of folks feeding what ever they can get thier hands on. One farmer/ cattleman said yesterday that he was probably going to round roll some soybean crops as they were not going to make due to lack of rain.

 

[Alice]

Thanks for the prayers, rc. It's really, really bad here. Cattle prices are tanking...it's a buyer's market. The only problem is if ya' buy 'em, ya' gotta feed 'em...viscious circle right now.

Alice

 

[TheBullLady]

It's bad in Central Texas also. I was at the feed store in Waco on Friday afternoon, next to the auction barn, and there was a guy hauling in 8 30+ foot stock trailers full of cattle. Total dispersal. I drive a LOT of miles for my business, and there are some god-awful looking cattle everywhere.

We got some rain over the weekend.. about 4/10ths at the house. But with a lot of people it may be too little too late. Hay is bringing $80+ a bale for whatever people can find to bale. Heard over the weekend that a guy was paying $40 for milo stalks.

 

[dun]

Although I was taken to task for suggesting it before, cull down now before everyone else starts to umload their cows. Prices will only get worse. If you've culled so deep it hurts, you are starting to maybe cull almost deep enough. If you can save any grass/frage now, when the rains come you can buy more cows still cheaply. By leaving some forage available you'll have a head start on the people that graze to the dirt and have to wait an extra month or 2 (or 3) once the grasses start growing agian.

dun

 

[Beefy]

i assume winter forages will be pricey as well come planting time...

 

[bigbull338]

putting out fall pastures is very risky.you could spend $75 an ac an lose everything you put into it.so its to big of an gamble to put in a fall crop.i know guys that put out fertalie here an lost bigtime.

 

[rc]

I have a field next to me that I have made a deal on to buy the hay from the owner @ $17 per rolled bale. It's been cut once and if we can get a "little rain" we should be able to cut again in about a month or so. Assuming I can get around 50 rolls I can probably get through that'll put me having about 85 round rolls for 18 cows. I still have some left from last year also. I don't want to have to sell but may have to. I've just been into cows for about 3 years, horses much longer. My cows have thier 2nd calf on them now and I was just about to get my feet better on the ground. As soon as the little grass we have is gone assuming we get no rain I plan to wean the calves on the way to the sale I suppose. Maybe I shouldn't even wait???? Like I said tho' our thoughts and prayers are with yall dependin' solely on crops and cows for rain relief.

 

[backhoeboogie]

i assume winter forages will be pricey as well come planting time...

I am counting on getting some winter wheat, rye, and oats. Last year I planted winter crops, they got enough rain to come up, but they didn't get any more rain until January. We had 100 degree days in there that burned up the wheat and oats. Luckily some rye eventually came up.

Most everyone in this area has already culled to the bone last year.

Yesterday the winds and dust was awful. I did get about an 1/8th inch tho. Today the radar is promising if those rain clouds will hold together and come on up.

 

[TXBobcat]

Yesterday the winds and dust was awful. I did get about an 1/8th inch tho. Today the radar is promising if those rain clouds will hold together and come on up.

I'm just a couple of counties south of you, and the radar is looking promising right now. It's headed our way, but it doesn't look like a whole lot of rain. I'll take anything we can get right now though.

 

[dac1]

It's bad in Central Texas also. I was at the feed store in Waco on Friday afternoon, next to the auction barn, and there was a guy hauling in 8 30+ foot stock trailers full of cattle. Total dispersal. I drive a LOT of miles for my business, and there are some god-awful looking cattle everywhere.

We got some rain over the weekend.. about 4/10ths at the house. But with a lot of people it may be too little too late. Hay is bringing $80+ a bale for whatever people can find to bale. Heard over the weekend that a guy was paying $40 for milo stalks.

 

[Texan]

Although I was taken to task for suggesting it before, cull down now before everyone else starts to umload their cows. Prices will only get worse. If you've culled so deep it hurts, you are starting to maybe cull almost deep enough.

I'm afraid you're wasting your breath, Dun. That seems to be one of those lessons that everybody has to learn the hard way.

 

[dac1]

i got mad when we bought the first cutting the guy told pa in law 20$ a bale then charged 22$ i would have told him to go get his tractor and load it back up . because that what they had agreed on.but i guess he knows im new at this haven't been in buisness about 5 years.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Yesterday the winds and dust was awful. I did get about an 1/8th inch tho. Today the radar is promising if those rain clouds will hold together and come on up.

I'm just a couple of counties south of you, and the radar is looking promising right now. It's headed our way, but it doesn't look like a whole lot of rain. I'll take anything we can get right now though.

No such luck. All we got was humidity. I've got enough hay to winter (I think) thanks to irrigation. I truly feel for those less fortuneate.

 

[tom4018]

Went to a special sale Friday night. I could'nt believe how cheap the cattle were going for. 5 and 6 yr. olds heavy bred were only bringing on average $500 to $600. The highest seller was a 2 yr. old reg. angus bull. He went for $1,060. If I had the extra room, I'd have bought a trailer load.

Where abouts was that sale?

 

[MoGal]

I was told cow prices always drop in August. They did last year and have this year. They shipped up at the farm on Sunday and the truck driver told me that he's not been that busy because of the heat. I'm hoping to go to the local salebarn tomorrow.

 

[Campground Cattle]

I was told cow prices always drop in August. They did last year and have this year. They shipped up at the farm on Sunday and the truck driver told me that he's not been that busy because of the heat. I'm hoping to go to the local salebarn tomorrow.

That is true on fall prices. We started out dry and are now back in a more seasonal pattern here. Cows are standing in grass knee deep from here South to the coast and prices are still down.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I was told cow prices always drop in August. They did last year and have this year. They shipped up at the farm on Sunday and the truck driver told me that he's not been that busy because of the heat. I'm hoping to go to the local salebarn tomorrow.

That is true on fall prices. We started out dry and are now back in a more seasonal pattern here. Cows are standing in grass knee deep from here South to the coast and prices are still down.

It was so bad last year that some sold out completely. It wasn't a matter of culling. There are no hay reserves in this area and many who have anything left are dumping. It is going to affect the prices everywhere.

Last year's drought, worst on record for this area, was more localized. This year is not as bad but it is widespread.