Plains Ranchers Sell Cattle as US Drought Spreads
Associated Press - Tue 03:50 PM 07/24/2012
Cattle are streaming into auctions across the country as ranchers sell animals amid a spreading drought.
Cattle are streaming into auctions across the country as ranchers sell animals amid a spreading drought that has shriveled pastures and driven up the price of feed corn.
Beef from those animals will start showing up in grocery stores in November and December, temporarily driving down meat prices. But prices are expected to rise sharply by January in the wake of dwindling supplies and smaller livestock herds.
The number of cattle has been dropping for years, but the pace picked up last year as Texas ranchers liquidated herds.
Experts say that while the drought in the Southern Plains last year was bad, the cattle industry nationally was able to absorb the impact. This year's drought is much wider, so the market implications are larger and more industry players are impacted.
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troy
Tuesday 24 July 2012 16:43 Report this comment
Has the drought driven the cost of corn up or has competition with the ethanol plants caused this increase? God knows between the ethanol plants and thousands of center pivots the health of the Ogalalah aquifer will pay a heavy price. At least we have done our best to keep All Gore happy.
t-bone
Wednesday 25 July 2012 08:26 Report this comment
if this ain't a wake up call i don't know what is. caan you imagine caattle being on the endangered species list. or chickens or fish. ya'll may have your blinders on but the truth is out there(sorry i had an x-files moment)dec is getting closer and closeer. turn to the Lord whiloe you still have the opportunity.