Million cows left Texas

[efb]

Dr. Ron Gill , cattle specalist from Texas A&M reported at a Cow Calf clinic in Winnsboro this week that close to a million cows left Texas in 2011 due to the worst drought on record. Approx. 250,000 are in Nebraska and quite a few more in S.D. Don't suppose that as soon as we can grow some grass and feed we could get'em back at anywhere near what we received for them Isn't that the way it always goes ?

 

[Howdy1]

I have heard of quite a few cows here in South Dakota. Don't have any around our area but talked to people that have them around them. It sounds like the southern cows are having a tough time adjusting to these northern temps. I talked to a vet the other day and he is helping with some cows that are being fed really really well and he said those poor thin hided gals are just making it. He said if we weren't having such a mild winter that he thinks they would be belly up. I am sure lots of them are doing just fine also. I hope they do well. I know people that are bordering some of these southern cattle are really nervous about disease outbreaks. Not that the cattle are sick but just might have brought with them viruses or strains that we are not exposed to here. Anyway hope everybody gets plenty of moisture this spring and summer.

 

[Justin]

there are several bunches around here and they all seem to be doing fine, but it's also been an easy winter so far. they might be getting a little(or alot) more feed than the northern raised cows, but that was to be expected.

 

[WyomingRancher]

I know people that are bordering some of these southern cattle are really nervous about disease outbreaks. Not that the cattle are sick but just might have brought with them viruses or strains that we are not exposed to here. Anyway hope everybody gets plenty of moisture this spring and summer.

They should be concerned. I was visiting with a vet from Texas about the situation, and his concern was the spread of trich. There's an outifit near us which brings in pasture cattle, and if they have a rumen and a heartbeat, they'll take them in. Anyhow, they brought in open cows (junk which lost calves/never were bred) to breed them for sale . They put out trich tested, virgin bulls with them, and eventually the bulls got in with the neighbor's cows. Both groups of cows had high open rates in the fall, and it was due to trich, the bulls got from the junk open cows. It makes me so mad when people try to breed crap which needs to go to slaughter, I sure miss taking culls to Packerland... you knew they were gone, and someone wasn't trying to squeeze another dollar out of them. As silly as the cattle deal is right now, I'm afraid stuff like this is only going to get worse. I'm ramping up my vaccination program just because of all of the strange cattle in the area, and hoping for the best.

The other neighborhood news I've heard is a neighbor who sold his cows to go to yearlings 10 years ago, is now wanting back into the cow/calf deal. I just might know of some acclimated heifers for him to purchase, for a price of course :wink: .

 

[Big Swede]

His timing might be a little off for getting into the cow deal again. By the time he get's any production off his heifer purchase I would guess we will be out of these lofty calf prices. Buying high and selling low usually doesn't work to well. Hope I'm wrong, maybe the price of these calves will never go down again. :roll: :lol:

Not trying to talk him out of your heifer sale though WR, hope you get it done. Are you about ready to start calving?

 

[Anonymous]

Many of the industry "experts" and prognosticaters are saying that we will continue to see good cattle prices for many years to come...
Low supply, increasing nationwide and world population, many new Asian markets just beginning to use beef all lead to higher demand...

Smallest U.S. Cattle Herd Since January 1958?

Northern Ag Network
general admin posted on January 27, 2012 08:56 :: 126 Views


As the boards of trade are taking final bids Friday afternoon, the USDA will be getting ready to release their catle inventory numbers. Ahead of the 1 MST report, Allendale, Inc. has made the following predictions:

■The beef cow herd has contracted for six years straight.
■The decline in the beef cow herd over 2011 was the largest one year decline since 1985.
■Lowest January 1 total cattle herd since January 1958.
■Lowest annual calf crop since 1950. Lower calf crop numbers will continue for three years.

 

[jodywy]

know alot of old ewes left Wyoming and other rocky mt. states and went to Texas ,

 

[4Diamond]

several came to MO as well

 

[myersfarm]

Missouri

YES seen bred cows all over the neighbors fields that were hay fields last few years

 

[WyomingRancher]

His timing might be a little off for getting into the cow deal again. By the time he get's any production off his heifer purchase I would guess we will be out of these lofty calf prices. Buying high and selling low usually doesn't work to well. Hope I'm wrong, maybe the price of these calves will never go down again. :roll: :lol:

Not trying to talk him out of your heifer sale though WR, hope you get it done. Are you about ready to start calving?

I agree with you, I wouldn't be buying at all time highs either. I don't think they are very concerned about finances. There is a lot of fantasy land ranching here... unfortunately no oil is to be found up on this rock pile. Even if it were up here, I'd have a hard time jumping into this bred cow market, real estate maybe, but not cows :? .

A friend of mine told me he heard most of the 10,000 bred heifers which sold in Billings a few weeks ago are heading to Russia. Has anybody else heard about this?

Yes, the ladies are getting closer. The bulls went out May 16, so I'll be looking for calves mid-February. I just hope they come out lively and healthy. I'll be calving the most amount of cows since I arrived 16 years ago, and have even less help than before since my good dog died last summer... wish me luck!

 

[Anonymous]

no need to go it alone Wyomingrancher...there's always classifieds (here in ranchers dot net) and Ranchworldads.com where everybody and thier SISTER seems intent on re-locating out here to 'become' a cowboy/cowgirl...

...and then there's Craigslist Farm&Ranch link...never know who'll be advertising in there looking for work (or help).

I'd avoid Wyo Job-Service though...Mtn Plains Ag has that niche pretty much filled-up right now.

Good luck...winter will be over soon.

 

[Anonymous]

no need to go it alone Wyomingrancher...there's always classifieds (here in ranchers dot net) and Ranchworldads.com where everybody and thier SISTER seems intent on re-locating out here to 'become' a cowboy/cowgirl...

...and then there's Craigslist Farm&Ranch link...never know who'll be advertising in there looking for work (or help).

I'd avoid Wyo Job-Service though...Mtn Plains Ag has that niche pretty much filled-up right now.

Good luck...winter will be over soon.

Well up here right now- unless you're ready to pay $3000-4000 ++ a month, furnish a modern house, + vehicle, + all gas- + beef + a a grocery store credit--- You are not going to get anyone dependable/reliable or that knows anything about cows/horses--- and many of those that qualify for that will be over 45- 50 years old....

Most younger folks are heading to the Oil Field/Oil Support jobs where anyone reliable can easily bring in $10,000 a month--even if they have to live in mancamps during their 4 day work weeks and drive/fly back and forth every week/month to home/where there family lives on days off- or every few weeks....

Sure makes those old cows/heifers that have a herd history/genetic background that will go out and calve on pasture on their own- and mother up good- without having a babysitter look much more profitable..

 

[jigs]

the few guys that I know of who thought buying those drought area cows was a gold mine,. are re thinking it now.... never got them back into condition, doubt they will breed, and not really going to make a gain out of the deal...

 

[Hay Feeder]

the few guys that I know of who thought buying those drought area cows was a gold mine,. are re thinking it now.... never got them back into condition, doubt they will breed, and not really going to make a gain out of the deal...

I saw cows that came here via Kansas called Texas cows but could of been from anywhere from the drought area. They came in late summer and were pretty tough as expected. You could tell they held on to them as long as they could comming in as PAIRS with good sized calves on them. By selling time the calves looked pretty good with all things concerned. Most if all are gone now. The calves were weaned sold and the cows went to Cargill. They were put together by a local cow buyer then delivered to the area people direct from a Kansas sale. Bringing cows in from anywhere into the summer fecuse country is not a good for any cow. But these guys made some money. By the way were seeing the kill cow market comming back up but still breds and pairs are the best buy here anyway.

 

[caljane]

A friend of mine told me he heard most of the 10,000 bred heifers which sold in Billings a few weeks ago are heading to Russia. Has anybody else heard about this?

A rancher from Hobson, MT, started a cattle company in Russia and exported 1400 bred cows last year. There was a pretty interesting article about these cattle exports to Russia in the Western Horseman too. Russia doesn't have any breeding stock and trys to build up their own beef supply. Looks like Russia is doing business the Russian way - decided to hop on the cattle business when the prices are the highest :???:

 

[4Diamond]

AMEN

 

[Hay Feeder]

A friend of mine told me he heard most of the 10,000 bred heifers which sold in Billings a few weeks ago are heading to Russia. Has anybody else heard about this?

A rancher from Hobson, MT, started a cattle company in Russia and exported 1400 bred cows last year. There was a pretty interesting article about these cattle exports to Russia in the Western Horseman too. Russia doesn't have any breeding stock and trys to build up their own beef supply. Looks like Russia is doing business the Russian way - decided to hop on the cattle business when the prices are the highest :???:

Rumor only that Russians are looking for 8500 550 pound heifers for ailine transport. Also 20,000 more if that can be filled. They do not want to ship on freightliners again only airlines.
Thats a third hand rumor though

 

[burnt]

A friend of mine told me he heard most of the 10,000 bred heifers which sold in Billings a few weeks ago are heading to Russia. Has anybody else heard about this?

A rancher from Hobson, MT, started a cattle company in Russia and exported 1400 bred cows last year. There was a pretty interesting article about these cattle exports to Russia in the Western Horseman too. Russia doesn't have any breeding stock and trys to build up their own beef supply. Looks like Russia is doing business the Russian way - decided to hop on the cattle business when the prices are the highest :???:

Rumor only that Russians are looking for 8500 550 pound heifers for ailine transport. Also 20,000 more if that can be filled. They do not want to ship on freightliners again only airlines.
Thats a third hand rumor though

They've been at it for a while now -

http://www.swbooster.com/Business/Agriculture/2009-10-28/article138560/Russia-commits-to-large-purchase-of-Canadian-Charolais-cattle/1

http://stage.fw.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/livestock/cattle/aussie-angus-on-their-way-to-russia/2369491.aspx


Not really huge numbers in the bigger picture, but it starts to make a difference after a few years. What remains to be seen is if they can actually bring them into good productivity.

 

[Trinity man]

A friend of mine told me he heard most of the 10,000 bred heifers which sold in Billings a few weeks ago are heading to Russia. Has anybody else heard about this?

A rancher from Hobson, MT, started a cattle company in Russia and exported 1400 bred cows last year. There was a pretty interesting article about these cattle exports to Russia in the Western Horseman too. Russia doesn't have any breeding stock and trys to build up their own beef supply. Looks like Russia is doing business the Russian way - decided to hop on the cattle business when the prices are the highest :???:

Rumor only that Russians are looking for 8500 550 pound heifers for ailine transport. Also 20,000 more if that can be filled. They do not want to ship on freightliners again only airlines.
Thats a third hand rumor though

I have also heard they are shipping Holsteins out the port of Galveston to Russia. When I was doing market reports I seen most of the East Texas cattle heading to the East coast. Now cattle are pretty bare around here and some pastures just haven't pick up like people was hoping they would. The last few weeks we have pick up about 4-5 inches of rain and my clover and vetch crop is really coming on. (Thank God) A guy call me out of Dallas this week wanting me to graze some yearlings out for him. I told him to give me about 3 more weeks to get some more growth on my grass and I will be ready. He said he can keep me in yearlings year around which is good news for me. It will be nice to see some calves grow out this year. Last year I was only about to put 150 on the yearlings I had and I had them for 5 to 6 months. I have more grass in the last 28 days than I did all of last year. So IF this keeps up we will be in good shape.

 

[burnt]

A rancher from Hobson, MT, started a cattle company in Russia and exported 1400 bred cows last year. There was a pretty interesting article about these cattle exports to Russia in the Western Horseman too. Russia doesn't have any breeding stock and trys to build up their own beef supply. Looks like Russia is doing business the Russian way - decided to hop on the cattle business when the prices are the highest :???:

Rumor only that Russians are looking for 8500 550 pound heifers for ailine transport. Also 20,000 more if that can be filled. They do not want to ship on freightliners again only airlines.
Thats a third hand rumor though

I have also heard they are shipping Holsteins out the port of Galveston to Russia. When I was doing market reports I seen most of the East Texas cattle heading to the East coast. Now cattle are pretty bare around here and some pastures just haven't pick up like people was hoping they would. The last few weeks we have pick up about 4-5 inches of rain and my clover and vetch crop is really coming on. (Thank God) A guy call me out of Dallas this week wanting me to graze some yearlings out for him. I told him to give me about 3 more weeks to get some more growth on my grass and I will be ready. He said he can keep me in yearlings year around which is good news for me. It will be nice to see some calves grow out this year. Last year I was only about to put 150 on the yearlings I had and I had them for 5 to 6 months. I have more grass in the last 28 days than I did all of last year. So IF this keeps up we will be in good shape.

Good to hear! Hopefully it keeps up and changes the trend.