Summary Box: Drought pushing more cattle to market
Associated Press
GOING TO MARKET: A lingering drought in Texas, the nation's biggest cattle producing area, and other key cow states is prompting ranchers to send more cattle to the slaughterhouse.
THE NUMBERS: Federally inspected beef cow slaughter in April was up 17 percent from the same month a year ago, coming on the heels of a 13 percent jump in March. May beef cow slaughter is estimated to be up 9.4 percent.
A GROWING WORRY: Texas and Oklahoma cattlemen have been struggling with the shortage of grazing for months now, but worries are growing in Kansas and other states as summer begins.
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