ment,” McCollum says. “Unfortunately, I feel we may
be set up for another meltdown on calf and feeder prices next spring if boxed beef markets, and hence live cattle markets, do not move to the levels some are again prognos- ticating. “We saw this occur in the spring
and summer of this year (with lower calf and feeder cattle prices). The same could occur, despite having better corn prices for the cattle feed- ers.”
Stay ready for drought Few Panhandle, South Plains
and western Oklahoma ranches will forget the pounding they took from the 2011 and 2012 droughts. They likely learned more about their management ability during dry pe- riods, whether they were “fl ash” droughts or extended droughts. “You never know which will
occur,” McCollum says. “So there should be contingencies in place. If the fl ash drought turns into an ex- tended drought, know what steps/ moves should be anticipated.” McCollum notes that the recent
drought occurred in a time of rela- tively good cattle markets and out- look. “So the fi nancial impact of the drought and accompanying man- agement decisions were most likely different than if this drought had occurred in the midst of an oversup- ply of cattle and relatively poorer outlook for markets,” he says. “Some of the decisions and ap-
proaches used this time around will not necessarily fi t in a different time and market situation.” Finally, in managing grass and
small grains pasture this winter McCollum stresses the importance of knowing that “the process of re- covery has just begun. Continued recovery and future recovery hinge
Be conservative in winter stocking rates to allow forages to re- establish and develop some standing cover and litter.
on continued moisture and manage- ment of the grasslands. “Managers have control over the
latter. Management will affect the effectiveness of the former and the response of the plant community to the former.” For more on stocking rates and
range and pasture management, contact your regional Extension livestock or range management spe- cialist.
Stalcup’s second image is from November wheat pasture, showing what grazing could be like this fall and winter.
tscra.org
December 2013 The Cattleman 75
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