Drought in Central U.S.

[husker1]

Spring is getting closer and I'm getting more and more nervous about pasture.

I'm curious what kind of moisture situation the rest of the central U.S. is in?

We are facing the possibility of having to get rid of a sizeable number of cows...and just want to start figuring out how far from home we made need to go to find buyers.  We are in Central Nebraska and are probably as dry as we've ever been in my 43 years.

Refuse to dump them at the local salebarn...I will search to find them new homes.

Thanks for any updates of your moisture/pasture situation for the coming year.

 

[aj]

I doubt the sale barn wants them......unless you want to kill them. My granddad told me a story about the dirty thirties. He had 4 hogs.....nothing for them to eat. |He hauled them to the salebarn.....unloaded them....unhooked the trailer and went down to the machinery dealer. He spent more time there then he wanted.....went back to the salebarn and his 4 hogs were in his trailer plus 6 more. We aren't far off from this boys. Unless you can drylot them in  a vacant feedlot somehow.

 

[dlc]

don"t give up yet. we live in a part of the country that gives us acess to a lot of opions. From early weaning to byproducts to tons of small feedlots we are lucky to have acess to lots of different ideas. Keep praying and thinking outside the box. in a normal year we graze native grass for only 5 months so concentrate on those months and get open and culls marketed and all your calves weaned as early as you feel comfortable/ AS long as we have pivots there will be some kind of byproduct to feed

 

[PRC]

I have been in your position--Have cut 80% of the my cows---I ran an ad in the "The Country World"  in Sulphur Springs, Texas --which is east of Dallas for cow grass and had serveral people answering  with cow grass and care -- There is feed to be had in East Texas and most likely some fairly good deals---people  are needing cattle and extra income as they were forced to sell their cattle  due to drought the last two years and cattle are now to high to  buy back---Other than east Texas ( east of I-35 ) central and west Texas are toast, the  grass, the hay, the prickly pear and the livestock  are gone--the drought goes on , irragation water is playing out --160 A pivots are only able to plant  80 of the acres.  Oat grazing by and far is  not here.  Some area are have  domestic well problems.....

I have ranched in Texas for 55 years and one thing is always true---It will rain, and good times will come again !!

 

[husker1]

Certainly not giving up, just trying to be proactive and start thinking about potential options.

 

[Shorthorns4us]

I am thinking along with you too!  I am nervous for how much moisture I am going to get this spring to kick start my pastures.

If they get going, I should be ok for awhile, but I have also been thinking about what if we come to the big "L" (liquidation) and what I can do.

My plan is to try to find other homes for the cows before I sale barn them. 

EF