The situation cattle producers found themselves in this fall, dealing with rather strange markets conditions, caused many people to do things a bit differently then they normally would on their operations. In many cases, folks were holding back females that normally would have gone to the feedlot, and at the same time others were buying stockers to put out on pasture. Farm Director Ron Hays spoke to Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel recently who says this detour from normal operating procedure, so to speak, ended up affecting the cattle on feed numbers, at least to some extent.
“Producers should be aware that we’ve had a recovery,” Peel said. That means we’re keeping those cattle out in the country.”
Peel reports that there are some indications currently that show we are not moving as many cattle in to the feedlot as quickly as we might have, which has its implications.
“That means we’re going to carry over some to next year,” Peel said, “but the real question is, how many?”
In the grand scheme of things, Peel says issues could arise from all of this, but doesn’t think there is any cause for alarm at this point. He advises producers though, that retained calves or that will have stockers grazing through the winter to pay close attention.
“You want to watch this spring market pretty carefully,” Peel recommends. “I don’t think it’s necessarily a problem, but I think it’s a potential one you want to stay on top of.”
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