Texas Crop, Weather For Aug. 18, 2015

 

 

Cattle prices continued their upward climb in the past week, according Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service regional reports.

 

And as cattle prices continued to be high, the rate of cattle rustling was rising.

 

“The rates of cattle theft have been high for a couple of years, but the perception is they have been rising again lately,” said Dr. Jason Banta, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, Overton.

 

Larry Gray, executive director of law enforcement and theft prevention services for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, confirmed this perception.

 

“Cattle are a very valuable commodity right now,” Gray said. “And like any other commodity, when the supply goes down, prices go up. We’re beginning to get back into the restocking phase.”

 

There are 30 commissioned peace officers who serve as special rangers for the association. The rangers typically investigate about 1,000 agricultural crime cases and recover an average of $5 million in stolen cattle and assets for ranchers annually, Gray said. Among other duties, the special rangers investigate thefts of cattle, horses, saddles, trailers and equipment, along with instances of poaching.

 

This year alone, Gray said the association has investigated 405 cases of cattle theft, which constituted a total of 3,974 head.

 

The thefts include “cows, yearlings, heifers, calves – all mixtures,” he said.

 

One thing that makes cattle rustling easier for thieves is Texas law does not require branding of cattle, Gray said. And many producers, particularly those with smaller operations, do not have resources to brand their animals.

 

“Thieves love to prey on unbranded cattle. Many times they will pass up branded cattle in lieu of unbranded cattle, because they know they’re hard to identify.”

 

Gray said the U.S. Department of Agriculture will not approve implanting of cattle with electronic ID chips because of fears the chips will get into the food supply.

 

The most number of head stolen at one time is usually equal to how many the thieves can load in their cattle trailer, he said. But even the theft of one head will usually constitute a felony theft.

 

“With a 500-pound calf bringing $3 a pound, that’s $1,500,” Gray said. “And then you’ve got cows, good breed cows, bringing from $2,000 to $3,000.”

 

The association offers a cash reward for information leading to the arrest and/or grand jury indictment of thieves, he said. The hotline number is 888-830-2333.

“Anonymity is guaranteed,” Gray said.

 

The association also has a list of cattle and rural crime theft prevention tips at http://bit.ly/1Mwtb6r .

 

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service district reporters compiled the following summaries:

 

 

The region remained rainless, but soil moisture was mostly in fair condition. Crops and livestock were rated as good. Rangeland and pastures were also rated as fair, but were declining due to lack of moisture. The corn and grain sorghum harvests continued, with yields widely variable across the region. There were not many suitable days for fieldwork because of the heat. Pecans looked good. Producers continued cutting and baling hay.

 

 

Isolated showers in the afternoons brought a little relief from the high temperatures and dusty conditions. In most cases, the occasional afternoon showers were not heavy enough to shut down harvesting. The corn harvest was expected to be mostly completed this week. Cotton growers were beginning to defoliate, and harvesting was expected to begin within the next two weeks. Rice was being harvested. Sorghum yields varied, a result of the spread-out planting.However, some very good yields were recorded. Some producers were shredding weeds on rangeland and pastures due to the wet spring and their inability to spray earlier. Rangeland and pasture conditions continued to worsen.

 

 

The region remained hot and dry. All counties needed rain. Only a few counties reported topsoil and subsoil moisture as adequate. All others reported short to very short moisture. Pasture grasses were going dormant, and hay production slowed due to lack of growth. Many producers only got one cutting of hay this year. Producers in some areas may be short of winter hay if they don’t get one or two more cuttings by this fall. Producers in Trinity County were already buying hay. Creek and pond levels were dropping. The vegetable, blackberry and blueberry harvests were completed. Some farmers were preparing for fall planting. Livestock were in fair to good condition with some supplemental feeding being done. Sale barns reported good numbers and solid prices. The market was stronger on heavier steers and heifers. Cow-calf pairs ranged from $2,450 to $2,900. Beef producers were weaning and culling cows. Horn flies continued to be a problem. Grasshopper populations were rising. Feral hog movement increased.

 

 

Throughout the region, pastures and rangeland were in poor to good condition. For the most part, the region remained extremely hot and very dry, though a few areas did receive scattered showers. Subsoil and topsoil moisture ranged from adequate to short. Cotton was generally in fair condition and setting bolls. Corn and grain sorghum were also mostly in fair condition. Glasscock County cotton was beginning to suffer from the extremely high temperatures and lack of moisture. Dryland fields were reaching cutout, but shedding bolls and leaves due to the heat. Pastures were browning. Pastures and rangeland in Brewster and Jeff Davis counties were beginning to dry out. Cattle were in good condition, with stockers and calves still gaining well. El Paso County cotton was at full bloom and setting bolls. Pecan nuts were growing. Alfalfa growers completed their fourth cutting. Hudspeth County had scattered showers that surprised some farmers who had hay on the ground. Pecos County had recovered nicely from earlier hailstorm damage, and no yield reductions were expected. In Presidio County, some areas showed pockets of green, but overall pastures and rangeland were starting to turn brown. Upton County had a few spotty showers. Ranchers continued to provide supplemental feed to livestock and wildlife.

 

 

Topsoil moisture was short to very short. Temperatures were slightly cooler, with highs in the mid- to upper-90s. Parts of the region have gone 40 days straight without rain, but rain was forecast for the middle of this week. Soybeans were struggling from the hot, dry weather. Corn was mature and was beginning to be harvested in some areas. Grain sorghum was in fair condition, and sunflowers looked good too. Bermuda grass desperately needed rain and was going dormant in some areas. Hay production dropped. Livestock remained in good condition for this time of year. Pond levels were dropping. Most grain and forage sorghum had to be sprayed to control sugarcane aphids. Horn fly problems increased, and grasshopper populations were on the rise. Wild hogs continued to be a problem.

 

 

Much of the region received good soaking rains. Some southern parts of the region needed more moisture. Deaf Smith County producers were dealing with spider mites and Southwestern corn borer, as well as sugarcane aphids in grain sorghum. Where rain wasn’t received, irrigation pumps had to be restarted. Many crops were starting to mature, and silage was nearly ready for harvest. Producers were waiting to plant winter wheat because grasshopper numbers were still increasing. Producers who applied insecticides in hope of controlling the grasshoppers in corn and grain sorghum fields were seeing only limited success. Hay harvesting continued. Cotton was setting bolls at a good rate in the more southern counties of the region. Some dryland grain sorghum and cotton had spotty stands, but most fields were in good shape. Weeds were a problem in many areas. Pastures were in excellent condition, and cattle healthy. Wildlife were rebounding from the drought in the eastern part of the district.