Most years, September could be occupied by a lot of consideration to wheat planting and budgets for winter grazing of stockers.Nonetheless, the most recent Drought Monitor reveals that 99.97 p.c of Oklahoma is abnormally dry or worse (D0-D4) with 48.81 p.c in D3 and D4 (Excessive or Distinctive Drought). The three maps beneath from the Mesonet system present plant obtainable water at 4-inch, 16-inch and 32-inch depths. The darkish purple and brown colours of the maps point out that the soil profile of a lot of the state could be very dry from high to backside.
The USDA Crop Progress report for September 13 confirmed that 11 p.c of Oklahoma wheat was planted, forward of the five-year common of 4 p.c for that date.I traveled throughout a lot of western Oklahoma final week and did see a number of planted fields and even a pair with wheat emerged.
In lots of circumstances the wheat is being “dusted in”, planted in dry soil, hoping that rain might be forthcoming to germinate the wheat. Whether or not wheat is planted with sufficient moisture to germinate or is ready for rain to emerge, the dry soil profile signifies that further well timed rains might be wanted to maintain a wheat stand. The forecast for the subsequent week or extra is for unseasonably (perhaps file!) heat temperatures with little likelihood of precipitation. Wheat grazing prospects look dim and dangerous this fall.
The widespread drought situations imply that I’ve acquired far lower than the standard variety of questions in regards to the financial prospects for winter stockers this yr.
However, there could also be some grazing alternatives in some locations. Stocker budgets are pushed by the general degree of cattle costs and the connection between buy costs for light-weight stockers and the anticipated value of heavy feeder cattle later. The distinction within the buy value and promoting value of stocker cattle is the rollback that determines the gross worth of acquire for including weight to feeder cattle. The stocker value rollback is the mirror picture of the price of acquire for feedlots as a result of feeder markets mirror whether or not it’s cheaper to place weight on feeder cattle in forage-based stocker applications earlier than they arrive on the feedlot or with grain-based rations after placement within the feedlot.
Southern plains feedlot value of acquire for steers is roughly $1.25 – $1.30/lb. at the moment, so stocker worth of acquire will sometimes be about that very same degree. For instance, utilizing present Oklahoma feeder costs, the worth of 300 kilos of acquire on a 475-pound steer is $1.29/lb. Furthermore, for stockers that might be marketed after winter grazing, there’s at the moment a few $7.00/cwt. improve in Feeder Futures costs between the close by and March contracts which provides much more to the worth of acquire. In different phrases, if winter stocker grazing is feasible, the budgets look enticing at the moment.
Supply: Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State College, who’s solely accountable for the knowledge supplied and is wholly owned by the supply. Informa Enterprise Media and all its subsidiaries should not accountable for any of the content material contained on this info asset.
