Page 14 - MWC 2-23-2023s

The Midwest Cattleman · February 23, 2023 · P14
These 4 Cattle Data Sets Speak for Themselves

By Greg Henderson and Paige Carlson

Meteorologists believe the atmosphere is beginning to As of Jan. 1, total beef cow inventory numbers were down
trend away from La Niña. That’s good news for cattle pro- 4% year over year. Total beef cows reached the lowest point
ducers who began 2023 with high-level drought designa- since 1962.
tions still firmly in place. But even with average or above “If we are
rainfall, the effects of drought will linger. looking for
“Even if we see normal precipitation across the country signs the
this year, the damage to ranchers has already been signifi- beef herd
cant,” says John Nalivka, Sterling Marketing president. is being
Here are the headwinds ahead for the cattle industry. rebuilt,
we need to
The 2022 keep look-
culling rate ing,” says
reached 13%. Chip Flory,
Expect a rate host of “Ag-
of 12% for riTalk.”
2023, accord-
ing to Rabo-
bank. A cull-
ing rate near Spring forecasts do not call for major improvement in pre-
10% is need- cipitation through the Central and Southern Plains, though
ed to stabi- the summer forecast is more favorable. That’s significant be-
lize numbers. cause eight Plains states (Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Ne-
Lance Zim- braska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas)
merman, se- account for 48% of the U.S. beef cowherd.
nior analyst in animal protein for Rabobank, believes cattle
producers are at least two years away from turning toward
an expansion mindset.

WE CAN DO BETTER!

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(and maybe even carry over)

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