Page 10 - MWC 2-24-2022s

JUDGE BLOCKS The Midwest Cattleman · February 24, 2022 · P10
continued from page 3

federal court order blocking istration, from about $50 per executive order and violated but a group of Republican
the president's pause on new ton. federal law by imposing new states sued, saying the ad-
auctions. The higher values have rules without seeking public ministration broke the law
The "social cost of green- already been used in feder- comment. by changing the value with-
house gases" estimate is al environmental analyses The judge ruled that the out giving the public an op-
used in rule-making and per- of proposed oil and gas lease Biden policy over-stepped ex- portunity to weigh in. The
mitting processes to estimate sales on public lands and ecutive authority because it states argued that the higher
economic damages associat- major infrastructure proj- directs agencies to consider cost would stall development
ed with a rise in greenhouse ects, according to the ruling. global, and not just domestic, and cost jobs in their states.
gas emissions. Those could The U.S. Department of costs and benefits. Cain, in justifying his pre-
include things like impacts Justice declined to comment "The President lacks liminary injunction, found
to agricultural productivity on the ruling or its impact on power to promulgate funda- that the suing states had
or property damage from in- federal activities. mentally transformative leg- shown that the change would
creased flood risk. In his order, Judge James islative rules in areas of vast harm their "ability to pur-
The decision reverts the Cain of the U.S. District Court political, social, and econom- chase affordable energy," and
government's social cost of for the Western District of ic importance," Cain wrote. specifically said Louisiana
greenhouse gases emitted to Louisiana said Biden lacked The White House had would have fewer funds to
the $10 or less per ton im- the authority to make such a raised the value shortly after maintain its coastline.
posed by the Trump admin- substantial change through Biden took office last year, Reuters

BEEF CATTLE which is about 5%. Calf crops perspective on future trends PREPARING
continued from page 3 are getting smaller and will in beef cow inventory. Jan- continued from page 7
a better way to put beef cow continue to do so in the com- uary heifer retention esti- winds and the situation can
numbers in perspective is ing year, which is bullish for mates were down by more be catastrophic for new-
to consider the total change feeder cattle markets. The than 191 thousand head from borns. While nature equips
in beef cow inventory over chart above plots US beef 2021, which is about 3%. This calves with a limited amount
the last three years. From cow inventory going back to suggests continued contrac- of brown adipose tissue
the recent high in 2019, beef 1970. tion is likely during 2022, which is burned internally
cow inventory is down by Heifer retention is also im- barring significant changes to create heat for survival,
more than 1.5 million head, portant as it provides some throughout the year. extreme cold can overwhelm
The cattle on feed estimate
from this report is also worth the ability to create enough
discussion and stands out internal heat and hypother-
mia can occur. Calves suffer-
a bit as it actually shows a
slight increase from last Jan- ing from hypothermia are
more susceptible to naval
uary. For perspective, I would
point back to the January infections, pneumonia, and
scours. Best management
Cattle on Feed report, which
reflects on-feed inventories at practices for cold weather
calving include:
feedyards with one-time ca-
pacity over 1,000 head. First, • Provide adequate wind
breaks, shelter, and bed-
heifers on feed were higher
in that report, which is con- ding so cows can separate
sistent with fewer heifers and calve in a warmer,
being held for replacement dryer, protected environ-
and continues to point to a ment.
decreasing cow herd going • Plan ahead to provide the
forward. More females are additional protein and en-
moving into the beef system. ergy needs of cows during
Secondly, and most signifi- the final trimester of
cantly, December placements pregnancy and the begin-
ning of lactation.
were up 6% in 2021. But the • Sort first calf heifers from
largest increases were in the
lower placement weight cat- cows and manage accord-
ingly. Heifers are inexpe-
egories, which suggests they
may be more a function of rienced and more likely
to need a higher level of
dry conditions in the South-
ern Plains forcing producers attention during calving
and the initial stages of
to move cattle out of wheat
grazing programs. If this is claiming and raising a
calf.
the case, those are cattle that
would have been placed on Drovers
feed this spring, so it speaks
more to the timing of their
placement, than total cattle
supply.