Wheat pastures affected by drought, hay prices increasing in Osage County, Oklahoma
1/17/2018 4:42:36 PM
CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
AFFECTED AREAS:
Osage County, OK
Start Date: 8/15/2017
- End Date: 1/17/2018
Wheat pasture has been decimated by the current drought conditions. Rainfall numbers are deceiving, especially this fall; it would appear that we hit our normal percentages, but most of the rain came in large downpours, resulting in most of the rain running off and not soaking into subsoil. Most cattlemen have taken their wheat pasture calves to the sale barn (just look at the feedlot numbers) or they are feeding them very expensive hay. Hay prices have gone up as much as 25% and producers are very concerned about next summer's crop given that the moisture we receive now is indicative of their crops in early summer. The financial impacts are hard to measure but will be considerable; currently I'm projecting about $150/head back from my expected returns with average production.
From Osage County, Oklahoma, on January 17, 2018
Sources
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Wheat pastures affected by drought, hay prices increasing in Osage County, Oklahoma.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
