http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

v 2.4.3.0

Cattle prices at auction in Abilene were reportedly down nearly half of what they were in 2019-2020 on July 12, due to rising feed costs and the extreme drought hitting the Big Country*. Traffic was heavy with more ranchers than usual bringing animals to sell. The extreme heat has dried up pastures and water supplies, making it hard to care for livestock under those conditions, especially given the high cost of feed, hay bales, fertilizer, etc. At the Graham auction, more than 4,000 head with about 1,300 cows were sold. In Abilene, the general manager of the auction was expecting more than 2,000 head with about 700 to 800 cows. Sales at Abilene Livestock Auction were nearly 40% higher since the start of the year. The general manager said that ranchers were selling their livestock early to make as much money as possible. BigCountryHomepage.com (Abilene, Texas), July 12, 2022