National Drought Mitigation Center
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National Drought Mitigation Center
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Livestock culling continued, hay becoming harder to find in Southeast Texas
12/7/2023 12:00:00 AM



CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
Plants & Wildlife
AFFECTED AREAS:
Brazoria County, TX
Brazos County, TX
Burleson County, TX
Chambers County, TX
Fort Bend County, TX
Galveston County, TX
Grimes County, TX
Hardin County, TX
Harris County, TX
Jefferson County, TX
Lee County, TX
Liberty County, TX
Madison County, TX
Montgomery County, TX
Orange County, TX
San Jacinto County, TX
Walker County, TX
Waller County, TX

Start Date: 10/3/2023 - End Date: 11/28/2023
Some Southeast Texas counties experienced scattered showers and mild temperatures, which was good news for producers who planted cool-season forages. Rangelands and pastures were starting to go dormant due to light frost. Producers continued supplemental feeding their cattle to gain good conditions for the winter season. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Nov 28, 2023 Numerous counties in Southeast Texas experienced rainfall. Pastures were still very dry, and no winter grass was emerging yet. Cooler temperatures swept across the district, and the first frost hit and caused forages to go dormant. Winter wheat that was previously planted was in good shape. Trees began transitioning into dormancy, and there were no pest issues. Producers were getting a final cutting of hay, which was crucial to help with the upcoming winter months. Cow prices were holding steady, and calf prices continued to rise. Producers continued supplemental feeding the cattle they have kept. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Nov 14, 2023 Adequate rainfall across Southeast Texas left pastures well-saturated. Fieldwork was not able to be done in some areas due to flooding. Soil-moisture levels ranged from adequate to very short. Cotton harvest was almost completed. Producers started planting winter wheat for both grain and forage. Some producers got a last-minute hay cutting. Dryland was averaging a half bale to 1 bale per acre. Cattle markets were slowing down as producers stopped culling their herds. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Oct 31, 2023 Some Southeast Texas producers managed to harvest the last hay/forage cutting, which will be a tremendous help going into winter. Dry conditions persisted as the cold front blew in. Rangeland and pasture ratings varied from excellent to very poor, although rainfall improved pastures and crop fields and new growth was emerging. Producers have noticed fall armyworms and most pastures were treated for them, as well as Bermuda grass stem maggots. Supplemental feeding had slowed down, and producers continued culling the herds. Some producers started spreading lime. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Oct 17, 2023 Scattered showers fell over Southeast Texas, ranging from 0.5-1.5 inches, but most of the district was still extremely dry. Rice harvest was completed, pastures were being mowed, and planting ryegrass for the winter started. Producers were tilling fields and planting winter forages for over-wintering livestock. Hay was fed to livestock and becoming harder to find in the area. Producers continued to cull cattle from their herds, but the number of cattle going to market dropped slightly. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Oct 3, 2023
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