J,i
A14 - THE PERKINS JOURNAL, Thursday, September 8, 2011
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Extension Corner
By Payne County Extension Educators
Nathan Anderson, Agriculture Educator
Dea Rash, FCS Educator
Brett Morris, 4-H Youth Development
Stan Fimple, Horticulture Educator
Suzette Barta, Rural Development
http://oces.okstate.edu/payne
AG NEWS
What to Expect From
Feeder Cattle Markets
This Fall
August feeder cattle
prices are usually near the
seasonal peak with prices
dropping from through the
remainder of the year. At
least, that is how feeder
Frilces have averaged
0~r the last 10 years. In
Oklahoma, 525 pound
~lium/Large Number 1
steers are currently about
SL40.00/cwt. The ten-year
average price index would
suggest a November low
about $10-$12/cwt lower
than current prices, Heavier
feeder steers (727 pounds)
are currently ayeraging
$137.00/cwt. and would
drop seasonally by $4-5/
cwt. into November.
Can we expect typical
seasonal price pattems this
fall? There are several
factors that may modify
this seasonal price pattern.
First is that seasonal price
patterns may be changing.
Over the past 10-15 years,
feeder price patterns have
changed from spring peaks
to summer peaks in sea-
sonal prices. The seasonal
peaks in calf prices this year
were in the spring, although
heavy feeders have peaked
in price this summer. Over
time, one of the impacts of
high feed prices is likely
to shift the industry back
to spring price peaks.
The next factor is corn
prices. Feedlot ration costs
are very close to a level
where feeder cattle have
to trade at even money
to fed cattle in order to
have a feedlot breakeven.
This won't necessarily
happen immediately, but
over time, continued high
prices of corn will limit
feeder prices, especially at
heavier weights. A spike in
corn prices this fall could
push feeder prices lower,
not for normal seasonal
reasons but lower never-
theless.
The third factor is the
drought. The southern
drought has changed both
supply and demand pros-
pects for the fall. The dry
conditions at the current
time limit any prospects
for wheat pasture this fall
and winter. Normally, this
lack of demand is bearish
to stocker prices. However,
the drought has also caused
significant early marketing
of calves in the Southern
Plains. There will likely be
a significantly smaller fall
run of calves, which may
offset the lack of wheat pas-
ture demand. Thus, it is not
clear whether the net impact
on prices will be positive or
negative. My expectation
at this time is for little or
no seasonal price pressure
on calves and stockers this
fall beyond the pressure
already noted on stocker
prices in this region.
The final factor is some sig-
nificant region differences
due to variable weather
across the country. Calf
prices in Oklahoma are
currently about 10 percent
lower than in Nebraska,
which is a larger than
normal spread between the
two regions. This no doubt
reflects the additional pres-
sure from the drought in
the south compared to the
excellent forage conditions
in the northern half of the
country. The difference
in heavy feeders is more
typical, about 3-4 percent
higher in Nebraska com-
pared to Oklahoma. With
regionally larger supplies
in the north, one might
expect more of a seasonal
tendency in prices this fall
but abundant forage sup-
plies and the continuing
incentive for forage based
gains may increase stocker
demand in the north that
offsets the lack of stocker
demand in the south. The
bottom line is that seasonal
price pressure should be
less than normal this fall,
especially for calves.
Vitamin A Can Be Defi-
cient in a Drought
Vitamin A is rarely a
concern in range cattle
nutritional programs
because it is readily syn-
thesized from carotene
that is common in green
growing plants. However,
in drought situations where
plants become dead or dor-
mant, the carotene content
becomes practically devoid
and may lead to a deficiency
of the precursor to vitamin
A. Carotene is very low in
mature, weathered forages,
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grains and many crop
residues. Carotene will
be lost in stored hay crops
over extended periods of
time. Therefore if hay that
was stored throughout all
of last fall and winter is
to be fed in the upcoming
winter, the vitamin A con-
tent will be considerably
less than when that forage
was originally harvested.
In addition some scientists
have suggested that high
nitrate forages common in
• drought years can exagger-
ate vitamin A deficiencies.
Deficiencies of Vitamin A
usually show up first as
weak, blind or stillborn
Calves. Other signs are
scours, respiratory prob-
lems, poor gains and poor
reproduction.
Fortunately, the fiver of
cattle is capable of storing
vitamin A for long periods
and frequent supplementa-
tion is not necessary. A
singular injection of one
million International Units
(IU) of vitamin A provides
sufficient vitamin for 2 to
4 months in growing and
breeding cattle. A word
of caution: Vitamin A
and A,D, and E injections
have been found to on rare
occasions cause a severe
reaction to the vaccine.
Please consult your vet-
erinarian about the use of
these products.
Because the daily require-
ments of beef cows range
from 30,000 to 50,000
IU. depending on size,
stage of production, and
level of milk production,
supplements can be forti-
fied with vitamin A to
supply the minimum daily
requirement. Depending
on the quantity of range
supplement being provided,
vitamin A can be added to
supplements at the rate
of 5000 to 10,000 IU per
pound of feed.
Managing Ponds during
Drought
The majority of Okla-
homa ponds were built as
means of storing water for
livestock. In an average
year they support cattle
well and provide fishing
and other benefits as a
bonus. However, during a
drought, decreasing water
volume, shrinking pond
surface area and worsening
water quality may become
issues.
Part of the proper design
of a pond involves deter-
mining if the size of the
watershed is sufficient to
fill and maintain the pond.
The Natural Resource Con-
servation Service advises
landowners on watershed
requirements and all other
factors involved in success-
fully building a pond.
When a pond's volume
shrinks significantly and
cattle are wading or loaf-
ing in the immediate area,
decreases in palatability
of the water, followed by
lower water consumption
or even direct harmful
effects to livestock can
occur. In some cases this
scenario can be avoided
or delayed by fencing
to exclude livestock and
pumping water up into a
temporary watering trough.
A livestock water test can
be conducted through your
county Extension office to
determine if water remains
suitable for consumption.
The weight of fish that
can be supported in a pond
is determined by the surface
area of the pond. Monitor
the body condition of
fish by "hook and line"
sampling. Skinny fish in a
shrinking pond will prob-
ably benefit from increased
harvest. Low oxygen fish
kills are also possible as
nutrients become concen-
trated causing algae growth
to increase. In some cases
low oxygen kills can be
averted by using a pump
set to aerate water when
fish show signs of gulping
or "piping" at the surface.
A more reliable way of
reducing the risk of a fish
kill is to harvest an "at risk"
pond heavily and fill your
freezer.
The silver lining is
that droughts offer three
opportunities for possibly
needed maintenance work.
Edge slumping and cattle
traffic can produce shal-
low edges and ideal con-
ditions for the growth of
cattails, bulrush and other
generally unwelcome pond
plants. Low water levels
can allow access by equip-
ment to rebuild the slope
to a more desirable 3 to 1
slope. Ponds with a black,
sulfurous smelling layer
of organic matter on the
bottom will benefit from
complete draining and
drying until the bottom
cracks. Ponds with carp,
bullheads, stunted crappie
or other undesirable fish
can be "renovated" by
eliminating all fish and
restocking.
