November 16, 2006
Our 70% chance of rain on Saturday slid north as more moisture for the Northwest. However, arriving with two more truckloads of Nevada steers Monday night, an unpredicted swirl of clouds left amounts ranging from .14 to a quarter of an inch along Dry Creek. Still busy feeding our cows and calves, the surprise showers may have been enough to start the grass in places – dust settled for the moment.
Live cattle prices have slid nearly 20% as the price of a short corn crop has increased to supply the growing demand from ethanol plants. Naturally, commodity speculators have exacerbated both extremes, but we trust that the price of both commodities will even out in the near term – one example of the variables of the market and politics that are beyond our control. For those that normally sell their calves going into winter, it’s had to be an awfully tough hit.