Ranchers Are Selling Off Their Cattle in Unprecedented Numbers Due to the Drought, and That Has Enormous Implications for 2023

by Michael Snyder | July 25, 2022

https://americafirstreport.com/ranchers-are-selling-off-their-cattle-in-unprecedented-numbers-due-to-the-drought-and-that-has-enormous-implications-for-2023/

Thanks to the horrific drought which is absolutely devastating ranching in the Southwest, ranchers are now in “panic mode” and are selling off their cattle at an unprecedented rate. In fact, some are choosing to sell off their entire herds because they feel like they don’t have any other options. In recent days, seemingly endless lines of trailers waiting to drop off cattle for auction have gone viral all over social media. Everybody is talking about how they have never seen anything like this before, and if the drought in the Southwest persists the lines could soon get even longer. In the short-term, this is going to help to stabilize meat prices. But in the long-term the size of the U.S. cattle herd will steadily become much smaller, and that has very serious implications for our ability to feed ourselves in 2023 and beyond.

North Texas has become the epicenter for this rapidly growing crisis. Thanks to the drought, there simply is not enough grass and not enough water, and so many ranchers have been forced to make some really tough decisions…

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North Texas ranchers are selling off cattle by the thousands as grass and water disappear during an expanding summer drought.

Videos spread on social media Saturday and Sunday, showing trucks and trailers lined up for miles outside of livestock markets.

At the Decatur Livestock Market, owner Kimberly Irwin said trucks were stacked a mile in each direction, eventually unloading more than 2,600 animals.

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For many of these ranchers, it is imperative that they get something for their animals while they still can.

According to the USDA, the vast majority of the pasture and range land in the region is now in either “poor” or “very poor” condition…

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Grass has stopped growing with no rain and 100 degree temperatures. Grasshoppers have reportedly been destroying what’s available in some counties. Stock ponds are now starting to run low on water as well.

The USDA released a report Monday showing 83% of pasture and range land is now considered to be in poor to very poor condition.

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Normally, many cattle ranchers would feed hay to their cattle under such circumstances, but the price of hay has absolutely skyrocketed over the past year…




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This is very scary.

I've been seeing huge truck loads of baled corn stalks heading north daily. Apparently, cattle will eat this as a last resort. I'm not sure it provides much nutrition, but maybe enough to keep them going.

Quote: Tinker wrote in post #3

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When I was a teenager I was frequently given the task of cutting (by hand) cornstalks for feeding our cattle. IIRC they loved the stuff and got fat eating it. Loaded with sugars.

They also got pressed sugar cane stalks when we were making syurp.

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