Farm Director KC Sheperd is back talking with Bob Rodenberger, a partner with Stockman Oklahoma Livestock, as he gives the latest on the cattle markets.
After the holiday, Rodenberger said the feeder cattle market came back stronger, and the market for grazing calves is tremendous.
“We are still at record-level highs,” Rodenberger said.
Although there is a smaller cow inventory, Rodenberger said carcasses are coming in 15 to 20 pounds more than they have for the last three years. When you factor that into 600,000 head killed each week, Rodenberger said it makes up for a lot of cattle.
“Total meat production is not as reduced as the total number of cows that we have reduced,” Rodenberger said.
Rodenberger said that much of the state has seen some drought relief, but the eastern part of the state is still suffering.
“Once we fill up ponds and keep getting rain for soil moisture, and get in and have a good spring and a good summer, then I think we will start seeing some retention on heifers,” Rodenberger said.
