Peel Provides Second Quarter Cattle Outlook

The first quarter of 2015 is now in the rear view mirror.  I sat down with the Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel to discuss the state of the beef cattle industry when it comes to supply, demand, profitability and outlook for the balance of 2015. 


Cattle prices have been highly volatile since late 2014. As cattle prices have settled down, Peel said these levels more accurately represent the fundamentals of the market. Domestic beef demand was a pleasant surprise in 2014, but he said there are still concerns what will happen with beef demand for the rest of 2015. Peel said so far there is no indication that beef demand will weaken at this point.


With a stronger U.S. dollar, global beef exports are slowing down. Peel said it is somewhat a bigger concern for U.S. pork and chicken sectors because of their increase in domestic production. That means more pork and chicken will be put onto the domestic market, which creates more competition for the beef industry.


"Our exports will be down a little bit because of the strong dollar impacts, our imports will be up a little bit, but more importantly we'll face those increased domestic supplies of pork and poultry, because they are not exporting as much," Peels said.  

 

I featured Peel on the Beef Buzz feature. Click or tap here to listen to today's Beef Buzz.   

Early Management Promotes Healthy Pasture- and Profitability

The spring growing season is at hand. Therefore, it is time to develop management plans for our warm season pastures. Developing a pasture management plan now ensures the most optimal outcome for this growing season. The following is a list of considerations pertaining to pasture management to assist in developing a management plan.


Establish introduced pastures such as bermudagrass and old world (introduced) bluestem varieties during the early growing season. For hybrid bermudagrass varieties, the best time to plant is late winter or early spring, prior to spring flush (certainly by mid-April if possible). Tifton 85 bermudagrass is the exception; it needs to be planted after it breaks dormancy in the spring. Plant seeded bermudagrass varieties and old world bluestems according to species recommendations in the spring after the last frost of the year. Apply needed amendments such as lime, phosphorus and potassium at planting, and be prepared to control weeds in new stands. Apply nitrogen after seedling emergence. For specific products, rates and timing of herbicides in newly established stands, visit with your weed management specialist prior to establishment.


Fertilize introduced perennial pastures to meet production goals. Use current soil tests or take soil samples immediately to determine nutrient requirements for introduced pastures. Introduced pastures are most productive when managed according to nutrient analyses, although cost-benefit analyses need to be performed simultaneously. Apply recommended nutrients at green-up based on desired production. Target the most productive pastures (soils and forages) first and cover the acres you can afford to do well. 

Click here to read more from Hugh Aljoe of the Noble Foundation, Ardmore, Oklahoma.   

2015 OKC Farm Show Exhibitor Preview:  Great Plains Kubota

Great Plains Kubota is one of the exhibitors coming to the Oklahoma City Farm Show - April 16, 17, & 18, 2015 at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Great Plains Kubota will have their booth in the Cox Pavilion showcasing their tractors, equipment and mowers. Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays caught up Great Plains Kubota spokesperson Reed Boettcher about this year's offering. 


Kubota continues to grow and expand their product line. Recently Kubota began offering hay tools and Boettcher said this year they have introduced their new baler. Producers can also look forward to Kubota increasing their horse power. He said Kubota will offer 165 horse power tractors by next winter. Boettcher said he is excited to see the new models come out and meet the various needs of farmers and ranchers.


"They're growing in horse power size, but of course they always still have the tried and true, subcompact and compact tractors," Boettcher said.


In exhibiting at the Oklahoma City Farm Show, this allows visitors the opportunity to check out the farm equipment from Kubota, as well their competition.   Boettcher said this allows their crew to get to know producers in a relaxed environment, talk about the details with each of the tractors and equipment and promote the offering from Great Plains. Boettcher said their booth will allow visitors to apply of financing, take advantage of show specials and purchase tractors and equipment at the Oklahoma City Farm Show. 
 

Click here to learn more about Great Plains Kubota.

Celebrate Made in Oklahoma Month in April

April is Made in Oklahoma Month, and Oklahoma State University's Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center is encouraging Oklahomans to celebrate by supporting local food companies.


"Made in Oklahoma Month is a great way to remind Oklahomans to support their local food products," Andrea Graves, FAPC business planning and marketing specialist. "When you buy local products, you are putting money back into the state-keeping the products, jobs and money in Oklahoma, which is the main priority of FAPC."


FAPC, a part of OSU's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, supports the food industry by offering businesses, producers and entrepreneurs access to expertise in business and technical disciplines in order to stimulate and support the growth of value-added food and agricultural products and processing Oklahoma.


FAPC has worked with University Dining Services for the past six years to provide more locally made and grown food on campus and promote Made in Oklahoma companies.  The focus is to promote more Made in Oklahoma companies, offer their products into campus dining locations and catering services, and introduce the companies and products to OSU students, faculty and staff.

Click here to read more about "Made in Oklahoma" Month.

Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains-  Click here to subscribe to his daily update of top Energy News.

Take a Pass on Holding Back Heifers from a Twin Birth for Your Beef Cow Herd- Glenn Selk Explains

Dr. Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist, provides a regular look at production tips that can be useful for the Cow-Calf Producer across the southern Great Plains-these tips are a part of an Oklahoma State University Electronic Newsletter called Cow Calf Corner. Here is his latest look at factors cow calf operators need to remember when dealing with a set of twins in their herd:


"Estimates of the percentage of beef cattle births that produce twins vary. One estimate (Gilmore) puts the percentage at about 0.5% or 1 in every 200 births. Approximately one-half of the sets of twins should contain both a bull and a heifer calf. Make sure to write down these calf numbers of twin births while they are still nursing the cow. Be certain to not retain the heifer born twin to a bull as a replacement female.


"Freemartinism is recognized as one of the most severe forms of sexual abnormality among cattle. This condition causes infertility in most of the female cattle born twin to a male. When a heifer twin shares the uterus with a bull fetus, they also share the placental membranes connecting the fetuses with the dam.


"A joining of the placental membranes occurs at about the fortieth day of pregnancy, and thereafter, the fluids of the two fetuses are mixed. This causes exchange of blood and antigens carrying characteristics that are unique to each heifers and bulls. When these antigens mix, they affect each other in a way that causes each to develop with some characteristics of the other sex."

Click here to read more from Dr. Selk.  

This N That - HSUS Wins in Bacon and Egg Battle; Big Iron Wednesday and Red Flag Warning Woes

Two more companies have announced their intention to go Cage Free and Gestation Crate Free in the next few years- even though Wayne Pacelle probably won't go and enjoy bacon and eggs in their establishments anytime soon.   

Hilton Worldwide announced this week that it is eliminating the use of cages for egg-laying chickens and gestation crates for breeding pigs in its global food supply chain.

Initially all hotels in the Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton brands will be required to switch all egg usage to cage-free by December 31, 2017. All pork products must be purchased from suppliers that house breeding pigs in groups rather than gestation crates by December 31, 2018.

The VP of Corporate Responsibility for Hilton cited the need to "drive humane treatment of animals throughout their supply chain" as justification for this decision. Click here for their news release on their corporate website- and note that HSUS is prominently quoted in the release and a contact for reporters to contact- listed above the Hilton contact-  is Anna West of HSUS.   

Dunkin' Brands Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Christine Riley Miller says the company and its franchisee community cares about the welfare of animals and their humane treatment.  

Josh Balk of HSUS is also quoted by Dunkin Donuts about how the lives of animals are being improved by these corporate moves. Here's their news release on how their breakfast sandwiches will be more humane before you know it.

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It's Wednesday- and that means the Big Iron folks will be busy closing out this week's auction items - all 684 items consigned.  Bidding will start at 10 AM central time.                 

Click Here for the complete rundown of what is being sold on this no reserve online sale this week.

If you'd like more information on buying and selling with Big Iron, call District Manager Mike Wolfe at 580-320-2718 and he can give you the full scoop.  You can also reach Mike via email by clicking or tapping here.  

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Red Flag Warnings are flying this morning for  at least 11 Oklahoma Counties and another 20 in the Texas Panhandle- humidity levels as low as 5%, winds up to 35-35 miles per hour and temperatures into the 90s add up to high fire danger- and for agriculture- a weather induced tragedy unfolding for the 2015 winter canola and winter wheat in the region.  

With just a few days like what is expected today- these two crops could be in a world of hurt- as OSU Wheat Specialist Dr. Jeff Edwards likes to say- we are living paycheck to paycheck on moisture- and we must have rain soon or what has looked like a decent crop to this point will fall off the proverbial cliff.   

Click or tap here for the verbiage  of the Red Flag Warning and Watches good through 8 PM this evening.