2012 Drought Still Echoing In TX; 13.9M Cattle/Calves In 2007; 10.9M Today

[hatrack]

EDIT

Texas state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said higher temperatures in Texas will affect the state in many ways: higher summer energy demand, less water availability because of increased evaporation, and an earlier planting season as the last freeze and frost dates move up. "I suspect because of the combination of increased water use and climate change, [there] is going to be just a decrease in the amount of irrigated agriculture," he said.

The prolonged drought has had many impacts over the last few years. "It can increase pest costs, we're seeing migration of land from cropping into livestock, we're seeing lower livestock stocking rates, we're seeing more variable yields," said Bruce McCarl, a professor of agricultural economics at Texas A&M University.

The number of cattle and calves in Texas has declined to 10.9 million this year, from 13.9 million in 2007, according to the Agriculture Department's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The quality of the land that livestock grazes on has also declined sharply in some cases.

"A few years ago, you could count on having ... one animal per 2 acres. In some places they're going to one animal per 4," he said, because "it's drier, you have less grass and less feed to support the animal, and there's also been more variability in the forage yields."

EDIT

http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059996722

[Gothmog]

1. I remember this drought

It was a real pain

[pipoman]

2. Consumer beef prices reflect this. ..

A year ago I was buying choice rib roasts for $7 lb, now they are $8.10. The weekly market reports I get from my meat suppliers indicate higher prices to come through 2014 with some relief expected in 2015.