• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

To Honor and Protect the Ranching Way of Life

  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Why Join
    • Leadership
    • Staff
    • Partners
    • FAQs
    • Newsroom
    • Sponsorships
    • Employment
  • What We Do
    • Theft and Law
    • Issues and Policy
    • Education
    • Students and Young Professionals
    • The Cattleman Magazine
    • Disaster Relief Fund
    • Cattle Raisers Insurance
    • Cattle Raisers Trading Co
  • Events
    • Cattle Raisers Convention
    • Policy Conference
    • Summer Meeting
    • Ranch Gatherings
    • Ranching 101
  • Join
  • Member Center
  • TSCRA Store
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Cow-calf Corner: Drought weighing on summer cattle markets

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist

Drought advanced rapidly across Oklahoma in July.  At the end of June, the Drought Monitor showed that 30.76 percent of the state was in some stage of drought (D1-D4) with another 15.15 percent abnormally dry (D0).  Four weeks later, the July 26 Drought Monitor map showed that 100 percent of the state was dry with 99.81 percent in some stage of drought.  In fact, 92.11 percent of the state was Severe drought (D2) or worse.  The northern one-third of Oklahoma received good rains of up to three inches in the last week. This will briefly push back drought conditions in that region, but triple digit temperatures are forecast to return in August and little follow-up rain is in the forecast as far as forecasts reach into the first half of August.  Cattle producers will continue to face tough decisions in the coming weeks.

Rapidly advancing drought conditions in July pushed Oklahoma auction volumes higher as more cows were culled and increased feeder cattle numbers indicated early weaning of calves and early marketings of summer grazing cattle.  Calf prices dropped into July as increased volumes of early weaned calves accelerated seasonal price pressure.  Calf prices recovered somewhat the last week of July as cattle markets generally firmed up.  Large seasonal supplies of heavy feeder cattle were also likely augmented by drought-forced movement of cattle off summer grazing programs though heavy feeder prices are seasonally higher through the summer.  

The July volume of slaughter cows and bulls was more than double last year in Oklahoma auctions.  The cull cow market was overwhelmed with prices sharply lower.  In Oklahoma City, boning cow prices decreased from $89.51/cwt. the last week of June to an average of $66.70/cwt. the last two weeks of July.  Around the region, boning cow prices were similarly lower from Kansas south through Texas.  Cull cow prices generally decreased around the country in July with the sharpest decreases in the central and southern plains.  In some markets, cull cow prices recovered slightly the last week of July.

Nationally, beef cow slaughter continued a double-digit pace in July.  Beef cow slaughter through mid-July is up 14.1 percent year over year for the year to date. Year over year percent increases in beef cow slaughter may be smaller in the last part of year (compared to increased slaughter last year).  However, beef cow slaughter would have to drop to a level less than six percent higher year over year for the remainder of the year before the annual beef cow slaughter would not be double-digit higher for the entire year.  Heifer slaughter, which represents decisions several months ago about reduced heifer retention, is up 3.9 percent year over year so far this year.  The July 1 inventory of heifers in feedlots was up 2.9 percent over last year and confirms that heifers continue to be diverted into feeder channels rather being retained for breeding.  The mid-year cattle inventory showed that the beef cow herd was down 2.4 percent year over year and the inventory of beef replacement heifers was down 3.5 percent from last year.  The beef industry is poised to see the largest single year beef cow herd decrease in more than 35 years.     

Written by:
Jaclyn Roberts
Published on:
August 1, 2022

Categories: TSCRA Update

Recent Posts

TSCRA commends Secretary Rollins and USDA on Texas sterile fly facility

June 18, 2025

FORT WORTH, Texas (June 18, 2025)— U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced …

Continue Reading about TSCRA commends Secretary Rollins and USDA on Texas sterile fly facility

Crime watch: Brangus bull missing in Fayette County

June 13, 2025

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Kenny Murchison, District 20 in …

Continue Reading about Crime watch: Brangus bull missing in Fayette County

Crime watch: Cattle missing in Freestone County

June 13, 2025

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Chace Fryar, District 21 in East …

Continue Reading about Crime watch: Cattle missing in Freestone County

Footer

Who We Are

Why Join
Leadership
Staff
Partners
FAQs
Newsroom
Sponsorships
Employment

What We Do

Theft and Law
Issues and Policy
Education
Students and Young Professionals
The Cattleman Magazine
Cattle Raisers Insurance
Cattle Raisers Trading Co.
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

Information

Cattle Raisers Blog
News Releases
Bereavements
Events
Sponsorships & Advertisement
Tip Hotline
Get Involved
Links

Membership

Membership Center
Membership Center Instructions
Join
Renew
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

PO BOX 101988
FORT WORTH, TX 76185

1-800-242-7820

© 2023 Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association; All Rights Reserved.

COPYRIGHT | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE