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Cooperative Extension Service Communications and Technology Department 3354 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071 (307) 766-6342 • fax (307) 766-3998 • www.uwyo.edu |
For Immediate Release
Story contact:
Chris Bastian: 1 (307) 766-4377
Contact: Steven L. Miller, Senior Editor
Phone: (307) 766-6342
E-mail: slmiller@uwyo.edu
Archived News Site www.uwyo.edu/agadmin/news/news.htm
Date: Jan. 11, 2006
UW study finds Wyoming cattle producer response varies to drought
Persistent drought in Wyoming reduced cattle producer equity up to 34 percent in a given year during 2000 to 2004 compared to a normal year, according to preliminary results from a survey conducted by the University of Wyoming’s College of Agriculture.
That and other information is being gleaned from a survey sent to 3,000 producers by the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics last spring asking how they have responded to the extended drought.
Almost 1,200 surveys were returned, said Chris Bastian, assistant professor in the department.
“This was an extremely difficult survey,” Bastian said. “We had producers call and tell us it took more than an hour for them to fill it out, and they had to go back into their records five years.”
The 2002 Agriculture Census showed 4,590 livestock producers in the state with 732,546 cattle. The 2005 figure increased the number to 756,000. More than half of the producers raise less than 100 head, but operations with 200 to 500-plus animals raised the most cattle.
The survey categorized producers into those with up to 10 head, 11-99, 100-299, 300-999, and 1,000 and over.
They were asked their most critical concerns. “A drought contingency plan was their most important need,” said Bastian. “They said BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) would have a significant impact on the beef industry, and brucellosis (concerns) was their third.”
Other information gleaned about producers and the potential impacts or their strategies to address persistent drought on their operations:
* Most calve in the spring months, but Bastian said there were responses for every month.
* Grazing capacity was reduced about 31 percent in 2000 and up to 42 percent in 2004.
* Respondents noted a reduction in winter feed production of about 38 percent in 2000 and more than 50 percent in 2004.
* Sale weights declined by 20 percent in 2000 and 19 percent in 2004. The average number of calves weaned declined about 26 percent in 2004.
* Equity declined about 29 percent in 2000 and about 34 percent in 2004.
* About 40 percent used partial liquidation in 2002 as a response to the drought.
* About 11 percent sold retained yearlings in 2004.
* About 25 percent leased or purchased additional forage or grazing in 2004.
* About 46 percent bought additional winter feed in 2004
* About 24 percent used early weaning of calves to reduce feed needs in 2004.
* About 40 percent participated in a government feed assistance program in 2003.
* About 40 percent earned extra income outside of cattle ranching in response to drought in 2004.
Bastian said there is a need for more research concerning livestock and forage response across multiple years of drought for different management systems.
“Research, education and policy dealing with extended drought will have to be comprehensive and flexible as one size does not fit all,” noted Bastian.
Other UW investigators involved in this project include Siân Mooney, assistant professor; John Hewlett, farm and ranch management specialist; Padmaja Ponnamaneni, master’s student in the department; Steve Paisley, beef cattle specialist in the animal science department; and Mike Smith, professor and range management specialist in the renewable resources department. Marshall Frasier, associate professor, Wendy Umberger, assistant professor, and John Ritten, doctoral student from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Colorado State University, are also involved.
On the Web: http://www.uwyo.edu/AgEcon/
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