Cow-Calf Corner | November 25, 2024
Feedlot Inventories and Heifer Dynamics
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist
The latest Cattle on Feed report showed that feedlot inventories on November 1 were 11.99 million head, equal to one year ago. Feedlot inventories have been about equal to the previous year for each of the past 14 months. October feedlot placements were 105.3 percent of year ago levels, slightly higher than pre-report expectations. Placements in October were likely enhanced by early movement of feeder cattle in October. In Oklahoma, October auction volumes were up by 45.2 percent over year earlier levels. Auction volumes dropped sharply in November. The larger, earlier fall run of calves likely means that auction volumes will be smaller for the remainder of the year. Total feedlot placements this year have been 1.1 percent less year over year.
Feedlot marketings in October were 104.7 percent of last year. However, October 2024 had one additional business day compared to last year so daily average feedlot marketings were equal to one year ago. Total feedlot marketings this year have been down slightly, just 0.1 percent less than last year.
Recent slaughter data for October showed that heifer slaughter was 32.5 percent of total cattle slaughter for the month. The twelve-month moving average of heifer slaughter was 31.8 percent of total slaughter for the past year. With just two months of data left in 2024, this is a good estimate of the annual value of heifer slaughter as a percent of total cattle slaughter. This estimate is included in Figure 1 (shown in red) and shows that heifer slaughter rates continue to increase. The 2024 heifer percentage of total cattle slaughter is likely to be the highest level since 2004.
Figure 1: Heifer Slaughter as a Percent of Total Slaughter. (2024 projected)
Cattle cycle herd dynamics depend on the dynamics of female cattle including both cull cows and heifers. Declining cull cow rates is often the leading indicator of producer herd rebuilding intentions. Beef cow slaughter is down 17.9 percent year over year in the first 45 weeks of 2024. This is projected to result in an annual culling rate of about ten percent, roughly equal to the long-term average and down from the recent high over 13 percent in 2022. During herd expansion the cow culling rate typically drops below nine percent for 3-4 years.
The biggest component of herd expansion is heifer retention. The heifer slaughter rates in Figure 1 indicate that no heifer retention is occurring yet. Heifer retention usually lags changes in cow culling. Herd expansion results in decreased heifer slaughter rates similar to the 1991-1996 and the 2014-2017 periods. Current heifer slaughter rates suggest that the beef cow has continued to decrease in 2024 and that prospects for herd expansion in 2025 are very limited.
Happy Thanksgiving
Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist
Thanksgiving is a time when American families come together to celebrate a holiday that connects each and every one of us. The holiday was first celebrated in 1621 when the Plymouth settlers, joined with the Wampanoag Indians to enjoy a fall feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest. The tradition of Thanksgiving became official when President George Washington declared the nation would celebrate the day on November 26, 1789. President Abraham Lincoln wrote a proclamation declaring all states would celebrate the day in 1863. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a resolution from Congress in 1941 that established the official date of Thanksgiving to be the fourth Thursday in November each year. While Thanksgiving is observed in varied ways in different nations, in America the holiday is truly rooted in agriculture. We may bring our own flavors and traditions to the table but Thanksgiving is a time for all of us to celebrate our nation's harvest and ability to efficiently produce food, to express gratitude for our blessings, and look ahead to the future.
We have much to be thankful for this year. Strong cattle prices and an excellent market outlook. Ample amounts of moisture across Oklahoma in the past 3 weeks has filled ponds, brought on wheat pasture and helped release us from the grip of drought. I am thankful to work in an industry which is responsible for producing the highest quality beef in the world. I am thankful that we, as Ag producers, have the ability to produce food efficiently and sustainably. And as a result of this ability, permit Americans to enjoy the world's safest food supply while we spend a relatively small percentage of our disposable income for it.
Happy Thanksgiving to each you and your family. Thanks for reading.
Mark Johnson, OSU Extension beef cattle breeding specialist, explains why you may want to keep beef on the menu for Thanksgiving dinner. Cow Calf Corner- November 23, 2024
When Can I Start Grazing Wheat Pasture?
Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Beef Cattle Nutrition Specialist
It has been a tough wheat pasture year for most of the wheat producing areas in the Southern Great Plains. With rains in August, many of us were optimistic about our prospects for another good year for grazing calves on wheat. Other than a few areas that caught some rain, most of us missed any precipitation for right at 60-days. The Oklahoma Mesonet shows that most of the area has received 8 to 10 inches of precipitation since the end of October. That has led to many phone calls and conversations asking when wheat pasture will be ready for grazing.
A good rule of thumb for stocking wheat pasture, is we need to accumulate 4 to 5 pounds of forage dry matter per pound of steer bodyweight at turnout on pasture to maximize grazing performance through the fall and winter. This would be a total of 2,500 pounds of forage for a 500 pound calf. At a stocking rate of 2 acres per steer, we need 1,200 to 1,300 pounds of forage growth per acre. If you estimate 200 pounds of forage per inch of forage height at the main mass of tillers (not the tallest tiller) in a good thick stand of wheat pasture, the wheat should be 6 to 7 inches deep on average across the field.
Wheat and other small grains produce about 3.3 pounds of forage dry matter per growing degree day. This concept is based on the critical temperature for growth for each forage species and is calculated by: Growing Degree Day = Average Daily Temperature - Critical Temperature. For wheat, I use a critical temperature of 42°F, while for rye and triticale the critical temperature for growth is 38°F. The slightly lower critical temperature for rye and triticale seems like very little difference but can have a large impact on growth potential as we get into cooler conditions.
Below, the picture on the left is of a stand of triticale and ryegrass in a crop field in Central Oklahoma on November 12th. It has just emerged following the recent rains. The picture on the right is at the same spot on November 22nd. The stand is progressing rapidly with the great growing weather, so by the end of the month we should have 850 to 900 pounds of forage growth. Based on projected temperatures for the next month with average daily temperatures of around 44°F, we should expect 15 to 20 pounds of additional forage growth per day, reaching 1,200 pounds of forage accumulation by December 20th.
Here is another picture of a wheat field in Southern Oklahoma taken on November 10th, with a good bit of growth and tillering. This field has already accumulated about 200 - 300 pounds of forage per acre. By the end of the month, we expect another 900 pounds of forage growth per acre. So, for this field turnout will only be about 30 days later than our normal expected turnout date of November 1.
Don't turn cattle out on wheat pasture too early. Waiting just a few days for the stand to adequately develop will make a huge difference in the longevity of the stand and the performance of the calves on pasture.
OSU Extension beef cattle specialist Paul Beck talks about wheat pasture growth on SunUpTV from October 16, 2021.
OSU Research Launch: Asian Longhorned Tick
Rosslyn Biggs, DVM, OSU Cooperative Extension Beef Cattle Specialist
The Asian longhorned tick (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, an invasive species was identified in the summer of 2024 on cattle in northeast Oklahoma counties.
The ALT parasitizes multiple species including humans, pets, livestock and wildlife, including birds. It is a three-host tick that spends 90 percent of its life off the animal. The four most common animals this tick has been found on within the United States are dogs, white-tailed deer, raccoons and cattle.
A single female tick can reproduce without mating and may produce 1,000 to 2,000 eggs at a time. It has the potential to create an established population in a newly introduced location in two to three weeks.
Severe infestations of the ALT in cattle can lead to death from excessive blood loss. Production losses including decreased milk production and growth are substantial. The Asian longhorned tick has also been recognized as a vector for multiple diseases of both humans and animals.
In other countries, the tick is the primary vector of Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype in cattle. The protozoal agent causes clinical signs similar to anaplasmosis-anemia, fever, lethargy, jaundice and death. The mortality rate for cattle infected with T. orientalis Ikeda genotype varies from three to 90 percent. T. orientalis Ikeda genotype has been identified in the United States, but as of this time not in Oklahoma.
Beginning in late 2024, Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine researchers will launch a project to evaluate the status of the pathogenic T. orientalis genotype Ikeda and the Asian longhorned tick in cattle herds from Oklahoma and eastern border states. 30 to 50 farms have the opportunity to participate.
Each participating herd will provide five to twenty blood samples. Herds that test positive to T. orientalis will be followed up with once or twice during the study. Ticks will also be collected from the animals. Tick trapping may also be performed. A maximum of 15 ticks will be analyzed from each sample collection site. All samples will be tested at the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.
Sampling supplies, shipping labels, and testing will be provided at no cost. Samples may be collected by veterinarians or producers with a consulting herd veterinarian. Anaplasma marginale testing will also be provided free of charge (up to 20 samples per herd) if anaplasmosis is suspected in the herd.
For more information or to participate in the study please contact a member of the research team: Dr. Ruth Scimeca, Dr. Rosslyn Biggs, or Dr. John Gilliam.
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